The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1956-02-25
Jailed as
Pro Under
.AnotherTog
BY JULIAN c. WYcHE


Osee Groom may follow the
footsteps Of Joe Louis towards
b Q omIng the heavvwei CHI
champion OF the world. juigina
indirectly a. results Of the semi
finals Of the city's Golden
Gloves tournament rather than
the finals last THURSDAY
Grooms. 2l-Year-o ex-
serviceman OF the West Side
d. c.. was so impressive in
his semi-final bout that he
won the open heavy cham
pionship title on default when
his match came up al I'D
Memorial Building.
The native of Evergreen Ala.
was 50 brilliant in his only ap-
pearance OF the tourney in the
semi-final bout against Sam
Jones. last wears champ who
went on to gain two wins in
the Tournament Of Champions
az Chicago. that he was Judged
more as pro than an amateur
al rineside
Ordered Non Appearances
Handlers OF his would-be op-
poneni in the finals. Robert Lee
Pickens OF Elmwood. also we're
SO impressed bv Groom's decis-
IKE victory that their charge was
ordered not 10 show UP for the
match since he was obviously
outclasSed
While. among those al ring
side who thought Groom looked
familiar was Forest Foster,
trainer OF the Beihune Youth
Club. who is also a police Of
iicer. After scanning numerous
old ring magazines. Foster came
up with picture Of Leonard
Dugsn. an Oakland. Calf. light
heavy. who strongly resembles
Groom. Dugan had given then
Lightweight Champion Archis
Moore a tough battle
Investigation showed that Du-
gan was on parole from Jackson
prison after doing time FOR
theft OF an auto Last TUESDAY
night. Groom volunteered 10 q
fingerprin, test al police head
quarters. after denying he was
Dugan and explaining he was
in the Army al time Of the bout
with Moore.
Found In Prison
After being cleared by the
print test. police later told
Groom that reports had Duesn
as an inmate in San Quentin
prison in California
Although Louis didn't win the
local open heavyweight crown
hy default. he loo was most
impressive in has Golden Gloves
appearance here which had him
sprineboaiding 10 the worlds
title.
But. Groom also followed
Joe's footsteps in that the for
mer heavy titlist was arrested
mistakenly while fighting as An
amateur in Chicago on charge
Of numbering his wife in Ind
ana He. too. strongly resembled
the suspect
Whether Groom viii coniinus
figurs,velv to follow Joe's foot
steps as a boxer still remains to
be seen. Handlers Of the 2lo
pound fighter apparently be
lieve he IS capable since thev
insist that Groom has had but
two fights those while doing
his Army hitch
His professional appearance
was explained as from working
out with those who fight-for-
pay al the West Side gym.
Other Results
One other Open crown was
won by default going 70 Joe
Willie DeMeyer IN the III
pound class
The only 1855 champion IN
win again was Bob Cornwell, Of
CYO Cornwell. ll2-lb. cham
pion last season. moved up 10
win the ll8-pound title BY
knocking out Jack Balsn. ~
Highland Park Recreation, in
l:5o Of the second round
In the best bout of the card
before some $3.50 fans. Rudolph
Stringer Of West Side AC.
iloored Ernest Hill OF Bethune.
three times before Winning on
a knockout in l:2l OF ths third
round.
Bsihuns Top Team
Team honors were won BY
Bethune Precinct Youth Center
with seven winners. Brewster
Center was second with five,
and CYO third with three
Bob Lsnsss. former Wayne
IIat.a~sfa~ m.far--. st.