Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

SPORTS Thursday 21 sepTember
A23

Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato

to drive for Rahal in 2018

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — In- for the lead. with Honda and needed a
dianapolis 500 winner Taku- The Tokyo native has made contingency plan in case
ma Sato will return to Rahal 135 starts in the IndyCar Se- Andretti moved to Chevro-
Letterman Lanigan Racing ries since his rookie season let for 2018. By the time An-
next season. Sato spent just in 2010. He has two victo- dretti decided to stay with
one season with Andretti ries, the Indy 500 and at Honda, Sato had already
Autosport and became Long Beach in 2013, and six agreed to a deal with Ra-
the first Japanese winner of podium finishes. Sato com- hal. In this May 29, 2017, file photo, Indianapolis 500 champion Ta-
the 500. peted in 90 Formula One “I’m excited about having kuma Sato, of Japan, and car owner Michael Andretti chat dur-
Sato drove for Rahal in races between 2002 and Taku back with us,” Bobby ing the traditional winners photo session on the start/finish line at
2012 and nearly beat Dario 2008 and had a career- Rahal said. “I have such the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis.
Franchitti in attempting to best finish of third in the admiration for his spirit and Associated Press
win the Indy 500 that year. 2003 United States Grand how he approaches every- 500 this year. The chance up.”
Sato crashed on the final Prix. thing and was so happy for to bring him back to the Zach Veach will replace
lap trying to pass Franchitti Sato has a strong alliance him when he won the Indy team was too good to pass Sato at Andretti.q
Jake LaMotta, the United States crashed

in the Azores in 1949.
Continued From Page17 So in his first defense, La-
Motta outpointed Tiberio
The Bronx Bull, as he was in to save him from further Mitri on July 12, 1950, in
known in his fighting days, punishment. LaMotta fin- New York, then on Sept.
compiled an 83-19-4 re- ished 1-5 in six fights against 13, he rallied to knock out
cord with 30 knockouts, Robinson, who many in Dauthuille at Detroit.
in a career that began in boxing think was the great- LaMotta’s title reign ended
1941 and ended in 1954. est fighter ever. when Robinson stopped
But it was the movie that “I fought Sugar Ray Rob- him in the 13th round in
unflinchingly portrayed him inson so many times it’s a Chicago, and he fought
as a violent and abusive wonder I don’t have dia- only sparingly before retir-
husband — he was mar- betes,” LaMotta was fond ing a few years later.
ried six times — that is re- of saying. In their second match, on
membered even more. In the fight before he lost Feb. 5, 1943, in New York,
“I’m no angel,” he said in a the title, LaMotta saved LaMotta won a 10-round
2005 interview with The As- the championship in mov- decision, giving Robinson
sociated Press. ie-script fashion against In this Feb. 23, 1945, file photo, Jake LaMotta, left, of the Bronx his first defeat in the 41st
borough of New York, and Ray Robinson of the Harlem section
LaMotta fought the great Laurent Dauthuille. Trailing of New York, fight at Madison Square Garden in New York. fight of his illustrious career.
Sugar Ray Robinson six badly on all three score- Associated Press LaMotta was born July 10,
times, handing Robinson cards, LaMotta knocked 1922, on New York City’s
the first defeat of his ca- out the challenger with 13 LaMotta was “stopped” by something like that. So you Lower East Side but was
reer in 1943 and losing the seconds left in the fight. Fox in the fourth round on could make excuses out raised in the Bronx. After
middleweight title to him in LaMotta threw a fight Nov. 14, 1947, in Madison of anything, you know, but retiring from boxing in 1954,
a storied match on Feb. 14, against Billy Fox, which he Square Garden. He didn’t you got to keep on going if he owned a nightclub
1951, at Chicago Stadium. admitted in testimony be- get a title shot until 10 fights you’re a champ or you’re for a time in Miami, then
Robinson stopped a blood- fore the Kefauver Commit- later. a contender.” dabbled in show business
ied LaMotta in the 13th tee, a U.S. Senate commit- On June 16, 1949, in Detroit, Renowned for his strong and commercials. He also
round of their scheduled tee investigating organized he became middleweight chin, and the punishment made personal appear-
15-round bout in a fight crime in 1960. champion when the he could take, and dish ances and for a while in
that became known as the “I purposely lost a fight Frenchman Marcel Cerdan out, LaMotta was knocked the 1970s he was a host at
second St. Valentine’s Day to Billy Fox because they couldn’t continue after the down only once — in a a topless nightclub in New
Massacre. It was a refer- promised me that I would 10th round. 1952 loss to light-heavy- York.
ence to the infamous 1929 get a shot to fight for the Of the claim that Cerdan weight Danny Nardico — in The 1980 film “Raging Bull,”
mob killings of the same title if I did,” LaMotta said had to quit because of a his 106 fights. based on LaMotta’s mem-
name. in 1970 interview printed shoulder injury, LaMotta LaMotta’s first defense oir written 10 years earlier,
LaMotta took a beating in in Peter Heller’s 1973 book said in 1970: “Something’s was supposed to be a re- was nominated for eight
the later rounds of the fight, “In This Corner: 40 World bound to happen to you in match with Cerdan, but Academy Awards. Though
but he refused to go down Champions Tell Their Sto- a tough fight, cut eye, bro- the Frenchman was killed director Scorsese was
until the referee stepped ries.” ken nose or broken hand or when a plane en route to passed over, q