SPEARY TO REMAIN AMATEUR UNTIL AFTER OLYMPICS

by Jerry McCormack
1938
Billy Speary, Nanticoke entry in the Golden Club tournament at New York tonight, sends word from the metropolis he intends to remain an amateur until after the 1940 Olympics. Speary also states that if he does turn pro, he will retain his present manager, Art Thomas. The announcement from Speary is splendid. The anthracite region has not had a representative in the Olympics since Margaret Hoffman won the honors some years back as a swimmer. The best part of Speary's statement, however, is the fact he will keep Thomas as his manager.

Price fighters and their managers as a rule are the most ungrateful people in the world. There are few exceptions, Gene Tunney and Jim Braddock were among them. Usually, the managers content to sell a fighter down the river for the price of a cheap movie. The gratitude of fighters is about the same. Speary would do well to keep Thomas. If he makes good as a pro, he can repay Thomas for the time he spent with him. If he turns out to be a ham and egg fighter, he will always be able to count Thomas as a friend when his fair weather associates will even forget his name.