Heavyweight Law

In a Federal Court in Newark, N. J. last week District Judge Guy Leverne Fake denied the Madison Square Garden Corp.'s plea for a temporary injunction to stop the scheduled heavyweight prize fight between Champion James Braddock and Challenger Joe Louis in Chicago on June 22. The court ruled that the Garden's contract with Braddock "places an unreasonable restraint upon his liberty." For the benefit of fight fans who want to keep up with the heavyweight legal tangle, the New York Times's versatile Sportswriter John Kieran submitted this brief at week's end:

"In re Braddock v. Madison Square Garden or vice versa, the first round went to Braddock on negative points (Federal Court, 1937, Fake, J.). However, Braddock now proceeds 'sub suo periculo' and is, among other things, subject to estoppel by deed of Louis, J., when, as and if the issue is presented 'per curiam' on June 22, as specified on the Illinois calendar. . . .

"It is now clear that Messrs. Braddock, Louis, Schmeling, Gould, Kilpatrick, Roxborough, Johnston, Jacobs (bis), the Chicago promoters and the esteemed New York Athletic Commission intend to go right ahead with whatever they are doing in this heavyweight matter, 'de jure' or by 'force majeure' (Lincoln v. Douglas, 1860, U. S., and McLarnin v. Canzoneri, N. Y., 1936) and the whole action is thus left in escrow. Whatever the verdict, the promoters will pay costs."

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