The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-11-20
Uncle Sans Navy
Boxers Push Leather
With Best of Them

Santiago do Cuba in an attempt to
bottle up Cervera's Spanish fleet, the
handful of United States Navy heroes
aboard the Merrimac were pitched in
to MORO Castle prison. Their Span
ish captors dug up a couple of old sets
of boxing gloves for the U. S. seamen,
indicating that even years ago the
reputation of Uncle Sans fighting
Navy men was recognized the world
over.
Today, under the direction of Lieu
tenant Commander Gene (retired
heavyweight champ Tunney, U. S.
N. R. and hundreds of other seasoned
coaches, leather pushing continues to
top all Navy sports in popularity On
shipboard.
With the addition of thousands of
new recruits for our "Two-Ocean''
Navy, the old game of swat and duck
is destined to turn out some new
champions in addition to whipping oU:'
sailors into keen fighting condition.
In the past the Navy has turned Oh.
a great array of champions and near
champions. Outstanding Navy fight
ers whose early Navy training pointed
the way to the big time in later civilian
life include such names as Jack and
Tom Sharkey, Gunboat Smith, Sailor
Burke, Yankee Sullivan, George Gun
Their, Frank Moran, Sammy Robideau.
Charley Grande, Billie Walters, Den
ny Tight, Eddie Roberts, Sammy Wha-
len, Heinie Orchard Frankie Kirk.
Sailor Leo Lomski, Honey Boy Finne
gan, Joe Fisher, Eddie Huffman, Eddie
and Billie Shevlin, Sammy Truikl9,
Young Sailer Boy Dencio, Danny Du-
arte and host of others not to mentit n
the Navy Marine Corps Gene Tunney
and George LaBlanche!
Some of the old timers may remem-
Der LaBlanche as the punching sailor
of 1889 who fattened the original Jack
Dempsey, then middleweight cham
pion of the world, in the 32nd round
of a fight that had been all Dempsey'a
for 81 rounds.
Others may recall colorful ringster
Sailor Billy Jordan who started his
boxing career as a middleweight on
the S. S. Hartford.
Today in the Navy boxing is a
steadily growing sport Intership and
inter-division competition is keen.
Practically every ship in the U. S.
Fleet has its stables of boxers and
from our fleet may come the man who
will beat Joe Lewis.
Recently enlisted professionals in
clude Steve Belloise, George Abrams
and Cal Cagni All three have joined
the Naval Reserve and are stationed
at Jacksonville, Florida. 70
One of the most versatile Navy
leather pushers at the present time is
young Bud Adams, present All-Navy
champion in the middleweight divi-
sion. In addition to his boxing PROV
ess Bud is also the present middle
weight and light heavyweight wrest-
Ter on the Mississippi, the ship on
which he serves. Adams handles the
Mississippi boxing stable and has
made quite a name for himself as a
coach.
All Navy bouts are run according
to A. A. U. rules as to time of bouts
and weights. Selections of fights be-
tween divisions are made according
to Golden Gloves arrangement. Prizes
are offered to individual champions
and to winning divisions. One Of the
best chances for any youngster to
show his stuff is in the u. S. Navy
roped squares. 1t is our private opin-
ion that if the Navy lads were to put
on the gloves with the average fighter
appearing in professional club bouts,
the sailors would carry off most of
the honors.
All told, we have world of respect
for the training and opportunities
offered by the U. S. Navy and recon-
mend that every patriotic young man
give thought to this branch of our
armed forces as his means Of serving
his country and protecting his future.