The White Falcon - 14.08.1943, Page 10

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‘Lucky* Almost
Owned Tami
By Gene Graff
But for Uncle Sam’s “ill-fated” thrust into
the capsule-populated fish bowl, Lou (Lucky)
Lueckese today would be part-owner of Tami
Mauriello, America’s No. 1 claimant to Sgt. Joe
Louis’ heavyweight diadem, intead of Pvt. Louis
Peters of the IBC Headquarters. Lou, whose de-
sire to share the burden of stamping out the
Axis now makes the deal seem inconsequential,
was practically ready to sign the papers giving
him a juicy slice of the Italian puncher when
his draft board asked him to scribble his name’
for GI purposes.
So Lucky padlocked his billiard hall in Read-
ing, Pa., turned over his three-pug stable to
brother Jimmy, and marched into the Army.
That was in June, 1942, but Lucky still has
an eye peeled for fighters he can handle when
the war is over. “Every manager and promoter
in the business has the same idea,” Lucky as-
serted, “but nobody knows where the ‘new
white hope’ will be found so my chance is
as good as the next guy’s.”
Two of Lucky’s chattels, Paul Jackson and
Porter Blackburn, haven’t set the world on
fire, although they win their share of bouts.
But the pride of the Lueckese stable—George
(Dusty) Brown—is a leather-whirling Negro
lightweight with a creditable record against the
better boxers in his division. Lucky bought Dus-
ty’s contract a few years ago for $250, care-
fully guided him through the club circuit un-
Fried Hurls No-Hitter
As Racers Win Opener
Wily Ben Fried’s assortment of pitching tricks this week marched his Racers a stride nearer the
Iceland Base Command Softball crown, the coveted jaunt to England and THE WHITE FALCON trophy,
and definitely established the Special Service club as fearsome favorite of the elimination playoffs.
The diminutive speedball
artist notched his third no-
hit performance of llie cam-
paign Wednesday as he hand-
cuffed the Mohawks, 7 to 0, to
drive his mates into the quarter-
finals. Only one Mohawk reach-
ed first base, on a walk, and he
didn’t get any farther.
Fried & Co. will return to ac-
tion next week against the for-
midable Eakers, who drew a
bye in the first round. The Eak-
Softball Facts
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE.
Racers vs. Eakers.
Whales-Hustlers winner vs.
Pirates-Duchins winner.
Pigeons-Indians winner vs.
Beavers.
Jacks vs. Alligators-Roi Tans
winner.
FIRST ROUND SCORES.
Racers 7, Mohawks 0.
Jacks 8, Athletics 7.
Beavers 6, Grease Monkeys 3.
Mickey Owen
(10), Brooklyn
Dodger catcher,
attacks Walker
Cooper, St. Louis
Cardinals catch-
er, to start a free-
for-all in Sports-
man’s Park, St.
Louis, near first
base after Coop-
er stepped on
Augie Galan’s
foot on the close
of a play at first
base. Dodger Pit-
cher Ed Head
(23) tries to se-
parate the pair.
Cooper and Ow-
en were fined
by League Presi-
dent Ford Frick.
ers mustn’t be under-rated, but
it’s unlikely that any team in the
tourney will be able to detour
the Racers’ drive to the pennant.
The Jacks slipped into the
quarter-final bracket by turning
back the suburban Athletics, 8
to 7, in a photo-finish thriller
Wednesday which ended with
the tying run in scoring posi-
tion. The victory qualified the
Jacks to tackle either the Alliga-
tors or Roi Tans—depending on
(Continued on Page 11)
Bob Falkenburg -
Wins Net Crown
Jinx Falkenburg’s young
brother, Bob, won the National
Junior singles tennis crown this
week, beating Jimmy Brink of
Seattle, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, in the fi-
nals. Herbert Flam of Beverly
Hills, Calif., took the Boy’s sing-
les title by outlasting Edwin
Davis of Baton Rouge, La., 6-2,
4-6, 6-3.
SHORT SHOTS
Repercussions from the ouster of Bucky Har-
ris as pilot of the Philadelphia Phils are still
making headlines in Philly .... In an eight-page
announcement concerning the firing of Harris,
Owner Bill Cox charged that Bucky referred to
the Phils as “a bunch of jerks.”.. .Bucky re-
plied with, “If there’s a jerk connected with the
Phillies, it’s Cox. He’s an all-American jerk.”
•
til he hit the big-time, and turned down a bid
of $2,500 for Dusty just before he donned OD’s.
In all, the Negro whirlwind has won more
than $10,000 in purses since Lucky took him
in tow.
