Salt Lake Telegram | 1937-07-08 | Page 18 | Jolson Wants Lou Ambers to Meet Henry Armstrong

Jolson Wants Lou Ambers To Meet Henry Armstrong Bv HENRY McLEMORE United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK. July 8 (UP) I put on my nicest rompers today, nrettied un mv red curls, bought myself a big ice cream cone, and went out to interview AI Jolson. I knocked on his hotel door and to th answering, "Who's thatT" I said: "Sonny Boy McLemore. "Com on In here, sonny boy, and climb up on my knee," th mammy linger said. "But you can't stay long, because I got to get out to Empire City. Th beetle are running run-ning hot for m." Th old mammy shouter must have noticed th look of bewllder- llttle negro featherweight named Henry Armstrong. Jolson owns bis contract and Just befor I arrived th mammy singer had called up Lou Ambers, the lightweight champion cham-pion of th world, and offered him 15,000 to defend his title against Armstrong In either New Tork or Loa Angel In September. "Thar Isn't a fighter under 1S5 pounds la th world who can stay In thsra with him." Jolson said. "He's too busy and too tough for ment In my eye. A Rasa Track "Emplr City is a hose ' track, sonny boy," h explained, "and your old black faced pappy her Is a boss plsving fooL If you wrn't too littles to read, you could gat yourself your-self a copy of the Racing Form and lee where a thing called Totem Pol came popping down in front yesterday at to 1. He's my horse, sonny boy. and I came all th way from Callfomy to see him run. And I had a chunk riding right with him." "Got any mor Ilk that?" I asked, brushing a curl out of my face. "Got any dough, sonny boy?" Saves a Few Dime them. And what a good little guy. and wouldn't know what beer tasted like. Somewhere, somehow, he's picked up a pretty fair education. Durn if I know where he found the time to learn. H cam to Lo Angeles An-geles a few years ago and waa a shoe ihlner. Then he started fighting fight-ing and one night I saw bim lick Baby Arlsmendi. Cost M0 I went right in and bought his contract for fiv grand from Wirt Ross. I still own him. Every penny of him. And I never took a penny of my cut He get It all, except a small per cent to Eddi Mead for managing him." Armstrong fights Alf Blatch, llrhtweiaht champion of Australia. In the Garden tonight Jolson will be In Henry corner. "After we get through with Blatch." Jolson said, "we'd Ilk to have a crack at that Ambers. If Lou wants the flght I'll writ the check for $33,000 right now, put it in a bank and see that b gets it th mlnut he etep In th ring with ; Hnry." A llttl. I aald. flngrlnf th dimes I had saved up for a nsw bow. -Well, lemme have It and Til play It with a big man with a slate on a boss called Forty Winks. And If you've been a good boy that Forty Winks wtU fix things o you can get a bow and arrow, a bicycle, a catcher's mitt a cowboy suit and a whole bucket of lee cream." "What'U that Forty Winks payr I asked. "He's a chalk bora. If I'm not wrong, and won't pay better n even money. Lay mln on Velvet Mask." "Sonny boy." Jolson said sternly, "you have up and grown up. Get off my knee and let m tell you about my prise flghUr." I So I clambered down and Jolson started on his favorite subject a