Evening star., 1942-05-15

the first retired, undefeated father
in-law champion in history?
Mr.. Smith has been strangely
quiet since his triumph in the
kitchen OF his home Sunday. The
usual procedure for new cham
pion is to holler in the microphone.
Hello, Nom! III be right home"
and then not to go home until he
has made the rounds so many
times that all the bouncers call him
by his first name.
OF course, the new champion may
be too busy cleaning up the kitchen
to devote much thought to future
campaigns. While reports of the
fight are meager-the press was not
asked and the few ringside seats on
the stove and refrigerator were oc~
cupied by relatives and intimate
friends of the combatants-it is
safe for any one who knows the
fighting style Of Conn to guess that
the kitchen was in pretty much Of
a mess when the battle was over
In lasting II rounds with jos
Louis last summer, Conn proved
himself to be a dancing, weaving.
bobbing type of fighter. and this
type is not calculated to be easy on
a kitchen. In starting his punches
for Mr.. Smiths breadbasket, he
probably upset the breadbasket. 1t
must have been a handicap to
Conn, who is accustomed to resin
on the floor, to work on footing
of rye, whole wheat and pumper-
nickel.
Too, Conn is at his best when he
can work of the ropes-lean against
them and rebound toward his op-
ponent. Billy must have been
shocked when, forgetting he wasn't
in ring, he leaned against the but
ler's pantry door and, instead OF re-
bounding, fell backwards into the
dining room.
The more I think of it, the more
I am convinced that Mr.. Smith, 70
have a clear claim TO the father-ir-
law title, must give son-in-law, Billy.
another shot at him. After all. Mr..
Smith was fighting on his home
grounds He knew the kitchen back
ward and forward. He had the feel
of the hnoleum floor; knew that
any one trying to circle the kitchen
| table too fast would get a whack
from the Of and On handles Of
the electric stove; knew the exact
location Of the rolling pin In case
the going got too rough.
The prizefight customers in this
country won't be completely salts
fed with Mr.. Smith as Billys con-
queror until he agrees to a re-match
and in neutral kitchen.
That's the sporting thing for him
to do. To further this re-match, I
hereby offer the use of my kitchen
for the second bout. Fortunately, 1t
is about the same size as the stand
ard Marquis of Queensberry prize
ring. Mr.. Smith and Billy can
match for the corners, with one
getting the corner by the sink and
the other fighting out of the corner
by the wall compartment that holds
the ironing board, mops and brooms.
put this offer to Promoter Mike
Jacobs of the Twentieth Century
Sporting Club today. Honesty makes
me admit that he was not too keen
for the idea. He was still too upset
over having to cancel the heavy
weight fight between Conn and Joe
Louis. Conn suffered a broken left
hand against Father-in-law Smith,
The Conn-Louis fight was to have
been for the benefit of the Army
Relief Fund, and Promoter Jacobs
made it quite plain to me that he
didn't feel that Mr.. Smith had done
his country service in disabling
Conn.
That fight would have made a
barrel of money for our soldiers"
Promoter Jacobs said. IF Mr.. Smith
feels proud of what happened not
only to boy who is his son-in-lay.
but to a boy who is one of Uncle
Sans soldiers, then he must be the
only one who is proud"
With this, Promoter Jacobs hung
up. Not so much out of anger. per
haps, but because I was calling long
distance-oollect.
The offer of my kitchen still goes,
however, and If Pvt. Billy Conn can't
get away for the bout, I'll substituts
for him.
Put EN- up, Mr.. Smith. and come
out fighting.
| Distributed by McNausht Syndicate Incl