Evening star. [volume], January 31, 1938, Page A-12, Image 12

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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A—12
WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1938.
Braddock, in Faretvell to Boxing, Pays Real Tribute to Sport\
OWES GAME AIL
EX-CHAMP FEELS
Jim Retires, “in Fairness”
to Family, to Start New
Business Venture.
By HUGH S. FULLERTON, Jr„
Associated Press Sports Writer.
New YORK, ,Jan. 31.—Jimmy
Brad dock, the man who came
back from “nowhere” to win
the world heavyweight cham
pionship and a lot of cash money he
needed very badly, has reached the
place fight fans thought he was in
1933. He is all through with fighting.
Jimmy, confirming the belief that
he's a pretty smart fellow as fighters
go, announced his retirement yester
day. He has been fighting since 1926,
he admits to 32 years and he proved
he still is a pretty good man with his
dukes when he outpointed Tommy
Farr 10 days ago.
All that being settled, Jimmy an
nounced: “I have spent 15 years in
the game, and in fairness to every one,
but especially my wife and children, I
believe it is time for me to withdraw.”
Braddock’s announcement was not
entirely unexpected, as there has been
talk of his retirement ever since he
lost the title to Joe Louis last summer
and took a terrific beating before he
was knocked out.
Will Start New Business.
rA FTER handing out thanks to his
*"*■ “manager and friend’’ Joe Gould,
the fans, newspaper men and boxing
officials, Braddock went on to explain
that he would continue his association
with Gould in a new business venture.
“My retirement does not mean the
end of my professional association with
Joe Gould,” his announcement said.
“I will be as helpful to him as I can
In the management of other boxers
and he and I will engage in another
business enterprise, the plans for which
will be announced shortly.
“This is my farewell to boxing, a
sport which owes me nothing and to
which I owe everything, the many
friends I have made and the means
with which I have been able to provide
for my family.”
Jimmy, perhaps, was a bit too modest
In summing up the debts. Boxing did
get him off the relief rolls and provide
a comfortable bank roll, but only be
cause Jimmy had the will and the
ability to make an unparalleled come
back.
Quit First in ’33.
JUST a pretty good fighter during
the first part of his career, he
missed out as a light-heavyweight title
contender after whipping most of the
leading 175-pounders. After losing to
Champion Tommy Loughran in 1929,
he slowly went down grade and finally
Quit fighting entirely after cracking his
hand in a bout with Abe Feldman in
1933.
His savings were lost in the stock
market crash and in the bankruptcy
of a taxicab company and Jimmy had
to go on relief for a while. Finally he
went back to the New Jersey docks,
trim which he had started his fighting
career. Then came the comeback
that won’t be forgotten for years.
Hauled out of oblivion as “fodder”
for Corn Griffin, a 1934 heavyweight
contender, he won the fight on a
three-round knockout and went on to
make himself a heavyweight title con
tender. He was given a title shot
against Max Baer, a 10-to-l favorite,
and lifted the crown right off Maxie's
head.
Two Great Comebacks.
J'HAT put him into the big money
1 again and he collected a lot more
when he lost to Louis after Gould
had "shopped around” in a dizzy suc
cession of maneuvers to get the most
lucrative bout.
The fans aren’t likely to forget that
comeback nor his latest to whip Farr
after he had again been tabbed as
“all through.” They may remember,
too, that he was wise enough to retire
while Promoter Joe Jacobs svas trying
his hardest to sign him up for a return
bout with Farr which might have
brought him a lot more money and
perhaps another fling at the title.
MARYLAND IS SEEN
TEST FOR NAVY FIVE
Victory Over Terps Wednesday
Would Encourage Middies
for Army Game.
Special Dispatch to The Btar.
^NNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 31.—Meet
ing Maryland here Wednesday
and Columbia on Saturday, Navy’s
basket ball team looks upon this week
as the most important in its season,
excepting only the week end of the
Army game at West Point Febru
ary 26.
Maryland always gives the Navy a
good game and one is expected Wed
nesday. Victories over Maryland and
Columbia would indicate that the Navy
team has been going ahead steadily,
and would encourage it greatly for the
service school contest.
Navy’s record for the season is six
victories and one defeat. Army has
seven victories to its credit and one
defeat, its only loss being to Yale last
Saturday.
George Ghesquiere, who has been
high scorer in the Baltimore and
Washington and Jefferson games,
probably will be classed as a first
stringer from now on. He is likely
to play at forward, though he has also
played center and guard this season.
