Evening star., 1938-05-15
SARR0N SUCCESS
Is YEARS IN RING
At 80, Gevinson's Opponent
Shows No Sign of Decay.
Had Humble Start.
By BURTON HAWKINS,

Dy OO - 4 OlN 1Ah w 1AAAVos
Petey Sarron, a pocket edition. side
wheeling fighter who was . prominent
puncher when Clara Bow and NAH
jong were lively topics, is one Of ring
dom's amazing specimens. The
hatchet-faced guy with the receding
hairline is another Of that vast corps
Of former newsboys who has amassed
. modest fortune.
Here for 10 rounds Of business with
Lou Gevinson, stupendous- shouted
local lightweight. Thursday night at
Grifiith Stadium, in the Districts
initial outdoor bout OF the season,
mild-mannered Petey still is rated one
Of fstiana's finer products after Is
years of steady singing.
Nearly 80. Petey is showing no signs
Of decay. In approximately $50 pro-
fessional engagements the hairy one
has been foored only once, and it took
the current sensation of the boxing
world-Henry Armstrong-to accom-
plish that. World featherweight
champion until few months ago,
Sarron has graduated to lightweight
ranks, the fourth division in which
he has fought in his world wide resin
ramblings.
His Early Life Tough.
Petey's path to q mild sort Of fame
has been studded with misfortune and
Encouragement. When he came into
the world his Pyrian father was
peddling trinkets from door to door.
and six years later little Petey was
hawking papers in Birmingham. Ala,
to ease the family financial burden.
Now he supports that family.
It was in the Birmingham Boys
Club that Sarron launched his athletic
career with such sports figures As
Dixie Walker and Ben Chapman OF
the baseball realm and Battling Bozo
and Bob Tow Of ring circles. Dave
Evans manager Of the club. recog-
nized a flickering spark Of talent in
Petey and encouraged its development.
Inaugurating his career as an anna
teur flyweight there, Petey gradually
improved to the point where he
earned a berth on Uncle Sans 1924
Olympic team. Since then he has
campaigned in four divisions and has
enjoyed the distinction Of being ranked
in each. Currently not ranked by the
National Boxing Association in the
lightweight class due to his limited
competition as q 135-pounder. Petey
nevertheless is awarded the eighth spot
by Ring, semi-ofncial boxing organ.
Scored Seven Straight Kayoes.
Petey labored long in this sector
before realizing his fond ambition Of
winning the featherweight crown He
scored seven successive knockouts at
Portner's Arena In Alexandria, before
boxing was legalized here, despite the
fact his knuckles were protected by
sponges to avoid irritating an old
injury.
Then. in May Of 1886. Petey faced
Freddie Miller at Griffith Stadium in
the most important scrap ever held
here. He outmaneuvered the clean
cut Miller for IS rounds and was
rewarded with the 126-pound title.
Miller. incidentally. has been the only
southpaw to trim Sarron and the only
fighter to defeat him more than once
Extensive travelling has carried him
to Cuba, France. Mexico. Jamaica.
South Africa, England, Australia and
New Zealand. He has thrown and
caught a lot of blows in those jour-
neys. but he shows no tendencies to
start swinging at lamp posts. A fan
on clean living. Sarron is in top
condition at all times.
A freakish style, amazing strength
and an ability to think have carried
Petey far. Now he blocks the path
Of one Of the finest prospects ever
produced here and it's large obstacle
Gevinson has been asked to overcome.
Petey still is quite a fighter.