The Princeton union., 1922-08-03
Observation-Disclosures
z In the Third
s Round
By MORRIS SCHULTZ
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

- -
By MORRIS SCHULTZ =
Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
''In the third round, don't fergit,
kid Barney had whispered. "Go in
fer all you're worth, and he'll go easy
with you. Then in the third you git
it on the jaw and goes down-see?"
Abe nodded. The principals faced
each other in the ring. Lofsky, the
champion, grinned at Abe and tapped
him lightly on the cheek. They spared
and broke away.
Abe was dimly conscious of the vast
| concourse of spectators. 1t was the
great event toward which he had been
working for five years past-his ambi-
ton, the welterweight championship.
1t had been difficult to find big man
willing to meet him. He had fought
his way up from the bottom, and he
had had tough luck.
And now, at the last, the thing that
he had looked forward to SO long had
become his infamy. Abe had always
fought straight. He was the logical
man to meet Lofsky. But Lofsky had
refused to meet him. And Abe's young
wife and the baby were pining in an
East Side tenement
Then temptation had come In the
| form Of Barney. LOfsky would meet
him for the purse of nine thousand
dollars, if he would take two thousand
and a knockout.
Abe had refused scornfully. He
knew that he was fair match against
Lofsky. But things at home were
going worse, and Minnie was threat
ened with tuberculosis. In the end
Abe yielded.
1T amt as if it was your finish,
kid" Barney had said to him. mo
body expects you to beat Lofsky, and
no one will know. You'll git your
chance again some day"
That was the understanding under
which they met.
| Abe rushed in, pummelling Lofsky
tiercely about the body. Lofsky par.
ried and guarded, returning an occa'
sional blow which lacked all of Lof.
sky's steam. At first Abe thought
Lofsky was mindful of the compact
but then he realized that the big man
had not trained for the fight. He was
beefy, puffy, with too much stomach
over his belt.
And then Abe saw that his chance
had come. Lofsky had not trained
and he was trained to the ounce. Vic
; tory was within his reach, with sever
{ thousand instead of two as his share
: Of the proceeds.
He could redeem himself and fgb
fair, as he had always done, in conf
, dence of victory, and so avoid thu
worst offense known to the prize ring
e On the other hand, if he tricket
Lofsky and his manager, would he no
be guilty of an offense equally bad?
The dilemma was hideous one, an
there seemed no way to escape dif
honor.
And suddenly he saw red. He woul
beat Lofsky at any rate, if he coulc
:: He sprang in and dealt him blo1
upon the jaw that staggered hin
After that he fought furiously, stant
, ing up under rain Of punches. 81
heard Lofsky grunt, he saw the loo
of surprise come into his face.
The round ended amid tumultuou
applause. Abe hardly heard the whf
) pered advice of his seconds. Whe
the next round began he rushed 8
Z Lofsky and began driving him a
around the ring. A fearful stomac
blow momentarily crippled him; the
> he had sent out his left, and Lofsl
had reeled and fallen.
The spectators were growing frant1
Was this another David? There WI
L an ugly look on Lofsky's face as
rose and met Abe's shoWering blow
There was q clinch. Then Lofsky g
home on Abe's stomach and cheek, tN
staggering punches that evened thing
Abe grew cool. He had been rushil
o it too hard. He guarded for the
l. mainder of the second round.
j. The third round-the men faced o.
Y, another. Lofsky was sneering. The
n was a cut over his eye, and his no
e was bleeding. There was look
II uncertainty in his eyes. Abe resolv'
E. to put forth all his might in this roun
n the one in which he was booked to
ts down. He rushed. He beat dov
IS Lofskys guard. And then
,e He opened his eyes. His second W
p. stopping over him, sponging his face.
10 "What's the matter?" he mumblt
did he get me?"