San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-13

paper. To Justin, as to all of his
kind, the term gong" meant only
the bell which opened and closed a
round.
The second preliminary at the Ces-
tus Athletic Club on Roddy's debut
night was ending as Roddy Kent sat
beside Justin in an empty ringside
box swathed in his bathrobe, and
watched the featherweight slapping
match drag itself to a close. Then,
ut Justin's command, he climbed up
into one of the rings newly vacated
corners. Not handicap greeted him.
Novices' and unknowns and dark
horses were no novelty to that crowd.
Instead of growing nervous at the
wait, he fell to rehearsing Justin's
myriad wise Instructions and warn
hgs. This done. his gaze roved again
over the sDrinkling of onlookers be-
low an dab0ve the ring and came to
brief and puzzled rest upon two
women who sat in the second row be-
hind the boxes. To be accurate, it was
merely the younger of the two.
She was girl of ABOUT his own
age; well set up, neat, capable look
ing; comely with youths freshness,
but with no claim to classic beauty.
She was sitting beside woman per-
haps ten years her senior: woman
of evident and almost aggressive re-
spectability.
Kent recognized the girl at once
though the recognition sent no thrill
through him. She was Mary Bonnell
who had gone to high school with him.
The two had never been Overwell ac-
quainted with each other. Indeed.
they might never have met had not
Roddy CHANGED to thrash trackside
lad whom he caught snowballing her
on the way to school. But soon there
after Kent had left high school and
the acquaintance had lapsed.
Nor did he waste a second thought
on her now except to wonder vaguely
why nice girls should 60 to prize
fights. Their eyes met. Mary bowed
slightly. without smiling. Roddy duck
ed his head in response. g.
Then be forgot her existence. For
there arose scattered ripple of hand
clapping. Coal Mine Crump was adj
vancing toward the ring amid his sec
onds and handlers.
Crump was perhaps 81 years old.
Always he had been fighter since a
handy way with his fists had lifted
him out of the mines and into the
ring. But somehow he did not alto
gether qualify,
There were vague tales afloat about
Crump-rumors that he had a real
gift for unperceived fouling and for
selling fights and for "laying down -
at precisely the moment when certain
I. l.. 1f hn1
prophesied he would. Nothing was
proved. But he seemed TO be semi
perpetually in funds-a condition not
common to n pork-and-beaner of his
limited chances. f
Up through the ropes now, Cool
Mine Crump made shis lazy way. He
glanced around the house. He caught
sight of Mary Bonnell and the woman
with her. He grinned at them. Mary
waved her hand gaily in reply. The
older woman smiled materially.
Crump turned from them, bobbed his
hend in recognition of the mild ap-
plause, snecred chillingly at the in
terested Roddy, then sat down on the
stool his officious handlers put in
place in his corner.
The two sets of gloves were inspect
ed and drawn on. Ensued a moments
pause while the referee strobe ma
jestically to mid ring. He signaled the
timekeeper to strike the hand gong
which should call the fighters to him
for instructions.
Before the dangerous note had
chance to echo to the farthest reaches
of the building Roddy Kent was out
of his seat and darting across the
canvas with the formidable speed OF
an express train. Past the wondering
referee he flashed, Just as Crump was
rising gracefully from his stool.
An instant later, Kent's piston-like
left fist was crashing into the wholly
unprepared jaw of the newly arisen
Crump.
Roddy was obeying old Justin's or
ders to the letter. At the clang of
the gong he had gone violently into
action. Similarly, he had hit the first
blow. But he could not follow the
advice to keep on tearing in" There
was nothing left to tear into.
Crump, hands at sides, was taking
his first forward step toward the
reckoning referee as Kents first lapd-
ed. The blow was backed by Roddy's
flying momentum and it had all Rod
dy's hundred and forty-odd pounds
and whalebone muscle behind it.
Coal Mine Crump shot backward as
from a mule kick. Clean through the
ropes he tumbled and fell, spread
eagle, athwart the press table. The
entire audience was OH its feet, yell
ing. gesticulating, smiling. Seconds
and handlers piled into the ring. The
dumfounded Roddy stared about him,
wondering at the insanity caused. by
his initial punch as a professional
fighter. He had fleeing glimpse
of Mary Bonnell. standing with clench-
ed hands and widely incrcdulous. eyes
and of the older woman fairly jump
ing up and down in wrath. Then rea-
cree and seconds and Justin had
hcmmed him in, and his ears were
deafened by babel of undistinguish-
able language. t
Out of the ruck of it. presently. he
CLEANED that he was assailed right
furiously for what he he'd done. And
he babbled to the scandalized Justin :
N"You told me to! You said to sail
in at the sound OF the gong and to
land the first punch. l."
The clamor broke out afresh on his
excuse. The announcer advanced tc
the ropes and waved both arms tc
the racketing spectators.
Ladies and gentlemen :" he bawled
kid Kent's manager told him tt
start hitting as soon as he heard tn,
gong. He didn't say which gong. The
Kid never even saw fight before. So
when the prelim gong sounded he got
busy. That's how it happened"
Aforementioned faces twisted into
laughter. From all over the house
came a ragged guffaw of apprecia'
ton.
Next morning. on the front page
not on the sporting page mind you
appeared a story whose gist the AS
sociated Press had already sent to the
..,.1- IS tbo