NEGRO GENTLEMAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23861, 11 January 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

NEGRO GENTLEMAN

Boxer Who Prayed for Opponents

T.H K crowd at Madison Square (iarden rose to their feet and roared with delight as the referee pointed to "Tiger" Flowers, a negro from the South, as the winner of the middle-weight world championship fight with the flapper Jewish hoy. 1 Tarry Oreh. states a New York sporting writer in recalling famous boxing contests. They roared themselves hoarse, for Flowers was a modest and popular fighter, and his opponent a real man of iron. Hut there was no smile on the Tiger's gleaming black face. His head was bent and his lips moved imperceptibly as he muttered: ".Blessed be the Lord, my strength. Who teaeheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight." Gold Mine for Manager He gave thanks for victory and prayed that his gallant opponent should be spared humiliation in his hour of defeat. Tiger Flowery was a freak boxer and a real gold mine to his manager. His magnificent silky muscles were built up and hardened in the shipbuilding yards near Philadelphia, and it: was not till he was '2"> that he fought professionally. Coming from a highly religious family, his mother never quite reconciled her-

self to having a boxer son. and Flowers often -aid wistfully: "1 wish mother would look at things differently. Luerer strike an opponent in anger, no matter how badly he punishes me." Hut he fought with such an unorthodox style that few could 'cope with his methods. His "southpaw" statue puzzled them all. and his ability to absorb the heaviest punishment dismayed the hardest hitters. Most negro fighters nave been show v. and some bombastic. Flowers was neither, and he was known as "Deacon" Flowers, boxing's iinest gentleman. When out of the ring he was a sincere churchman, always carried a pocket Testament with him, was a lay preacher at the local chapel, and brought many sinners to repentance.