Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-04
By Albert Payson T'erhune

quality of standing frightful punishment with
out Ill effects.
The fusillade Of knockout blows did not knock
him out They did nothing more than batter
him. Twice he was slugged to the floor Both
times he was up again with the residence Of
a new rubber ball Back and forth the awful
cataract Of blows sent him. But ever he was
in the fray again with that same amazing
speed.
Denning's grin waxed broader. Reardon,
vexed by this failure of his effort to demolish
the novice threw more and more zest into his
whirlwind assault.
Meantime jeff Marshall was thinking as
calmly and as shrewdly as If he were working
out a problem in crop rotation. He did not
enjoy being Dashed about like this, with no
chance to get back at his elusive antagonist.
It was something outside his experience, and
he planned method after method for changing
the course of the bout. Presently his idea was
formed.
He noted that Reardon set himself" when
he delivered a brace of those thudding jaw
blows When Reardon was set" he could not
dance at once out of reach.
An instant afterward Reardon got his OPP
ponent where he wanted him. Bracing him
self on both feet, he drove left and right, in
lightning succession, to Marshall's chin. As he
did So JEFF struck. It was lashing out of his
right fist, with all us confusing speed and I'M
believable force.
his jaw momentarily open TO an attack he had
no reason to expect Immediately Con covered
up and made as though to dance away But
before he could bring in his outflung arms or
hustle his braced legs into motion, the Wildcat
swift punch had done its work.
Marshall's right landed on the champions
chin Face forward-surest sign of a complete
knockout-Con Reardon slumped to the floor.
even as had CTonan. There for nearly half
q minute he lay. 1t was the first complete
knockout Of the champions long stellar career.
Hes there!" mouthed Denning rapturously
as ne helped the dizzy and raging champion
to his feet "Marshalls there! He's got
punch that no man of his weight ever packed
since the world began. He. can stand more
punishment than old Grimm himself. And he
knows how to use his brains. Teach him to
box and get him little ring experience, and
there's not a man living up to 160 pounds, that
can last five rounds with him. He's the world
wonder we're always dreaming about and never
finding. And he'll be sewed up with 10-year
contract with me quick as I can phone a
lawyer"
THAT was the beginning. No Derby winners
trainers ever wrought one-hah as hard over
their horse as did Heber Denning and his staff
over the glum faced mountaineer paragon. En-
sued days and weeks Of such grueling work
and tutoring that JEFF Marshall sickened of it
at fiust and then began to feel a fierce delight
in it.
At Je1's own sourly ironic request, Denning
gave him the ring name Of kid Kwasnd"
minor fight was arranged for him with q mod
erately good second-rate welterweight. Con-
trary to public belief almost no fighter travels
far on the reputation Of winning in the first
round. The crowd wants its moneys worth,
in time well as in action. Wherefore, Den
ming commanded JEFF to toy with his adver-
sary for the first four rounds
kid Kwasind" obeyed. In the fifth round,
acting orders, Kwasind planted the right
punch in the right place And the other mans
seconds had to drag their beaten contender to
his corner.
Fight followed fight Denning wisely pitting
his protege each time with antagonist only
a little better than the predecessor. The bouts
ranged from four to six rounds in length be-
fore JEFF landed the lethal punch which could
as well have been delivered at the outset.
There was an odd quality to kid Kwasind"
which caught the public's tickle taste He be-
came a drawing card. Never had he been de-
feated Never had he been in a moments dis
tress during any of his bouts. Always there
was fatal element to the knockout punch;
a deadliness which thrilled the spectators. The
sporting editors began to take up the mountain
eer nonparei, finding him picturesque copy.
Denning played fair. Already JEFF had more
money in month than ever before he had
seen in year. Vistas Of fortune were opening
up before him. Glumly, in no way elated by
his sudden notoriety, Marshall did his work.
His heart was like cold lead; except for that
one tiny shoulder Of morbid resolve to let Avis
Kent know one day what she had lost
At last, by sheer matchmaking genius and
by statecraft and by heavy cash outlay in
the right places Heber Denning landed q
longed-for bout with Spike" Toccato.
This is the whole thing, Kid" he raved
blissfully to Marshall. This is what we've been
after. Lick Toccato and the doors Of Madison
Square Garden are wide open to you. Two
Garden fights, If you win them (and there's
not q human fighter who can stop you) and you
challenge the champion for the Welterweight