Evening star., 1941-01-24
Junior Middle al {. u.
Thrills With Punch
More Than Polish
Leon to Display Wares
As La Fond's Boys Open
Against Lock Haven
BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON.

Some of us are just born lucky
and some make good through perse-
verance and nimble brainwork, but
Eddie La Fond is guilty on both
counts.
Tomorrow M. La Fond unveils
his 18th Catholic University ring
team in a match with Lock Haven
Pa) Teachers at Brookland.
Through Eddie's unsparing labor
the boys will look and act like
fighters, but the fact that he may
have another five-star box Office
attraction is purely stroke of good
fortune
earlier in the week, and he should
lay 'em in the aisles-the custom
ers, not his opponents. He's rug
ged. He loves to fight, and he
hasn't any more polish than a pair
of old shoes. but he's going to be
the darling of C. U. supporters this
winter.
Wowak, a 155-pounder, worked
with Leo Houck-a fancy Dan1 if
we ever saw one. Houck was
teethed on boxing glove and
raised in an atmosphere thick with
ring lore, SO when he ties on the
mittens he knows how to conduct
himself. Well, he Singed WoWak' S
Whiskers until Leon must have
thought somebody was using a blow
torch on him, but it didn't feaze
him. Blows ratified off Wowak's S
chin like rice at a wedding and
still didn't affect him.
No Fun for Houck.
When they called it quits Houck
had a bloody nose and Wowak
hadn't taken a backward step. He
had a style something akin to that
of Steve Mamakos, only with a
punch sharper and harder. Nor
did he get hit as often. But the
point is he actually was willing to
trade a couple of punches for one
style that can't help please ring
fans. And Leon didn't come along
minute too soon for La Fond, who
needs colorful man to help keep
interest at high peak
Eddie has been extremely lucky
in this respect. Last year he had
Jay Turner alternating as a 175-
FOUNDER and heavyweight. Jay was
exactly what the doctor prescribed
for the Cards, even though C. U.
had one of its most powerful teams.
A lot of fans plunked their admis-
sion on the line simply to see Jay
swing those haymakers, and his
epic duel with Abe Cohen in the
Columbus match will not soon be
forgotten.
Before Turner, and with him for
a time, was Joe Bunsa, a kayo
artist. Before him was Leo Kata-
linas. a heavyweight who lacked
poise but had lot of heart and
a knockout wallop. Before "Kats"
were "Angy" Restaino, Eddie Thibo-
deau. Rocco Blasi, Sully Greco and
others. They had their own fol-
lowing and kept the cash registers
ringing merrily in the box office.
The cash helped pay the freight
on C. U. sports and did La Fond
no harm in the front Office. So
Eddie looked hopefully for another
when candidates were called out
this year, but had his fingers
crossed.
Color in Card Lineup.
Wowak won't win all of his fights,
possibly none, because a long-armed
individual unwilling to come to
close quarters may stab him into
defeat with long-range shots. But
such individuals will endanger the
record for backpedalling, because
if they don't come to him Leon is
going after them.
Catholics lineup tomorrow night
will embrace more than one color
full youngster. Ted Mandrias is
slated to appear in the pound
role, and his thin frame encases a
veritable little bantam. Lenny Bar
tone, the 127-pounder, can punch
hole through a brick wall-if he
hits it, and Lenny's aim is vastly
improved this season.
Leo Gaffney is a newcomer in
the 135-pound berth but kid with
lot of polish, who eats, sleeps and
lives boxing. He appears small for
the job, but La Fond doesn't think
he's sending a boy to do q mans
job. He's the best boxer on the
team.
Huck Hughes, a letterman, is
back at 145 pounds, and Wowak
gets the 155-pound assignment.
Gerry Strang, who reached the
final round in the national COL
egiate tournament last spring after
a 3,000-mile auto trip across the
country. is down for the 165-pouno
job, and unless a bad thumb injury
is aggravated in his final workout
today he should do all right. Young
Houck will meet Lock Haven's 175-
FOUNDER, and the redoubtable Julius
STANCES will take the heavyweight
task.
That isn't a bad lineup. No
in fact La Fond thinks rather
highly of it. He isn't counting the
profits yet, but he thinks he's ir
1