ban Pad dah gale JACKSON a ING Aa Se ey) ee Ch ae] SAM LANGFORD — HAROLD JOHNSON — YVON DURELLE a THE SLAVE GIRL Ce aL een oer : Den amon lao .Kelly... THE GIANT KILLER John B. Kelly, father of Princess Grace of Monoco, was so expert a fist fighter that both Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey agreed he might have won the heavyweight title had he not been sidetracked into becoming a multi- illionaire instead. BY STANLEY WESTON FTPERTY.SIx years have passed since John B. Kelly became the first American ever to win the Olympic sculling championship, but the famous Philadelphian, ow 68, remains as straight as a ramrod, lean and sinew. He is slightly heavier, 10 pounds, but there is still a gladiator quality about hiim, like maybe he had once been a prize fighter ‘As a matter of fact,” confessed Jack Kelly in an exclusive interview with us, “I was a fistighter, T am very proud’ of that part of my athletic background. Overseas, during World War I, I fought in many Army smokers. If it hadn't been for a broken ankle, suffered in a truck accident, I might have won the AEF light- heavyweight title; my old friend, Gene Tunney, had to settle for a decision over the same man I knocked ‘out in the first round two, months before. ‘One night, Tunney and I got together for dinner, and I kidded him: "You know, Geng, it was a good thing we never. met in the ring. ‘Gene asked. why. Because,” I said, ‘if L-hadn't broken my ankle you wouldn't have won the AEF title, and championship. “We both laughed. (Continued on page 63) Meeting John Kelly for the first time, Jack i, ie id one of the fineat the had ever seen. They are still close friends,We were always ribbing one another in our frequent laters” T fist read. about” Jack Key's Shing ropes. ia Joba McCallum's new ‘book, “That Kelly Family” This bestscller tls you about all his wnssual Philadephia fam Iy—Priness Grace, George, "Walter, Kel, among otben—iut' a2 2 boxing. hitoran, vas partcolcly intiqucd wit the stores about Princess Grace's pupa's boxing carer Thad been highly familiar with hit rowing, polieal vi and busines achenement, King the president of the nations angst masonry company, 4 mult-liensite-but this boxing angle wer news. Te his exciting book, Author Jobo McCat- Jum cite conversation he had with Jack Dempsey a the laters Broadway restaant one ering z 1 will never forget the Gt ime 1 saw Kelly" sealed the former heavyweight champion. It was at Adantic Ciy,’on the beach, im 1919" Jack was maybe 37 years old then. He stood « half inch tlle and wreighed 2 few pounds more than I. He Ia broader shoulders, but « smaler wai Tinever saw a finer specinen of man. In the length and breadth of Ameria there wis no incr body. He was wearing Sein teunks. Twas strongly “impressed by his Dhsique and state to ingice about him, ‘Avmutal ficod folly introduced. “Do you kaow anything about boxing? 1 asked fim, and he sai, “Soe, enough to protect mcf against some of these than Pos fing today. “Tin sill ying to Sgure out what be ‘Teck Kell, one of 10 cbildten, was born in East Fala, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. ‘There was a rosdhowse neat the Kelly ome, called Fairmount laa, where the eacnge trade stopped for creshents Sailr Tom Sharkey once trsned a the Ton fora bout in Philadelptin. After that it Ircame «favorite tuning camp for fe for fellows ike Terty McGovern, Bat Nelon, and Gus Ruin Kelly and i boyhood pals spent a lot of tine around the tan, bro-worspping the seat fighters. Costomers sponsored boxing tournaments for the kids, tnd in this way Jack got intersted in boxing ‘After losing his fist two. amateur bouts at the fan, Jak changed is taining tech fique and’ stated tuning like the profes sionals. He even went out with the older fighters when they did roadwork, He was told that hi aould toughen his legs ed improve is wind Hugh McGover, brother of T ible Terry, the champion, was atracted by Jack's eager: ‘nes and determination. He gave the young- ster boxing lessons. In less than month Jack won his first tournament. The boy wat ‘on his way, ‘As the years fled, and Jack Kelly grew ‘older and "wiser, he continued to box t keep in condition for rowing. Some of is Dest fights were with Pat McCarthy, a Phila: delphin professional who fought” at local dubs. Jolin McCallum describes one of theit most biter batls in "That Kelly Family” ‘One evening Jack, then 2 young man, was sitting at the counter of « local East Falls restaurant, a hangout for the. sports crowd, when Pat McCarthy’ began picking 4 fight with smaller fellow. Jack stopped ‘ating, pot off his stool, walked over to Pat and tapped him on the’ shoulder, ‘You certainly know how to pick