The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1941-01-25
|. SPORTLIGHT
BY GEORGE R. SKELLY
THE STORY OF THE WEEK
Armstrong Closes CoIorfuI
Career-Takes Bow in Glory

The greatest little 'fstic dynamo"
ever to grace a professional ring saw
his pugilistic career come to an end
before a crowd that made the walls of
Madison So. Garden bulge from over
flow 1t was Armstrong; comeback
try for the welterweight title which he
lost last October. But again Fritzie
Zivic defeated him and denied him the
opportunity of once again wearing the
coveted crown. With his defeat the
"little warrior" has decided to call it
quits and live with the memory of a
colorful career.
The fight was almost an exact rep
lea of the first meeting between these
two warriors when the title changed
hands. The strain of his long ring
career coupled with those long tedious
hours spent preparing for his contests
spoke out to Armstrong with an un-
compromising fnality and called halt
to his career. It's the way in which
''father time" has of dealing with out
standing athletes. When all around
the foes have been conquered and the
voice of the many followers begin to
take up the cry of "invincibility" then
the ''old man" steps in and lands one
blow which is always decisive.
Farewell to Ring
With his defeat Hammerin Hank, or
Perpetual Motion, call him what you
will, said farewell to arms and wrote
finish to one of the most dramatic ring
careers known to the long history of
the sport. When he first picked up his
gloves and started on his long journey
to "fistic's hall of fame" he fought
savagely and often, bringing with him
style of boxing that sent the critics
into the deep, deep past in an effort to
find somebody comparable to him
but all efforts were in vain. He stood
as the most energetic fighter the world
had ever seen. He could throw more
punches in one minute than many a
fighter in an entire round. This I'M
usual ability resulted in his being
called perpetual motion" and "Ham-
merin Hank" and other such epithets
AS he made his gallant march along
the "pugilistic highway" he garnered
three titles holding them simultaneous
ly. First he won the featherweight
crown and after decisively turning
back all serious threats of challengers
of his right to be the titlist his eyes
caught glimpse of the lightweight
diadem. The champion of that class
was ruling in much the same fashion
-. he was the real king of his weight
When Armstrong; intentions of in
vading the lightweight ranks were
made arrangements got underway tt
bring Lou Ambers in the ring will
him. On the night when they first me
it was steady surging Armstronl
who was returned the victorious EN-
blem of the fight and thus he annexed
another crown. Even this was no
enough. The Armstrong fightins
machine was now moving alon!
smoothly, and, even though he Tough
all challengers for either of his titles
he was constantly getting larger. Hi
added growth caused him to conside
the welterweight crown, although h
could scarcely make the class weight
Finally, after arrangements were com
pleted, he fought for his third it'll
which, after a very hectic battle, h
won. Hence he came be the onl,
man known to the sport to hold thre
titles at the same time.
Vacates One Title, Loses Other Tw,
Armstrong, after fighting for Will
as a three titlist, found that he coul,
no longer make the smaller weight s.
ne retired as featherweight champion
In a return engagement against Am
bers he was unable to turn back tn
former lightweight rulers bid and los
his crown. AS a retired champion o
the featherweight class and as tn