1959-06-13 — Page 51

Gourlay 27fathoms

WHO KNOWS AND TELLS IN

HIS UNMISTAKABLE WAY

INTENDI insist....that this week I

write about a boxing promoter. If you're sur- prised I must point out that this column is meant to be about people all kinds of people. And, whatever you think about boxing promoters, they are people.

bexing. Got to know people like

Introducing, therefore, at a comfortable middle-aged Damon Runyon poundage Mr Harry Levene, otherwise known in mock Runyonese as' Harry the Hoarse, or Flash Hárry.

He is now one of the two Jeading boxing promoters la the whole of the Commonwealth. This 'le confirmed by my col- loogue Desmond Hackett who is, of course, the No. 1 expert on these matters.

1 not

confirmed by Mr

Jack Solomons. But then Mr Jack Solomona, as the other heavily stab viciously and swiftly-and leading promoter, is their knives are eighteen inches | prejudiced. of razor-sharp wickedness.

Then I saw him. We must No contest

When I met Harry the Hoarse West End restaurant i let him do the talking. I hadn't much cholee.

have passed a lone signal at that morent and there was just glimmering enough

reflected light from its lamp for me to in make oul a figure hunched over the heavy uniform case by the opposite door. I um no bero~~ but both hig hands were occupied, sa 1 jumped and bellowed at the same time.

I heard with relief his knife tinkle to the floor. He fought like a panther and it was then that first realised the efficacy of the cheetah fat. It was im- possible to grip him anywhere but he, on the other hand, was at no such disadvantage and I Tell his fingers go round my throat like twin vices, but the noise had now. wakened Pelli- grew and he came into action like a changing hippo and his fourteen stone carried the day. We just bare the dacoit down by sheer brute-weight and sat on him and then 1 managed to reach out for the light-switch.

What would your reactions be

If you saw the vicar dance lit through

drawing-room your door-stark-naked and brandish- ing a knife?

Exactly, That's just how we it felt, although

was Pelll- who actually put it

grew

picturesquely.

BU

The train thief was a white Ninkeri, grease-doubed man. and stave but still unmistak- ably, a white man.

We got the straps from t leather case twisted round his We were returning from leave,

wrists and ankles and then we sat the Pelligrew and myself, and we running board opposite

back and just gawped. 1 boaried the Punjab Mall al selected compartment jemmy

thought about Indian albinos- the window catches of the Victoria terminus, Bombay. We

into the window but that wasn't the answer. This train knife knew all about

both having been slung before catches. We locked the Inward- man was stocky and rugged and opening carriage doors and middle-aged and he would not Pelligrew

unea myself twice, We put our faith in bull-terriers brased our steel uniform eases have been out of place in a pit- against them, and Pelligrew, head bath or the changing Chokras, or opprentices, chose or bird-shot-louded 12 bores but with fendish ingenuity, scatter room of the Bath Club. His times when the occupants were in little wooden wedges that we ed three packets of drawing pins first words dispelled any linger

over the floor. I had reason to lng doubts, anyhow, [denigrate this last measure later

venetian slats with

the

they always carried

in

their

teeth; and silde-in.

A British Crossword Puzzle

1' Din (6).

12

[13

14

15

16

ACRO88

4 Military formation (6).

Threnton (U).

Banquet (5).

'10 Imitates (4).

13. Lowerda in value (7).

10 Submit to (5).

10 Weory (4),

17 Smooth (4),

19 Introduction (5).

ab Smash (7)

21 Cortála (1),

23 Lablo (6)

25 Grove-up (6)

26 Comtade (8)

24 Put Hack for later trial (0).

DOWN

1 Stormed (0)

2 Admits (0),

3 Engravo. (4).

5 Causes to funcilon (0),"

6 Placard (0),

Jovial (6).

11 Mad on watch (8).

12 Headquarters of regiment

(0)

'12 Fetan (8),

'14'Protected (0).

18 Altered course (0) 22 Fruit (4)

Modest toll.

cigaretic?"

The

He is probably hoarse because he has been talking non-stop for years around the ringsides and dressing-rooms. His hoarse- ness now has a rich timbre com- pounded of cigar smoke, resin, and old gum shields,

He said: "I don't want to whip up a contest with Solomons. I

I

man in private. He was a thin "No, he wasn't very funny little character but he used to cat like a horse,

"I remember wo used to go round the night clubs and restaurants and he'd eat a meal in each one. If there was 'any- thing left over he'd wrap it up to take home. Used to say to me? Harry, boy, I'm always scared I'll waken up hungry,

"Those were great days, but I didn't want to settle down in America for good. I came back after four years and started as a manager.

I was broken-hearted when I had to pack it up in 1839, but the war had begun and I'd choice.

no

"I went into the night club business and I did pretty well.

"I had some wonderful people working for me in cubaret. Sophie Tucker, Hermione Gln- sold, Real professionals. Unlike some others I won't mention..

*I was glad to get back to boxers, They're easier to handle. "I know what I'm talking known 'em all. about. I've All the big names, Tunney, Dempsey, Sharkey, Baer, Camera, Sugar Robison.

don't talk to him and he doesn't Not so rich

talk to me. That suits me fine.

"I think the greatest boxers I ever handled were Larry Gains and Jock McAvoy, Great boxers. And great gentlemen.

"Somebody once quoted me as saying that I was in the boxing business when he was still in fish, I don't remember -saying a thing like that. And I'm not saying it now.

scale "No, there's no big "I've only bogs full-time corruption and bribery. I can't

about five or six speak for

I'm promoter for

America, but years, but I learned all about pretty certain Lic graft 1s the business before the war mainly confined to these movies. when I was a manager."

