Imperial Valley press., 1939-04-19
Sports Parade
BY HENRY McLEMORE

NEW YORK, April 10. CUP)-A
new worlds record for optimism
was established today by Tony
Galento and his manager, Joe ia
cobS.
In telephone conversation
from Boston, Galento and jacobs
expressed delight over the sudden
death finish of the Joe Louis
Tack Roper bout in Los Angeles,
and said the first round knockout
was positive indication that Galen-
to would defeat the Negro cham
pion in June.
When they told me this I immed-
lately signalled for the operator
and asked for a better connection,
being unable to believe my ears.
II didn't seem possible that two
adults, in their right minds, could
place such an Interpretation on
the two minutes and 20 seconds
knockout of Roper by Louis.
For them to rejoice over the
deadly work Of Louis, what with
Galento scheduled to meet him in
a few months, seemed to me to be
absurd as it would be for the turkey
to praise Thanksgiving or the
mouse to celebrate the birthday
of the man who invented the rat
trap.
But rejoice they did, for about
S8 worth at a person-to-person
rate. Jacobs was the first to speak
to me, and by the tone of his voice,
and the words he uttered, you
#ouId have thought that he had
.ust been left a handsome legacy.
"Yessir, We heard the fight, ev-
cry round of it, he said.
You mean every second of it"
I corrected.
"All right, every second of it,
he answered, "at a radio in the
Friars' club. And I want to tell
you that it proved to us that the
fight in June will be a cinch."
I agree it would be a cinch-for
Louis.
When 1 said this, Joe let loose a
below that must have knocked
every sparrow off the telephone
wires between here and Boston.
you're crazy" he roared. What
did Roper hit Louis with In the
first minute of that fight? What, I
ask you, what? Three left hooks,
that's all. Three left hooks. That
means that Galento can hit him
with three And baby, when Galen-
to hits him with three he'll be
sleeping for a week. That Roper's
a bum, and an old bum, besides.
Yet he got in three licks before
Joe got him. Let Tony get in one
| lick and therell be a new heavy
weight champion. Amt that right
Tony?"
At this juncture Galento thun-
dered to the telephone. Judging
from the way he talked into it, ii
was the first telephone he had
ever seen, and he was taking nc
chances with it, 1 didn't hear the
opening bombardment of Verdun
but it must have sounded quite
similar to Galento on the telephone
He shouted so loud, and so bellig-
erently, that my eardrums snug
gled close to one another for pro-
lection, and 1 worried lest 1 be
shell-shocked before 1 could gel
him off the line.
Hes bum, and can't beat moth
ing but buns" Galento shouted
HE just thinks he can knock guys
out fast. Waitll 1 wade into him
and let him have one on the whis-
kers. I'm telling you, I'm liable
! to kill him.
Obviously dissatisfied with Ga
lentos modest statement Of his
own ability, Jacobs wrested the
phone from Tony's hands and, in
the pure language that has brought
! him offers Of the chair of English
from not one single university
proceeded TO tell me what would
happen to Louis on the night OF
June %.
And if I'm wrong" he conclud-
ed, "sue me-"
Joe was safe in saying that, be-
cause he knows 1 won't sue him
for damages, anyway. There will
be enough damage done that night
without anybody having to sue foi
any.