RING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 27, 1 February 1913, Page 14

RING NOTES

NEWS FROM FAR AND NEAR ABOUT "SAM" LANGFORD. "Sam" Langford, the Boston black, whoso decisive knockout of "Sam" M'Vea in Sydney, Australia, entitles him to consideration as leading the coloured heavy-weights, will arrive in San Francisco about 31st January on the steamer Sonoma of the Oceanic line, writes the boxing expert of the 'Frisco Chronicle. Further. Woodman, who sends word of his intended departure on 11th January, writes that he expects to have Langford meet Joe Jeannette in California, if such a match can be arranged. Tho sentiment against tho coloured fighters brought about by Johnson's actions will not help "Sam" Langford, even though that tighter has always behaved himself, comments the wiiti'V. He will doubtless find it difficult to secuy the matches that he would like, although if any promoter wants to' match Langford and Jeannette, both coloured, there can be* no objection raised. At the same time, two coloured men have never been the best drawing cards in the world. "Sam" has been away from this country so long, however, that there is going to be a lot of curiosity as to how lie shapes up. . He has always been given credit as a great fighter, and his defeat of M'Vea would indicate that he has not slipped. "HOPELESS WHITES." NOT "WHITE HOPES." They have reversed the order of things nowdays; so instead of speaking of the "white hope," it is the "hopeless white," says the same writer. That may not be apropos when you stop to consider that one J. Johnson has chased himself into obscurity^ but at the same time if you look back over the flock of h<?a\lcs, "the big chaps who have come and gone and been nothing but disappointments, there is something in the new phrase. Somebody, you know, at the time of the Jef-fries-Johnson entanglement, started the "white hope" as an institution. The "white "hopes" came thick and fast and Were toppled over just about as rapidly as they came. There have been few of them to 6iirvive the test ; ono here and thers until you can do aio better than count the legitimates ones that are left on the fingers of ono hand. It would be interesting, in fact, if you roukl call to mind tho countless ones over the 17jpound mark who have tried to reach the top and never even started. "Sam" Langford, by his knock-out of "Sam" M'Vea, after the- string of matches the two blacks have had, chiefly m Australia, is casting something of a dark cloud over tho horizon, but with the experience the boxing world has had w ltli one coloured champion,' 1 doubt very much if there will be any concerted demand for another such match. Say what yon will, that Reno affair mwo a catastrophe to the boxing game, ami set it back several ycart. Those deeply interested in the welfare- of the sport feel sure of this, and if whoever emerges as the best light heavy-weight msifets upon drawing the colour line, there will b© few to say him nay. Langford, on his latest pertormance, looks to he one of fne topnotchers in his division, foul unless the tsigns are all wrong, ho will not ho finding many of the white iiiun anxious to hook up with him. This isn't necessarily bocaiibo they aie afraid of him. but moie by reason of tho trend of pub lie sentiment. LUTHER M'CAKTV ON 1 TOP. After trying more tlnn two years to develop a "white hope" capable of wresting the heavyweight pugilistic championship from "Jack" Johnston, the negro, the prize fight promoters of America have abandoned tho attempt, and are now seeking by elimination to ascertain who is the white champion (writes The Post's American correspondent). So far as the series of contests has gone, Luther M'Carty, tho young Cowboy, seems to have placed himself ri the top of the heap by defeating "Al" Palzer, the giant farmer from lowa, on New Year's Day. The promoter of the fight, which was held at Los Angeles, hung up a diamond belt for tho winner, and M'Carty's friends arc now hailing him as th" champion of the world. There is a disposition to ignore Johnson, now jl is Miown that ho is unbeatable by Caucasian pnrilisls. iindthf excuse, or reason, assigned is the unsavory mess the negro has pol himself into hy associating himself with white wt.mon. It isns ivriam as anything human <an bo t hat Johnson never will be permitted 1o engage in another public fight m the United States. As for Lanjifard aud M'Vea, thr American negroes who arc fi^htina, i,i Australia, it is scarcely likely (h,il they will be^ given a change at the (li.iinpionf.hij) against a white man. M Caiiy doilar^s ho will draw the colour iinr, ,is did Sulhva!'. Corbelt nnd prnel ledlly all the champions bcl'oro Jotfrk". i was tempted U> gq against John^u.