The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-04-18
ROPER FAILS TO
 LAST 1 ROUND
 AGAINST LOUIS
Champ Collected $45,OOO for Short Fight; ; GalentO
 Next
BY RONALD WAGONER United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent)
 Los Angeles, April 18-(UP)-Joe Louis called in the manicurist today to file down a broken thumb nail, and she should get a nice tip be- cause Joe earned about $45,000 in cracking that claw against Jack Roper's head.
 The heavyweight champion toyed with the ancient studio electrician for a couple of minutes and then let him have right on the chops that put him to sleep before a crowd of 35,000 in Wrigley Field last night.
 It was California's first heavy weight championship fight in 30 years, and lasted two minutes and 20 seconds, which was something of a disappointment to fight fans who had predicted that Louis would break the two minutes and four sec ond record he set in knocking out Max Schmeling last year.
 The gate was estimated at $100.- 900 by Promoters Mike Jacobs of New York and Tom Gallery of Los Angeles, and Joe's share of the swag was 45 per cent. That is at the rate of nearly $20,000 per minute, not bad scale in any union, but much less than the $200,000 minute he earned against Schmeling.
 Old Timer
 Roper, born 36 years ago in Mag nolia, Miss, was counted out while flat on his face in his own corner where Joe had chased him after a furry in mid-ring. He tried once to get up, but his legs were paralyzed and Referee George Blake tolled of 10 and they dragged him to his stool. Joe wasted about 20 seconds be- fore sending out feeling left jab. Roper let go with the best punch in his repertoire, left hook, and 1t landed flush on the champions jaw. It was hard enough to sting. But the roar from the throats of Jacks Hol- lywood pals was cut short by the sig zling barrage of rights and lefts that began whistling from the cham pion's shoulders.
 Jack tried to back up, but Louis caught him with a hard right that spun him half around and opened a cut over the left eye. Roper stum- bled backward into his own corner where Joe measured him, then drove another right to the jaw. Roper wilt ed into the ropes, tried to hold on for moment. then fell face forward. T was conscious as went down" {" Roper said in his dressing room, but my legs seemed paralyZed, and after hit the floor tried to get up, but my muscles just wouldn't work" Louis sad the usual thing: Roper Is as game as they come" Asked if the left hook landed by Roper had hurt him, Joe said Well, know l felt it." ..
 It, was Joe's sixth successful title defense since he won the crown from Jimmy Braddock in June, 1887, and his third straight first frame knockout. He put away John Henry | Lewis in two minutes and 29 seconds in January.
 Highest Paid
 i In year, Joe has fought total of six minutes and 53 seconds and been paid nearly half a million dollars. He got s4o0,000 for beating Schmeling and $47,0oo for Lewis. He will meet Tony Galento in June and his purse should be close to $400.000.
 "It took a champion to knock me out for the first time since I started fighting in 1923" Roper said. "I've lost fights by technical knockouts but never on the floor. But, landed one left hook that know he felt. ] know he felt 1t because I could feel him vince. Then he swarmed over inc and connected with a right to the jaw that foored me-"
 Most of the top price $11.50 seats were occupied by movie celebrities including Clark Gable and Carole Lombard Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck. Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.. ana his wife, the former Lady Sylvia Ashley; Bing Crosby, Al Jolson and Ruby Keeler; Buddy Rogers, hus- band of Mary Pickford: Constance Bennett and Virginia Bruce.