EIGHT The AMERICAN JEWISH OUTLOOK FRIDAY, JULY G, 194$ National B'nai B'rith Uniontown B'nai B•rith Lodge Plans Summer Dance For Your Next Printing Honors Pittsburghers The Uniontown B'nai B'rith As a result of extensive partici­ Order Call Je-ws in Sports Lodge No. 471 will hold its summer pation in war service activities f r om dance at Gorley's Lake Hotel on CITY PRINTING CO. ============= By HASKELL COHEN====;;; 1942-1 946, I. H. Kantrowitz and July 17 from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m., 1200 VICKROY STREET Mrs. David Simons have been paid with Jimmy Brunelli and his orches­ THIS IS A STORY OF A SHATTERED DREAM. A TALE OF A GRant 3440 signal honor by the B'nai B'rith Na­ tra providing the music. Proceeds BROKEN HEART. It began sixteen years ago and ended the other night tional Post-War Service and Ameri­ in Yankee Stadium. from the dance will go toward the canism Department. Both of these new Uniontown Jewish Community It was back in 1930 when Johnny Ray, nee Chatzel Pitler, was running Home. U. G. SHAFFER &SONS a gymnasium in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh. Business was Mr. Samuel Kirshman, committee GENERAL AUTO & bad as the depression was then at its height. Johnny tried to eke out chairman w ill have the f ollowing TRUCK REPAIRING an existence catering to fighters wh o were booked in the Smoky City. committee members as his aides: His gym was made available to incoming fighters and if Johnny were Lester Cohen, Edward Amber, Ben­ Official Inspection Station lucky he worked as a second for these fighters. But at best it was a pre­ edict Berkowitz, Nathan Weinsweig, No. 7283 carious living. Howard Abramson, Samuel \Veiner, About this time a frail, handsome Irish kid came along and asked Ray Dr. Edward Kaplan and Sol Kron­ 36 HOOPER ST. to let him box. The kid, a fresh lad, had the face of an angel but the gold. guts of a David. Johnny liked the way he handled his dukes against big­ ATlantic 5961 ger and tougher boys in the neighborhood. The boy's father came around ,Visit Our Other Garage at one day and asked Ray to teach the kid how to box. Johnny adopted the ELECTRIC SALES 161 5 FORBES ST. twelve-year-old virtually as his own and trained him in the rudiments of & SERVICE COurt 9621 the fight game. Billy Conn was an ambitious lad so far as his fighting 1039 Lilac St., Squirrel Hill JA. 9948 went. He learned quickly and acquired a polish far beyond his years. Home and Auto Radio Repairing Ray had bee n a fine featherweight in his day and had fought the likes HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES SUPPORT* * *THE I of Kilbane and Dundee. He was known as a smart boxer. What is more, MOTOROLA FRIGIDAIRES PHILCO UNITED JEWISH FUND he knew how to impart knowledge to others. Soon Billy was master of * * * the gym. Naturally the boy was too young to fight as a pro so he was nursed along and fattt:ned up. Johnny wasn't getting rich, you under­ PAl NTI NG 'AL' stand. When he managed to pick up a five spot it was steak and potatoes Cor Johnny and his boy Billy. Finally Ray decided to match the boy and DECORATING J!, EARLY'S secured a fight in W eat Virginia. .,.... 0 "'" Texaco It was cake and coffee money to the firm of Ray and Conn and what is Free Estimates more Billy lost his first fight. His conqueror's name has long been for­ Super Service Station gotten. The fights were &mall money affairs but Johnny and Billy en­ Work Guaranteed I. H. Kantrowitz In Squirrel Hill joyed themselves traveling to West Virginia. They would roll home at BROWNS HILL AT night with Johnny at the wheel and Billy's curly h ead fast asleep on Ray's Pittsburgh members of B'nai B 'rith BEECHWOOD BLVD. shoulder. Ray used to look at the h andsom e face in repose and mutter were presented w ith a brochure in CALL and DELIVERY SERVICE to himself, "Some day this kid is going to be the best fighter in the busi­ which were reproduced copies of J. A. PAPPY HAZEL 6801 ness, a champ." the citations received by B'nai Complete Line of Tires Their first break came in 1936. Billy was matched to fight t h e Pitts­ B'rith from the United States War ATlantic 0225 and Accessories burgh idol Fritzie Zivic. Ray was against the match but went through and Navy Departments and ex­ OPEN 24 HOURS EVERY DAY with it since it promised big