Roanoke Rapids daily herald. (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1948-1949, 1948-09-22
Lions Clubs First Boxing Night
Provides Plenty Of Excitement

Seven More
3ou+s Slo+ee.
For Tonight
The Lions had a il;s!a tough
luck with their seven-fignt ca: d
last night, when two of the sche-
duled fighters failed to show Up,
cutting the card to five three
FOUNDERS. However there was ac-
ton enough to please all but the
most bloodthirsty and more ana
better is promised tonight fer
the second of the F ,,ht Nights
of the Lions Club Festival
The bleachers were pretty
well-filled with rabid fight fans
at the high school field last
night, and they got just lit
tie impatient before the bouts
finally got started an hou- late.
Fighting in the first preliminary
bout was slated to begin at eight
o'clock, however the fighters
were late arriving ard ..fter they
had come in someone thought 81
installing bell, which was done
at $50, then with fighters in
the ring someone else realized
that the boxing gloves had not
been brought out.
In spite of the delays and dis
fractions everything went off
smoothly after the fights got
rolling, and due to the shorten
ing of the card ana the redlc-
ton of the length of the feat
ure event from five 20 three
rounds the fight fans still got
home early and most Of them
seemed pleased with the show.
The headline attraction of the
evening wound Up in draw
when Walter Kemp and James
Whltted slugged blows off each
others gloved hands for three
rounds. Both Negro heavy
weights were sluggers who
seemed more willing than able
and they alternately hid behind
their gloves or pounded Upper
cuts into each others chests
Neither moved around too mu, h
and except for one furry. Of
toe-to-toe understanding there
was not enough action to please
the fans who kept waiting fol
something to explode and never
quite saw it happen.
The only knockout came If
the second fight of the evening
when Leroy Hayes got Grcd.t iol
knockout over James BASt af.
ter Best had knocked out" HIM
self by gallivanting all over The
ring and wearing himself down
Best finally gave up the ehos
in the second cound and fell CT
his face after having be m down
for one eight count in the frs
and was stretched out ae The
bell for the second knorkdcwr
ending the first round Boil
boys mixed it up plenty, how
ever, and there was many
haymaker missed between Tx
arm and the chin.
The opening bout had Kell,
Carr winning decision uvcI
Bonnie Daniel in a fight tina
demonstrated more energy thar
ability on the part of either boy
Carr had a peculiar stance which
seemed to BATTLE this opponent
though, and came through witt
the clear decision.
One fight demonstrating TIVE
completely unorthodox stance
was put on in the third match
when Willie Lashley, whit
fought with his eyes avertcd q =
face covered, came out from be
hind his gloves long enough t.
get in a few good licks agans
LOUIS Rutledge, who carried hi
right arm at side apparentl.
waiting> for an opening wnicl
never came. Rutledge got push
ed around little and slipped t
the canvas long enough in tn
last round to give the nod t
Lashley.
Chester Humphrey got a clea
decision over Livermal in tn
semi-final event of last night
card, when Liverman aterte
spending a great deal Of time o
the canvas, eager at all times I
get up and 60 back 10 the can
vas. Humphrey, who seemed tn
older of the two, had nor
chalant unconcern in the ring.
Following last nights fight
the principals in tonight S tea,
ure bout, Smokey Harris "sho'
boat boxer" and Henry Watso
of Caledonia, were introduced 6
the main reason why fight far
should come back to the secon
of the Fight Nights.
From .ringside it was annount
ed last night that the sever
bout card would cons 81 If bs
ties between the lisntei, TASTE
men and was promised to SO O.
without the flaws which mare
the presentation Of the card la
night.
Harris in the main event is
l64-pound fighter, and his o.
ponent, Watson, is a 159 pound
! er. The leadoff bout pits Lerc
! Wiley against Robert Purd