The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-05-21
GETTING
CROGANS
GOAT
BY ELIOT KAYs STONE
1@, 1925, western Newspaper Union)

ITRIFLES make history. The
merest nothing may be sufficient
i to change maps, dynasties, gov
ernments. An adder drenched
field In blood A thirty-years war
was waged over a glass of water. An
| empire was lost for lack of riding
habit. A little wren saved an army
from destruction. A city was de-
stroyed by silence. Rome was saved
by some cackling geese. The City OF
Mexico stands where it does today on
account Of an eagle and serpent.
Mohammeds life was preserved by a
spider
1t may be said, then, that wise
man does not overlook trif1es. In an
other sense, he knows nothing OF
| trifies, for everything is of Importance.
| A flake of dust can blind a man as
easily as sledge hammer. The inslg-
nificant mosquito in his small buzzing
way is as deadly as the cobra. All of
which is by way Of preamble to the
piffiing trifie that lost for Grogan the
worlds championship.
|
Partisans of Weasel Slavin, now
champion, will tell you jubilantly that
left to the ear knocked out Grogan,
the Kansas Cyclone. Adherents Of
the Cyclone will tell you almost with
| tears in their eyes that Grogan got
his through yellow streak. Neither
view Is correct Appearances are de-
ceitful. The hand Is quicker than the
eye. Things that show on the surface
are sometimes not there at all. Slavin
| did put Grogan to sleep, but the
| Cyclone let him. Grogan did show a
yellow streak all wool and yard
wide, apparently. But there was no
real Knockout and no real yellow
streak. Grogan fears neither man nor
woman, God nor devil. What laid
Grogan on, the mat was the paltriest
trife 1t did not bubble to the sur
face at all. Let us search among the
hidden and unrevealed events that
really constitute history and we shall
know what knocked out Grogan.
/
We shall now dive into the sea of
| psychology. We shall fish up Pat Nc
Coy, the Weasels manager. a little
-ed-haired, blue-eyed sOH-Of-a-gun; as
sly as fox, as slippery as an eel. ae
smooth as your favorite brand packed
into your pipe, and as crooked as
well, as some aldermen-there is no
better smile. Pat is out for the cush.
and he doesn't care how he gets 1t.
The word psychology is unknown to
his vocabulary, but he is some psy-
chologist However, would not adj
wise you to intimate to Mccoy that he
is such a thing. He would think you
were calling him names, and that is
trifie he never overlooks.
Let us now stand aside and let Pat
prove our assertions. We shall 'listen
in" on little conversation that he
had with the Weasel month or so
before the fight. We shall find them
both at the Weasel's training quar-
tiers. We behold the gym, long, low,
narrow room, bare of everything but
punching bags and other fight para
phernalia, and bench Or so along the
wall. Enter Mccoy, who for some mo-
ments appraises with his keen little
eyes Slavin's onslaught on the punch
Ing bag.
81 tell you, Weasel" he begins, as
that athlete pauses for moments
breath. 1--WE gotta get his goat"
"He amt got none,' the Weasel re-
torts. 'It 'ud be better t. fix It."
Elk hip Mccoy snorts. Morgan
an ROCKEFELLER t'gether amt got rocks
enough t. frame up nuthing with that
bunch. Two honest guys is the Cy-
clone an his manager. Fools, call
'em. Why, Grogan'd knock out his
own grandmother If she'd be fool
enough t. step int the ring agin him."
"Then you'd better spread our dough
on the Cyclone. kin lay down if the
iron boys talk"
"You make noise like book I
don't want no short-end bets. We gotta
get his goat"
"Fergit 1t. The Cyclone don't keep
none O. them little pets"
"Sure, he Does" Mccoy comes back.
''There never was guy that didn't
have goat. Touch me in the ribs an
I'm ready t. quit. Somes afraid o.
snakes, some o. mice, an fuzzy long
legged spider is the answer to one
championship I knows of. Sure he's
got a goat"
Which remark proves Mccoy to be a
psychologist.
An hour or so later we find Mccoy
holding earnest converse with one
Slinky Grimes over small table and
a glass of root beer.
Sure" Slinky is saying, "it's a pipe.
got pals In the Cyclones outfit, an
If he's got goat, I'll get 1t. If none
o. them guys are hep, I'll find out my
SELF There's bunch o. cem-ons al
lus buttin' In, tryin' t. get line on the
champs form. TIL be one O. them
Palm Branch Guarc