Evening star., 1940-05-14
Pro Seup Sure Unless Troubles With rginisns Are Settled
From the
Press Box
jenkins Makes Critics
Regard Him Seriously

jenkins Makes Critics
Regard Him Seriously
BY JOHN LARDNER,
Special Correspondent of The Star.
NEW YORK, May IA (N.A.N.AD.-
The question now arises whether
Lew Jenkins can beat Henry Arm
strong. It's a nice problem in box
ing technology.
Shortly after he bombed and
razed Lou Ambers for the light
weight chan onship the other
night, Mr.. Jenkins pulled on his
boots, which are almost knee high,
and called around at the cashiers
Office to collect a check for a trif1e
less than $4,000. He stared at this
document with wide and famished
eyes. He'd heard that there was
$4,000 in the world, but he was a
little skeptical. A year ago his
earthly possessions consisted of
change for a sawbuck, a $40 bill.
While gazing at the check (which
was certified and engraved, a
splendid speciment of Mike Jacobs
mature creative period, showing a
power and human insight which
were absent from the author S
earlier work., Mr.. Jenkins heard a
question addressed to him.
How do you feel about Henry
Armstrong? Can you beat him?
why not?" said the hungry killer,
and departed for Sweetwater, Tex,
where he was met by brass band
and offered the key to the city.
Sweetwater is the principal fortress
OF Nolan County, in North Central
Texas. Its exports now include
jenkins and Singing Sam Baugh,
a good output for a town of 1000
population u940 census.
Bockers Believe Bottle
Will Drow 100000
The scourge of SWeetwater will
meet H. Armstrong in July, with the
usual number of holds barred.
Ostensibly, this engagement will be
for the welterweight title. but deep
down IN their hearts, all parties
concerned-Armstrong, jenkins,
Hymie Caplin, Fat Eddie Mead and
M. Strauss Jacobs-know it will be
for the loot involved. Two hundred
thousand dollars is what they guess
1t will draw outdoors.
Armstrong is the early favorite,
and I think he deserves to be. Not
that jenkins won't have a chance
he will and good one But when
you gauge we'll in advance a fight
between two men of widely separate
styles, whose paths never have
crossed before, it pays to be con-
servative. We know everything
about Armstrong, and it adds up
to high total. We don't know
everything about Jenkins.
There are two algebraic quantities
In Lewis case, x and Y, namely: Is
he smart, and can he take it?
Two-Honded Fighting
Mokes Lew Dangerous
He is an open, aggressive fighter
with two good punching hands. OF
the many blows he planted on
Ambers' chin last week, two of the
best were southpaw. One of these
was the first punch of the fight and
the other was the punch which
f1oored Ambers for the first time in
the second round, launching jenkins
second campaign, the one that
brought him victory.
In other words. he uses the left
hand for foundation work, and very
effective it is.
Any man who hits fast and hard
with either hand is dangerous to any
other man, Joe Louis being the
prime example.
Once jenkins nailed Ambers on
the jaw, and stunned him, the fight
was his, because he faced no
further risk. Ambers lacks punching
strength. and his only weapon, once
hit, was agility. Thus, Jenkins
could afford to stalk him without
fear of reprisal. and when he hit
the Italian again before his head
had cleared, he won his knockout.
Henry Armstrong is different
plate Of chops. Henry has offensive
strength of his own. He is perilous,
even when hurt. Furthermore. his
style is not so nicely suited to
jenkins taste.
Just Brond- New Fight,
Ring Critics Figure
He will come in and lean on
Lewis chest and pour blows upon the
Texan with fist, wrist and elbow,
end there is no way Jenkins can
hold him off, for Henry is full Of
vitamins. Thus, Jenkins will have
to punch short, instead of employing
the long, swinging style he likes
best.
Ambers did we'll against Armstrong
because the little Negro fights close,
which is one of Ambers' specialties.
I don't know if Jenkins can do that.
Maybe he can. It's just case of
insufficient data.
One other point: Jenkins has
been knocked out, and only a year
ago, by one Pete Lello. If punches
can hurt him, Armstrong can hurt
him, for Henry is painful, damag-
ing man, though by no means as
good a one-blow hitter as jenkins
What it comes down to, then, Is