THE REAL ROLLING STONE

NZ Truth, Issue 1197, 8 November 1928, Page 12

THE REAL ROLLING STONE

Harry of The Hop Hits Town Again

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Sydney Representative.) TS a man too bid to fight at 36? . The answer depends entirely upon the man m question and when the man happens to be Harry Stone— well, to quote himself, "Fighters may come and fighters may go, but Harry Stone goes on forever."

HARRY is certainly still going. He arrived back from a two years' trip through the Philippines and America last week, walked right m and said: «.'Well, here I am fit and ready to defend my welterweight championship m Australia— a title I was never defeated for." . That was just like him to ride m on a wave of optimism and commence to broadcast. It was the same old Stone. The same bid tactics that carried him through before and look like .doing so again. \ ' He hasn't changed m the slightest; not even a. grey hair m his curly thatch to tell that, he really, is two years older than when we saw him before. '

Harry wore one of those atrocious ten-gallon co'vvboy hats. He said that President Coblidge followed him m the style, but\ we're asking you to believe that. "Fight?" queried the irrepressible Stone. ' "Well, Jack Britton is 43 and still beating the young welters m America. I fought Britton on two occasions some time back. Old Battling Levinsky is 48 and still going strong. . "I'm only a baby compared with these fellowsi so why shouldn't I be able to give some of the young boys here a boxing lesson? ■"I had twelve contests while away and only dropped two decisions. Those counts went 1 against me m Manila. I lost and won to Ceferino Garcia, twice defeated Irineo ' Flores, Battling Nelson and lost to Luie togan. "In San Francisco I defeated Pete Daley, ;Young ■ Carmen, Benny Vierra, Hank Roberts at San Jose, Joe McCarthy and Young Denny m New Orleans. * "Now I'm back home fit to fight anybody.' I want, the real - welterweights, and will meet the winner

of Mason and Carroll as soon as the Stadium people say the word." Stone is one of the wondermen of the boxing, game. He has been m it as long as most people can remember, has engaged m 400 contests, and numbers among his opponents of the past some of the greatest feathers,: lightweights and welterweights the world has produced. He has even met middles and heavies. He was only a boy when he came here first, and what he did is easy to recall— it sticks so vividly m the mind. On his second trip back here, a week after landing he fought Herb McCoy on Easter Saturday night a hard twenty rounds, emerged winner, and then tackled Tommy Uren the following Monday m another marathon battle.

Tommy took the decision, but that didn't deter Stone. He was right on the train after the content and the. next Saturday fought Frenchman Fe\\nand Quendreau m Brisbane. ' That willingness to fight 'at all times was one of the outstanding features m Stone's marvellously successful career; He never argued over location, date, weight or money. He was. a fighter and fought. And his advice to all -young fighters is to quit quibbling; over details. . "That spoils' the business," he remarked. "Australian boys think they know it all and want 'all sorts of stipulations on their contracts. That just holds the business up and ruins it. The fighter must do his arguing m the rmg — and do it with his gloves. Thafs just a little advice from a Wandering Jew who knows the boxing game backwards;' from one rolling Stone who has 'managed to gather a little moss! &• "Now bring, on your welters!"