On the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, last week, Emperor Joe Louis met the 17th challenger for his world's heavyweight crown: 23-year-old Billy Conn of Pittsburgh.
Young Conn, a handsome Irish toughie, brought up in Pittsburgh's brawl-proud East Liberty section, had been fighting since he was 14. He got his upper schooling in the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight and light-heavyweight classes, had only recently given up his light-heavy title to take a jab at Joe Louis' diadem. The wise money said The Kid should have waited another year. He was fast and smart but...