The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-02
X X X Oh, Them
Golden Gloves
Father Manley, Golden Glover
BY PHIL BUCHHEl

IN THE MIDST OF Lift HER is DEATH It is
with a keen sense of the loss of a friend, and somewhat
broken spirits that this column makes this unreasonable
appearance to pay tribute to Father Manley, the finest
Golden Glover it has been our pleasure to know: Tuesday,
in Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D. c, Father
Manley answered the count of ten" from the Greatest OF
all Referees.
The death of Father Marley is a distinct loss to
thousands of young lads in the Southeast, his friends, and
those to whom he ministered, a loss that cannot be
measured by any Of the worlds known standards. Nor
can it be told by words uttered by the human. But, those
to whom he helped to live better, cleaner lives, their loss
will become greater each day as they grope for someone
like him., to take his place.
Even though the sound of "Taps' for him has
not quite drifted away, we like to pause to refresh
our memory of the many thrilling experiences we
enjoyed together; of how he tried to instil in many
a lad the courage to carry on as he told them, ito
get in there and fight"
We like to think of his participation in the 1910 Gold
en- Gloves. How he seconded fighter after fighter-just so
long as they were not meeting one of his own. Of Tiny"
Taylor as he came back after the end of the first round,
complaining that his stomach ached, how his chief second
told him laughing, "boy there's nothing the matter with
you, you've got this fellow licked, go in there and finish
it, and "Tny' knowing the advice was the best, getting
in there to win a championship.
Memory carries one back to the time Billy
Switzerland started to get in one of the cars bound
for Atlanta with the local champs. How Father Man.
ley almost made the lad stay home because he had fail
ed to attend church that morning.
Refreshing, indeed, were the faces of Jimmy Swan,
Vance "Red' Beard, "Iiny" Taylor, Henry Glliken, Shep-
ard, of Raleigh, and Harry Barnhill as they approached
Father Marley with the news, We've won the Atlanta
Journal trophy"
We do not cherish the thoughts of facing these lads
after they learn of the death Of their friend.
To be an amateur boxer was to be his friend. He
loved all boys, and most especially the underprivileged
and those who enjoyed boxing. He was loved and re-
spected by the great, the rich and the poor alike.
He liked to win championships, Yes! But better
still, he liked best to see his lads get in their and put
up a good, clean fight-win, lose or draw. Father Man.
ley could not tolerate a coward, he did not understand
the meaning of taking it, laying down."
Amateur boxing was, to him, a religion. Paramount
in our minds is the time Landum Kay, of WSB, held a
microphone in front of him and asked: Father, why do
you help with the Golden Gloves? ?" Because" he an
swered, ut is the finest religion I know. If a lad can get in
the ring with another and take punishment as we'll as give
it, it does something for him, and to be a good boxer, one
must live a clean life" He liked that statement, and he
referred to it many times afterwards.
He died without his dream of a sports arena in
Wilmington being fulfilled, but it is hoped by those
who loved him best, that his death will be the signal
for an earnest effort to satisfy that dream.
There will be many more Golden Gloves, in Whining
ton and other cities, and in each the spirit of Father
Manley will hover close as an inspiration to carry on, in
spring those who participate to "get in there and fight"
And so we say adios, brave fellow, may the fairest of
all referees provide you with a gym in keeping with your
ideals.