Gresquiere started the season" as
substitute center to towering Frank
Lynch, who is but slightly taller than
his alternate, however. Taking Gil
lette’s place Saturday, after 12 min
utes of play, Ghesquiere scored 15
points during the remainder of the
game.
Bob Laney, guard, has also de
veloped into a big scorer.
-•
D. C. LINXSWOMEN IN MEET.
CORAL GABLES, Fla., Jan. 31
(Special).—Mrs. Leo Walper and Mrs.
L. G. Pray of Washington, D. C., teed
off this morning in the qualifying
round of the annual Mlami-BUtmore
women’s golf championship here.
Jim Braddock (left), who has just announced his retirement jrom the ring, and Jack Demp
sey (right) are shown at a New York gym where they gave some pointers to Bob Tow (left cen
ter) of Alexandria, erstwhile Braddock stablemate, and Red Burman of Baltimore (right center),
Dempsey protege. Tow and Burman are to meet.
Braddock reaches the end of a glorious trail and here we have a youngster who seems des
tined to follow one. He is Bill De Correvont of Chicago, who was the Nation’s No. 1 high school
aridman of last season. Touchdown Bill hugs his Austin High School diploma as admiring fel
low students wish him well in college. —Copyright, A. P. Wirephotos.
LAST-HOLE EAGLE
Drops 9-Foot Putt to Take
Oakland’s $1,200 Prize.
Two Tie for Second.
By tbe Associated Press.
OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 31 —
Harry Cooper pocketed $1,200
and the title of Oakland
open golf champion today
and headed for new fields.
The slender English-born profes
sional yesterday posted a 72-hole total
of 275 to set a par-shattering pace
for a formidable field.
Cooper put together rounds of
70, 66. 71 and 68. He needed an
eagle 3 to win as he came to the
final hole—453 yards long. A bee-line
drive and second wood shot put his
ball 9 feet from the pin. He sized
up the putt, remarked “here goes for
the money” and tapped the pellet into
the cup while 4,000 fans gave him a
winner’s ovation.
Favorites Failed to Profit.
J>AR for the Sequoyah course is
35—35. Cooper’s second round
66 was the lowest of the tournament.
He finished the final 18 in 36—32.
Tied for second place, a stroke be
hind Cooper, were Jimmy Hines, Gar
den City, N. Y., and Charley Shep
pard, Pleasanton, Calif. Hines posted
a final 73, after previous cards of
67, 67 and 69.
Sheppard had rounds of 72. 69. 68
and 67. Sheppard and Hines each
won $650.
John Perelli, Tahoe. Calif., scored
a 277 to take fourth prize.
Last year's Oakland open winner,
Sam Snead, White Sulphur Springs,
W. Va., tied with four others for last
position. His share this time was $56.
Such pre-tournament favorites as
Jimmy Thomson, Lawson Little, Hor
ton Smith and Byron Nelson all failed
to profit.
RUBBER TILT SEEN
FOR RIGGS, GRANT
Third Meeting Looms This Week
at Miami as Bitsy Drops
Tampa Exhibition.
By the Associated Press.
'T'AMPA, Fla., Jan. 31.—Bobby Riggs
of Chicago and Bitsy Grant of
Atlanta, both tenacious ball hawks,
who work on the principle of getting
it back so the other fellow will make
the errors, may get a chance to play
off the rubber tn their winter tennis
feud at Miami this week.
Grant, ranking No. 4 nationally, de
feated Riggs, ranking No. 2, in the
finals of the recent Miami-Biltmore
tournament, but he dropped an exhi
bition match to Riggs yesterday to
square the count. Both are eyeing
Davis Cup possibilities.
After an indifferent first set, which
he lost, 3—6, the Chicago youngster
fairly blew Grant off the courts yes
terday, taking the next three, 6—4,
6—4 and 6—1.
Baseball’s Big Shots Ribbed
In Skits Staged by IVetc York
Writers at Annual Banquet
B» the Associated Press.
EW YORK. Jan. 31—The New
York baseball writers went to
work on players, magnates and
Just plain fans at their an
nual get-together, and early today,
by alternating the sublime with the
ridiculous, here was the score:
Superlatives . . . Joe Di Maggio
walked out with a plaque as the out
standing player of 1937: Judge Kene
saw M. Landis, white-haired and
peppery as ever, drew another for
"meritorious service to the game.”
Charley McCarthy .. . Tom Yawkey.
smiling through it all, heard himself
labeled fin one of the vaudeville
skits) as the man who foots the bills
for whatever "Dummy” Eddie Collins
recommends.
Keep punching . . . That was the
watchword the "late” and ex-Mayor
Jimmy Walker left with the scribes.
