The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-03-07
ON THE LAM
with ELLIOTT METCALF

HENRY ARMSTRONG'S feat Of fighting men in higher
classes and beating them, brings into common conversa-
ton the familiar subject Of giant killers in athletics that
call for body contact
Years ago some wag cracked that good big will
always beat good little man. He was too positive about
things What he meant was, average. There will
always be exceptions to the rule
Little Hank wasn't the first small fighter to 90 out Of
his class and give larger men .hump'nss The ring game
age galore and thump larger rivals
Freddie Steele at his peak could knock down the
wildcat Carter used to take pretty good mddeweights
and knock them stiff Not in regular ring action but
the gym He'd have found the job easier in the ring OF
actual combat because of the smaller gloves
II the Wildcat had owned chin as staunch as Arm
strongs and had kept aloof from the trail of lights
there Is telling what he might have done Nature gave
him rckey chin and mind that could not resist empta
ton But when the Kitty Kat was at his peak folks ne
CREASED lightning and dynamite weak chin considered
Jimmy Wilde, the Mighty Atom of England probably
the greatest yweght who lived found no trouble in
handling $50 Founders in grueling workouts
Abe Attel the once featherweight champ and master
gave such great lightweight Bat Nelson all the debb
Mickey Walker welter fought brilliantly against middes
and when aed for the occasion went through hard battle
with Jack Sharkey, former heavyweight champ
Kstchsl. Fitx and Gotch -.
CTANLEY KETCHEL, the middleweight champ Of memoir
- able Deeds could knock light heavies their He
gave away ton Of flesh height and reach TO Jack john
had Johnson down in the 18TH but Jack off the floor
to knock Stanley out
Then there Bob Fitzsimm0ns, hardly more Than
mddeweight who ruled three divisions at different
times middle, light heavy and heavy Like Armstrong,
he freak thin UNDERSTANDING but abnormal shoulders
chest and reach .
Frank Gotch rated by many the greatest wrestler in his
tory would be small mat the grunt and groaners
20 today Yet Goch with his skill and almost strength
could take harmful of modern behemohs and scatter them
Football has had its coys J. sharpes Metzgers.
Booths O'Briens, to mention few able to stand up
the brutal gatherings of opposing giants And foot
ball of major class tough fighting ever dreamed
being leaving its string of saphappy players along the
way.
Little Bill Johnston the tennis wasn't much larger
than melting ice cream Still he had enough the
ball to give Big Bill Tden the great master all the worry
and bother Big Bill cared to have Beat liden Tor the
And tiny Btsy Grant of Gawga has knocked off numer
giants in the net which hardly can be casseo
however as sport of body contact However, supreme
effort and ability and stamina needed IN tennis TO over
come the physical advantages the big string fellows
You go through sports rough or otherwise, ana
find many little squrs who rank with the marvels OF all
time They the exceptions, however That old saying
still goes on the average
Listen -.
DAvIE STEELE, year and half old and Of Freddie,
exmiddeweight champion, turn on the home RADIO
hut can't off So when Is too loud. he beats the
noise by placing his hands his Looks like it
be Garcia Hostak in May and Hosak and Zae return
MATCH in September. Both bouts at Seattle. The case
Of Seabiscuit fits many great athletes Biscuit lost his first
IL races then greatness Human athletes have
similar dscouraging starts. Six more weeks
and life begins tn be fishing time.
II TO be confined to particular fly the royal
buckta would be the choice Best all around trout taker
invented song that really hits you, "Jeane With Her
Light Brown HAIR" Jack Connors wrestling match here
packed the folks into the Coliseum. The mat fan is dis
tinctve One vital fault with Fred Waring and his
Philadelphia Gee club programasts only Is minutes in
stead Of hour Understand Morry Abbott, the
coung Tiger might have TO back for another operation