The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-09-16
bob Pastor
Started In Ring
Jas Amateur
Won Title In
Golden Gloves
In New York

Bob Pastor went down 10 a corn
or drug store in the Bronx one day
in 1891 to get dish OF ice cream
and he has wound up getting shot
al the world heavyweight champ
ionship.
You see. Pastor, who Is fighting
J Joe Louis for the tile In a sched-
ulcd 20-rounder at Briggs Stadium
in Detroit, Sept 90 probably new
or would have been a fighter II he
hadn't wanted some ice cream
that particular day. On the way 10
the drug sore. Broadway Bob met
wit hone OF his noighborhood pals.
Needed Spar Mate
Come along with me. Bob.
won'tcha?" the fellow asked. I'm
gonna be in the Golden Gloves and
gotta work ont in the gym every
day How bout coming with me-
I'm running out OF sparring part
ners and you could work out a
couple OF rounds with me-maybe"
Bob had never done any serious
boxing. but he was big and strong
and he didn't have anything TO do
nor anywhere TO go 70 do II, so he
took up his pals invitation and
went down 10 the gym.
1t was the first time Bob had
ever had a real pair OF boxing
gloves on. They weren't comfort
able They were heavy and hot and
sticky and sweaty But neither did
they feel comfortable TO his pals
nose and eyes and chin and nm-
my. which Bob pelied freely and
furiously.
Goes To Semi.Flnals
When the session was done with
and Bob realized he could handle
a Golden Glove cntrant so eSaiy.
he decided 70 have fling at the
tourney himself lie battlcd his
way to the semi-hnals OF the light
heavyweight division before going
down 10 defeat before far more
experienced foe.
Observers were amazed al the
novices natural ability, but Bob
wasn't satisfied He was deter
mined to win the championship and
so through The next II months he
worked daily and diligently. in the
gym
When the 1882 tourney rolled
around so did his opponents and
Bob won the light-hcavyweight
title lie repeated IN 1898. and then
in 1894 moved into the heavy
weight division and walked OF
with the crown
Turns Professional
After winning nine amatcrr titles
in all and amassing So amateur
victories. Pastor turned profession
al IN January. 1885, stopping
Frank LoBianco. rugged and ex-
perienced preliminary performer
in four bloody rounds.
Since then It has been a tough
struggle. The road to the heavy
weight championship fight has not
been an easy one There have
been dctours and smash-ups
Pastor likes 10 believe he is fol-
lowing in the footsteps Of Gene
Tunney. Like Tunncy. Pastor was
raised on the stcaming. tceming
sidewalks OF Ncw York learned
his trade in the swcay gymna-
Sums. Of the Big city aud then
learned that fighter, much the
same as a prophet. has to hit the
highway TO gain recognition. Tun-
ncy went TO Philadelphia 10 ret his
crack at the title; Pastor has had
to 20 TO Detroit.
Fooled Critics
Hometown critics snceringly
called him Bicycle Bob and Faster
Pastor after he fooled them by
staying ten rounds with Louis on
Jan. %. 1897. but they failed to re-
allie that it was only his second
ten-round match and that he was
boxing cautiously under strict in
structions from his corner.
Throughout the fight Pastor
pleaded with his seconds 10 let him
go out and punch, but they held
him back. Pastor thinks he could
have knocked out Louis If he had
been allowed to fight his own fight.
He is convinced that he Will do It
this time.
In the two-and-a-half years that
have elapsed since his first meet
ing with Louis. Pastor has inn
proved immensely through bitter
campaigning among the best heavy
weights available. He has had %
fights against strong. young bat
tiers from coast to coast. and he
has won his bouts the hard way by
invading hostile territory to whip
hometown heroes
Draws with Nova
/ Hen went TO Boston TO beat Al
Mccoy. tho Boantown's favorite
son. lie drubbed Al Ettorc in Phil
adclphia. lie invaded Chicago TO
whip Maurice Strickland. an adopt
ed son OF the Windy City. He
journeyed all the way to California
to knock out Lee Ramaee and
Chuck Crowell. Two Pacific Coast
PETS Lou Nova was glad 10 get a
draw decision In san Francisco.
And Il was right in Detroit that
Bob trounced Roscoe Toles, one OF
the Auto CIty's favored contend
ers. This victory climaxed Bob's
climb 10 the role OF leading chal-
lenger.
Pastor is the first college man
to try for the heavyweight champ.
ionship. Bob attended New lorh
University where he majored In
English. lie hopes some day to b'
sports writer or advertising man
At NYU. Pastor played on Tho
same football team with Ed Smith
gridiron acc whose sister had sal
desk-to-dcsk with Bob In grade