Keep punching at the magnates and
players, because Americans won’t
stand for anything other than the
absolute "four-square” with their na
tional game, said Jimmy.
"I wonder” . . . The Babe stood up
and gave the annual New York
Chapter Baseball Writers’ Association
dinner a new nickname. “I call ’em
the ‘I wonder dinners,’ ” explained
Ruth, "because each year I wonder
just which ones among my old-time
pals will still be alive.” Very much
alive, indeed, was his predecessor
among the greats, old Honus Wagner,
classiest shortstop of all time, who
drew a hand Just short of equaling
that for the one and only Ruth.
Game's Notables “Ribbed."
'TREMENDOUS turnout . . . About
A 1,000 magnates, players, writers
and fans were on hand for the 15th
annual dinner of the New York Chap
ter of the Baseball Writers.
Frankly, the “ribbing" the writers
handed the various figures of the game,
from Judge Landis down to the bat
boys, was hardly offset by the few
serious keynote*. The writers, in their
usual stage show, panned virtually
every figure in the game and “needled"
every club from their own Yankees,
Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers all the
way around both circuits to the St.
Louis Cardinals and Browns.
And a representative of just about
every club was on hand to hear the
proceedings.
Before the festivities got under way,
there was talk that this or that trade
would be announced. But nothing de
veloped. Larry MacPhail, classified
as “Larry, the Houdir.i” in the vaude
ville, didn't mention anything even re
motely concerned with a deal con
cerning Van Mungo or Buddy Hassett
of his Brooklyn Dodgers, despite an
evening of "secret” conversations with
Bill Terry of the Giants, Frankie
Frisch of the Dodgers and Judge
Landis, himself.
Terry, Incidentally, was lampooned,
ribbed, and generally given a going
over for his recent magazine article
blasting the baseball writers, and for
his "strategy of still trying to win ball
games with a rousing sacrifice,'' as
compared to the Yankees' murderous
hitting.
An entire skit was devoted to the
Chicago Cubs and their forthcom
ing “master-mind trio” of Charley
Grimm, Gabby Hartnett and Tony
Lazzeri, the general idea being that
the three will have to take a vote
before deciding on hitting or pitching
policy this season.
D1 Magglo, accepting the outstand
ing player plaque, tipped the writers
oft to the fact that a San Francisco
youngster (whose name he did not
mention) was responsible for his pres
ence in baseball, because of the lad's
insistence "that I turn out for a sand
lot team therp."
Judge Landis, the game's national
commissioner, added his word to Jim
my Walker's more serious keynote by
pointing out that “in these troubled
times baseball's entertainment, di
vorced from politics and interna
tional controversies, contributes large
ly toward making the general public
forget worries and the factors lead
ing to worries."
BASEBALLSTAR'S
WIFE EVER BUSY
Club Should Pay Her for
Protecting Tribe Hurler,
Says Mrs. Allen.
Bs the Associated Press.
. PETERSBURG. Fla.. Jan. 31.
—Mrs. Johnny Allen finds that
being the wife of a baseball
star is a tough job. and says
she, “sometimes I think I should be
on the club’s pay roll.”
“It's quite a job regulating my hus
band's diet, seeing that he gets the
proper amount of sleep and inter
cepting well wishers who have a habit
of calling at odd hours for autographs,”
said the wife of the Cleveland Indians'
pitcher who won 15 games in a row
last season.
Allen smiled his assent.
Must Be Off His Feed.
V/fRS. ALLEN, who describes her
self as Johnny’s “chief sentry,”
paused in the midst of a busy session
of packing trunks and suit cases to
explain the hustle and bustle:
“I think Johnny has been off his
feed lately, and we’re going to Hot
Springs, Ark.t to steam out the
trouble.”
Although Johnny shows no outward
symptoms, Mrs. Allen said she felt
something was wrong when he de
clined to go on a fishing trip with
several cronies a few mornings ago.
“That was the first time he ever did
that,” Mrs. Allen asserted. "Next to
baseball, Johnny likes fishing best.”
“Although his trim appearance belies
it,” she remarked, casting a proud
glance at her husband, “Johnny is
what is known as a 'feeder.’ ”
Another Pitcher O. K.
“T BELIEVE he would eat himself
A right out of baseball if I didn't
watch him. Why, to him, a porter
house steak is a ham sandwich.”
Ticket Demand for Redleg Opener Belies Recession
All-Star Game Sale Also Hot—Japan to Invite Golf Pros—Pennant Seen for Cardinals.
BY SID FEDER,
Associated Press Sports Writer.