“Speaking of Dusty brings to mind an inci-
dent that still makes me see red when I talk
about it,” Lucky declared. “When Marty Servo
fought Ray (Sugar) Robinson, Marty was billed
as never having been defeated. That’s a laugh.
Dusty whipped him in an eight-rounder at Fall
River, Mass., in 1939. We tried to book a re-
match after Sugar stopped the ‘streak’, but
Servo’s backers didn’t want any part of my
boy.”
Lucky took a short break to retrieve his ever-
present cigar from beneath a flowing handlebar
mustache and continued: “Dusty has a kid
brother who looked good to me, too, but time
ran out before I could get him started, My-
brother’s handling him now, and you can ex-
pect to hear more about him after he’s had
some experience.” ? >
It would be difficult to believe now that the
jovial, portly fellow once was a promising box-
er himself, but Lucky punched his way to the
Pennsylvania flyweight title as an amateur
and later tried 'his luck among the pros. When
his waistline expanded, Lucky became a light-
weight—until he took a reading one night after
a bruising bout for a midget-size purse. “That’s
when I decided to do the brainwork,” Lucky
smiled. “There’s more percentage in it.” Nobody
can question Lucky’s “moxie” after a remark
like that.
Camilli Hangs Up Spikes;
Cubs Trade Lee To Philly
.Dolph Camilli, who threaten-
ed to retire last winter but re-
turned to the Brooklyn Dodgers,
this week announced his defin-
ite retirement from baseball and
said he would go back to his
Laytonville, Calif., farm.
The erstwhile slugger, unable
to shake loose a season-long bat-
ting slump, said he didn’t think
he’d be of any value to the New
York Giants, who obtained him
from the Dodgers last week. Ca-
milli stated that he has no desire
to remain in the game, either
as manager or coach.
; Hero of the Dodgers’ 1941 pen-
nant drive, Camilli explained, “I
was worried and unhappy over
my showing with the Dodgers
this season. I can no longer hit
the ball and I didn’t do the Dod-
gers any good—so I’m sure the
Giants don’t want me.”
Dolph spent eight years in the
minors before joining the Cubs.
He cost the Cubs $25,000, but was
traded to the Phillies for Don
Hurst a year later. That deal,
incidentally, is believed respon-
sible for all* later bad bargains
made by the Cubs “to get even.”
Meanwhile, Bill Lee, oldest
member of the Cubs in point of
service, was shipped down the
river to Philly in exchange for
Catcher Mickey Livingston. Lee,
who pitched the Cubs to the
1938 pennant with 22 victories
and nine losses, has been unable
to get going this year, winning
three and losing seven.
The Cubs snatched Livingston
because of the i-A status of their
regular catcher, Clyde McCul-
lough. Terms of the deal were
not disclosed.
Hutson Decides
To Play Again
Don Hutson, the greatest of-
fensive end in pro grid history,
has decided to play another sea-
son with the Green Bay Packers.
Hutson, who came from Ala-
bama in 1935 and has won all-
league mention each year since,
signed his ’43 contract this week.
Count Fleet, the year’s outstanding 3-year-old,
will not return to the turf until fall, Trainer
Don Cameron reported.. .The announcement re-
moves the Count from the Travers Slakes and
American Derby, worth a total of $130,000...
The Count already has earned $224,000.. .Marri-
age, a 7-year-old runner claimed from Hirsch
Jacobs by R. A. Coward and Carl DuPuy in 1941
for $5,000, has captured purses amounting to
$163,000 since he changed hands.. .His latest vic-
tory was in the $50,000 Arlington Handicap
Saturday.
•
Gordan Oliver, former New Jersey and Phila-
delphia prep coach, has been named to succeed
Clipper Smith, now a Marine officer, as Villa-
nova football coach...The National Softball
championships will be held in Detroit next
month, according to Raymond Johnson, presi-
dent of the Amateur Softball Assn... .Yale book-
ed a grid game with Rochester U. for the Yale
Bowl, bringing its season slate to nine games.
0
Eddie Arcaro, veteran jockey, returns to the
turf Sept. 19 after being suspended last fall for
rough riding ... Cocopet, with Don McCreary in
the saddle, won the 41st running of the Sara-
toga Special at Belmont Park, N.Y....Bob Pas-
tor, former challenger for the world heavy-
weight boxing crown, has been assigned to Ft.
Logan, Colo., as a'physical director.
•
Dick Wakefield, Detroit outfielder, will be in-
ducted into the Army next Tuesday.. .The rookie
has a batting average of .325.