The Last Gong.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 237, 7 October 1933, Page 6 (Supplement)

The Last Gong.

College Day Romance,

"Young" Stribling Victim of Road Smash. —Foot Amputated In Vain Attempt to Save Life.— Reared to Become a Champion.—

A Shattered Dream,

Contender for the heavy-weight boxing championship of the world, "William Lawrence ("Young") Stribling has heard his last gong. He was critically injured in a road smash at Macon, Georgia, on Sunday last, and though his left foot was amputated in a desperate effort to save his life, complications set in and he died on Tuesday. With his passing disappeared the long-cherished ambition of Stribling's parents that one day William Lawrence would be the foremost fighter of the world.

The story of the fighter's death is pathetically tragic. He was riding a motor cycle to visit his wife, who was in hospital, when he was struck by a motor car. Seriously injured, .lie was rushed to the hospital, where his wife was recovering after presenting hoi young husband with a third child, brief cabled message to the effect that, the boxer's left foot had been amputated told the world that the greatest ambition of all the Striblings could never be realised. Prief mention of his other injuries made it clear that the young fighter was engaged in a deadly combat for life itself, and another message two days later contained the .sad news that he had lost his last light his fight against death. The fact that Stribling died in the hospital in wliicli his young wife, with her two weeks' old baby, was still a patient, adds but a further touch of tragedy to his passing. His father and mother, who had decided when their sou was little more than a toddler, that one day lie should be the champion of the world, and his wife who hid.bee 11 his sweetheart from his early high school days, were at his bedside when he lapsed' into unconsciousness and when he passed quietly away an hour later. i'or two days, despite the knowledge that the greatest ambition of his life could never be realised, he had fought gallantly, but the splendid strength and cool courage that had carried him through nearly 300 ring battles proved unequal to the task of combating the complications which followed his accident. His Rise to Fame. Stribling's rise to the front rank of the world's heavy-weight fighters was something of which the whole State of Georgia was justly proud. His story read like a novel. It was not William Lawrence who decided that he should become ft fighter. His parents did that for him when he was too young to demur, even if he had wished to do so. Stribling the fighter—the elder of two brothers—first appeared before the public as an acrobat in a circus. It was not a solo turn. Both his parents and his younger brother as well were all clever acrobats, and twenty years ago the family, billed, as the "Four Grahams," were the featured players in a big circus that toured the Southern States. Part of the circus act was a boxing match, in which the brothers sailed into each other with their small lists in light gloves, the comedy ending when William Lawrence took a righthand punch to the head and went down for the full count. It was a good act, and one that always went over well, for the youngsters really knew how to box. "Pa" Stribling, himself a fighter in bis younger days, saw to that.

Through ten years of hard circus and vaudeville days "Young" Stribling, with the help of his parents, prepared himself for the rough road that must be covered by any young man who sets out to win fame and fortune with his fists. The more ho improved the more certain did

"l'a" Stribling become that one day he would be able to call the first fighter of the world his son. Mrs. Stribling was every bit as enthusiastic as her husband, and when William Lawrence was in his early teens the family spoke of t.lio heavy-weight crown almost as if it had already been won. Bid for World Title. At the age of 10 Stribling had his first real light. Ho was then only a feather-weight. His opponent, Tim O'Dowd, was stopped in a single punch. It was a great start, and the Striblings were delighted. In his first year Stribling had 25 lights and won most of them. As lie grew older his fame spread and it was not long before he became known as the "Georgia Peach." A draw with .Miko McTigue, at a time when the Irishman was the light-heavy-weight champion of the world, brought Stribling into world prominence, which reached its zenith when he was matched with Max Sehmeling for the world's title in 1931. The light took placo at Cleveland, hut the title did not come the way of the American, the referee awarding the light to his German opponent a few seconds before the fifteenth and final round was timed to end. Stribling had had his great chance and had lost, but he was not prepared to admit that he had failed. He would qualify for another shot at the championship, and next time he would not be defeated, he said. It was not to be. In his home town of Macon on Tuesday of this week lie heard his last goner. While hustling through his many fights Stribling had found time to give himself a good education. He had also showed himself a fine, all-round athlete, winning honour on the golf course and as a basketball player. Aviation interested him immensely and he gained the rank of flight lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve, and also a. transport pilot's license, one of the highest flying licenses issued in America. With 1000 hours' fiving to his credit, he owned a six-passenger aeroplane, which he used in keeping the many engagements connected with his business.

While going to school Young Stribliti" met and fell in love with Clare Virginia Kinney, daughter of a. prominent Macon citizen. As college sweethearts tincouple vowed that one day they would marry, and they made their pledge come true on the fighter's twenty-first birthda v.

On his way to Australia in June of la>t year, Stribling, accompanied bv hi* father, passed through Auckland and «a\i an exhibition bout with his spaniii'i partner, Clyde Chastain. in the Town Hall. At that time, Stribling, without any show of bravado, declared that ho would one day become champion, an<l hi* pretty young wife, who followed her husband to Australia a few weeks later said the same. Of her husband's fWttiiw ability Mrs. Stribling, jun., \y a " ■illpremely confident.

Ami now William Lawrence Stribliif. is dead. The great hope cherished firs; by his parents and later by himself arid his young wife has ended in a pathetiidream—a dream that was almost realised two years ago. and one that might ret have been realised if iho fighter, who*.' ring eatings had made him a rich man had not met death on his way to tl;« hospital where his wife \wts waitiii"- fm his comincr.