The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-11-18
(Reg. U. s. Pat. Of.) Bv JACK CUDDY

United Press Staff Correspondent
 Hartford, Conn, Nov. 18.-(UP)- Willie Pep, the Hartford Hurri- cane," leaves late today for New York where Friday night he hopes to wrest the featherweight crown from ancient Chalky Wright. His departure signals the beginning of the great migration of some 1000 Connecticut fans toward Madison Square Garden.
 Because of the gas and rubber situation and heavy traffic on the New Haven Railroad, the fans must move into New York gradually, with the vanguards leading of today.
 Booming Hartford takes its feath- erweights seriously, and particularly William Papaleo, the dark-haired little Italian who fights under the name of Willie Pep. He battles so well that he is riding tsring of 53 straight victories - and is such a menacing contender that he is fa- vored at 8-5 to beat the 30-year- -old Los Angeles negro.
 Hartford, swarming with defense workers, is the nations No. feath- erweight city, having already pro- vided two 126-pound kings - Louis Kid Kaplan and Bat Battalino Moreover, it is the metropolis in which the original Young Corbett upset Terrible Terry" McGovern and took his title away on quick knockout back in 1901.
 Plea to Green
 Because of the tremendous en- thusiasm for 20-year-old Pep in this area, Frank s. Coskey, boxing com missioner for the state of Connec- ticut, will beseech the National Box ing Association to recognize Pep as undisputed champion of the world if he licks Wright.
 Wright is recognized as 126-pound ruler only by New York and af- filiated states, while the NBA insists that Pittsburgh Jackie Wilson is champion. Connecticut is a member of the NBA. Commissioner Coskey declares that the recent history of the feather division shows quite cleriy that Wright's claims to the crown are much sounder than Will sons. President Abe Greene of the NBA is not expected to agree with Coskey.
 Pep completed boxing prepara- tions yesterday with six rounds of sparring in which he suffered a mouse under his left eye. Because of this purple lump, Trainer Bill Gore cancelled todays scheduled leather tossing and had the con- tender limit himself to calisthenics at the Charter Oak gymnasium
 Tn yesterdays sparring with two negro mates, Junior Burton and Sammy Haskins, Pep appeared in peak condition. He was lightning fast. punching hard and working effortlessly. At times. his whirlwind attack almost knocked his mates through the ropes. Louis "Kii" Kap- Ian, now a Hartford tavern propri- etor, was loud in his praises. T don't see how the kid can lose" he said. Hes really great fighter - he al lthe earmarks of champion, and I don't mean caulifiowers.
 Chairman John J. Phelan of the New York Commission watched the sparring and checked Willie's weight. Which the scales showed to be i27 pounds just one over the limit Phelan was inn .essed with Pep's performance.
 Despite the mouse under his eye, Pep was a happy lad last night. His family completed moving yesterday into the big. new red-and-yellow home he bought for his mother, sis- ter, little brother and ailing father. It is the first home the Papaleos ever owned. It is the consummation of a dream Willie had nurtured ever since he quite school at IS to support the family. He worked in wallpaper factory until he began to make more money with his fists.
 Rich House
 Nat Rogers. matchmaker for the New Yorks 20th Century club. told Hartford fans that Friday nights brawl is expected to draw about se0 900. Champion Wright is guar