GEORGE COOK FALLS AWAY.

Northern Advocate, 17 September 1927, Page 12

GEORGE COOK FALLS AWAY.

“One could not contend that Cook beat Sandwina because he was the better man. This .contest ended in the third round, when the referee called a halt as Sandwina had received a very bad cut bn the right eye from the effects of a left haak—Sandwina said it was Cook ’s head that did it. “It was no such thing. It was a left hook. Up to the stoppage it was an even tight. If anything, it was in the favour of the loser, who, ; in the second round, very nearly brought Cook to the floor with a fine right cross. I would like to see these two meet again to settle the question as to who is the better of the two. “The form Cook produced in the two rounds fought proved that he has slipped a good deal, and is now well on the down grade. He will And it hard to win fights in good company. This* defeat will do the German fighter a good turn, as it will take a little of the swelling out of his head by making him realise that he is not the only fighter in the world.

BALDOCK DISPLEASES. “Seven hundred and fifty pounds were paid to Teddy Baldock to fight Johnny Cuthbert, the feather-weight champion of England, six rounds. It was the general opinion that this would prove a nice little exhibition fight for Baldock. However, the good thing came unstuck, for, with the exception of the last round, Baldock was outboxed and outfought. “In fact, he was clearly beaten at all points of the game. Excuses came in plenty, the usual thing to expect, but, to my way of thinking, there was no room for excuse at all. Baldock was fit, and, as he met with no accidents during the six rounds fought, one has to admit that the man in front of him was too good, and that it was this, and nothing else, that made Baldock appear to have fought below his real form. “Cuthbert is a poor champion, there is no doubt whatever about that, but he is an awkward sort of boy to get at, and it matters not whom he fights, you will not see a good contest. This fight proves that Baldock is not so good as most of us were inclined to think he was. The contest was called a draw, ’ ’

In Australia, at the present time boxing is higher in popular favour than it has ever been (writes Jim Donald in Smith's Weekly, Sydney). A “paradox" for we have no native-born boxers worthy, of the name. Time was when Australia’s sons carried the banner of pugilism into the cities of the world. Slavin, Jackson, Hall and Creedon, each in turn conquered England. Grififo, the wizard, laid waste the collective countenance of America’s boxing brethren. Like Napoleon, he revolutionised the art of warfare. “He must have been a marvel,’’ murmured the striplings of the present day, and the old-timers chorus the reply: “You’ve said it, boy, he was.’’ Vanished is the boxing glory that was Australia’s. Today, in all the length and breadth of this fair land there is not a single native-born white-skin fitted to bear the label “iirst-class pugilist.’’ The ring wherein the peerless Darcy fought and conquered the world’s best middleweight is the stamping ground of a horde of hired coloured mercenaries of stoush; second-raters in their own country, champions in this. Verily, it is our darkest pugilistic hour.

Pat Conners, who manages the fistic affairs of Charlie Purdy, is not satisfied with the verdict that went to Fairhall at Sydney, and seeks a return contest. As the fight was often full of thrills, though, the verdict was absolutely correct, there should be no trouble in arranging for them to meet again (says a local writer). At New 1 York this month, and in the presence of 30,000 persons Joe Dundee, an Italian boxer, of Baltimore, beat Pete Latzo, for the welterweight championship. The battle limited to fifteen rouiuds, is described as being of the willing order. Some time back, Dundee was knocked out by Roberts, of Tacoma, the end coming in the first round. In a return contest, Roberts again looked like winning by the short cut route, but that time Dundee weathered the storm, and eventually beat his man on points. The ex-champion, Latzo, before taking on the boxing game, earned his living as a minfcr. His rise was meteoric, but in recent efforts he seemed to have lost a lot of the form he displayed when he defeated Mickey Walker for the welter title. Dundee’s victory, therefore, is not such a surprise. » * * » Another American writer, in a letter to Jim Donald, of “Smith’s Weekly,” Sydney, has the,following; in praise of Grime: “Grime is >the best bet on the; American market. He will take the feather title back to Australia as sure as apples grow on trees. He was not beaten by anything but a Los Angeles decision, and believe me, an outsider must win by a mile in Los Angeles to get the ‘edge.’ I know —I live there. Grime fought Doc. Snell, who outweighed him nigh a stone, to a standstill after being knocked down four times in less than three rounds. Beaten to the deck four times in three rounds and then to come back and for the remaining seven rounds convert Doc. Snell, flushed with the sight of victory, into a hound trying to do the hundred yards in less than even time! This is precisely what the Australian did. If Sammy Mandell is all Grime has to defeat for the lightweight title, get ready for two titles, because I’ll stake my reputation on Billy outboxing and outgaming the ‘Rockford schoolboy,’ whom I once saw curl up like old Sonny Coleman’s brown dog before the fire on a cold Saturday night in Chicago when Garcia planted a ‘ haymaker’ where Sammy sows the Gcfielte fish and pickled cucumbers. Yes! Hang round the receiving end of the ether. This boy Grime is on his way to the smoke-house for the most beautiful of winter pictures, the most elegant and gorgeous of landscapes as it hangs high suspended from the kitchen rafter. I have reference to that slab of pig designated ‘The Bacon.’ Tell Australia, Mr Editor.”,

“Bobby’ ’ Cruickshank, who has won five big professional golf tournaments in America this year, has advised his friends in Edinburgh that he will compete in the British open championship at St. Andrews next month. Cruickshank has never before competed in the open championship, but in 1920 he played in the amateur championship at Muirfield and was beaten by Cyril Tolley, the ultimate winner, in the third round by one hole. In the following ypar Cruiekshank turned professional and is now attached to the Progress Club, New York.

The sculling dash at Putney, in which Jack Beresford (Thames Bowing Club) beat T. D. A. -Collett (Leander), was the first occasion on which the rivals had met since their epic struggle in the private match over the championship course in August last year, following upon the disqualification of the latter after he had beaten Beresford in the Wingfield Sculls. These “dashes” owe their institution- to Harry Blackstaff e, who got the idea from America where they are very popular. The course is about 400 yards, and is, of course, all in favour of the sculler who can get well off the stake-boat. The competitors also included D. H. L. Gollan (Thames Rowing Club) formerly of New Zealand, who has tried so often to win the Diamonds, and H. E. A. Edwards, the old Oxford University sculler.