Slants on Sports

The Dodgers are back in town again and perhaps their clowning will go a long way to relieve some of the boredom we’ve been suffering since the Rangers moved off the ice at the Garden.

For the past couple of weeks this department had to be content with watching the heave and grunt men at the Grove or the leather pushers at the Coney Island Arena. Occasionally we’d drop in at the Garden to witness a corking brand of punch trading but somehow the decisions that resulted left us with a sad case of the hoof and mouth disease.

But, aside from the fun that we’re anticipating over at Ebbett’s field, the Barney Ross-Jimmy McLarnin milk fund fight is just around the corner. The Baer-Carnera scrap is in the offing. The Poughkeepsie Regatta is not so far away. Perhaps, life for this department in the near future will be fair and warmer.

TRACK TRICKS

At the metropolitan intercollegiate track and field meet held at Ohio field last week we saw a familiar figure but in a totally different setting. The first time that we had seen this young and diminutive Jewish athlete was up at the Yankee Stadium. It was due to this lad’s spectacular spearing of that unforgettable forward pass tossed by his running mate, Eddie Smith, that accounted for the only score in the game between Carnegie Tech and New York University. By this time you must know that I’m referring to Charlie Siegal, small but sturdy sophomore from N. Y. U.’s hall of famous athletes.

Last Saturday, Charlie was entered in the broad jump and the hurdle races and though he wasn’t as successful as Tannassy of C. C. N. Y., or as Arthur Mielke, nevertheless he was having a great deal of fun.

AN ALL-AROUND ATHLETE

From where we sat last November in the stadium, the only method we had of reaching Charlie was via radio telephony. But on this particular day, we vaulted the press barrier and headed straight for the locker rooms.

Siegal hails from Newburgh High School and was on the football and track teams there. He went out for track in order to increase his speed on the gridiron. Anyone who has seen this atom of dynamite run back a punt knows how remarkably fast Siegal can be in football togs.

While at Newburgh High, Charlie held the state hurdling title for secondary schools. He prepped at Dean Academy, starring in football, baseball, basketball, and track (just an all-round man).

With this splendid athletic record behind him he prepared to carve a niche for himself among the great immortals of the Violet athletes. In his freshman year he made an exceptional record while on the fresh track and football teams. The coaches of these plebe outfits were very much inpressed by his sportsmanship, his ability, and his eager zest to play ball. Despite the fact that he is only five feet six inches and weighs approximately 160 pounds, he tried out for the Varsity football team in 1933. However, it developed that Coach Cann was not so keen on giving this lad first team recognition because of his diminutive stature. But Charlie was adamant. He reported for practice religiously and took his daily drubbing as a member of the scrubs. This, atleast, earned him some reward and he finally was handed a Varsity uniform.

His big chance came one afternoon when he ran back a kick-off against the first stringers for a touchdown. The following Saturday he made his debut in intercollegiate competition. The rest is a matter of history. He scored first blood for N. Y. U., last season, starred in the other games, and caught a high pass for the only score of the game that beat Carnegie Tech, conqueror of Notre Dame.

A BOTTLE OF MILK FOR MRS. O’REILLY

As hard as nails, this lad can crack a line with the force of a battering ram. He can skirt the ends with the speed of an express train and he hurls the pigskin with the sharpshooting eye of a Benny Friedman. This isn’t all. He can block and he can tackle.

We feel that it is high time the public learns how Charlie developed his forward passing and receiving ability to such an expert degree. During the summer some years ago, Charlie worked on a bakery truck with his brother. They alternated in catching and throwing the loaves of bread from the truck to the house where they were supposed to deliver. If a loaf of bread was dropped it meant cancellation of an order, so, the brothers Siegal hao to aim accurately and to sprint like mad to get their hands on that loaf. (Shades of a bottle of milk for Mrs. O’Reilly.)

Siegal plays football with the same enjoyment and zest which we noticed at the track meet a week ago. Except for the fact that he is somewhat too emotional on the playing field, he’s our choice for an Al athlete. Charlie still takes a defeat to his team as if it were a personal loss. It’s a sure bet that this athlete will be captain of the Violet football eleven in his senior year.

THE SPORTING CALENDAR N. Y. COLISEUM

Jim Londos meets Hans Kampfer in the feature finish attraction at the N. Y. Coliseum tomorrow night. Steinke and Jack MacArthur will grapple against each other in one of the special matches.

RIDGEWOOD GROVE

Once again the Ridgewood Grove is offering the amateur boxing fans a fine boxing card tomorrow night. The fights as usual are up to scratch and will reveal Hortsman, Higgins, Brooks and Jerome tearing the tar off one another.

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN BOWL MAY 28TH

For the benefit of the New York Milk Fund, Barney Boss and Jimmy McLarnin will meet for the welterweight championship of the world, at the Madison Square Garden Bowl in Long Island City on Monday evening May 28.