Evening star., 1939-01-15
Handicap Star Needs
To Drop 40 Pounds
For Coast Races
Howard Says Horse Soon
Will Be Fit; Nova Apt
To Press Heavy King
BY GRANTLAND RICE.

BY GRANTLAND RICE.
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14.-It isn't
often that you find two champions
as much alike as Joe Louis and Sea-
biscuit. They have two passions in
common, which happen to be eating
and sleeping. And they know how
to relax.
They can sleep anywhere, at any
time, under any conditions. But 1t
Is quite different in the ring or run
ming around a race track. Both
have to watch overweight This is
why Mike Jacobs, also Jack Black
burn, want to keep the Bomber as
busy as possible. 1t is one of the
reasons, also, that Charley Howard
lets the Biscuit go to the post so
often. They probably will finish as
two fat fellows, sitting yawn.
THE old man has already put on
40 pounds since the Admiral race"
Howard told me, land he'll put on
lot more if we let him. Maybe he
has earned the right to sleep and
grow fat but I also know he gets a
thrill out of race. I think he's
little sore now because we haven't
raced him recently. Well have him
ready for the next 100000 shot-his
third attempt-and it will take lot
of running to beat him. I mean on
fast track"
The soothsayers already are busy
around Santa Anita trying to find
some one who might nip the Biscuit
in another photo finish. Photo fin
ishes are his specially, his trade
mark. Some look to Al Vanderbilt's
Heelfly, Bing Crosby and Lin How
ards Ligaroti, Ossabaw the ex-
jumper, Gosum, Specify-but there
still is no hot selection for the chal-
lenger's burden.
Good Spot for Stagehand.
Leading handicappers on the
West Coast don't believe War Ad-
miral can spot Stagehand pounds
In the $4,000 Widener Cup at Hia-
leah and get away with the under
taking.
If Stagehand is right and ready"
one of the inside experts said, Il
believe that carrying 1913 pounds he
can beat the Admiral by two or
three lengths" In any event it
will be race to look at.
Looking farther ahead they al
ready are lining up the next Ken
lucky Derby. January is a long
way from May in sport, but most
eyes are focused on Ell Chico and
Porter's Mite. Bill Boeing's fast
little flyer already has made a deep
impression along the Pacific. They
recall his photo finish year ago as
an 89-to-1 shot and he showed them
double armful in his last $4,000
cleanup a short while back.
Porter's Mite can run, and he has
proved again that he could carry
weight over a sticky track.
Chance Seen for Nova.
Make Rosenbloom is among the
few in this vicinity to give Lou
Nova q good chance against Joe
Louis by next September.
Nova is young and strong"
Make tells you. "He is a good
boxer and he can punch. He is fast
and he is dead game. All he needs
now is the experience he can get
from two more fights. Lou has
about everything a young heavy
weight needs except experience. Two
more good, hard fights should bring
him that
Joe Louis is something else" I
suggested.
Louis is a great fighter" Make
said, "but there are no supermen.
A good puncher who is fast and
game, who can take it, always has
a chance. I know the general opin-
ion Is that Nova is at least two years
away. fought Nova, so ought to
know something about him."
Reds Have Flag Caliber.
National League ball players mov-
ing around this western neighbor-
hood all give Cincinnati's Reds a
good shot at the 1889 pennant.
1T would be different" one said,
"if Dizzy Dean could come back to
one of his best years. mean IS or
more winning games. But this is a
big gamble. The Reds have both
power and speed. They'll have high
class pitching with Lee Grissom
back. All they needed last summer
was experience, which means more
in big league baseball than almost
any other spot.
"The Reds have more speed and
more batting power than the Pirates,
Cubs or Giants. They have better
pitching than the Giants and every
bit as good as the Cubs, even with
Dean up around the 20-game spot.
Derringer, Grissom and Johnny
Wander Nicer should all be 20-game
winners next season with any luck
and this means a big jump on the
field"
Most Of the others had the same
thing to say.
Copyright. 193e)