Show G SPICE A A FEW days ago I ran Into Lou LouL L x Nova and the point came up concerning the best of the college athletes who tried out the pro boxing game and what rank they held Nova Nova Nova No No- va a graduate of California Tech also one of its best athletes has at least done about as well as any an any other other other oth oth- er collegian ex He has haG been good goodenough q enough to get ai a al' al f l' l r i fight with Joer Joe JoeLouis r Louis and also alsot 4 i good enough to r beat Max Baer t r rs yr y h s i I fr twice He was also also al al- al- al i. i so expert enough t t t ns n s to beat b ea t Tommy T V y r. r fJ r F Farr v i f t J. J Nova a is now kT k iJ under the canny f j I ik gs r J guidance d ance 0 of f J Jimmy Jimmy Jim Jim- tk my Johnston aLou a aLou aLou Lou Nova fight manager who knows his trade and who at the age of 69 at least knows most of the answers I Ive a won my last 18 fights Nova said I know I am a n better fighter today than I ever was before whether er you call that good or not Just at atthe atthe atthe the moment I have a broken hand but that wont won't keep me away away from the ring long I still hope to work my way to a spot where I can get geta a 11 crack at either Joe Louis or Billy Conn And to reach that spot I am more than willing to meet anyone who might be in the road Few collegians or ex-collegians ex have made good heavyweight fight fight- ers From John L L. L Sullivan James JamesJ J J. J Corbett and Jim Jeffries on through to Joe Louis there has been no campus competitor who ever won the title The champions came up harder ways over rougher roads Monte Munn the big Nebraska football player was among the best of the collegians So was Steve Hamas Hamas Hamas Ha Ha- mas of Penn State a first-class first fighter fight fight- er but not a great one Ive I've always thought Al AI Lassman NYU's star tackle could have won the title with a chance Lassman was probably the best college boxer of any year year not not only a good boxer but also a terrific puncher Few in heavyweight college ranks could stay a round with him He was fast game and a fighter who could take it But his boxing career ended late one afternoon in Pittsburgh where NYU was playing Carnegie Tech Lassman was carried from the field with a blood clot on the brain AIwas Al AI was 6 feet 3 weight pounds The Big Bib n Mystery Gene Tunney has been expecting some college athlete to make the grade for a long time But Gene Geneis is still waiting I asked Jack Dempsey Dempsey Demp- Demp sey why this was some years ago r Maybe they are arc too smart Jack said to take that much of a beat beat- ing I can recall more than once in my earlier days when I was on the floor and didn't want to get up But I had to eat and I wanted a place to sleep I needed that extra dollar or two I had to get up and keep going Few college men are ever put on that spot The road from the start to the top of the heavyweight division division division divi divi- sion is the roughest in sport And I dont don't care what the game is Dont forget there have been a alot alot alot lot of good amateur college fighters who didn't care about turning pro And many of those who tried out the pro game started too late Also I dont don't think people realize the great number who have tried and failed Weve We've had something like 14 heavyweight heavyweight heavyweight heavy heavy- weight champions from Sullivan to Louis Louis just just 14 in over 50 years But there have been many thousands who tried to get there and couldn't make it Some could punch punch and and yet not be able to take a punch Others could take a punch punch but but couldn't punch Most of them never never never nev nev- er had a chance They were too slow or they wouldn't train I asked Jim Braddock what he considered the most important feature feature fea fea- ture tur in the fight fig t ga game There are three things Braddock Braddock Brad Brad- dock said Youve got to be able to punch to take a punch and to know something about boxing Certainly Certainly Certainly if you ou cant can't take a good punch you wont won't have a chance Ive I've seen many a looking good-looking prospect prospect prospect pros pros- fade out on that account Good boxers such as Corbett Tunney and Conn dont don't have to take many beatings But there are only a few close to such boxers as these Joe Louis has been a great champ for several reasons Joe could punch with either hand and he could and can box They say he couldn't take a good punch around the head Well while he went down several times for a short count he always got up again all again all but once in inthe inthe inthe the fight The first one He made up for that Roger Bresnahan A great catcher has heard game called by darkness His name is Roger Bresnahan who helped form one of baseballs baseball's immortal immortal immortal im im- im- im mortal batteries Mathewson batteries Mathewson and Bresnahan John McGraw l always believed that Roger Bresnahan was the greatest great great- est catcher that ever lived Show me another catcher who vho could hit over who who could handle handle handle han han- dle any typo type of pitching and In addition addition addition ad ad- be the spark plug of your team he once said |