The Washington times., 1938-03-23
Amateurs HiSadered

Not that there ever was any
local statute against boxing it.
self, but more against the charg-
ing Of admission therefor. The
amateur sport was Stifled here
because of the lack of revenue
for its proper expansion.
It costs money to equip the
lads who trade blows, even those
who do so for sheer love.
Eddie RoSenblum and DR.. o. q.
Singer and Jimmy Sullivan who
IN times past have been A. A. U.
chairmen and shepherds Of the
small knots ot simon-pure boxers
who barely kept the game alive
here, will testify to the invigor.
ating effect on their particular
activity which legalization here
has accomplished.
They could remind you that
not so very long ago all the anna
teur fighting hereabout centered
around three organizationS-the
City Club, the knights Of Colurn.
bus and the Jewish Community
Center. ...
Two dozen entries for an anna
teur athletic tournament in their
day was considered a healthy
representation.
BY contrast the current elimi-
nations started with so many
kids that Chairman w. A. Null
ligan was in a dither. He was
like the old woman who lived
in a shoe.
Colony Has GrOWn
Eighty bare legged and bare
armed scrappers reported to
him for pairing and before he
got through bracketing the boys,
discovered he'd have to go into
the fourth night in order to &C
commodate all Of them.
Euch a statement pretty well
established what has happened
to amateur boxing in Washing
ton. And the increase in the
size of the fighting colony has
had the effect of building up the
roster of trainers and handlers.
Less than half a dozen names
made UP the old guard which
trundled our boy boxers about
Washington, showing tn EN-
mostly before smokers and other
stag gatherings.
Let's see, there was Jimmy
McNamara, Billy Whip, Jack
Whitley, Joe Bateman and Zube
Sullivan. That just about
includes 'em all. But during
the current tournament, who
do we find in the corners Of our
eager-faced boys, carrying on a
work started by the group enum-
Grated above?
Besides Jack Whitley, there
are Mike Tardguno, Sid Fishel,
Benny Keller, Tom Garrity, Lou
Jameson, AL Ferrell, Mat Twoo-
mey, Humpty DeKola and Leo
De Chard, to mention a few
who will be seen tonight ad-
ministering to the needs of the
semifinalists.
City of ScrGppers
And against the three pioneer.
ing clubs enumerated above,
Washington and environs now
rightfully boast Of q full dozen
organizations, indicating t h q t
wherever young men and boys
gather these times, the tendency
is to put on the gloves.
Glance over the list to con.
vince yourself ours Is a fight
minded community. There are
the Police Boys ClubS-five Of
them.
Then there are the scrappers
Of the military organizations
hereabouts, such as the Ma
tional Guard, Fort Washington,
Fort Myer and Fort Belvoir.
The Y. M. c. A. has an en-.
thusiastic group, and down in
Alexandria there has Sprouted
up the A. B. and w. boxers,
who take their identity from
the bus company which permits
the use Of their gymnasium at
Pitt and Cameron Streets.
The Merrick Boys Club and
the Boys Club Of Washington
are regular contestants in any
ring tournaments here and arch
rivals as well. The Crimson A.
C. Swells the local amateur
fistic families, as does the Col
mar Manor team Of the Amer.
ican League.
You see here In Washington
we're raising no generation Of
tiInid boys.