Pat DeCicco was not on the best of terms with a great many people. It comes as no great surprise that he did not get along with Ernest Hemingway, either.
THE OGDEN STANDARD-EXAMINER 10 July 1961
SPORTS HIGHWAY WITH AL WARDEN Ernest Hemingway Tried to Kayo Devlin in N.Y. Drills He didn't know him as the winner of a Pulitzer Prize or of a Nobel Prize (1954) for his novels. Or writer of two short stories with boxing background, Take Nothing" and "Twenty Grand". New Yorker Jimmy Devlin knew Ernest Hemingway as a robust, .bearded 200-pounder who joyfully tried to knock him out three to four times a week during the many years they boxed together. There was no 'Papa' Jazz in George Brown's .Gym on West 57th Street, New York, where the author trained from 1939 'till its closing in 1956, with time out for World War n and Africa-traipsing. New York sports writer Lester Bromberg- provides the rest of the story as'follows: "It was Ernie to some and Mr. Hemingway to others but, by either name, he was just as rough, according to Devlin, boxing instructor . at Brown's, former pro lightweight in England and here with a 50-4-2 record. "He.always boxed barefoot," re- pouted Jimmy, now a New York State Athletic Commission referee. "He loved to hit and kept coming at you out of a bob and weave. "His favorite punch was a right hand to the body, a three-quarters hook. He nailed me under the heart with it every now and then and I tell you it hurt." In the early .1940s he was "as hard as a rock, had fantastic endurance." Devlin remembered. "He would go three rounds with George, a fine boxing teacher from Philadelphia. Jack O'Brien's, old place and a big man. Then he'd take me on for speed, -two, three rounds." "To the best of Jimmy's knowledge, ' Hemingway never boxed in competition. "But I'm sure he flattened many a fresh guy in his time. . ... Once, I recall, Pat DeCicco, a 6-4 guy, who used, to come around the gym, .hit a bellhop in a hotel and, when he heard about it, he boiled, he wanted to get DeCicco to box with him but DeCicco would not go for it." "After his plane crash in 1955 in Africa, in which 'he was injured, Hemingway slowed down some, Devlin conceded. But he still boxed and continued his exercise routine which included 200 leg-ups on table and punching the heavy bag "He didn't like the speed bag, Jimmy said, "too tricky and no enough to hit at for him." "By this time he had a bit of a belly." he added, "but you could not hurt him hitting there. It was as hard as a steel drum." "Of all the professional fighter: Hemingway felt closest to Rocky Marciano, Devlin pointed out. "Be cause that was the way he saw boxing, a hit-and-get-hit game with guts and condition the thing that counted." "Jimmy's he replied to a question as whether he was a 'paid' sparring "Mr. Hemingway gave $20 every time we boxed, every Christmas there was a C in an envelope for me." "Devlin was standing near the of his Tuxedo Ballroom on St. as he'd talked. "Mr. Hemingway wouldn't have been fond of dance hall. No fights. Everybody is to peaceable here . . never forget him, even if I read his books." NOTES ON A NAPKIN The Intermountain Network will all of the 1S61 Air Force football games, Lynn L. president of the network announces. KLO will be included in the games. Air Force has gone big time in and will play such formidable opponents as UCLA, SMU, Maryland and California in 1961. Fifty-six stations will carry the play by play. Fred Leo, veteran sportscaster and Roger Daugherty, former Ail- at Washington State, will the games. - Twenty of the top- sports writers the United States will be on report the Gene Fullmer-Florentino Fernandez middleweight title bout -at Ogden Stadium the night 5. The list will include Lester of the New York World Sun, Jack Cuddy of United Press International, Harry Grayson of NEA Service, Jimmy Cannon of the New York Journal American and Bob Meyers of the- Press. Paul Pender is a 7-5 favorite to his two-state middleweight title when he meets Terry Downs England in London Tuesday evening. If Feeder wins he plans to up the gloves until 1962 . of Uncle Sam's tax bite. · · Contrary to some reports, Jack the Manassa Mauler and heavyweight boxing champion of the world is not interested in United States commissioner of boxing. Authority: Dempsey himself. Jack Many Gunners Shine at n Traps January Simmons, Bill Heiter, Niles Skip Mencimer, Hoot Skinner
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