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Show Speaking POETS $ Released by Western Newspaper Unton. DRACTICALLY no fight in ring history drew such unanimous con-demnation con-demnation as the recent Ray Robinson-Henry Armstrong set-to in Madison Mad-ison Square Garden. The once-great Armstrong didn't have a thing. Most observers agreed that the match was a travesty on sport The clients who paid $16.50 lor a ringside seat figured the fight wasn't worth even the pdmittance taxes. The boys who paid $2.50 for seats were just as loud in express-ing express-ing their disapproval. It was a sad evening for many fight followers who had seen "Ham-merin' "Ham-merin' Henry" in his prime. In our opinion, Armstrong was one of the greatest fighters, pound for pound. 1 V r 1 HENRY ARMSTRONG of all time. He was the only man in history ever to wear three divisional divi-sional crowns simultaneously. Robinson won the fight just as he pleased but he made it as easy for Armstrong as possible. And sentiment senti-ment may have entered the picture to some degree. The night of October Octo-ber 4, 1940, when Armstrong lost his welterweight crown to Fritzie Zivic, Robinson was on the same card, making his professional debut. It was said that Ray broke down and cried when Henry lost his title, so much did he idolize the dethroned champ. Brisk Workout But sentiment ends with the opening open-ing gong. Robinson did little more than enjoy a brisk workout at the expense of the veteran. He handled Armstrong with a minimum of effort. He merely pecked away at his opponent, riddling him with an endless array of long lefts to the head. Once in a while Robinson would shoot a right-hand punch to the head. Some of these blows landed, albeit with little force. But most of them went wide of their mark and by such margins that several critics were moved to observe that Ray was of no mind to punish the ex-champion ex-champion unduly. The New York press was rather bitter about the match. One commentator com-mentator noted that "... we must exercise restraint and report that the thing was a priceless stinker, priced at $16.50 ringside and $2.50 for the cheap seats. The boys on the roof were robbed. Even if they got in on a pass." Another writer expressed ex-pressed the opinion that Robinson was a lovable character to let Henry stay. Immediately after the fight Henry announced his plans for retirement. This wasn't a particularly startling pronouncement because Henry has said over and over again that he would retire. But like Sarah Bern-hardt, Bern-hardt, he repeatedly postponed the day. He would hang up his gloves one day, then change his mind the next. Changed Plans To show that he was In the groove, Henry followed up his retirement announcement with word that he had reconsidered his decision to depart forever from the game. He said that he had decided to go through with his scheduled 10-round match with Slugger White of Baltimore. Balti-more. Sam Lampe, White's manager, failed to agree. "I positively will not let White fight a blind man, and that is Just what Armstrong is," Lampe declared. "Furthermore, I don't believe a boxing commission in the country would pass Henry as fit for the ring." This time, though, Henry had some sort of a reason for reversing his decision. Joe Lynch, promoter of the Armstrong-White fight, threatened threat-ened court action against Armstrong when he made public his plans to quit the game. It might be more fitting if the paying customers would start court action against Lynch if he attempted to force the fight down their throats. SPORTS SHORTS X Tulsa University's only football veteran is a one-armed guard named Ellis Jones. C Major General Clare Chennault, commander of American airmen in China, often catches for one of the fliers' baseball teams. C Miniature golf courses are being revived at army camps. Balls and clubs are furnished free. C Mel Ott was playing major league baseball when Ty Cobb was st.ll battling for the American league hattin championship. , ' ', i |