Ever since an indulgent uncle took your sports commentator to an over-crowded, stuffy auditorium in Trenton to watch Benny Leonard in one of his battles with Lew Tendler, we have been interested in prize-fighting. For some time after that first visit to a fight (we were still in our short pants stage) we harbored dreams of becoming a great Jewish professional pugilist. It was only after several lickings by some of the bigger boys in the neighborhood, and also after we had stopped a “haymaker” which had put us to sleep during an intercollegiate bout, that we reluctantly abandoned our youthful dreams.
Our interest in fighters, however, did not vanish with the frustration of our early desires. We continued to idolize Benny Leonard, and, although we realized we could never follow in his footsteps, we retained more than an academic interest in this sport.
During the years that followed, we noticed many interesting phases of this game. For one thing, there always seemed to be one or more Jewish lads who were prominent among the leaders. Benny Leonard, Lew Tendler, Sid Terris, Ruby Goldstein, Al Singer, and a host of others are recalled easily. We observed, moreover, that although there were many Jewish fighters among the headliners, there were very few among the “preliminary boys.” It became apparent to us that the Jewish boxers in the ring had the correct slant on the game; they were in it not for the glory but for the financial rewards attached to the prominent positions. As long as the public was willing to reward leading fighters with huge purses, our boys would be willing to “take it” in the ring.
BOXING SENSE
Of course they realized that, as in every field of activity, they would have to start at the bottom and serve their apprenticeships before galleries partly filled with disinterested spectators who had come early to secure choice seats. They were willing to serve their turn in preliminaries for very little money in order to gain the necessary experience and prestige. But, if the first three or four fights disclosed that they were not good enough to climb out of this class, they were the first to recognize their shortcomings and quit “while the quitting was good.”
We cannot account for this completely; possibly parental objection had a great deal to do with this situation. However, no matter what the reason is, we believe that this condition is an excellent one. There is nothing more pitiable than a “punch drunk” fighter who refuses to quit or who cannot afford to drop out of the game.
INTRODUCING THE “KING”
Well, here we are becoming sentimental about the lower fringe of boxing society, when we started out to write a column about the aristocracy of the pugilistic world. We had intended to tell you about Barney Ross. Max Baer, King Levinsky, and the others who are at the top of their profession. We’ll have more to say about all of them in later columns and now we’ll limit ourselves to King Levinsky, who is fighting tonight at the Garden.
This young man had a decided affinity for dainty appellations and has been referred to in the press during recent months as the “Chicago Assassin,” “The Kingfish” and the “Windy City Fishmonger.” (You’d never think that his real name is Harry Krakow). The “King” was born in New York twenty-three years ago but was raised in Chicago where they breed ’em tough and where he fought his first fight in the fish-markets of that town. When he entered the resin-floored arena he took his present ring name because his shrewd Jewish manager figured this would be a more profitable drawing attraction than a mere “Kid” Krakow.
NEARLY AT THE TOP
We won’t trouble you with the record of his “K. O.’s” and losses, but despite the fact that he lost to Steve Hamas a month or so ago, he is still ranked as one of the leading contenders for the heavyweight title. He is managed by his sister, who has earned for herself the petname of “Leaping Lena.” She is quite enthusiastic about the “kid,” as she fondly calls her burly brother, and is determined that he shall have his chance against Baer and Primo Carnera.
Tonight he pairs off with Walter Neusel of Germany, in the first of a series of heavyweight elimination contests to find a suitable opponent for the present champion. Also on the same card we have three. Jewish boys in the preliminaries.
TONIGHT TELLS THE TALE
We are basing our opinion that tonight’s fight ought to be worth watching not only on our own observations but also after noticing conditions at the Garden. The boys who run things up at the big place on Eighth avenue have been having a pretty hard winter, what with small attendances, smaller gate receipts and no profits. And when any organization begins to find that a lot of red ink is being ordered by the auditing department, questions are asked. I think some birdie must have told the people who manage boxing at the Garden that the reason for the public apathy, the meagerness of gate receipts, and the, alas, lack of profits, was not the much blamed depression but the fact that the public had grown tired of the mediocre cards that were offered. Orders were issued to change the policy of the boxing department. Fights were to be held less frequently, more money was to be offered the fighters so was to be offered the fighters so that top-notchers would be attracted to West Fiftieth street. The Garden’s management has decided that less “red” in the ledgers and more on the resined canvas ring ought to do the trick. Tonight’s card tells the tale.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
