"HOw would he do in the ring,
Gunner?"
"With his size and strenrth, he
would do all right inside the ropes
—if you're talking abou. wrest
ling," Gunboat allowed. "With
those huge legs he could break
their backs." i
"But I was referring to his
chances of making the grade as
a fighter, not as a wrestler," I ex
plained.
"Gosh, I don't see how he could'
tote all that weight around the
ring for more than a couple of
rounds.” he ventured, "He's fast on
his feet out there putting a shot
but there’s a whale of a differ
ence between a seven foot circle
and a 20-foot ring. His legs are
much too heavy for a fighter.”
Points for Olympics
As a matter of fact. Torrance is
not giving the question of a ca-1
reer in the ring any serious con
sideration at present. His thoughts
are focused on the 1936 Olympic j
games in Berlin. Jack wants to win
the Olympic championship before ]
he thinks of turning professional
in any sport.
Marty Burke, the former New
Orleans heavy, does not share
Gunboat Smith's views on Tor
rance’s ring potentialities. On the
contrary. Burke feels that in two
years the young giant could be j
developed into a fine fighting man.
He has the idea that Torrance
might develop into quite a punch
er, too. The "wrist flip" employed
in putting the shot should give him
the snap necessary to real punch
ing.
Thecderatcs Ambitious
Burke’s opinion is that Torrence’s
athletic background—the big fellow
has been playing basketball and
football as well as tossing weights
since his high school days—would
make the task of changing him
into a fighter a simple one.
