SPEARY A MODEST GENT PLANS TO ENLIST SOON

Hal Walker
Toronto, Canada

For a young man who cleaned up everything in sight as an amateur and has blazed his way to the top in the moneyed ranks, Billy Speary, the dark, good-looking Nanticoke, Pa., fighter, speaks of his exploits with becoming modesty, of fact which alone makes him unique along rue de cauliflower.

This 23-year-old ringster, who is in town training for his fight Monday at Maple Leave Gardens has only two things in mind right now and one of them is to whip Harry Jeffra when they mingle in their 10-round go -- their third meeting, incidentally, and the other is to join the United States Air Corps.

Wife Accompanies Him Here

Billy expects to enlist "in a couple of months," but he is worried last he fails to pass the educational requirements necessary for

Back in his mind he has an idea of specializing in electrical work in getting a job in a plant in his hometown of Nanticoke, the city of about 28,000 population.  This plan is heartily endorsed by his pretty young wife, who accompanied him to Toronto for this match.

Mrs. Speary follows her husband on his ring travels around the country (they've only been married since last May), and confesses she has got over worrying about how hubby will fare once the gong sounds for the first round.  "I figured that Bill is good enough to look out for himself against anybody," she says in stout defense of her young husband.

Reluctantly, it seemed, Speary divulged something of his record, but it took the best efforts of Matchmaker Jack Allen  and the writer to get him to talk.  The gist of it is that he won three national titles in the states, two international championships against fighters from South America and Italy, and numerous Golden Glove honors.  He turned pro and has been fighting for cheques for three years.  In that time he has had thirty-four fights, losing 6 and drawing in another.

Has Praise for Jeffra

The idea of a ring career appeal to him, he said, after watching his brother Wes, now a commissioned officer in the United States Navy, fighting.  His brother was a lightweight and prevailed upon Bill to enter the ring.