Evening star., 1940-01-12
From the
Press Box
Old Fight Managers
Could Toss Punch
BY JOHN LARDNER,
Special Correspondent Of The Star.

by JOHN LAhDNEn,
Special Correspondent Of The Star.
NEW YORK, Jan. IL (N.A.NA).-
Some of the boys in the kauliflower-
strasse the other day were ruminat-
ing on the fact that fight managers
don't throw punches any more. Only
the fighters do.
"And very few of those" added
Dumb Dan Morgan dolefully. Mr..
Morgan managed Jack Britton
through % fights with Ted Kid
Lewis for the welterWeight. cham
pionship. Mr.. Morgan was a better
fighter than either of them, accord
ing to Morgan's History of Boxing,
Volume II.
Il threw plenty of punches back
in those days when I had all my
hair" said Mr.. Morgan, searching
his scalp for the last lock of sum-
mer, the ultimate objective of every
barber in the neighborhood. II
would sooner fight than eat"
Dan threw pretty good punch"
admitted Joe Gould, "'but, if he
missed with the first one, he run
like a thief
Tut, tut" said Mr.. Morgan gent
~. stick to the facts, young man.
used to leave 'em for dead"
Keorns ReolIy Thought
He Could Lick Dempsey
Talking about managers who
could fight" said Mr.. Gould, the
pilot of James J.. Braddock, Tommy
Farr and Steve Dudas, my money
goes with Bill Duffy. He had the
best right ever seen, and a good
left, too
Mr.. Duffy (when in circulation)
was the manager of Primo Carnera
and other syndicate fighters. Mr..
Morgan commented briefly on Mr..
Duffy's proWess.
"Tchah!" he said.
"And tchah to you double" re-
piled Mr.. Gould. Duffy could pick
his teeth with guys like you. And
Jack Kearns was handy with his
dukes, too. He could lick Dempsey
when he managed him."
mo, he couldn't" contradicted
Mr.. Morgan. But he thought he
could. I'll admit the thought he
could"
At this point, as usual, somebody
brought up the name of Harry Pol
lax, fight manager of yesteryear
who was notoriously quick on the
draw. Mr.. Pollak once figured in
an episide which causes fight man.
ayers to shudder when they think
of it. He violated every union rule
by fighting for nothing in the pres
ence of fighter. That sort of thing
puts wrong ideas in fighters head,
and even Mr.. Pollak's best friends
admit that he acted rashly.
MeKetrick Regarded Moran
As Base Inerote
At the time I speak of, Frank
Moran, whose right hand was ia
nous as Mary Ann, was training to
fight Jess Willard for the heavy
weight title. Mr.. Moran had little
manager, dapper Dan McKetrick,
over the division of past spoils, and,
when the case came to court, Moran
won the decision, thanks to Frankie
ONeil, his lawyer and former box
Ing commissioner.
The case being closed, all parties
concerned repaired to nearby chop
house to talk it over. Mr.. McKetrick,
the loser. chose a table with his
friend, Harry Pollak. They brooded
together about the injustice of the
world and the thanklessness of fight
ers IN general. Mr.. Moran, the thank
less fighter, chose another table close
by and began to carve q steak with
ruthless relish.
After all done for him." lament
ed Mr.. McKetrick.
Its terrible" agreed Mr.. Pollak.
At this point, Mr.. O'Neil, the
winning lawyer, breezed into the
joint, flushed with victory. He
paused at Mr.. McKetrick's table to
hurl a cheerful taunt.
Pollok Violates Rules
Of Managers Union
I'VE licked you good" he began.
He got no farther, for Mr.. Nc
Ketrick delivered sitting g-standing
punch to the belly. Mr.. ONeil
promptly knocked Mr.. McKetrick
into full tureen OF turtle soup,
where Dan cautiously remained for
80 seconds (the full managers
count. Meanwhile, forgetting him.
self, Mr.. Pollak arose and whipped
a right to Nh. ONeiIs Jaw. The
attorney fled from the premises.
Mr.. McKetrick, hearing the all
quiet signal, emerged from his de-
fenses behind the tureen and was
shocked to see that Frank Moran,
the thankless fighter, still was sitting
by, chuckling merrily at the sight
OF managers fighting for nothing.
you shouldn't have done It,
Harry" he said.
Il know it" said Mr.. Pollak, scowl-
ing at Moran. 1.-THE next time 1
throw punch, I will charge that
palooka $25 for a seat"
However, the damage was done.
and the managers of the present day
look back on the whole incident as
an instance of the roorest hind of