Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-15
WIN, LOSE OR
DKAW By FRANCIS srANN
Youth Is Potterson's Ally

HISTORY DEMONSTRATES THAT all the fanfare
attendant to elimination tournament for vacated boxing
championship is apt to way out of proportion to the
caliber of the ttular asprants.
Come June will be Hurricane Jackson Floyd
Patterson by way of kicking off tournament
successor to Rocky Marciano These bona de heavy
weight contenders? The yes and the worst
of the lot being considered, either.
Probably Archie Moore is the best and his youth is
far behind him The Ancient One is good 49, at least
The worst the likes of Bob Baker, Eddie Machen Johnny
Sommerin and Willie Pastrano.
Because youth his ally Patterson eventually figures
to wind the beneficiary of the homage paid Marciano
and other accredited champions But whether that will
IN 1886 or 1888 II at ALL remains to be SEEM The exOymp
champion still has got to lick heavyweight of any repute
WHEN JIM JEFFRIES first vacated the big title more
than so years the pattern set Marvin Hart and
Jack Root named to fight for the crown which
won by knockout 1t is interesting to that Root
hardly heavy at III pounds
Philadelphia Jack OBren disputed Tommy Burns after
Hart was taken out by Burns less than year later Burns
voided oBriens claims in the ring in 1907 OBren
heavyweight? He scaled 1877.
When Jack Johnson forced by Uncle Sam to take
it on the lam in 1872 white heavyweight
held The survivor of poor crop Luther McCarty,
who defeated the unframed Al Kaufman, Jim Flynn and
Al Palzer. His brief and tragic reign In the
mccarthy collapsed in the first round of bout with
Arthur Pekey in Canada and died of brain hemorrhage
To make it clear Johnson was the real champion It
was just that he took his title exile with him. This
tournament for whites only.
UNTIL MARCIANO, who has yet to make it stick the
only ruler to fully retire Tunney in 1928 The
elimination tournament and the Immediately following
the time superior to the present
an arbitrary attitude considered sign of advancing
years..
Anyway Max schmeling and Jack sharkey took turns
wearing the crown until horrible thing happened in
The Italian freak Primo Camera stopped Sharkey in six
ROUNDS and became the ttlehoder How if not why was
the question Sharkey good fighter and sharp
hitting Camera nothing except big His punch was
so that nobody the that kyoed Sharky
1t was relief when Max Baer topped Ambling Alp
in 1884 AT least the fight had plausible heavyweight
champion the fun-loving refused to set big
store by the distinction
JOE LOUIS RETIREMENT in 1949. which did not stick
left Ezzard Charles champ of the MIA Jersey Joe
Wacott as kingpin of Camden, N j., plus some patSes
named Lee oma Pat Valentino Gus Lesnevch Nick Barone
and Freddy Beshore When the finally cleared it
1851 and there Walco all ready to be taken by
ciano the following year.
Where Marciano ranks among the all-time fighters is
debatable Most regarded authorities say with
the very best but that he close up the the best
te separate them from all others who held the title
The popular rap against Rocky that he was crude
in style and couldn't finish his opponents with rapdy when
ne hurt them Yet what was called crude style always
impressed this observer of his chief There
was no figuring Marciano, who with his short arms and
unorthodox technique actually held the edge Tunney
perhaps, would have solved him. Tunney made you fight
his way
AS for finishing his stunned opponents, Rocky was at
times amateursh he looked the punch wind it up
Yet on recent trip to town, Tommy Loughran saying
"Marcano take out anybody with punch Dempsey
couldn't"
You pays your money and takes your choice
HOW MARCIANo WOULD have Jared against Dempsey
Or Louis for that matter-is topic that will keep ring
worms busy for Dempsey and elusive
Like Rocky he could take punch and give one Not often
him solidly
The young Joe Louis had much faster hands than
Marcano and maybe the atme best left jab 1t is possible
that his jab than equal to the Sunday punch of
almost every heavyweight of his time would have been the
difference On the other hand Louis looked his best
when crowded
Certainly Rocky took better punch than Louis who
could be suckered into catching right hand but no matter
the mythical winner Marcano the good champs
Nmay be long time before wesee another as good Ger
tany no elimination tournament has produced better