The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-25
.Ex-Sailor
Takes Call
In Is Heats
Out-Smurts Rivul
In Good Fight
In New York Ring
By HARRY FERGUSON
United Press sports Editor

NEW YORK The new New
York middleweight champion did
three rhumba steps in his dressing
room after his victory over Cefer-
inc Garcia last night and issued
this statement to the press: From
now on just look for me In the
Broadway night clubs cause I'm
going to get little drinkee and
make up for lost time"
II was Ken Overlin speaking
speaking out Of a face smeared
with blood. speaking with an i'm
patient tone In his voice, for he
wanted to get the business over
with and rush to some place where.
the wood winds were whining, the
saxophones were giving off hot
ticks and the piano player was go
ing out of this world on the latest
swing piece,
He had just snatched a verdict
over Garcia, the hard-hitting
"bolo puncher" from the Philip
pines, after Is rounds Of fighting
that hauled 1887 customers out
of their chairs in Madison Square
Garden.
STRANGE GUY
1t was a great fight and It
brought into the limelight one of
the strangest of all the strange
characters who have walked the
narrow strip of pavement called
"Leatherfirst lane" the place
where the fight mob gathers to
enthrone and dethrone champions.
He Is a spindly legged guy,
pale of face, and narrow In
the shoulders. He IL violently
opposed to milk, fresh air,
road work, shadow boxing.
physical culture In all Its
manifestations, and whoever
the man was who coined the
eplgram about early to bed
and early to rise makes
man healthy, wealthy and
wise.
He is an earnest advocate of:
Staying up until dawn; looking
on the wine when 1t is red, or for
that matter, yellow, brown or
white; rhumba dancing, fox trot-
ting, two stepping, Waiting and
all variations of the conga.
In short, he is a throwback to
the old-time prizefighters and
fair match for the late Harry
Greb. whose training consisted of
shave, a shower and two aspirin
tablets. But. like Greb, he is a
smart. cunning boxer and last
night he gave a brilliant perform
ance in tying up the hard-hitting
Garcia and winning the unanimous
verdict Of the referee and the two
judges.
UNDERDOG
Overlin had never been to a
training camp before the New
York boxing commission forced
him to retire to the country and
prepare for this bout. He had
been through 173 fights. but he
had always done his roadwork in
night clubs and he was a two-to-
one underdog against Garcia. But
somewhere along the line he pick
ed up a fast, sweeping left hook
to the body. and that punch won
the fight for him.
He may he a plsyboy, but
this Oyerlin Is crsmmed with
what the fight mob calls
"moxie"-the courage TO stay
In there and take IL when the
going gets tough. Along about
the fifth and sixth rounds IL
seemed that Overlin was 60
ing to get knocked out. Garcia
Is a murderous puncher and
In the seventh round he landed
one that sent the blood spurt-
Ing out Of Overlin's right ear.
You could hear the crowd MUIR
muir There he goes" but Oyerlin
treated them to couple of rhum-
BE- steps and then whsmmed his
left into Garcia's belly. Then he
crossed a fast right to the head
and was out of trouble.
Promoter Mike Jacobs has the
boys tied up for q return bout,
which probably will take place this
summer. Meanwhile. Al Hostak
OF Seattle is recognized by the
National Boxing association as
middleweight champion. and he
may meet the winner Of the next
Overlin-Garcia bout.