The Phoenix index., 1941-07-05
Famous White Scribe Says
Big IF" Always Follows
Joe Louis Title Bouts

Wnl linz OIlc VI pIAC 1"ASSe
LIBERAL pieces ever done on Joe
louis, the Special News Service
portswriting ace, Whitney Mar
in, one of the most colorful
tylists in the free lance newspaper
field, deplores the many excuses
made for every opponent OF the
Brown Bomber after ne KNOCKS
him out.
The full text of Whitney Mar
tins article, as reproduced from
the New York scribe's June 20
feature, published in the Mont
gomery (Ala.) ADVERTISER, is as
follows:
"If Billy Conn hadn't believed he
could slug it out with Joe Louis,
Billy probably would be world
champion today.
Joe Louis won by knockout.
IF Buddy Baer had followed up
his advantage after putting Joe
Louis through the ropes, Buddy
might have won the title.
Joe Louis won by knockout.
"If Abe Simon had had two good
hands, instead of only the left as
he claimed, he might have de-
feated Joe Louis.
Joe Louis won by knockout.
IF Tony Galento had followed
through with another left hook
after he knocked Joe Louis down,
Tony might have been the champ
ion.
Joe Louis won 10y knockout.
Joe Louis record is cluttered
with ifs, all voiced in a plaintive
bleat by the losers and their fol-
overs and all as futile as those
saddest words Of tongue or pen: it
might have been.
why is it they never had to
say IF Louis hadn't been careless
he wouldn't have been knocked
out" or IF Louis hadn't had his
eye cut he would have gone the
limit?" We're lust asking.
Gould it be because Joe
Louis outlines his own destiny
make shis own breaks and takes
advantage of them? Could it be-,
in short, that Joe Louis has a
little more of what it takes than
the other fellow?
There is something as final as
death about that terse statement,
Louis won by Knockout
1T SmotherS all the ifs, all the
might ave-beens. For, after all,
the main idea of fight Is to
win, and the most convincing way
to win is by knockout. Joe Louis
opponents have the same oppor-
tunity. It's just unfortunate for
them that they seem to make all
the mistakes. Louis, it seems, never
make a mistake, or tleast a
fatal mistake.
"All the Ifs" associated with the
osers can be dismissed but one
the Billy Conn if.
The other fellows never had 9
chance. Even in Conn's case the
use of eff" is debatable Louis had
been waiting patiently for just such
chance He thought it would
come sooner or later. We thought
so too, even after that 18th round
when Louis was pretty seasick
sailor.
There is something so deadly, SC
merciless about his stalking that
YOU feel that somehow, somewhere
along the line he will explode and
wipe out any deficit. One little
opening, one clean shot and it is
the beginning of the end.
"As for Billy Conn, there is just
one word for him-magnificent
Physically out of his class, facing
dynamite fists, he staked every
hing on his fleetness Of foot, box
ng skill and courage. Mostly
courage.
1--WE take back anything we ever
said about him being poor match
for the champion, but at the same
time we believe that if they fought
again the same thing would hap
pen. Somewhere, somehow thai
opening would appear in Billys ar
NOR Louis might look like novice
Until that time, but he has looked
bad before, and always the time
worn headline is dragged out:
Louis wins by a knockout"
Give a real sportsman the Gre
dit due"