River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-03-05

He had demonstrated nothing but the
possession of a lucky punch and de-
pressing proclivity for fukes.
So it was that his fourth match was
arranged with Pete Sosso. a Portu
guese fighter from Butchertown. known
only for the amazing tricks be played
in the ring
Pat did not train for the fight. In
stead be made a flying and sorrowful
trip to the mountains to bury his ia
Their Old Pat had known well the
condition of his heart and it had stop
ped suddenly on him.
Young Pat arrived back in San Fran
cisco with so close a margin Of time
that he changed into his fighting toys
directly from his travelling suit, and
even then the audience was kept wait
ing ten minutes.
Remember, give him a chance,
Stubener cautioned him as he climbed
through the ropes. PLAY with him, but
do it seriously. Let him go ten or
twelve rounds. then get him."
Pat obeyed instructions, and. though
it would have been easy enough to put
Sosso out, so tricky was he that to
stand up to him and not put him out
kept his hands full.
1t was a pretty exhibition, and the
audience was delighted. Sosso's whirl-
wind attacks, wild feints, retreats and
rushes required all Pats science to pro
tect himself, and even then he did not
escape unscathed.
Stubener praised him in the minute
rests, and all would have been well
had not Sosso in the fourth round
played one of his most spectacular
tricks
Pat, in a mixup, had landed a hook
to Sosso's jaw, when to his amaze
ment the latter dropped his hands and
reeled backward, eyes rolling, legs
bending and giving, in a high state Of
grogginess.
Pat could not understand. 1t had
not been a knockout blow, and yet
there was his man all ready to fall to
the mat Pat dropped his own hands
and wonderingly watched his reel1ng
opponent Sosso staggered away. al
most fell, recovered, and staggered OBJ
liquely and bIindly forward again
For the first and the last time in his
fighting career Pat was caught off his
guard He actually stepped aside to
let the reeling man go by Still reel
ing, Sosso suddenly loosed his right.
Pat received it full on his jaw with
an impact that ratified all his teeth
A great roar of delight went up from
the audience But Pat did not hear.
He saw only Sosso before him. grin
ming and defiant, and not the least bit
groggy. Pat was hurt by the blow.
but vastly more outraged by the trick
All the wrath that his father ever
had surged up in him. He shook his
head as if to get rid of the shock of
the blow and steadied himself before
his man. 1t all occurred in the next
second. With feint that drew his
opponent, Pat fetched his left to the
solar plexus, almost at the same in
slant whipping his right across to the
jaw.
The latter blow landed on Sosso's
mouth ere his falling body struck the
floor. The club doctors worked half an
hour to bring him to- After that they
put eleven stitches in his mouth and
packed him off in an ambulance
I'm sorry" Pat told his manager.
Pm afraid lost my temper. III new
er do it again in the ring. Dad always
cautioned me about it. He said it had
made him lose more than one battle.
| didn't know | could lose my temper
that way. But now that know I'll