New Britain herald., 1926-01-16
(DY JOE WILLIAMS)

Ritchie Mitchell, a lean, hungry looking youngSter with q nose like q graphing iron and long arms that waved like willows in a wind, gave one of the most remarkable eXhibi- | tions Of ring recovery the boxing world had ever seen when. after being tloorcd three times in less than q minute, he rose to send Champion Benny Leonard crashing 10 the canvas with a left hook that came within a single second of crowning q new lightweight cham pion.
 Four clean knockdowns as crammcd full of drama as Shakes pearean play combined to make that first round at old Madison Square Garden, New York, on the night of January II, 1921, as spectacular a three minutes as you could find since John L. pulled leather over his gnarled knuckles.
 The cek-haired Hebrew cham pion entered the ring with all tho odds on him 10 defeat the Mill Waukee challenger. Mitchell was conceded to be a hard puncher and game, but 1t was held his punches would be wasted through Benny's cleverness and hls gameness utilized In recovering from Leonard's con- stant attack.
 The battle had gone less than q minute when Leonard hooked powerful left to Ritchio's jaw and the challenger cllttercd 10 the floor to take the count of eight. He arose groggy. Leonard was at him like q tiger with q shower of rights and lefts. Bam Mitchell hit the canvass the second time and reclincd there, glassy- until the referee had rachcd nine. His right eye was badly cut and he had difficulty keeping it open.
 He climbed back on his feet with dazed, vacant look on his face Leonard flew at him again. Wham. That was Ritchie embracing the shooting for the third time. Twelve thousand fans were in an uproar. Referee Johnny Hauhop's right arm, now beginning to waycr from wearincss, began It's checking off of the seconds. n--cight-ninc. And Mitchell, punched silly. but game 10 his shoctops, rose and staggered back toward the cham pion,
 With hls arms hanging at his sides from exhaustion, Leonard looked at Mitchell in astonishment. What manner of fighter could this
 mcouth wcstcrner be who soaked np punches like d sponge inhalos water?
 Benny began to fight cautiously Mitchell leaned light left on Leon. ards jaw, the first blow he had struck since the round began. Hi; hopes rose. He lnapod forward.
 His long left hand swung ont in 4 SwI&hing arc, Before oven ,br lightning champion could throw uy
 his ruarl that left had caught hin
 s4uarely on the point of the jaw
 cracking like the angry snap of ,
 lash. And Leonard, for the nrs
 time sinco he had graduated iron
 the old Fairmont A. C. in the Bronx
 wont bouncing 10 th" canvas. whiI,
 th" crowd sat silent and stunned.
 Mitchell, hardly Knowing what h,
 had done, danced nervously aroun, the ring while the referee began th strange spectacle Of counting oyc
 the great Leonard. Tho crow, , found its voice and strained in | rafters with the roar of the pac, , that scents n kill"
 Then Leonard himself rxhlbitc the gamcness that marked him as , great champion. Rising to on
 Knee he motioned to his manapo
 and seconds that he was all rirb,
 then calmly rested until the conn ? reached nine. He rose 10 his foo P revived, cautious-thc master r,n |; general again.
 V And that hair-breadth Of i'm Q that marks tho difference bcfwee
 nine and len. with Benny down O
 the canvas whilo l2.O0n person
 yelled for his foe to finish It. WI r as near as Leonard ever came f f losing his lightweight crown. @ He recovered quickly held Mi 0 chell through the remainder Of tl f round, and grew steadily bette finally ufppgyr 4a,- a-A. z.. - .-A