| Show Speaking o of 0 f Sports I Hostak Hostal Proves I Worthy King of Middleweights ts By ROBERT McSHANE Released by Western Newspaper Union AS A S RARE as Russian victories In Finland are boxers who can stiffen opposition with one punch They're the answer to managerial prayers the pot of gold at the rainbows rainbow's end and the royal flush of the cauliflower game Down through the years the search has been constant for good fighters who ho could land punch one oU punch knockouts There have been some but far too loo few to satisfy hungry American fight fans who demand sensational finishes That's why Al Hostak the young Seattle middleweight Is Is' one ODe of to to- today's today's today's days day's greatest drawing cards Not since sincee the days of Stanley Ketchen Ketchell has that division come up with a aI I slugger of ot Hostak's s type Ketchell Ketchen was a standout in a day when the middleweight ranks boasted of such fighters as Billy Mike Gibbons Gib Gib- Gibbons Gibbons bons Frank Klaus Eddie McGoorty and others Patient Fighter Hostak is the kind of a fighter who waits patiently for an opening He lie doesn't press matters and takes plenty of time to fo size up an op op- When the stage has been set he blasts over o that deadly right and aDd the referee usually counts up to ten Seattle Al Ai Is a D welcome relief from the modern school of pugilism which fights best over the radio orin or orin orin in newspaper columns He is quiet and aDd unobtrusive almost to the point w- w SEATTLE AL of bashfulness A it not believe It not or-not item in this era of ring boastfulness He doesn't term every opponent a bum and he doesn't promise to flatten him in the first round He Dc won the middleweight title from Freddie Steele on July 26 1938 1038 lost It to Solly Krieger the latter part of the year and then regained his laurels by stopping Krieger inthe in inthe Inthe the fourth round of a return contest con con- contest contest test In Seattle on June Jane 27 1939 When Hostak accomplished this feathe feat feathe he be did something no middleweight has achieved since Ketchell took back his crown from in 1908 1903 Crowd Pleaser Win or lose Hostak is a popular fighter tighter When he climbs into the ring his shyness is shed with his robe Hes He's in there for one purpose and that's to tag his opponent as rapidly as possible He has bas as much raw courage as any fighter in the ring today In his round 15 tight fight with Krieger in 1938 he fin fin- finished finished shed the last 10 rounds with both bolh hands broken still trying for a knockout The New York Boxing commis commis- commission commission commission sion which moves in mysterious ways has refused to recognize Hos Hos- Hostak's Hostak's tak's claim to the title Its It's blessing has been bestowed upon Ceferino Garcia of the Philippines and Los Angeles The National Boxing as as' association association recognizes Hostak as the champion The controversy has caused widespread dissension par par- particularly particularly on the Pacific coast Most ring addicts claim the that that the Seattle fighter is bead head and shoulders above the Philippine brawler Eddie Marino Is Hostak's manager manag manag- er en and their relationship calls to mind Innumerable magazine fiction stories Its It's the ancient tale of the manager who discovers an unknown lad sees secs his bis latent possibilities trains him carefully for months then springs him on an unsuspecting world Of course the unknown worlds world's fighter goes on to win the championship The story wouldn't be complete without that final touch That's the story of Marino and Hostak It may be stereotyped Undoubtedly it Is But Dut the pair the could serve as blueprint for much much used used plot Its It's just luck that they haven't been sued for plagiarism aglar- aglar p ism by SOrT som budding author Marino discovered Hostak back In 1030 1930 lie He noticed a kid who slipped Into his Tacoma Wash gym to punch the bag He tic liked the kid saw promise In him He lie obtained Father Hostak's consent and start start- started cd ed supervising AIs AI's training For Tor nine months Al AI did nothing but shad shad- shadow shadow shadow ow box punch the bag and drill In basic basle maneuvers When Eddie Marino Morino decided his boy was ready for action he turned him loose The result is history history history-a a astory story which saw the unknown kid win the worlds world's championship He kept the plot unchanged |