(Pinch-Hitting for Eddie Briets.)
NEW YORK, Jan. 31.—
Who said recession? The
Cincinnati Reds have more
then 30,000 reservations for
opening day .. . and are swamped
already for all-star game tickets.
Latest dope is the Michigan
coaching job will go to either Jack
Blott of Wesleyan or Frits Crisler
of Princeton . . . Wonder why
they’re passing up Benneh Fried
man, an old Michigan Blue who
worked wonders at C. C. N, Y.
with the sorriest material?
Japan will invite Gene Sarasen
and a couple more crack American
pros for an exhibition golf aeries
about the time of the 1?40 Olym
pics . . . Lawson Little may he
another.
Baseball men are climbing on
the Cardinal band wagon again
for the National League pennant
race . , . Say Frankie Frisch la
really primed for this one . . .
Whatever happened to Bob Nestell
and those heavyweight title pros
pects they were predicting for
him?
At the baseball writers’ round
up: Frankie Frisch and Larry
MacPhail, hobnobbing in a cor
ner .. . Mungo? . . . Lefty Grove,
getting grayer and grayer . . .
Visiting Philadelphia scribes say
the appointment of Ray Crowther
of Harvard as Penn line coach was
an even smarter move than nam
ing George Munger head pilot.
Mayor La Guardia chinning with
Postmaster General Farley, side
by-side at the speakers' platform
. . . Everyone asking when Mac
Phail will get around to giving
Buddy Hassett his contract . . .
and Buddy himself not knowing
just where he stands . . Jimmy
Foxx, several pounds lighter, walks
in ... Altogether, quite a large eve
ning. ...
This la the height of ectnething
or other: Clyde Castleman asked
the Giants for a contract calling
for a $1 salary until he can {Move
his back operation was success
ful . .. and the Giants gave it to
him.
Letter from Paw Creek, S. C.,
tips us Southern Conference col
leges are looking over Ed Van
Pelt ahd Will Buckanan, a couple
of guards on the local high school
squad . . . Sonja Henie takes 50
per cent of the net gate for her
ice carnival appearances . . .
which is something better than
just peanuts.
Chuck Dressen and Boiling Bolly
Grimes have bu'iert the hat/het—
and not in each other’s skulls . . .
they were the feuding fools last
season.
This corner’s mention of Grover
Cleveland Alexander’s $750 price
tag as baseball’s biggest bargain
Maas • mnladar that Hogan
Hornsby cost the Cardinals only
$500 back in 1915 . . . Marshall
Goldberg is hitting the banquet cir
cuit till Pitt’s spring grid practice
starts . . . Eddie O’Brien, the all
American and Olympic track man,
quit the board circuit this winter
to concentrate on medical school
studies.
Dana Bible’s Texas Longhorns
start spring grid practice today
. . . Max Starcevich, Washington's
all-America guard a couple of
years back, just landed a high
school coaching job in Seattle . . .
Michigan Track Coach Charlie
Hoyt is raving over Hurdler Elmer
Oedeon, a junior and Wolverine
footballer . . . but Elmer is more
interested in wind-up in pro base
ball . . . Don’t be surprised if
8ewanee withdraws from the
Southeastern Conference ... be
cause of the row over athletic
Primes Defense for Louis’
Left, Says German After
Win in Tame Bout.
By th* Associated Press.
AMBURG, Jan. 31.—Max
Schmeling, eager to become
the first ex-heavyweight
champion to regain the world ;
title, congratulated himself today on
his 12-round victory over Ben Foord
of South Africa, former British Em
pire champion.
It wasn't that Foord had proved
such a tough opponent. In fact, some
fans were a bit disappointed that
Max hadn't knocked him out or at
least knocked him down. But accord
ing to Schmeling the fight just suited
his plans.
Max is aiming at his title bout with
Champion Joe Louis next summer and
other things don’t count so much, not
even his share of yesterday’s esti
mated $150,000 gate. The fight with
Foord, he said, was valuable in de
veloping his defense plans for the
Louis fight because of the similarity
between the South African’s left
hand tactics and those employed by
Louis.
Max Shows No Weakness.
rpHAT may explain in part why Max
1 didn't turn the knockout trick as
expected. He was off to his usual slow
start, but after the sixth round was in
■ complete command, hammering B'm
around with his deadly right and doing
everything but floor him. It was some
thing of a disappointment to the 25,000
fans.
