Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-14

fellow from Pittsburgh.
During my years as a sports
writer I never picked Louis to win
a fight. This unusual procedure paid
off but once, and that was due to
Louis inexperience and Max
Schmeling's right hand. I am going
to pick him to win this fight, how
ever. I believe that he will win by
a knockout within seven rounds
and l would not be greatly shocked
if he accomplished this before the
third round Many of my colleagues
are in complete disagreement with
me. Indeed, scores of them are 60
ing to name Conn as the winner.
Stars on His Side.
The Conn hackers have more rea-
sons to offer in defense of their man
than ID has st." which is short
for dog has f1eas. Conn is younger.
Conn is three times as fast as Louis.
Conn has grown an inch since the
last time he met Louis, and Conn
has developed new and dangerous
punch, and Conn was born in the
right month, under the right star,
and an analysis of his handwriting
shows that he is of the stuff which
champions are made.
They also point out that Louis is
older. slower, creaks in vital joints,
and doesn't have the stars on his
side I talked to Joe about this and
he was as informative as ever. What
has Joe worried is his golf game.
Sam Sneads golf game, and the
inability of the Detroit Tigers to
whip the Boston Red Sox. I asked
Joe if he had slowed up, and he
said he just couldn't hit No. 2
iron. That's q mighty hard club
for me-" he said. IF I could hit it
right, Id always shoot In the low
70s''
I inquired how he planned to
fight Conn. Was he going to Garry
the fight to the challenger, or bide
his time and wait for Billy to make
a mistake?
when you see Snead." Joe an
sWered, tell him to shorten his
backsWing I think that is where
he gets into trouble-overswing
He oughta win all the tournaments.
not just one now and then
Joe" I asked, do you think this
fight with Billy will last as long as
the other one?
Don't look like any one is 60
ing to stop these Red Sox.' he
said. When they knock New
houser out Of the box the other day
I figured my Tigers were through.
Maybe they'll slow down later on,
but right now they look like the
best thing in the league by a
mile"
This should have been enough
Information on which to base an
expert piece, but I decided to talk
to Ray Arcel, probably the best
handler Of fighters in the country.
Arcel has never seconded Lewis.
but he has been In the corner of
II of Joe's victims.
II am still tired from Juggling out
guys Joe hit" he said. And I ex-
pect TO see Conn logged out after
this one. Joe has slowed down 2
little, sure, and that's natural. but
people forget that slowing down a
bit doesn't hurt Joe very much, be-
cause he never was anything but
slow on his feet. He always was.
and always will be, shuf1er. And
he hasn't slowed down in the
hands. and that's where the payoff
is. He can still hit as fast with
either hand as any fighter who
ever lived, and when he tags you.
you either fall down, or start act
ing pretty funny while standing
up. Mind you. I'm not knocking
Conn. He is good boy. Fast.
strong and brave as two burglars.
But he can't afford to make a mis-
take. Not one. He knows that,
too. I think Joe will knock him
out with two punches-a left hook
that he will throw over a jab, and
a right to the body"
Don't forget this, either: Louis
will enter the ring at about 208 or
2l0, and Conn will weigh in at 1872
and a fraction. That's a big pull in
the weights, and when a good, big
man meets a good, little man. the
good, big man is a good one to bet
on.