Evening star., 1940-01-11
Mere Fat Can't
Help IT'S King,
Jim Insists
Ex-Chomp Kept Busy
As Third Man for
Golden GIovers
Nv LEWIS F. ATCHISON.

BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON.
How do I like Billy Conn as a
heavyweight" repeated Jim Brad
dock, wrapping his thick fingers
around a yellow pencil stub. We'll,
he'd be great if he could make the
weight, but they tell me they have
to stuff him full of steaks and po-
tatoes to get him up to l78. That
means to weigh over l80 he's got to
be fat, and if he carries lot of ex-
cess baggage into the ring he'll get
his ears knocked off,"
The former heavyweight cham
pion was surrounded by a mob of
starry-eyed youngsters and oldsters
fighters, fans and officials in the
box-like back Office at Turner's
Arena last night when he handed
down his dissenting opinion on
Conn's heavyweight hopes. He
refereed three bouts in the opening
round of the Golden Gloves tourna-
ment and had sought haven in the
hot, stuffy, little room.
Papers, box tops, peddler permits
and all manner of material were
thrust into his willing hands to be
signed. A photo of himself bang
ing Joe Louis on the chin with a
right hand was included and
brought peculiar smile to his face.
The broad-chested Celt signed them
all in a neat, flowing script that
read, Sincerely, James J. Braddock.' -
Conn Might Wear EN- Down.
1t Was no idle phrase, TO- Harry
Martin, commission inspector, re-
marked that signing autographs
was one of the penalties of being
a champion.
This isn't any trouble" Braddock
protested, taking a fresh grip on
the pencil stub and knuckling down
to his clerical task in earnest. The
kids get a kick out of it and, to tell
the truth, so do I. 1 don't mind
signing EN- if I have time"
He remembered the bleak, barren
days when his brawny body and
huge paws commanded a stevedore S
meager salary and were not in de-
mand for autographs.
We steered him back to Conn
with purely personal opinion that
Billy's Sunday punch legally could
not be identified as a dangerous
weapon, that its impotence might
prevent him from pushing his way
into the forefront Of heavyweight
hangers-on.
Hes no killer" Jim agreed, But
you can't tell what he'll do if he's
heavy enough. He throws a lot Of
leather and could wear 'em out, you
know"
His thoughts evidently beat hur-
ried retreat to the night he wrested
the most coveted prize in fistiana
from Max. Baer with an unrelenting
blizzard of mittens AS a matter
of record, knockouts were few and
far between in Jim's career. He wore
most of them down and it happened
that one was Madcap Make, the
champion.
Weight Is Most Important.
"Conn's a clever boxer" he con-
tinued. He uses his left like a
meat cleaver-he's that fast with it.
He's got speed to burn and if he
doesn't lose it trying to build him.
self up he may get somewhere. But
the most important thing is weight.
You need it for ballast as well as
punching power. Why if Louis ever
hit a 175-pounder with a full swing
he'd knock him into the bleachers.
You've just gotta have it,
There was a brief pause while
Jimmy De Chard, Washington's can
didate for the heavyweight crown,
was introduced. De Chard was polite
and immeasurably impressed. He
called Braddock Mister" and hung
on his every word. We asked the
former titleholder if he had spotted
any promising youngsters?
There aren't any around that I
can see," he admitted, "but there is
one kid I think has chance. ;"
But it wasn't necessary to tell us
it is Patrick Edward Comiskey.
The Golden Gloves got under way
without untoward incident, unless
it was Melvin Smiths case. Warm
ing up in his corner before faring
forth to battle Bill Purdy, Melvin
flung his arms around like a wind
mill in a gale. One minute after
the gong Changed he hoisted a dis
stress signal and lost by technical
knockout
Seven KnOckOuts on Card.
Examination in the dressing room
revealed a sprained muscle in the
region of the kidney-something
akin to charleyhorse. Later it de-
veloped that his back was sprained
several weeks ago in a packing house
when a 125-pound slab of bacon
dropped on him. Last week he ag-
gravated the injury in training and
last night it bobbed up to plague
him again. He went home after
receiving first aid.
Seven knockouts dotted the r.
bout card. Outstanding victors on
the all-novice program were Johnny
Ghikas, unattached featherweight,
who outpointed Harry Watts of No.
5, and Bernie Cadey, another un-
attached feather, who outpunched
Buck Wright in rough-and- tumble
affair.
Last nights results:
112 pounds-John Bell (unat.) de-
feated Phil Lewis (Pete's A. c.,
T. K. O.. IS seconds. frst round.
118 pounds-Charley Petro mo. 81
knocked out Myrtle Mercilliott (unat),
minute, first round.
126 POUNDS.
Hilton Rudd mo. 10) defeated Mike
Anamaterous (unat).
John Ghikas (unat) defeated Harry
Benny Frady Pete's A. c. defeated
William Golding (unat0.
Dick Tracy (unaD knocked out Joe
Campbell (Colmar Manor. l minute
55 seconds first round
Charles Schneider (Colmar Manor)
defeated Bill Scott mo. 81