Salt Lake Telegram | 1939-03-21 | Page 18 | Backseat Driving

FRANK K. BAKER I TELEGRAM SPORTS I0IT0R Mr. Tony Catalano, ! Fight Promoter, McCullough'i Arena-Dear Arena-Dear Tony: Maybe iff a case of locking the barn door after the horse has been stolen, but I'd like to suggest that you insist hereafter upon your main eventers being in town at least eight to ten hours before they are scheduled to appear. If you do that, the publio can turn out for your cards with confidence they are going to see what has been advertised. adver-tised. Otherwise, they are apt to be afraid they'll run into some sort of disappointment, as they did Monday night, when Ernie Collins was not on deck for his ten-rounder with Arcade "Windmill" Pearce. Now I realise a promoter is bound to run Into a lot of unforeseen problems such as the auto accident which your spokesmen announced had prevented Collins from keeping his date here. Men do get sick. Oh, there are a dosea legitimate incidents which can enforce some last-minute last-minute substitutions In your program, but the right to make a substitution Is a privilege that ought not be abused. t Monday's card advertising a return match between these two stalwart punchers was a perfect natural. Their previous encounter here, although staged before a pitifully small house, was a great fight. There is no mistaking that. It is little wonder, therefore, that you drew the largest fight crowd of the season. The great surprise is that as a promoter pro-moter you didn't take better precautions to keep from disappointing dis-appointing such a fine throng. After all, it is your own business, which will suffer most because you certainly can't blame the fans if they are reluctant about coming back again. Pearce and Loo Robertson, who subbed for Collins, really real-ly worked hard in their bent, even though it was none to spectacular. Had tha fans gen there expecting to see Paarco aad Robertson fight, they would have been fairly well satisfied. They are disappointed, however, because yen withheld tho announcement of Collins absence until , time for him to appear In the ring.- I agree, too, that he could have been hurt in an auto mishap en rout from a hotel to the arena right her In too city, as well at la transit tran-sit here as year announcer reported. On the other hand, one la inclined to scoff at th general preparations of a ' promoter who cant guarantee the presence of his main oveaiers by tho time he opens his box office. Random note from world of sports Clark Griffith, (9-year-old president of the Washington Senators, thinks that Walter Johnson and Christy Matthewson were the two greatest pitchers in baseball and that Tr Cobb and Hans Wagner were the game's two greatest players. George Mystt, New York Giants speedy third baseman, can't stand taila on his uniform shirts . . . he cuts them off and let th Uttered ends drape outside his trousers . . . Milt Pad-way, Pad-way, Wisconsin's great pola vaulter, Isn't cut out for tho event, says Badger Coach Tom Jones, but despite hia 6 feet 2 1-2 Inches, and 185 pounds, Padway climbs 14 feet 2 1-2 inches into th air. Italian tennis players henceforth won't be allowed to offer the traditional handshake across the net at the end of a match . . . According to Achille Stance, president of the Italian Olympic committee, this decree will "definitely uproot up-root the ugly reek of intimacy which has too long infested the tennis courts .' "