Show a yD I IN TN N VIEW of a. a number of somewhat somewhat some some- what sombre events that have taken place lately it it itis is now a simple matter to announce Joe Louis' Louis next defense of his heavyweight heavyweight heavyweight heavy heavy- weight championship In the new program Louis will meet Joe Baksi Ollie Ezzard Charles Violent Ray and Jersey Joe Walcott Vial Val cott under the following following fol fol- fol- fol oz lowing conditions conditions- 41 he is to knock out each one in iri in a s single single sin sin- n gle round for which the price of j admission will be 2 As As usual being a Joe Louis 1 1 il l A L l un i it H remained remained remained re re- re- re for Louis to call the turn on ona ona ona a September fight in these words words- I III dont don't believe anybody would pay 15 cents to see me against either Baksi or The price for Ezzard Charles or Violent Ray might be lifted to 50 cents All of this is fun for everyone everyone- except Joe Louis Here is one of the thc great heavyweight weight champi champions ns of all ll time time time-a a year 10 holder of the rings ring's big crown crown crown-a a fighter who cant can't defy the challenging years much longer loher with with no one to fight No one knows this better than Joe JoeLouis Lonis Louis with a purse ranging from to waiting if only one fair challenger had emerged from the morass while he was in inthe inthe inthe the army for four years If you picked out the five leading challengers today I believe Louis given 20 rounds could stop them allin all allin allin in a single September evening Provided Provided Provided Pro Pro- vided no motorcycles were allowed in the ring Boxing's Oddest Turn The second Louis Conn fight looked to be a natural It turned out outto outto outto to be the greatest of all heavyweight heavyweight heavy heavy- weight flops The Mauriello affair L L i 1 t even a worK wor Ana na yet yei today Mauriello is a better fighter than most of those suggested for a September massacre It is only natural that Joe Louis would like one more fight before beCore bowing out But it so happens that in in the last five years no heavyweight heavyweight heavyweight heavy heavy- weight has come along who could even tie his shoes There were earlier earlier ear ear- lier her predictions that with thousands thousands thousands thou thou- sands perhaps millions of soldiers taking boxing lessons in the army and navy at least one or two could be developed The first shock I got came from Jack Dempsey who worked 10 hours a day with men for many months The liThe best fellow Ive I've seen he told me cant even chin himself twice Heres Here's a target target target-or or a goal the goal the heavyweight worth worth one million dollars The defending champion has been knocking around for over 10 years And yet with sports sport's richest prize at stake there hasn't been even a good sec see rater ond-rater developed in the last five years Baksi Maurillo Mauriello Walcott n Ray Woodcock two middleweights of the past Mickey Walker Valker or Harry Greb could take them all apart without any extra effort Just why this happens to be we wouldn't know Golf has Hogan Nelson and a flock of others Tennis has Kramer and Riggs Racing has Assault Armed and Stymie Baseball is th tal talent DiMaggio DiMaggio Di- Di packed with l high-class high nt Maggio 1 Feller FeUer Blackwell Black Shea Mize Cooper Williams on Williams on and on The middleweights are packed with good fighters Ray Robinson is certainly certainly an able welterweight But outside of Louis the best you youcan youcan youcan can say for the other heavyweights is that they can breathe and eat Especially eat A Attendance Surprises The number of human feet that find their way through various turnstiles turnstiles turnstiles turn turn- stiles is always the main tip on public public pub pub- lic lie interest It is also one of the main arguments among camp fol fol- fol- fol lowers Each rabid fanatic is a hot rooter for his own game There was an early report that baseball racing and boxing three of the major sports would take a dip this season The pessimists were only partly right In the L L L 1 u 1 up 10 o uie un answer i is mat LUdl baseball is still the national game with lengths to spare Racing has taken its only important important important tant dip in New York It is setting new records in California It is OK in New Jersey where Monmouth has more than made good in public comfort Boxing is well down for the simple reason there are not enough good fighters left to fill out a card Or half a card Louis the heavyweight heavyweight heavyweight heavy heavy- weight champion has no opponent in sight Only the middleweights have any combined class with Zale Graziano Cerdan and La Motta The lightweights are a drab lot as asfar asfar asfar far as any public appeal is con con- The major surprise has hit base base- ball Few figured that that 1947 7 would approach the more than 18 million who visited big league parks in 1946 But despite the worst spring in hi history plus a wet cold June there is a good chance this 18 million million mil lion mark will be broken |