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■ . -» On Second Thought Jackson Just Freak of Ring By BARNEY NAGLER NEW YORK, N. Y., May 29.— You have to throw the" book away when it comes to Hurricane Jackson. The old standards do not apply. He is neither boxer nor fighter. He is something apart* a freak of the ring, the animal, thats what. He got pant Charley Nor-kus in the Garden Friday night because Nor-kus couldnt cope with his style, if thats what, it is, and if you think the one-track Jersey heavyweight had his troubles, consider the troubles, consider the problem confronting the International Boxing Club. The IBC has Jackson in the clutches of its hot little hand. It- cant let go for fear of losing a reasonably attractive drawing card. And yet its corporate senses insist Jackson isnt good for the game. The same prospect confronted Teddy Brenner, the Eastern Parkways boy genius, some months ago and he knew how to handle it. All he did was to match Jackson with Jimmy Slade, who was inconsiderate enough to move on the slow-thinking Hurricane from Far Rockaway Jackson was exposed as a libel on the art. Brenners purpose was obvious. He had made all of Jacksons important assignments, the ones with Clarence Henry and Rex Layne and Dan Bucceroni. Now Jackson was about to move from the Brooklyn club to Madison Square Garden and Brenner, aware that he was losing his best magnet, hoisted the guys reputation. As a result, he came into the Garden against Norkus in need of a triumph on the style of his abrasive treatment of Bucceroni. That was the one that had put him oyer with the customers and the journalists— the reward for a two-handed uppercut, an innovation in boxing. He beat Norkus, of course, stopping him in the seventh round, but he was less than attractive. He was aggressive and awkward, a shovel-puncher who doesnt hit cleanly for all to behold. He is big and strong and youthful and eager, and if that makes a fighter, boxing is in a bad way. The champion, Rocky Marciano, isnt one for grace, but he is perhaps the hardest one-punch hitter of all heavyweights, past and present. He has a grace of destruction, depicted best the night he took Jersey Joe Walcott out with one punch in the 13th, after trailing from the first round. There is no such quality about Jackson. He is crude, untutored, a travesty on fist-fighting. He will beat many heavyweights, particularly the slow-moving ones, but he will add little note nor much prestige to the business. In the end, he may even become champion, the Marquis of Queensberry f or-fend, but it would come about as a lowering of all time prestige inherent in the biggest of all boxing baubles. The heavyweight championship surmounts all boxing. By its quality, boxing gains through Osmosis. The attractiveness of the heavyweight title reflects in all its brightness on all the other divisions of the sport. It would be a sad day if Jackson were to get that far. Not that there is any chance he could take Marciano. Jackson oant punch. He would be wide open for Marciano, who could meet him inside and wrestle him. Moreover, Marcianos punches would take their toll. Norkus was regarded as a puncher, but he fell into Jacksons trap. He moved not at all and when he was at close-quarters, he failed to throw a single punch to the body. Marciano wouldnt be ensnared. Hell, its a long way yet before Jackson even comes close to a bout with Marciano, but it is well to point up the possibility at this time. Jackson is a colorful lad in a negative way. His contretemps with his mother, Mrs. Georgia, makes for good laughs. His contempt for fresh air of the Jersey variety is humorously provocative. His claim that he thinks in the ring is open to investigation. He is all this and more, and yet he isnt a fighter. From here on out, the IBC will employ him, of course, but you can bet that the straining will be in the direction of getting him knocked off and exposed for what he is: A freak of the ring, nothing more. He has been compared with Henry Armstrong and Harry Greb and other bustling greats. Next guy who does so should be arrested for stealing a literary license. Theres a limit I someplace.
