Evening star., 1941-06-15

finished fighter. Right now he's
just learning"
Jimmy. as polite as wedding in
vitation, but slung together in the
manner of a health ad. quietly pur-
sued his trade Of plumber and the
pleasant business of bowling over
young amateur punks for couple
of wears. He was learning to be a
plumber and fighter If he didn't
make good as a fighter he always
could fall back on his trade for a
pretty good living, said his father,
Leo De Chard. so Jimmy's profess
sional debut was delayed ad infini-
tum.
Then Frankie switched him quiet
~ onto the semipro circuit where
freight moves faster. baggage is
banged around without apologies
and payment for damages comes
higher. The boy didn't falter or
choke up as some expected. He
telescoped all the traffic, snorted TO
the head of the parade and looked
around for more territory. That's
where the road forked off onto the
punch for pay line. Jimmy was
ready.
Jimmy Is Crestfallen.
He was hoped up thoroughly
over his pro career, but still they
kept him on his milk and mush
diet, feeding him first jim Linsie
and then somebody calling himself
Nick Carter. Linsie went out after
2:l6 of feeble defensive work in
the first round and Carter collapsed
in the third after faint-hearted re-
Sistence, and the mob yelled dive
in blood -curdling tone that didn't
mean perhaps.
Frankie was disappointed, but
Jimmy was Crestfallen. The pilot
thought his boy did all right, the
| boy yearned TO get in there with
somebody who could fight so he
could show the ringside wolves the
real temper Of his weapons. 1t was
not an auspiCious start.
Came the Louis-Buddy Baer title
hight and Jimmy was promised
spot on the card but Frankie had
should be and the matchmaker had
a totally different conception Of the
matter. De Chard, consequently,
| paid his way into the park to see
the championship scrap. He saw
Jay Turner and Babe Ritchie in
one Of the semifnals, good, rough
and willing boys.
frankie decided either would be
a suitable match for De Chard and
when he was offered his choice on
Mondays card he signed without
hesitation. Before he realized what
had happened it developed that
neither would be available and
substitute would be necessary. Colo
nello and another guy were men
TONED. Was frankie interested?
He didn't know offhand: he wanted
TO ask how Jimmy felt before Civ
Ing an answer
Is ne any good?" De Chard asked
Smart and tough" frankie re-
plleo. Hes liable TO give you a good
lacing'
frankie got him and now. we'll
! YOU know how an old timer car
SHOVE around a youngster. maybe
cut him up, blacken his eyes and fl
him full of discouragement.
But he's got ii. I know he's got
1t, frankie says over and over. Il
never hope to see a better prospect
He can punch. he's got a jab, height,
reach and he can take it. Lord. has
that boy got sand And he's got a
sixth sense of boxing that only
champions have. He's always out
thinking the other fellow. always a
step ahead of him.
They say I'm protecting him"
he adds. Would you kick million
dollars around or take good care of
1t? Why should put him in with
every bum that comes down the pike
to satisfy whim? If he got beat
they'd say I should have held him
back, and now. because I'm taking
him along carefully, they say I'm
afraid to let him meet a good
/ fighter. III match him with any
body his size and experience in the
/ ring today and I've never asked for
a Setup for him and never will.
Nobody Jimmy fights will be hand
cufted. He'll beat them all. You
wait and see"
But frankie still can't help worry
ing about COleonello and his expert
enCe.