Show r flotsam tsam arid and Jetsam Heavyweights o oBy I By GRANTLAND RICE THERE HERE PHERE ARE TWO things that make a great or an unusual heavyweight champion The first is his oWn own ability The second is a competitor or an opponent who can help build the headlines This is no alibi for Ezzard Charles Charles might be the greatest heavyweight of all time but how can he prove it with the present crop of challengers Suppose we look back a few years Jim Corbett had a Sullivan to beat Fitzsimmons Fitzsimmons mons had a Corbett to handle Fitz had hada x ift a Jeffries in the theA A road and Jeff Jell had hada hadr y r a r J 1 a Fitz and a Cort Cor Cor- r. r t bett Also a Tom Sharkey And the theold F old sailor was no squash He could J fight Grantland Rice Jack Johnson had Jim Jeffries for his build up although although although al al- al- al though Jeff Jell was then fat and partly partly partly part part- ly bald Jack Dempsey a great fighter fight fight- er had the best break of ot them all aU Jack weighing pounds the day before the Willard fight had a pound giant to face a fighter who after all had won the title from the great Jack Johnson After that Dempsey had Carpentier Carpen- Carpen tier the great French war hero his ability as a heavyweight far But the up build-up was on Then Dempsey was lucky enough to come upon the massive Firpo the wil wild bull of the Pampas the fighter who threw rocks After Firpo the old mauler from Manassa had two other good breaks as far as crowds excitement excitement excitement excite excite- ment and reputation go He had Gene Tunney and Jack Sharkey Tunney was the dead game young heavyweight just Jast out of ot the tho war He lIe could box punch panch and take his share lie He was badly badly badly bad bad- ly underrated So was Jack Sharkey on days or nights he wanted to fight right Which wasn't too often This Sharkey was the most temperamental fighter righter the ring ever saw But he could box and punch when he wanted to Dempsey had all the fight game needed great needed great ability to start with witha and at least a a flaming spirit spirit and five opponents who could draw 1 gates Dempsey was responsible for the two great Tunney crowds No one knows this better than Gene although although although al al- al- al though he added his share It was entirely different when Tunney had to face his ring future without any Dempsey around I think Tunney retired when he did for many valid reasons New Order Now we begin to see what Ezzard Charles is up against what any heavyweight champion might be up This Includes Joe Louis Itis It Itis Itis is certain to work heavily against Ezzard Charles Tunney had a sorry lot to tobee face bee after Dempsey lost his second start lIe He had Sharkey Heeney and one or two more They were all terrible Tunney picked Heeney a short- short armed pushover I know Rickard Rickard Rickard Rick- Rick ard wanted Sharkey who had bad lost to I After Tunney had completed his operation on Heeney there was nothing left left just just as there is nothing nothing nothing noth noth- ing left today today today-Sharkey Sharkey Baer Camera Carnera Braddock flotsam Braddock flotsam and jetsam Both and Baer were dangerous punchers at times Br Braddock was smart game but all through while Camera Carnera was wasa a pound joke Here was a spot in which no great heavyweight could have proved his rightful place There was nothing but inferior fighters to face Then Joe Louis came along Joe JoeLouis JoeLouis JoeLouis Louis has been a great fighter A Ahard Ahard Ahard hard puncher and a fine tine boxer but only fair on the receiving side where head punches have hurt him Louis has never drawn one of the head liners to beat Most of those Joe stopped had been beaten by somebody else Braddock out pointed Baer Baer knocked out Baer wrecked Camera Carnera a joke from start to finish Louis finish Louis was forced to get his reputation from a second-rate second group headed group headed by Billy Conn a light heavyweight But was the best fighter fight fight- er Louis had to meet through his career 20 Game Winners As usual the crop of 20 game winners will be quite thin this sea sea- son Only a trifle trine over two months are left and there are still only five of six sic pitchers who are in fairly close shooting range The three with the better chance to land in this promised territory are Ken Heintzelman Heintzelman zelman of the Phillies Howie Pollet of the Cardinals and Vic Vie Rasch of the Yankees has done the best lob of the year |