Evening star., 1940-01-08
Critics Without knowledge
Of Ring Game Tear 1t Down,
Heine MiIIer's Contention
Claims Fistic Sport Would Be Better
IfConducted as 1t Was in '9Os

sports columns emanate from New
York, literally featuring New York
opinions and blasting the pants of
the N. B. A. or anybody else that
disagrees with these opinions. N.
B. A. officials were done up brown
for insisting that Billy Conn get his
chance. New York writer's are nuts
about Conn now. but conveniently
forget that the N. B. A. jammed
him In as champion.
have in my files SO clippings
of drivel worthy of . fishwife. all
the N. B. A. for naming
Galento No. l heavyweight con-
tender. Recall that the N. B. A.
named Galento No. l after five con-
vincing kayoes of good men and re-
call this was before he had pneu-
monia. Finally, New York brought
Galento across the river. Nathan
Mann was to belt over Tony. Only
Galento couldn't see it that way and
Mann left the Garden with resin
on his panties, lump on his chin
and his hand over the lump.
The pity is that Galento. after
having been figuratively rammed
down New York throats, had to
clock up with New York in order
to get his title shot. Even after Ga
lento's stand against Louis a nation
ally known columnist promised to
send me a box of "Krumpies" (not
yet arrived and may he eat them IN
the biggest department stores win
dow at high noon sans cream or
sugar. If Lou Nova wouldn't slap
over Galento In a couple Of cantos.
Ring Writers Are Hit.
The New York idea seems to be
to plug certain fighters and murder
others. Locally we had an item only
few days ago referring to Dan
iels, Brescia and Barlund, three
heavyweights. While columns OF
truthful, readable, crowd-drawing
stun could have been written about
any of them, the article pointed out
only the defeats suffered by all
three, making a fair job Of murder
ing all as cards before they ever
had a fair chance. In the old days
a boxing writer's job was consid-
cred to be to boost the sport that
made his pay check possible. 1t
still would seem to make sense to-
day.
Boxing hasn't had in recent years
writer's that knew the game like W..
w. Dad Naughton. Bob Edgren
and the like. They knew fights and
would turn over In their graves to
read about "haymakers landing"
A "haymaker" was q farmers
scythe-swinging attempt at a blow.
It was a farmer" or sucker"
punch. It never landed. That's
why it was labeled "haymaker."
Many had hoped the experts" had
learned a lesson after all but one
New York paper branded Ernie
Schaff a gutter as he was carried
up the aisle against Carnera to
keep a rendezvous with the Grim
Reaper. Schaff had to die to prove
the experts" wrong.
Boxing locally and nationally
needs only good matches and fair
minded publicity to boost the game.
not knock it as . matter Of policy
before fights ever take place.
Blame Due Archibald's Pilot.
The Archibald Jeffra decision
hurt local boxing. The stage was
set for a return match, but the
manager of the champion was
bigger than the game he played. II
boxing gets a good airing as result
Of Representative Kennedy's activ-
ity the blame lies squarely in the lap
Of Archibald's manager.
Boxing will survive as long as
red -blooded men like to see a fight.
When I speak Of boxing I mean the
contest itself, not the managerial
connivance, whipsawing, the gate
and other angles that are built
around it. No other sport in the
world ever has had to or would
stand the beatings given boxing.
What If major league ball club
was publicized in advance only by
the games 1t had lost and the errors
1t had made? Baseball wouldn't
thrive and neither does boxing.
When our public reaches the stage
Of not wanting to see boxing it will
be truly time to wall, God Save
America" When the Roman EN-
pire ceased to fight it also ceased
to exist. Ferdinand the bull en-
joyed sitting under the cork tree
and refusing to fight, but 81 gets
you 81 1000 he wound up very shortly
in the town meathouse.