The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-01-14

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Now that Billy Conn has restored
some OF the lost fistic prestige by
the sheer force Of boxing ability.
II seems good time to recall that
the Negro boxer has never been
completely out OF the boxing pic
ture
conn came flaming across the
pugiistic horizon last week when
he scored one OF the biggest upeets
in ring battles by defeating Fred
Apostoli. the San Francisco ex-
hell hop who had beaten the best
Of the boys in the middleweight
division.
Since the DAYS when Molyneaux
lost questionable decision TO
Tom Cribh In England. back In the
eighteenth century. the Negro
fighter has been an important fac
tor in almost every division In
the fight craft.
Men like George Godfrey. the orig
inal: George Dixon. Rufe Turner.
kentucky Rosebud. Andy Bowen.
Joe Cans. Jack Blackburn. Dave
Holly. Joe jeanette. Sam Langford.
McVev. George Gunther. Dixie Kid,
Joe Walcott. Peter Jackson. Jack
Johnson. and the present crop Of
coIored fighters. have kept the Ne
gro hattler In n prominent position
during the Intervening years.
The Irish battlers had their
greatest day during the waning
days of the nineteenth century. and
the early days OF the twentieth
century Those were the days
when John L. Sullivan. Tom Shar-
kew. James J. Corbett, Mike and
lack sullivan. Jimmy Britt, Frank
Erne. Jack Root. Jack Dempsey,
Gus Rhulin. and many others. ham,
mered their way TO fame and for
tune mostly fame.
Shortly after the late World
War new crop OF fighters forged
10 The front. ringsters OF Italian
extraction. Notable were Bat Bat
tilino. kayo Morgan Tony Canzl-
nero. Pete Hartman. Young Corbett
III. Primo Carnero, and Vince
Dundee. The Jewish fighters also
came on with rush 10 obtain the
laurels. notably Benny Leonard, Al
Singer. Kid Berg, Phil tKid) Ros-
enberg. and Make Rosenbloom.
Al the same time an invasion OF
boxers from the PHILIPPINES and
Hawaiian Islands marched TO
success In America. However,
through the march OF years the
Negro fighters have been con-
slant threat 10 those who have at
tempted TO rule the various divi-
sions.
And no race has had stronger
hold on the championships than
that OF the Negro fighters Of to-
day In no year OF boxing history
can II he recalled when one race
ruled five Of the eight divisions as
the Negro fighters did IN 1888
Joe Louis. king Of the heavies;
John Henry Lewis. king OF the
light-heavyweight division. and
Henry Armstrong. kingpin among
the welters. lishtweights. and fea-
therweighis.
Armstrong has ahdicsted from
his featherweight throne. but still
retains his other two crowns. Civ
ing the colored hoys four OF the
eight championships.
One Of the brightest track stars
Of the 1888 indoor track season
was Jim Herbert. Of New York uni
versity. One Of Herberts outstand-
ing wins OF the early days OF the
season was winning 500-meter race
at the BROOKLYN knights OF Column
bus meet. He was also 1897 win
ner.
Last Friday night Herbert fin
ished last In field OF seven and
was never able 10 make race OF
II as Wesley Wallace. white. Ford
ham university flew home to
new American record.
Coming into the outdoor season
last wear, Herbert was not able 10
maintain the fast pace he had set
In the early indoor meets. This
was especially true OF the AAV
meet held in Buffalo last July.
However, one OF the best look
INK prospects for winning track
laurels during the 1893 season
seems to he MoEelle Ellerbce. Tus-
kegee institute sprint champion.
Ellerbee started the 1885 outdoor
season by capturing the 1OO-yard
dash at the Drake Relays. won the
l0o-yard sprint AT the National