SAMMY CHAPMAN CHATS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1930, Page 5

SAMMY CHAPMAN CHATS

LIFE OF FAMOUS TRAINER GENIAL PERSONALITY—ROAMER. /ASSOCIATE OF WORLD-BEATERS A keen analytical mind broadened by travel and association with the sport of boxing in all its phases—trainer, referee, promoter, boxer, announcer, time-keeper, second and critic—have moulded Sammy Chapman, famous Australian trainer of boxers, who recently brought to New Zealand Norman Gillespie, into something of a ring philosopher. He is a clever conversationalist, with a fund of reminiscence . that grips and holds the ready listener with a bent for the deeds of overseas gladiators of the roped arena. Chapman was born in Sydney 42 years ago, his parents being Australians. As a youngster always a “bit of a limb,” Sammy early developed a self-assurance that stood him in good stead in meeting a lively youngster’s usual trials, and it was therefore not surprising to find him, in the latter days of schooling, representing his seat of learning with the gloves, and right worthily, too, for he was an outstanding schoolboy champion. The loss of his parents caused Chapman to drift into professional boxing. But greater even than his love for “throwing a glove” was the urge to roam, to see the world and its peoples, and until 1914, when he enlisted in the - A.1.F., England, Africa and Manila, the land of the little brown men from whence came such mighty midgets as Pancho Villa and Dencio, were his haunts. Chapman’s wide knowledge of training methods soon brought him under the notice of the military authorities, and he was appointed physical instructor at Duntrobn and other training camps, his duties being to supervise all outdoor and indoor “jerks” and games, in addition to instruction on such matters as elementary and! anatomical physiology, life-saving • and voice-production (the last-named probably for the exclusii e benefit of sergeants-major). Drafted to France, Sammy served as a stretcherbearer, and after a trip to hospital saw service at Cam bray, on the Hindenburg Line with the 3rd Division.- ' IMPETUS FOLLOWING WAR. The unclenching of the mailed fist at the Armistice in 1918 made way in the months that followed for the cult of the gloved fist, and, seeking relaxation from thj tenseness of trench life, happy soldiers entered whole-heartedly into the various divisional, British Empire and Allied boxing tournaments. And once again Sammy Chapman assumed the role of physical and boxing instructor, toiling ceaselessly to assist his chaiges to a state of 'fitness that enabled them to give of their best. Demobilisation brought for him a year of pleasant roving through Ireland and Scotland, thence to the land of his birth, where he secured his ' dischage in 1919. A fw months later Sammy was again in uniform, being the choice of Admiral Dumaresque to fill the bill of senior boxing instructor to the Australian navy —a post which he held with distinction for two years. A pacific mail packet in 1923 bore Chapman to America, and soon he was caught up in the whirl and bustle of a swift-moving world of fight. At the ringside of the Gibbons-Dempsey bout, over which some critics raised the cry that Gibbons was robbed of the decision, Chapman expressed the opinion that (Dempsey) undoubtedly won handsomely. Establishing his headquarters in New York, Sammy tripped the land in association with Paul Berlenbach (light-heavy), Joe Lynch (bantam), Frankie Genaro (fly), Johnny Dundee (feather and light), Jack Johnson (heavy), Babe Herman (bantam), Mike McTigue (light-heavy), Charlie Rosenberg (bantam) and Abe Goldstein (bantam), all of whom have.won world titles. Others with, whom he was associated in the United States were the English boys Ted Moore and Frankie Ash, Billy Shade, Pal Moore, Joey San-, gor,'Bartley-Madden (who fought and lost to Tom Heeney in Dublin), Geo. Lavigne, Sammy Shack, Jo.hnny Green (over whom Young Llew Edwards, to appear in New Plymouth against Leckie, scored such a sensational victory in Australia a few months ago), Soldier Bartfield, Floyd Johnson and Pal Moran, all near champions. An interesting fact about Berlenbach is that he was born deaf and dumb, a heavy fall restoring his faculties. He became a taxi-driver before breaking into the game that brought him world honours. “ IMPRESSION IN AMERICA. Chapman fought in America seven pio decision bouts, and created a splendid, impression with his upright mace stance and hard, straight two-handed punching. He returned to Australia, roamed off to the East —Manila, Singapore and Java —and back to Australia, where he handled Englishman Ernie Rice, American Ern Baxter (who fought so well in New Zealand), and Charlie Ring. Thence to" England, where he handled Tom Heeney in two fights against George Cook and . “Phainting” Phil Scott, the English champion. “Tom was a fine stamp of manhood,” said Chapman. “Rugged, game to the finish and a born fighter, had he gone to the. States at an earlier age, indulged in the American style of fast work and intensive training, he would have reached the top. In his bout with Cook he lost a v close decision, but he chased and punched the English champion for 20 rounds to see Scott handed the decision.” Heeney afterwards left for the States, while Chapman returned to Australia, refereeing in boxing and wrestling matches for 12 months until the Sydney municipal authorities, in search of a physical training expert, chose him . for the post. Chapman opened a gymnasium and to the present time controls the fistic destinie; of such clever boxers as Vic White (paper and fly champion), Crowle (feather champion), Gillespie (light champion), Carroll (welter champion) and Jock O’Malley (ex-New Zealand light-heavyweight). Tiger Payne was in Chapman’s charge when the negro visited Australia two years ago. This is Sammy’s second visit to New Zealand—his first was in 1927, when he brought over Jack Carroll. To have crammed into the years so much travel, so much of the sport of boxing and so creditable a record, Sammy Chapman may claim to have lived a very full and bountiful lifetime. To write that Chapman’s association with the sport means his livelihood is an injustice to him. A few moments’ straying in his maze of reminiscence is sufficient to convince that above all in him is an inherent love of the game. For that one admires him.