The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-20
Greg. D. s. Pat. oR.)
BY JACK GUENTHER

UNITED Press Stan Correspondent
Summit, N. j., March 2O-CUP)--
The wind whistled briskly through
Abe StmOn's training camp and for
once 1t wasn't emanating from the
leather Lined lungs of Manager
James JOY Johnston. The boy ban
dit was home nursing case Of
Ptomaine poison and grinding out
crosses Of publicity releases to deny
he had been stricken while eating
his own words.
His lieutenants were trying to
carry on as best they could. They
were doing a good Job but the gym
was quiet as only a gym can be quiet
when James Joy is somewhere else.
When Abe came in he must have
noticed the unusual silence because
he said hello quickly and hurried to
his dressing room. tagged along
to inspect him at close range.
Well, in a word he is big. I had
seen him in the ring and I had
heard his manager describe him, but
not until I sat next to him did I
realize how big a man could be.
Johnston just doesn't have the
words for him. He is immense, gi-
gantic and positively overpowering.
this young Jewish boy who is to
fight for the heavyweight title again
next Friday.
Sense Of HumOr
I talked to him while he changed
clothes and I discovered that not
only is he big, he is intelligent and
articulate. Also, he has a sense Of
humor. He saw me gaze at his size
10 shirt, size IA shoes and tent
like coat. He grinned as my eyes
measured the ~ ounce gloves In
which he Spars. Finally, he laughed.
He has a nice laugh, too.
"You are wondering how much I
weighed when. was born and how
anyobdy could knock fellow as big
as am to the floor" he said. "Well,
to answer the first question I
weighed only eight pounds then as
against my 255 of today. And as
for the second, no matter what I
tell you, you'll never know. You'll
have to let that Joe Louis hit you
first. Then you'll know"
We both laughed when Abe told
me bout his football career. He
played at John Adams high school,
Ozone PARK, N. Y, and played on
a pretty good team. Abe was g. guard
or tackle when the other team had
the ball. When John Adams took
over, he went into the fullback slot.
"You should have seen me when
was little and starting out In life
as a violin player. I gave that UP
to become a drummer. Then
played football and finally went to
a school in Connecticut to prep for
Yale. Wow, If you didn't have 800
week to kick around there you
were nobody. So went home to
N. Y. U. until my mother turned
me into a boxer"
He was 8 unique fighter for q
while. He was the sole asset Of
White Hope, Inc.," q company
owned by Jock Whitney. For three
years he drew $35 a week for train
ing in the gym but after he lost a
six rounder to Lou Nova a sports
writer ridiculed him so much that
Whitney gave him up. Abe has won
dered since what his former owner
thinks of his two title bouts.
Iceman
Abe finished dressing and stepped
into the ring to spar four rounds
with Johnny Shkor, promising
Boston heavyweight. A Johnston
attache informed me that Abe, who
was fitting his headgear, had
gained his size by carrying 800 pound
ice cakes and hustling $40 pound
pickle barrels. Remarkably, this in
formation was confirmed by Simon
later.
Abe gave Shkor plenty of merry
hell but he demonstrated that If
he is to fire the shot heard round
the boxing world, he will have to