Evening star., 1939-01-26
No Heavy Close
To Joe's Glass;,
Fans Realize
Champ Not Really Hit
As He Gives J. H.
Cruel Beating
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer,

NEW YORK, Jan. 26.-The quest
for worth while opponent for Joe
Louis begins to seem downright silly
after last nights farce at the
Garden, when the Tan Terror re-
duced poor John Henry Lewis to a
battered, helpless hulk of a man in
minutes and 20 seconds of fighting.
When John Henry, who had
optimistically been introduced only
a few minutes previously as the
challenger for the worlds heavy
weight crown" went down under the
onslaught for the third and last
time, the thought must have struck
every last one of the 1880 fans in
the arena that in Joe Louis there
was a fighter who stood alone.
The Brown Bomber, defending his
title for the fifth time, was not
struck real blow as he shuf1ed
in and knocked the daylights out of
Lewis. Not a glove had yet been
laid on Joe when Referee Arthur
Donovan lifted the glassy-eyed John
Henry to his legs and yelled to the
knock-down judge, That's enough"
Lewis Terribly Beaten.
Lewis, who spotted the great
champion 20 pounds. received as
terrible beating in the fraction of
a round as Louis dealt out to Max
Schmeling when he slaughtered the
German in 2:04 last summer. Maybe
it.was worse, though Lewis showed
no serious Ill effects in his dressing
room afterward and insisted he had
not been badly hurt when the fight
was stopped.
The spectators didn't agree with
that. Some said they feared an
other Louis right might have broken
the challenger's neck. He had been
down twice before, for counts of two
and three, and each time had reeled
to his feet with his guard dangling
uselessly. The last time Joe gave
him the works, a cruel right to the
jaw with all of the champs 200
pounds behind it. Lewis was cropping
around, his eyes rolling and his face
contorted, when the count reached
five and Donovan interceded.
It is difficult to measure fight
er's greatness, but this writer ran
into three Well-known fight man.
ayers on the way out and each of
them said solemnly: He would
have knocked out Dempsey" They
meant that they didn't think man
had lived who could have lasted
with tho T o,1ic of tndav
Louis Comes Out Fighting.
The big, poker r-faced Negro has
become a finished fighter and ter
rible man to meet in the ring. He
went after Lewis last night with an
awful certainty. He didn't consent
to do any sparring. They had fid-
died for not more than 10 seconds
when Joe closed in and began rip
ping lefts and rights. He swung
every punch viciously. the mo-
mentum carrying him half around
when he missed.
The first right that hit John
Henry's jaw spun him against the
ropes and staggered him. He said
later he never recovered from it.
Within another 10 seconds the bar
rage sent him down. He was up,
but Louis closed in and continued
his merciless execution. Here was a
man, a former great light-heavy-
weight champion and a fine ring
craftsman, totally unequipped to
defend himself from the Louis fury,
much less try to strike back. 1t was
a fearsome sight.
In the short time it lasted Louis
must have landed 40 times with all
his power. To the challenger's
credit it only can be said that he
was game. If he had been per-
mitted he would have taken more of
it, but that would not have been
much fun to watch.
Finding Foe Jacobs Problem.
Though he has reason to be
pleased with the 100000 he took in
last night. Promoter Mike Jacobs
mind must be filled with some seri-
Gus doubts today about digging up
that May opponent he has prom
ised the champion. He has been
seriously considering a Louis Tony
Galento fight and might even an
nounce it before this nightfall, but
it is difficult to see how he can do it
without experiencing a few qualms
of conscience.
The Louis of last night surely
would have made a chopping block
of rotund Tony.
The only possibility this writer
can see is Lou Nova, providing the
promising young Californian con-
tinues to develop at an even pace
and remains out of ,Joe's reach for