"There isn't. a. great fortune

25 a pru Looking at the nose of Harry to be made, either.

I'll never

the Hoarse, which spreads over moter. Sure I've done all right. hla homely face like a pune- I'll never starve, but tured punch bog, I did not have be as rich as these nancle:s to ask him how he had started like Charlie Clore. his career in boxing.

Championship

D

ogc.

"Sure I wanted to be a boxer when I was a kid and I did fight bit. Then I got my nose broken and retired at an early It wasn't a very pretty nose to begin with and it has bech worse ever since. But a pretty map might be a disadvantage lo this game. I certainly wouldn't help me to stage the heavy weight championship of the world. That's my biggest ambition.

"You can tell your readers Solomons-that I --and Mr hope to promote or co-promote the championship fight this year in America.

"I'll take over a British con-

tender- I can't say who yet-to

"Another thing I'd like

you

to tell your readers is that I'm not one of these loud-mouthed promoters who always smokes cigars and rides around in big Cadillacs."

He stopped to light a cigar. He was winding down, nearing the peroration of an ex-pugilist,

"Look at me now.

I lead u quiet life, Never go to night clubs, I'm not a flashy dresser. I get my suits in Savile Row, my shirts in Jermyn Strea, and have my shoes made in St James's. All very conservative. "I don't look any more like boxing promoter_thon that fellow, over there, Do I?"

"You don't," I said,

Who is he, anyway?” I sold I thought it was Charlie Clore:

It was.

night the holder, Floyd Patter Among the guests,

son. He's a great guy.

"If I pull it off I'll be the first

my

"You know 1 started career over there. Well, more or less. My first job was in your keracket. I worked with a Londen

on the newspaper

circulation and covered a few nights, -wasn't getting anywhere, so

took off for New York.

"Worked on a paper there, more involved in

In the night when I got up to get a drink of water, and I pro- fanely brushed them ali to one

hè "Sorry, chaps,"

said, side with 2 towel in esse I "Army, sce. I usually only should be forgetful again. levy my modest toll on civilians. The journey from Bombay to Ah, well Jhansi in half an Lahore takes two nights and a hour, and the police there are day. The first night went by swine. Could I trouble you for a without incident-except for my I glanced at Pelligrew, punctured soles. By the early sure thing occurred to us both British promoter ever to have hours of the second morning like a flash. McQuade, the white done it in America.. we were well up into the United dacoit. Cashiered at the end

of the Provinces. This part

of the 1014-18 war for theft- country, and the adjoining

and gone native. His exploits Ceatrul Provinces, are the

were legendary and; happy hunting-grounds, of the real professional, so you may be legends, largely pure moonstiine. certain that we did not relax our In fact many doubted his exist- precautions. We left our Indlan bearers, who had met us in We gave him a cigarette-and Bombay, in the compartment because the straps were cutting

having our his wrists cruelly, we loosened too, and got were meals, and the wedges and hint on his giving us his word uniform cases went into place that he wouldn't try any when we retired for the night, nonsense.. but I jibbed at the drawing-pins,

That was foolish. He cross-hit because: I'm in violent and im- pulsive nser when I do wake both as-was-handing-the- cigarette to him and Feillgrew suddenly,

was striking a match-and be What did disturb me on this dived for the door from which occasion I cannot say. It cer- the uniform case had now been tainly wasn't any untoward moved and we heard the noise: But I did wake, and ghastly thud above the rattling with a full consciousness that roar of the wheels as he hit the something was wrong. The culvert.

when

we

ence.

he

We réported 'it at Jhansi ́since train was going flat out and the clectric

fans were whirring in the communication cord didn't their normal whining overtone. seem to be working, and the could dimly see Pelligrew's police, went down the line-but white-sheeted bulk on the they never found him-only the opposite berth and could hear unmistakable mark where

adding had bit the stones. His friends their meed to the chorus. In must invo, found him and borne short, everything was normal him into the silent junglo, for except for the certainty within oven in death the ghari-dacolle me that is wasn't.

stuck together.

his stentorlan

Anorca

Naturally my first thought,.

We were rather glad.

since our minds wore athamed DID IT REALLY HAPPEN? That way, was of train thieves.

1 Iny perfectly still just on one is

told to do if one sixpects tho presence of an intruder, and scanned the inside of the com- YESTERDAY'S CROSSWORD; — Horow: · 3 Vagranto, partment as far as I could with- Repair, Cisterns, i Meditale, 12 Bale, 13 Dregs, 10 Yield, 10 out moving my head: This. Erod, 22 Pennants, 24 Prepared, 25 Reveal, 20 Toreador. Down: Immobility had a very definite 1 Grime, 2.Spade, 3 Victory, 4 Aria, & Tile, o Normal,;.7 Sister, purpose. Train thieves, would 10.Stage, 14 Blder, 15 Slender, 18 Desput, 17 Meteor, 20 Anger, never harm a sleeping passen- 21, Felm; 22 Papà, 23 Nero,

Iger, but I disturbed they will

YES

NO

★ Phut, a. lick "egginit pour phalen -kri_Ele· apñas above, Money

"(The attawer: 16 on Porn 18)" -(Lonđón Zaprika Harvica).

My Invitation to the Sixth Anna Ladies Luncheon of the Variety Club of Great Britain states that the lady guests of lioncur will be:-

"Alicia Markova, Lady Violet Carter, Beryl Grey, Bonham Mrs Freddie Bloom, Christina Foyle...and Laurence Harvey." I am ΠΟΥ told that Mr Harvey will not be ablo to estead,

-(London Express” Service),

3

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