Evening star., 1942-12-23
Loughran Uses Only
Gloves in DueIinq
Against Steel
Gives Striking Example
Of How Ring Methods
Con Be Applied
BY GRANTLAND RICE.

Special Correspondent OF The Star.
Comdr Slade Cutter, former Navy
star now on submarine duty, has
the right answer. The best training
for war is boxing
Boxing not only is a fine condi-
toner. 1t also Is a morale maker
for the service entry on the per-
sonal side.
Beyond this. boxing also has its
direct physical application. This
applies to use Of the bayonet.
Formerly the old bayonet method
was to advance with a direct for
ward thrust.
Boxers, first led by Tony Biddle
have shown how this method could
be improved greatly.
Recently, in one Of the Army
camps, Tommy Loughran, former
light heavyweight champion and a
master boxer, proved again what
boxing technique can mean in bay
onet work.
Tommy took on several soldiers,
my's only weapons were pair OF
boxing gloves.
He proved how simple 1t was to
knock the bayonet thrust to one
side while driving in and deliver
ing a knockout blow.
Good boxers become the best bay
onet men in short while. AS
result of recent experiments box
ers have come to be in urgent de-
mand all over the camp country.
Good boxers know how to find
the right opening-how to feint and
parry-how to get an opponent of
balance.
Give EN- the BayOnet.
Stonewall JackSon's command at
Bull Run now is used many times
in the Pacific islands against the
Japs and against the Germans in
North Africa.
Give 'em the bayonet" still is
the most deadly Of all attacking
moves.
But a bayonet doesn't work 1T
self. For the slow. the clumsy and
the awkward operator it can lead to
heavy casualty lists.
A bayonet brigade made up from
good boxers or evenly fairly we'll
trained boxers has a wide margin
over those who have had no boxing
experience. At least this is the be-
lief of many Army experts who
know their trade
Men like Tony Biddle and Tommy
Loughran have helped to prove this
point.
1t would be interesting to see
Beau Jack using bayonet against
German or Jap.
There would be flash of blue
steel coming from all known direc-
tions. including up and down, right
and left.
It might not be a scientific dis
play but it would be deadly one.
Beau Jacks Status.
1T may be that large part OF the
map refuses to recognize Beau Jack
as the lightweight champion.
Each section is entitled to its mode
and way of thinking and planning.
The main point is that Beau Jack,
the deft shoeshiner from Augusta,
undoubtedly is the best lightweight
fighter in the game today, with
something to spare.
The point has been made that he
Isn't any Joe Cans. Who is-or
was? Beau Jack has triple founda-
tion upon which to stand, and boxing
skill isn't one of these foundations.
l, An undaunted aggreSsiveness
that can belong only to one who
loves to fight. He thinks only in
terms Of attack.
2, Punching power in either hand.
3. Stamina and durability that
come from perfect physical condi-
tion. due in part to many fights and
to almost countless miles of road
work to give him the legs needed to
carry on tireless pace.
1t would be a crime for anv one
to attempt to turn Beau Jack into a
scientific boxer He Is something
better than that--a natural fighter
The point is that he doesn't need
the lightweight title to give him
rank. There just doesn't happen to
be any one close to him in his divi-
sion at this moment. And he still
is trif1e on the green side so far
As experience goes.
released by North American Newspaper