Evening star., 1942-10-12
Will Be Too Old
For Ring After
War; JoeSays
Fistic Stur Becomes
Third Heavyweight
Champ to Retire
BY SID FEDER,

Louis changes his mind-or Uncle
Sam changes 1t for him-the great
est flstic career of this era is ended.
The quiet, simple colored boy
who skyrocketed out of an Alabama
cotton patch into such fistic fame
that many experts rank him as the
greatest fighter of all times, paused
IN Omaha yesterday to say casually
that his "fightin' days are over"
He said it in the typical Louis
way, without frills or drumbeating;
the same way in which he dropped
all the glory and financial success
that goes with the heavyweight
championship to enlist in the United
States Army as a private last Jan
uary.
by the time this war is over"
he reckoned, It'll be in my 3Os, and
that's too old for a fighter. I'm
too old for it now.
"Y'know, really don't care much
any more about going back into
the ring"
OF course, 1t would all change If
the War Department decides to let
Joe-he's sergeant now-out to
toss his bombs again. But the
Army already has turned thumbs
down on one fight for the Bomber
his eagerly looked for return go with
Corpl. Billy Conn.
Set Title Defense Record.
I'LL do anything the Army asks"
Joe said. I'm in the Army now
and they're taking care OF my
plans"
Naturally, Joe could change his
mind. He wouldn't be the first
champion who couldn't get the
''rosln out Of his blood" But as
matters stand now, the Bomber, at
%, IS giving up reign that already
has netted purses of more than
$2,O00,000 and has broken all records
for successful defenses of the fight
games most priced bauble. He has
turned back 81 challenges since he
won the crown from old rough-and-
ready Jim Braddock back in 1897,
and no champ ever came within
shouting distance Of that mark.
Louis statement, which he made
to Associated Press Staff Reporter
David kaufman after marching
with the Fort Riley OKans) pre-
cision drill team in an exhibition.
left the fight world gasping in as
tonishment.
Although it was known for some
three years that the ring had lost
its zest for hirn-that he was no
longer a hungry" f1ghter-his
statement came as a complete sur
prise, even to his closest asso-
ciates-men like Promoter Mike
Jacobs, who has put on every Louis
fight since he first hit the "big
apple" back In 1885, and to John
Roxborough, who, with Julian
Black, piloted him out Of the anna
teurs, through the $50-a-bout pre-
liminary days and into the million
dollar, gate stages.
Will Be "Champion Emeritus.s
Joe may think he's through with
fighting" said Abe J. Greene, presi-
dent OF the National Boxing Asso-
citation, "but fighting will never be
tnrOugn Win JOe.
Greene added that when the
NBA receives official word of Joe's
retirement, it will tab him cham
pion emeritus" and will name Bob
Pastor and Tami Mauriello, New
York heavyweights, and Lee Savold
of Des Moines to fight it out for
ranking as championship pre-
tender" at least until the war is
over. with Conn also in the
Army" Greene said, those three
are the top men in action today"
Should Joe make his decision
stick, he would be the third heavy
weight champion in all ring history
to give up the head mans spot
And, as was the case when Jim
Jeffries and Gene Tunney did it, his
abdication not only would take q
lot out of the fight game, but also
will leave the situation immediately
afterward in a confusing tangle.
OF course, the logical assumption
Is that Joe would take it all back
If the war should end in the next
few months. His implication was
that as long as he was on the sunny
side of 80, he might take a crack
at 1t again. A return match with
Conn figures to make the cash
registers jingle for half a million
dollars or more.
Wins Sc of 81 Pro Bouts.
1t is no secret that Joe could use
ready cash, since much of his
money is tied up in property and
he has several important debts
hanging over him, not the least OF
which is a $4,000 income tax bill
from the Government.
Altogether, he has been fighting
eight years, has been seen in action
by approximately 100000 fans and
has earned $2,227 ,859, but only some
Is per cent of this sum reached his
pocket after expenses and "cuts."
All in all, he has had 81 profes-
sional fights. He won Sc of them
Al by knockouts. His only defeat
was a 12-round kayo by Max
Schmeling in 1896, setback he
avenged two years later by putting
Max to sleep in one round.
From the time he outpointee
Matte Brown in 1885, he tore the
heavyweight ranks apart, but
through it all, he changed little
from the ikeable unaffectee
youngster he was the first day he
arrived"
1t was his character more thar
his flstic ability that led former
Mayor James j. Walker to pa,
tribute to him as "a great Negro ane
q fine American-and somethin,
more: You've laid a red rose OF
Abe Lincoln's grave" That wa.
last winter when Joe was given tn,
New York fight writer's award q.
: 1941's fighter Of the year, and Loui,
replied simply, II thought the da,
; I won the heavyweight champion
ship would stand out as the hap
piest day Of my life, but this top
that"
. Ole Miss Is Encouraged
Mississippi's football fortunes ar
! looking iln The denartment nf NH