The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-11-19
Enansy Walker
 Did Much For BOxing, Baseball

"" ANNAA ANNfN " w. V 1e@t oeAaA og James ,, WAiete evoked expressions. of sorrow from men of tne gasht HNne today, tof NeW HorkA coaorfal eN~mAS0r always maintained that boxing is the &lng ef Sporas-Ana he tired to make
 waRen. Wao olea lasa nlgAs d Doctors Hospital from a blood elot Of the brain. was modern ooxinee most eloquent and Influential ~chanplon,"
 nebonAlr Jimmy was responsible for the walker Law, which lekAlleeo boxing in New vork state ln teeo and which served AS a pattern for the rest of the boxing world since then.
 Organized AIllAnce
 tse oreaninea the national sports alllance in the teeos b care for eroken and impoverished ex~leht> CTS. The alliance Still carries on tn New York state.
 DApper, charming Jimmy was the apostel of the leather.tosslne pas@ time at social and political gather ineS. and in the legislature at Al~ heng. N Y, Always he was the principal speaker at dinners of the New York Boxing writers ASsocia. tions and he was the only person ever to receive the associataon's two top awards. He was given the Ed~ wand ]. Neil plaque for outstanding contributions to boxing during ielss and la leal he was presented with a plaque for long and meritorio0s service to the sport.
 Jimmy, eS. followed quickly in death two other members of a widely known boxing trio. His bro- ther, Dr. William n. walker-oox~ ing commission medical examiner for g years-Succ0moed to e heart ailment at 6e on Aug. ae. Jimmy Johnston. q0-year-ol0 manager and promoter, died on May 2. The two Jimngs = Walker and Johnston = had been cronies for years.
 Although the ex-mayor was asso- ciated more closely with boxing than any other sport, it was he who in the early ie2o's put through a bin aeealtzing professional baseball on Sundays In the state. And 1t was he who fought the blue noses" when they tried to close the billiard parlors and bowling alleys on Sum days.
 Ring Was Rarsa Love
 A. a ...oss as..rss,-r v.-a. s,s. s..s and lasting love From boyhood. he was an ardent fan. In triumph or travail, Jimmy Walker was first TOW, ringShide" at every important indoor or outdoor fight in the New York area.
 Jimmy had the reputation of be- ing New York's most gifted after dinner speaker since the late Chauncey. N. Depew. And close friends claimed that he always reached the heights Of his oratory at the boxing writers dinners.
 Back in 1920 when Jimmy was . minority leader in the state senate, he came to the rescue Of boxing. At that time. the sport in New York state was down" and almost out" The Frawiey Law, which permit ted no-oecision bouts, had been re- pealed in 1877: and boxing was Illegal. although conducted on the sly-accompanied by frequent raids and arrests The sub rosa sport smacked of the barroom. the bro- thel, and the Hooligan's den. Box ing was in bad odor. indeed.
 Walker was determined to resur- rect the fight game and to clean it up. so that decent men-and women might enjoy the sport He and several friends co-operated in writ ing a bill. which was passed large ly through his political influence. It was signed on May 90. 1920, by Governor Alfred E. Smith. who had been definitely hostile to prize fighting.
 Gave Sport Isees Boom
 The Walker Law, legalizing box ing in the state, provided that bouts be contested to a decision: that bouts be limited to IS rounds; that three commissioner be ap- pointed to supervise the sport; and that decisions be made by two judges and a referee. Those were the basic provisions. although the law contained many others.
 Passage of the Walker Law set the stage for the amazing growth of boxing in the golden Ie20s--a growth that was nurtured by Tex Rickard and Jack Dempsey. The law was copied by other states and by other countries.
 Thus-WaIkers fondness for the tistie sport. and his efforts in it's behalf. did as much to elevate and popularize boxing as. did Dempsey's explosive fists and Richards promo