This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.
The man who won the first marathon was carrying a message to carry the message the distance of the marathon race a drop dead in its delivery but it's fragile again the modernized and much more than those who live to receive it and of this for that reason that we maintain that this hope and aspiration for the athlete I remember a police commissioner saying one time in the studios of your city station that in every instance where they picked up a criminal in almost no instance was he an athlete because the athlete give you an opportunity to fight back and win or lose makes no difference in the highest elements of sports it makes no difference who wins it's the effort that creates the sport and they are the city of New York the animal Vinson arm proletarian the animal right whale and and other committee who have turned out here to meet each other Ray Robinson today on his return from the battlefields of Europe in a different sense why they've just taken their place on the stands now and there's a few minutes for personal greetings because as happens in that these occasions at city hall the grandstand is crowded with those who have come out to express their interest in the occasion whatever it may be and some of them are meeting the man for the first time here this morning and I was very busy earlier in the day as you know in the swearing in the fire commissioner of the city of New York and now he's in front of the city hall with this so it could be a two out American athlete Sugar Ray Robinson. The situation now is that the guests are taking their seats on the stand to record in front of City Hall and Sugar Ray will certainly know that win or lose weight behind our athletes and it's like a ball game and they when it's a day are you you'll win again tomorrow and then of course we all look toward the World Series by a series of win or lose with the course the differentiation being on the winning side and the shadow right you'll have every reason to know that we have confidence in him as a good athlete and his next opportunity on no doubt from the fact that we're much better on our home soil and we are in the diversions of the foreign scene that's always a difficult matter I sometimes think when we travel we accept too much entertainment and at different environments so much so that we're never quite ourselves to the extent that we feel like when we're at home or in our home town surrounded by our own powers and friends and Sugar Ray will be very encouraged today with the turnout here at city hall to a great amount is retiring from England it's not the final instance of the situation as you all know it's going to be another contest only in the USA. All of about and this is cowboy snake shot of New York City and this month most great American the word Sugar Ray Robinson began when the next time on the well five. Well at least this one fan and I missed while it was just full of. Oh. How the animal grew a whale in German of the mass reception committee Mr Whalen. Man. Ladies and gentlemen. To introduce the guest of honor today is a privilege of a man who is no. Choice writing and for his great humanitarian purposes by his courage and for his ability to speak out when he should speak up and to great privilege for me to present to you the head of the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund Walter Winchell. Little. You're on commission and I'm Mr Mrs New York thank you very very much I think most of you know why I'm here I'm here ladies and gentlemen to personally thank Sugar Ray Robinson for all he has done for the Runnion fund. It will be one year ago in a few days August ninth I believe is the date when showed up for Charley for sorry at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City for the Runnion committee at which time the cancer fight is realized almost forty seven thousand dollars because Sugar Ray turned over his anti up cars. And why wasn't the first time that a champion turned over his anti a place to a cause because Joe Lewis did it for Navy relief when Incidentally I Chaman that get at the Garden several years ago in one thousand nine hundred two. But it was the first time in an awful long time that anyone else followed suit showed them it's what you said in London that made us all very proud when I say all I imagine all of us in the forty eight states but I know how proud it made all of us on the Runnion committee feel when we picked up the papers and listened to the radio and learned that in your sorrow follow in defeat you were still a champion and you conduct yourself the way Americans like to know Americans conduct themselves when they're overseas when you said you were a better man than I am for that I was tonight. Thank you. I put that in the paper showed them and I added You see no sour grapes in show. When Sugar Ray went over seas he brought with him from the Runyon fun ate Runyan fun checks for cancer research and eight different countries abroad ten thousand dollars each and they went to Ireland Israel if only no way Scotland England and France showed that a lot of them. But before he delivered any of those checks in his fight with Kid Marcello in Paris for the French Cancer Society shudder