dough to the growing firm. Billy came cerpts from Congressional Record through a winner. The company was on its way. Next came Solly Krieger extolling the contributions of B'nai in three tough fights, Rankins, Fred Apostoli, Gus Lesnevich , Bob P astor, B'rith to the war effort. THE MINERS AND MECHANICS and Lee Savold. With it came the light heavy mantle which was quickly Mrs. David Simons was War B ond SAVINGS AND TRUST COMPANY vacated. The Irish gid was growing. He had his eye on big game. Yes, Chairman for the Western P enn­ sylvania Council for almost four The Friendly Bank he was grooming for the heavy weight bauble. Member FDIC Mike Jacobs liked the boy. He had guts and could take a punch. It years during which time she per­ STEUBENVILLE, OHIO was 1941 a nd the Louis match was set for June. Billy trained hard, too sonally supervised the administra­ bard. He came in for the fight at 174~ . He had worries on his mind. tive details pertaining to war bond 1 He was getting married right after the fight. He didn't eat the day of sales of a ll denominations and war a STORES AUQUIPPA the fight. Yet he went out and boxed the eara off Louis for twelve rounds. Savings stamps. Mr. Kantrowitz, I 534 FrankUn Avenue F~R ~o!R1201 ~o~E~E~E Main Street I~ 200 Fifth A,.n_. I Ray's teachings stood him in good stead. Johnny beamed in his corner. War Service Chairman of the B'nai I• Phone 154-J Phone 724 Phone 1341 - ~~ -~-a..:1 _ a _D..a_ a _ a _ a _ a _ a _ - ~~ - · -·- The fatal thirteenth came. Billy nailed Louis with a left hook but Joe B'rith Council of Western Pennsyl­ •.• ..-.a_a_a_l!l _a_a_ ,,._ crossed over the left with a right and Billy was on his way to slumberland. vania, in addition to planning and Five long years went by. Johnny and Billy planned how they were guiding the many B'nai B'rith pub­ BUTLER FLOOR COMPANY lic war bond rallies was the 13- ASPHALT TILE - LINOLEUM-FLOORS AND WALLS going to lick the champ. Every time Billy had a furlough he talked the PHONE BUTLER 4016 BUTLER, PA. coming fight over with Ray. They lived for the day when Louis would time chairman of the B'nai B'rith again put his title up a~ainst the kid. All through the training period Blood Donor Days in Pittsburgh Ray insisted Billy was in great shape. He would lick the champ this time. that set the style for other organ­ MILES P. BROWN BOILER WORKS You know the story of the fight. It wasn't even close. Billy was out­ izations and Red Cross Chapters FRANKLIN, PA. classed. Joe had too many guns for the P ittsburgh kid. After the fight throughout the nation. Englneer-Desi&"Der-Fahricators-Ereetors--General Steel Plate Conatruetloa when Billy was prepared for the press, Johnny Ray wept silently in a Both of these workers have FIELLJ ERECTION ANYWHERE corner mumbling. "He's all through. He just doesn't have it any more." earned the approbation of the Johnny was hard to reach after the fight. Billy and others in his en­ American Red Cross and the United McNEAL LUMBER co. tourage showed up at Mike Jacobs' office. But not Johnny. It was said States Treasury Department, cul­ MANUFACTURERS OF HARD AND SOFT-WOOD PRODUCTS he was drowning his sorrows in the waters that made one forget. The minating in the receipt of a Silver Spaeialiats In Mine and Induatrial Timber wise guys said Johnny was busted. The nags had nicked him for forty Medal for Distinguished Service and WINDBER, PA. gees and he had gone for a bundle on Billy. Johnny was broke. Money a Red Cross Button of Service of never meant that much to Johnny if his boy Billy didn't share it. World War I. It was true Johnny was broke but not in the pocket. Johnny was nurs­ In addition to more than $24,- L. L. LORD COMPANY ing a broke n heart. After sixteen futile years Johnny saw his buddy 000,000.00 of war bond sales and PLUMBING- HEATING- SHEET METAL WORK wrecked. Conn is through. But so is Johnny Ray. He says be will not 3,000 pints of blood in this area, RACE STREET and ERIE R. R. PHONE 21-611 MEADVILLE. PA. go near the ring again. H e lived for one thing, a championship for Conn the B'nai B'rith provided many re­ among the heavy boys. At his age he isn't starting again. More's the creation facilities for military hos­ pity since all fight people assert Ray is the finest teacher in the game to­ pitals and schools, thousands of THE J.