Foord proved a game and stubborn
foe, who drew cheers from the fans
when he left the ring and praise from
German commentators. The Hamburg
newspapers game him credit for his
stamina and courage while lauding
Schmeling’s style as "perfect and with
out a weakness.” Max showed himself
to be not only a fine counter-boxer but
also a precision attacker, they said.
Knuckle Hurt Not Serious.
p\URING the early rounds yesterday
Max seemed to concentrate on his
timing and footwork, punching mostly
with his left. Then he began tossing
his right and had Ben in trouble. The
South African barely weathered the
finish of the tenth round and a furious
assault in the eleventh, but continued
to fight back.
Schmeling's plans before his bout
with Louis in June are indefinite and
further uncertainty was caused by an
injury to his right hand. He cracked
a knuckle on his thumb when he
landed on Foord's head in the fourth
and it was swollen and painful after
the bout. His trainer. Max Machon.
said, however, that the injury was not
serious.
GODWIN FIGHTS FRIDAY.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan.
31 (fl*).—Promoters said today the oft
postponed 10-round fight between Bob
Godwin of Daytona Beach and Melio
Bettina of Beacon, N. Y., definitely
will be held here Friday night.
Baugh Suspected
Already Married
B* a Staff Correspondent of The Star.
j?N ROUTE TO MIAMI, Jam 31.
—Slingin’ Sammy Baugh, who
thus far has avoided signing a
contract for 1938 with the Wash
ington Redskins, today was sched
uled to sign another kind of a con
tract for life.
Leaving his teammates to grab
a train last night for Miami. Baugh
headed in another direction, for
Sweetwater, Tex., his home town.
Unless he already is married, as
some believe. Baugh was believed
ready to claim Miss Edmonia
Smith of Sweetwater as his wife.
Anyway, Sam and the fair Ed
monia are due to fly tomorrow
from Texas to Miami, where Baugh
will join his mates in time for
practice Wednesday.
Among those who have a sus
picion that Sam'l already is mar
ried is Coach Ray Flaherty.
Hammond, Ex-Olympic Star,
Ups Tri-Weekly Jog by
Oge Mile Today.
By (he Associated Press.
NEW YORK. Jan. 31.—A former
United States Olympic per
former will celebrate his 80th
birthday anniversary tomor
row with a 4-mile jog on a running
track—and he won t take up golf
because he’s "too young.-’
The athletic-minded octogenarian
is Dr. Graeme M. Hammond, neu
rologist and one-time all 'round sports
star at Columbia University. His
birthday sprint is being slightly va
| ried this year; usually he confines it
to 3 miles. *
! J ‘KNOTHOLE’
Goes Back 25 Years for
Plan to Improve His
Hurlers’ Control.
B» the Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, Jan. SI.—Branch
Rickey frequently come* up with
a new Idea—the Cardinals’ base
ball school is hi* latest—but
tonight he went back 25 years for a
plan to drill control into pitchers. •*
Known as the "strike sone" method,
it will be used at the Winter Haven,
Fla., school, February 21 to March 19,
to train Ray Harrell and other erratic
young pitchers.
In 1913, Rickey managed the St.
Louis Browns, whose stall included
Bill James, a pitcher wilder than a
March hare. Rickey devised the
"strike sone” plan to help James with
his control, and it was so successful
the Browns were able to sell the
pitcher to Detroit in 1914 for a “con
siderable sum.”
Made Sherdel a Star.
J>ICKEY tried the plan again when
v he managed the Cardinal* from
1919 to 1925. “Wee Willie” Sherdel,
a hero in the Card*’ first two pennant
years, 1926 and 1928, learned to con
trol his tantalizing slow ball with the
help of the “strike zone.”
There's nothing complicated about
the idea. It’s merely a refinement of
the farm boy’s practice of throwing
at a knothole in the barn.
Standards are placed on each side
of home plate and two lines are
stretched between them, one at a
batter’s shoulder height, the other at
knee height. Two vertical lines, 17
inches apart, the width of home plate,
are dropped across the two horizon?
tal lines. ’
Thus a rectangle—the “strike zone”
—is formed, and all a pitcher has to
do is to learn to put the ball through
the “zone" with regularity to gain
control.
THORPE IN FLORIDA GOLF.
PALM BEACH, Pla., Jan. 31 (Spe
cial).—Merle Thorpe of Washington.
D. C„ is participating in the qualifying
round for the eleventh annual cham
pionship of the Artists and Writers’
Golf Association at the Palm Beach
Golf Club today.
SEEKING GAME.
Silver Spring Merchants, an un
limited basket ball team, have a gym
available for tomorrow night and are
seeking a game. Call Shepherd 4643-J.
<w i&ir
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#
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