your ‘opponents, don't you, Pat?” sid Jack. "Mearthy, a, toublemaker, wheeled on Kelly Suppose I pick on you" he snorted “Fine, said. Jack Ed Byrne, proprietor of the restaurat, could smell 4 Sght blowing up as x bird Senses a storm, and he shouted, ‘Fer the luva Mike! If yoq guys aregonaa fight get outta here! "What about Dabsoa's lot up the srcet? suggested somebody. “Jack eyed Pat, and said, “What about it? *MeCarthy was a Toud-mouth, but no coward Sure he said, ‘Word quickly spread around East Falls that Kelly and McCarthy were going t0 fight, and’as they stalked up the strect they ware followed by a hundred people, ceery last buck of them ready for a good scrap. Local folks could see this coming for a long. tine “Artving at Dobson's lot, Jack and Pat shurredly stripped to the waist for action, their eyes not once leaving each other. Kelly was grim, McCarthy cocky. The crowd tight- ned its koot around the combatants, urging them to begin. Jack needed no urging. His fists closed into’ handful of knuckles. He sailed into Pat with both prods. Pat met Jack with a giant swing on the nose. Blood owed, but it dida't stop Jack's advance. He hhad a ‘temendous physical capacity for ab- sobing shocks. Pat needed no psychiatrist to tell him he had involved himself with real gladiator For 20 minutes, without meccy on either side, the watrors cudgeled each other. At close quarters. Jack brought. his abnormal strength into play. His shor, shart jolts and hooks ‘arred a sibcracking impact and were bruising and battering Pat's pink flesh something terrible. His eyes were growing slasy, his limbs leaden, and fe was be inning to waver. “Jack rushed in and drove bis powesful Make This Test See How Simple To Master THE MOST LETHAL aq JUDO YET DEVISED fy Met time ough belly fries to shove you around, do this MR. AMERICA PUBLISHING CO. ow 1201 Pelieade Ave Union Ciy, M- atime: Tncloned fad $2.00, for which plane wed me ter copy of AMERICAN 000.” 1 endentond thor Tmont be 100% soied or | con ren e 8 dors reetight hand to McCarthy's heart, followed ‘with left to the stomach, and thea a right to the head. Pat dropped, spread out on the ground as lifeless ae death, "You kilt him, Kelly" shouted. some- body, when Pat didn't str. A lok of deep conceen filtered across Jack's face. He knelt, and felt Pats pulse. It was faintly beating For an hour they worked over Pat. Finally, his eyes uttered, and he said feeby, "Y-9-93 hnad enough, Kelly?” “Jack hecived 8 big sigh of see, secing that his victim was going. to live “Yeah, he smiled Lets call ita draw.” Jack Kelly was taught by his parent not to be defeat, an-old Kelly custom that Inegan way Back in kaickerbocker days Jacks parents Let him fight his battles with other young men. Some mothers thought that was wrong, but Me and Mrs, Kelly dida't, To theie thinking, st was nature's way of giving Jack the courage and strength he was going to eed later on in life When Jack arrived home after the fight with Mearthy, Jack's mother saw the blood smeared on his face. She stidy "Was he a Bigger boy than you are, son?” was Pat McCarthy.” Mes. Kelly was familiar with Pats repu- ton. She suid no more. Had it tuned out that Jack had picked om a sialler man, she ‘would have boxed his eats, She let Jack Settle most of his diferenes with other boys his own way, just as long as his methods were honest and f In World War I, Jack Kelly calisted in the Ann's Ambulance Corps and. was frst assigned to the University of Pennsylvania Base Hospital, Many ex-collge football pl rs from Pena and Lafayette were inthe out ft, including Bert Belly now the high Com- missioner of the National Football’ League Jack and Beet hit it off watmly the instant they met. Beet had been a stat quarterback fon the Penn football team, Jack liked his fighting spct. And Bert Tiked Jack's courage Later, while overseas, Bert acted as Jack's manager for the Red’ Cross boxing matches. Today they still get together and tlle about those “good ol days in. France Tt has been long, eventful road this life of John B. Kelly, St—now the father ‘of one of the world's most famous women, Princess Grace». father of a world cham: pion oarsman . brother of a Puliter Prisewinning playwright and the later Wal ter Kelly, the great "Vigginia Judge” of Vaudeville . president of Atlantic City Race Track | | "s member of the Helms Foundation’s Hall of Fame... the man 610 ‘of the nation’s sports weiters selected as ‘the greatest oaesman in U.S. History” « Olympic champion. well, the list of honors and recogaition runs on ‘and on, ‘But i was a8 a fighter and an oarsman that 1 harbor my fondest memories,” says Jack Kelly. “They taught me the most” Jack Kelly —Champion