Evening star., 1933-01-01
BY JAMES B. CRANE.

DIS JOIuny Mal0ney nOpEed out OF
bed. He moved quickly across the
room to mirrow, where he peered
intently at a slightly blackened eye.
THANK goodness" he breathed mo swell
ing"
The discoloration had been caused when
Johnnys eye came into forceful contact sew
eral times with the left glove of Lew Levy in
one of the quarter-fnal bouts for the New
York State amateur boxing championships at
the Central Arena the night before. But soon
after these forcible contacts. Johnny,s dyno-
mite right had connected solidly with Lew
Levy's jaw, and that young man had stared
blankly at the lights overhead while the ref
cree counted @ten" over his PROSTATE FORM
Johnny sighed with relief as he examined
the injured eye That night he was to fight
Silyio Cozzi, from Albany, one of the outstand-
ing contenters for the l26-pond title. and he
wanted to be at his best II he beat Coz1
he'd go into the finals against Svend Oleson,
the defending champion.
Getting up at five o'clock was an everyday
occurrence for Johnny Since his father died
two years ago, he'd had to do his share to
keep things going. Now. at II, he got up
every morning to deliver papers, then went to
school, and in the afternoon worked at a
grocery store. His 21-year-old sister, Mabel
was stenographer, and between their two
small salaries, they barely managed to make
ends meet
Johnny slipped on old pair of pants, a
~ sweater, and sneakers and tiptoed down.
stairs. Jogging, he started cross-town to get
his papers. At last nights fight his mother
and Molly Corrigan had been at the ringside.
He hadn't forgotten the excitement in Moily's
big blue eyes as he climbed dow nout Of the
ring after the knockout. Molly knew how much
ne wanted to win that championship. She
knew that ever since Johnny grew tall enough
n Faar ,t,r k~ory I@xv
chair, he had wanted to wear the tiny pair
Of silver gloves emblematic of a New York
State championship. He had always worship
ped the few boys who wore them and dream
ed Of the time when he might be one of them
since he had been IA, he had entered every
limitation tournament. but this was the first
time he'd ever won his way to the final con-
tests at the Arena.
JohnnyS mother was just about as excited
and happy as Molly. Though she was a little
worried about the safety of her sons deep
brown eyes and thin, smiling lips, and though
1t frightened her little to see him when his
smooth, wiry body glistened with sweat and
his curly black hair was matted over his fore
head-in spite of all this she loved to watch
him fight, especially as she, too, knew how
much that championship meant to him.
n IEW YORK was just beginning to wake up
when Johnny got his bundle of papers and
started on his route He would have a tough
time, he thought with Cozzi. The fighter had
come through the tournament rather easily,
winning muc as he pleased Johnny knew
Cozz, fast and clever, could outlook him, but
he was pretty sure he would get the Bronx
boy If he could land his right Though Johnny
weighed but 125 pounds. he punched hard and
straight and got the full power of his husky
young body behind short, Furnishing blows.
School that day seemed intermnably slow
He was glad he didn't have to work. His en-
ployer, fight fan, wouldn't hear of Johnny's
working while the tournament was going on
AT the Arena that afternoon Johnny weighed
In scant haf-pound under the 126-pound
limit then hurried home, ate two soft-boiled
eggs, some toast, slab of rare beef. and went
to bed. BY o'clock he was up AS he
dressed he heard Molly downstairs talking with
his mother. Buttoning his shirt hurriedly, he
slipped on his coat as he ran down the steps
three at time.