Evening star., 1939-01-27
Fond
Are CoIorfu|
Mentors
Lives of Both Filled
With Experiences
Of Hurdihood
BY BURTON HAWKINS.

A"oSO AAoAil Oil VI pIldII doyAu1l W DC-
come veteran circus performer
touring New England tank towns at
the tender age of 8, and Heinie
Miller, who jumped in Chinese
checker fashion from the spray
slapped deck of the U. S. S. Mary
land to coaching University of
Maryland boxing teams, have much
in common.
La Fond, who instructed Catholic
University mittmen in the niceties
Of pushing leather, and Miller will
square off as mutually respected
enemies for the third time tomorrow
night at College Park when their
boxing teams collide in the meatiest
portion of a double header attrac-
ton that also will pit MARYLAND
against Virginia in a basket bali
feud. No punches will be pulled
and in such situations La Fond and
Miller are toughest.
Poverty once was an unwelcome
companion of La Fonds. His par
ents were poor, SO poor that when
Eddie came they had no other choice
than to send him to an orphan
asylum to insure his three squares"
a day. Eddie didn't remain there
long, however, for he soon hooked up
with small circus.
His Jobs Hazardous.
Edide's unenviable jobs for two
years called for him to dive 72 feet
into net and a bit of tight rope
walking. The intervening years
have added inches to his girth, but,
by the same token, the French-Ca-
madam also has expanded in the
brain department.
From that venture Eddie stepped
gingerly into lumber camp, a 13-
year-old boy among men who asked
no favors because he knew they
wouldn't be granted anyway. If
nothing else. Eddie absorbed an ap-
parently inexhaustible supply of
yarns in that association, plus a
knowledge of lumberjack brawling
and a desire to make more of him
self.
So Eddie went to school in Lewis
ton, Me, played football and
through football. headed for college.
He originally was slated to go to
Dartmouth. but broke a leg in high
school and physicians said they
didn't think he'd be playing any
football in the future Dartmouth
didn't either. but La Fond did and
finally, he came to Catholic u,
chiefly because his scholastic coach
matriculated there and welded his
influence.
c. Z. Heaven to Eddie.
To Eddie. who had worked in res
taurants to finance his high school
education, Catholic U. became a
heaven on earth. He organized and
captained the Cards first boxing
team in 1924. And. despite physi-
clans predictions, he played a great
brand of football at guard. An avid
student of boxing, he was named
coach of the ring team following
graduation and in that capacity he
since has served.
La Fond and Miller first became
acquainted when Eddie was trying
to put boxing on its feet at C. U
Miller, who has been everything in
boxing except stool or bucket, then
was refereeing and he worked many
OF Eddie's fights. He recalls an in
cident at Navy when he stopped a
fight and awarded it to La Fond's
opponent. Eddie's blood-splattered
protesting features still are etched
on his memory
Eddie and Heinie became fast
friends, with La Fond often dropping
over to Miller's house to ask advice
on boxing problems. Eddie was ad-
vlsed by Miller to referee shortly
after professional boxing was legal
lied here and the c. U. coach now
is regarded as one of the smoothest
arbiters in the industry.
Heinie Real Sea Dog.
A veteran of the World War and
Cuba, China, Philippine, Nicaragua
and Mexico campaigns. Miller has
viewed boxing from the various
angles OF an amateur and profess
Slonal nghter, boxing writer, sports
editor, referee, second, manager,
matchmaker, promoter and coach.
He currently is first vice president
and chairman of the Ratings Com
mittee of the National Boxing Asso-
citation and is due to inherit it's
presidency in September. He also is
secretary of the District Boxing
Commission and lieutenant colonel
In the Marine Corps Reserve.
Actually, Eddie and Heinie are of
different generations. Heinie is a
grandfather and Eddie a father, but
they've palled around a lot. That,
for the moment, will be forgotten to-
morrow night.
Thus far their rivalry has been
close, with La Fond holding a slight
edge over his former instructor.