Evening star., 1941-12-28
Pilot Of Buddy Bans
Referee Who Didn't
Hear Bell Here
Hoffman Still Insists
Joe Forfeited Fight
By Blow After Gong
By GAYLE TALBOT,
Wide World Sports Writer.

Wide World Sports Writer.
NEW YORK, Dec. 27-Two things
that may be said with fair degree
Of certainty about the approaching
title fight here between Joe Louis
and Buddy Baer are that Arthur
Donovan, the worlds most famous
referee, will not be the third man
in the ring and that this particular
member of the Baer family will not
be scared of Louis.
Donovan won the undying enmity
of Ancil Hoffman, Baer's pudgy
manager. in the wild mix-up that
climaXed Buddy's other bout with
the negro champion last May % in
Washington, D. G. Donovan dis
qualified a battered and groggy Baer
for refusing to come out for the
seventh round, whereas Hoffman
thought it should have been the
other way around-Louis disquali-
fed and Buddy proclaimed the title
holder. Remember?
Baer had been smashed down
twice by terrific rights to the jaw.
The second time the tall Callfor-
nian barely got to his feet, weaving
like a willow in the wind, as Dono-
van tolled 40" Louis launched
himself at his helpless antagonist,
and another right whistled toward
Baer's jaw.
Donovan Didn't Hear Bell.
Undoubtedly the bell ending the
sixth round rang before the blow
struck. but even if he had heard
it Louis could not have recalled the
punch.
Buddy crumpled again, this time
obviously through for the night.
Buddy's handlers managed to
hoist his 23712 pounds and drag him
back to his stool, and then they
charged on Referee Donovan, de-
manding Louis disqualification for
having bopped their man after the
bell. Donovan grunted positive
no, and told them to get to work on
Buddy. They only yelled the louder.
When the bell rang to start the
seventh round. and Baer showed no
signs Of coming to life, Donovan
raised the champs glove.
Donovan contended then. and still
does, that the bell ending the sixth
Changed just as Louis sloughed
Buddy for the last time-not be-
fore. At any rate, he was dead right
in his assertion that he would have
been forced to halt the bout any
way, even if the final swat had not
landed. Baer was helpless. too far
gone to have recuperated in the
minute rest period
Buddy Has No Fear.
Hoffman formally claimed the
title. but the District of Columbia
Fight Commission ruled him out Of
order and upheld Referee Donovan.
That. however, will not help Ar
thurs cause when they start choos-
ing an official for the return tussle
on January 9. Hoffman still thinks
he was robbed. and they will put
Donovan in there again only over
his dead and indignant body.
The other matter, concerning
Buddy's lack of fear of Louis, is
strange thing. 1t is in large part
responsible for the fact that he was
chosen to fight the champion again
in the forthcoming naval charity
battle. The big galoot thought he
was going to beat Louis the first
time they met and he still is posi-
tive he can cut Joe down.
No one quite knows where Buddy
got his obsession. He isn't now
and never will be the fighting man
his big brother Max was in his
prime, yet Max was so scared the
night he met Louis that his knees
shook. Buddy probably would prove
easy pickingS for Lou Nova, yet
Nova was so nervous and tightened-
up in his recent lamented joust with
the champion that he fought with
the stiff, jerky movements of
marionette until Louis put him out
of his misery.
Louis Goth Title Defense.
Those who talked to Buddy before
the Washington scrap thought he
was putting on an act. Just an
other Baer. they chuckled-alWays
kidding. They perhaps were the
most amazed men in Griffith
Stadium when the tall. pleasant kid
who used to be willing, but inept
sparring partner for brother Max
waded in and tried to knock the
"invincible" champions head off.
Buddy Baer will be the next
heavyweight champion" prophesied
one bold commentator. Perhaps he
was right, but >.
With all due admiration for
Buddy's bold fight, the right that
tumbled Louis through the ropes
was about half punch, half shove
and it obviously did not hurt the
big Negro at all. 1t only made
him sore. The temperature was
high that night, and up to the
time Baer busted him Louis had
been taking things very, very easy
He had told the writer the day be-
fore that this amt no sort Of
weather to go rushing around in"
But when Louis got his feet un-
tangled from the ropes and started
after Buddy again he wasn't fooling
AS fast as he could throw rights
and lefts-which is terribly fast-ht
made a wreck of Buddy. 1t was
completely one-sided. When Bael
finally went down, he had alb.
sorbed a bad beating.
Now he again thinks he can bea'
Joe, and he undoubtedly will givt
it the old college try. But, recall
ing the last stages of their othel
fight, it is possible to visualize bu
one ending: This will mark Louis
goth successful defense Of his title.