again China over his anti-apartheid believe in the sum of about twenty thousand thanks. All of which have been reported in the sports pages and eventually in the history books of sports and so I see no further reason to add to any more comments of introduction for Sugar Ray Robinson you all know what kind of a man he is ladies and gentlemen General. Mr Man you heard the introduction which has just been given by. Walter Winchell and I'm sure that. He has an exaggerated tall about his charitable work and his humanitarian effort and great pleasure for me to ask you to. Welcome should go right this time to city hall. Rather wailing wall a wind chill Sugar Ray Mrs Robinson ladies and gentlemen this great gathering here today is a real tribute to one who is temporarily in temporary only the former Wells middleweight champion. And I say this and no disparaging sense of the game Englishman who won the crown in London on July tenth but rather because I think I know a little something of the stout heart and the master scale of Ray Robinson we honor Ray Robinson today not because he requires anymore outbuilding for his return bout not the sting of his defeat but because he's a great champion typical of the line of champions who have brought fame and distinction to our great setting to walk right nation. We honor Ray Robinson Not because we wish to memorialize the fact that his fall from the Championship less than four weeks ago was his first defeat in one hundred twenty six professional pilots but because right Robinson has been our cities and our nation goodwill ambassador here and abroad for many years we honor him because. Christic success did not go his senses where civic responsibility was concerned but rather prodded him on to greater endeavors on behalf of his fellow man if I were to continue much longer in an age of Fame right he would become even more fidgety than I am sure he is right now however I should like to add just a word or two to the comments made by one other Winchell about Ray's very real contribution to the day man Runyan Memorial Cancer Fund fighter Ray Robinson and successful businessman Ray Robinson emerged a finer human personality when early last year he offered his services in the fight against one of me in just the most terrifying diseases cancer in our own city cancer last year took a total of almost sixteen thousand lives being surpassed as the leading cause of death only by hot they see. New York's be love it columnist Damon Runyon whose own Guys and Dolls are a couple of being on Broadway now and fell victim to death to this disease while their Winchell and many of his colleagues threw their talents into this battle against against cancer thousands have benefited and the hope of all is that funds set aside for research will lead the way that the cause and the cure for this dread killer I think that it is rather accurate to say that in true greatness imagination always plays a very important role. And I think it is also accurate to say that Ray Robinson's imagination which fired by this new challenge of a fight even greater than any of his Ring victories following his championship fight with Charlie Pierce area in which his cut of the gate went entirely to the Damon Runyon fun he went on a tour of Europe to make more research dollars available in the fight against cancer it is from this these race that we are here today to honor Sugar Ray Robinson I know that for you and for me and for every New Yorker right Robinson Well always be a great champion because on his letter already much is written up good that he has done for his fellow man. Thank you. It is now my great pleasure to present to write Robinson New York City scroll for this thing graced an exceptional public service which I will now read to you Office of the mayor city of New York you know all these men by these press. That I mentioned are in color Terry mayor of the city of New York do hereby cite for distinguished an exceptional public service. Former middleweight champion of the world whose interest in the welfare of S. fellow human bein as manifested in his various activities as ambassador at large for the Damon Runyon memorial fund for cancer research has secured the heartfelt appreciation of the people of the city of New York right it's my great pleasure to present this problem. Now the usual thing and now the city of New York the animal concerned all in politics has been asked by the cameraman to pose for the SPRO presentation with Walter Winchell on one side Sugar Ray in the middle and Marion Pelletier handing the scroll to Ray Robinson the camera man you know I sure to get their picture and for the benefit of those who cannot be here at present they can refer back for all time to this occasion through the energy and industry and the commands of the cameraman and they're issuing plenty of them right now down there clicking in on this very clear day the only reminder we have to revel was a thunderstorm in New York is the flashing of the bulbs that might remind us a little of the lightning the proceeds. Sure Graham self is. In a rather shot through his colored girl he looks very calm and peaceful and suave we've heard a splendid record cited by Walter Winchell and the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund and the trying to rethink energy expended in the tour in Europe and carrying not only the aid the checks to the various nations for the Cancer Fund but fighting some votes on the way. The athlete is always uppermost in the mind of the American who always and at all times wants to be a good sport. We can't always win that's proved in baseball when we don't really place more hope on the team because they have to fight to win the next game. We have some very enthusiastic Dodger fans right now I'm you know civil building this one young lady in the morning the cheers us all up as we come in for an o'clock and she's the greatest Dodger owner I ever met she can give you any play in any baseball situation back over the years that ever the Dodgers took part in and the men try to catch her in the morning but she's got them all down straight she's always in a happy singing mode. At the very moment the Dodgers don't win like foreigners phases down to where days until the next time and they win a double header and even the elevator runs faster so you see a sleaze inspirations account so much in life that isn't there yet they train it isn't the thing we throw around the glamour it's the reality the inspiration of the thing brings to us Sugar Ray makes a very handsome appearance now she was right I was and I was too I was just presenting the. Sugar Ray's going to reply to Sugar Ray Robinson. Ladies and gentlemen. Stand here as I stand in front of you to hold back tears which I. Know it's very easy for champion to come home and victory and receive the blessings and good tidings of friends and all his associates a very settled on a champion and if he can come home and find such a wonderful thing as I have here today. Ladies and gentlemen after losing my title. Or title. Because I lost the recognition by you as your champion. Immediately after the fight was over and the arm of the Champion Randolph was elevated in victory the first one I met at the ringside. Coming out of my wife. Told me that I'll always be a champion and don't feel bad. The first telegram I received was that of my good friend. The telegram read you still have your run in front titles. And then later. I want to. Thank me for. You people think that I'm worried for things that I try to do overseas and welcome me welcome me me me back to our city. And. Asking me to let him. Know that he could plan this wonderful. Day. You'll never know how I feel. You have a lot of company on the way up the ladder. You start to come down situation put in it changes and one of. One a champion. Like this comes home and see that his country his city his people his friends are with them more so than when he was riding on the top it just I don't know how I can explain it. I'm very happy to be back down and I can't tell you what it meant to me when I got my first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. And also. Wonderful and all the places that I had the pleasure to visit but there really is one America. I'm very happy to say and I think that I was fortunate in making a lot of friends for America on behalf of W.W.I. and my associates in the Runnion Fon and other things the American ambassador. I'm sorry. I did not I was. Coming back here today I'm still a champion I know. I'm sorry I did not bring back the recognition as the middleweight champion of the world but I promise you. On September twelfth. To again bring. Back to America thank you. To the whole recognition of his wonderful work in the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund sponsored by Walter W. Winchell. Mr Whalen. Complement paid to. Sugar Ray Robinson today because the pay. Elite club asked for the privilege the same and now render a few selections. LOL LOL LOL. Was that was the was. That the. Was was. Was. Was. Was. Wrong but. Was. Was. Loaded. Was. Was was. Loaded. Was. A fan will not lay. And the platform will please wait until the man scotch the guest of honor from the city hall steps. We're all friends with one of our John King not Damon Runyon cancer Ron and no man has done more to build up the interesting that cancer comes and contribute substantially to it than that Ray Robinson in his tour of Europe he carried substantial checks to a principle nations of Europe to aid in the cancer research in those nations and you have heard the tribute of Walter Winchell to Sugar Ray Robinson here in front of the city hall today and the preview to the mayor the city of New York in representing. The Such tragedy of. The first struggling I'd like to but only with was a little bit of realism so with the great fall of the number twelve and we know that once a year old whether it's in the Congress I whether it's in the day you put on. Your problem I don't mean a lot to do with. Sugar Ray Robinson in a splendid cooperation with the Damon Runyon cancer fund the committee found out about the city of New York conduct less than messenger a Robinson from the stand in to the city of Hollywood take their cars uptown down a grove right Wayland jam of America sufficient Committee today was the jam up today's proceedings in front of City Hall a lot of all we can bring you up on the plaza at city hall we join with the program now in progress on your city station.