SAM LANGFORD IN EUROPE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1245, 26 February 1914, Page 28

SAM LANGFORD IN EUROPE.

BOSTON “TAR BABY” IN QUEST OF BOUTS. WANTS “GUNBOAT” SMITH AGAIN. When Sam Langford took his departure from New York in December last for France, a coloured delegation assembled on the pier to wish the Boston “Tar Baby” bon voyage. As Tham waddled gaily up ’the gangplank with an ivory grin cutting a generous gash across his sable' chops, one of the sportive crowd, a large bediamonded pusson of lemoncoloured hufe, gazed wistfully after the short, squat figure of almost aldermanic proportions and shook his bean in doubtful guise (writes a New York correspondent). “Ah 'don’t know what Sam has been feedin’ on dese last few weeks,” he said, “but he cer’ly am scanlous fat. Pears laik he’s splode laik a balloon ef someone done poke him in de stomach real hard.” The criticism was not uncalled for. Langford has evidently reached that period of a.pugilist’s existence where flesh piles up rapidly and the grind of training becomes a veritable thin? of horror. When fighting “Gunboat” Smith in Boston a couple of weeks previously Sam was anything but finedrawn around the waist region, but he didn’t exhibit the huge abdominal roll that be carried on b n "ird the liner. If he gains superfluous weight in such a short period it is easy to figure out what heroic efforts of self-denial and tough training stunts would be required to round him into anything b’ke his old-time fighting shape. Just before the departure of his star for foreign rarts manager Joe Woodman issued a statement to the press in which he assailed bitterly the action of the referee in awarding Smßh a verdict over Langford. Perhaps the mere word statement is a trifle too mild. It was a frantic yowl of protest against Boston fight referees, Boston clubs, and the boxing game generally as earr’ed on in the classic precincts of the Hub, and wound un wbh the prediction that there wouldn’t be any more bouts brought off in the city of culture until the public was protected against the sure thing fraternity. Woodman was peeved, badto neeved and he didn’t appear to care who knew it. Ever since the “Gunboat” affair he has croaking comnlaints so constantly that his tonsils are almost worn out. Now it mav be that he was tricked in that he failed to secure a second match for Lanerford with the “ Gunboat ” man, but setting aside the rumour that Sam fought “ under wraps ” on . that eventful night, there was no dispute that Smith outpointed him and earned the verdict. It isn’t the first time in their twin career that Woodman and his duskv charge have rested under a cloud of suspicion, and consequently the former’s appeal for sympathy in his hour of trial fell painfully flat. LANGFORD GOING BACK. Anyhow, there is no denying the fact that Langford has greatly depreciated in value as a drawing card in America, which probably explains Woodman’s action in hurrying him abroad. He wants to get all the fight out of Langford that to possible before the negro -goes to the pugilistic boneyard, and there is no time to be lost. If Sam keeps on adding weight to hto carcase it won’t be long ere. he will have to be slung into the "'ing with the aid of a crane. It doesn’t look as though there is a gold mine awaiting him over in gay Paree, either. The boxing game has suffered an awful slump in the French capital, and most of the American scrappers over there are planning an early return home. Two of them, Joe Hyland and Johnny Daly, are back already and report that the interest of the Parisians in ring bouts seems to have suddenly died out, and several clubs have been compelled to close down on account of lack of patronage. The box office receipts for a battle between Young Ahearn, the New York lightweight, and Badoux

amounted to £l3O, Paul Til and De Pontihieu, the French featherweights, coaxed £l2 into the club coffers, and the treasury of the showman who staged the argument between Hvland and Pipan was only enriched to the extent of £lOO. Georges Carpentier, the French heavyweight chamuion, is the only boxer who can be re’ied upon to tempt the appetites of the fistic fans, and Georges is under the ban of the boxing commission for fake work and will not be allowed to perfo:m in his native country for nine months.