Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-03-03


of slender, swarthy young man. He
beloved, The winnah - and the
new middleweight champeen of the
woild - Tony Sarmetti."
Seventeen thousand leather lungs roared
approval, seventeen thousand pairs Of eyes
focused upon the trim, beautifully muscled
figure of the youthful athlete. And no one
in all that excited throng wasted thought
upon the battered ex-champion.
Jimmy briggs left eye was closed; there
was purplish lump on his forehead; the flesh
which covered his ribs was red and ugly. His
manager worked over the bad eye. He said,
"Jeez. Jimmy - you was lousy tonight.
What was eatin' you?"
Mr.. briggs shrugged. II hadda take it some
day. Mike. A guy can't sit on top forever"
He pulled himself together. congratulated
his radiant young conqueror with perfume
tory handshake. Clambered through the ropes
and showed up the aisle. A few bOos marked
his exit but he paid them little heed. He had
been in this game long time and knew fairly
well what to expect
He stretched out on the rubbing table in
his dressing room. Mike cut the bandages
from his hands and stripped of his trunks. He
moved YEARLY under the shower and was
grateful for the icy spray He returned to the
dressing room and said. Mike, you better
beat it. | got somethin on for tonight"
The manager protested, but only family.
He was glad enough to escape. So he waved a
fleshy paw and said. ''Okay, Kid Ill be seein'
yuh tomorrow mOrnin'."
A half hour later Jimmy briggs, ex-middle-
weight champion. walked out of the Garden
and into a friendless street. To his right
glittered Broadway - his Broadway. The
Broadway which had hailed him as the Play
boy Champ, which had back-slapped and
marvelled at his vitality. That guy briggs
800 he's a wonder He trains on the dance
floor an never gets no sleep. Must be made
of steel"
Cabarets. night clubs, road houses For
years they had been making capital of him.
Introducing him from the floor, using him as
free attraction. He was good time lad who
knew how to earn dough and how to spend it.
Perpetual champ Perpetual until tonight
Jimmy stood at the curb He felt low
physically and mentally. He was thinking of
Fay Warner and of the big party scheduled
for that night. He had seen her at the ring
side He knew that after he had gone to his
dressing room she had TAXED to her apartment
to make ready for him.
They were customary, these post battle
parties at Fay's apartment in the West
Seventies. The whole gang would gather
around the buffet and the piano, kidding
Jimmy along, pounding him on the back,
telling him what great guy he was And Fay
would stand in the corner watching him with
hooking eyes - and every once in awhile
she'd say, You can't get away with it for
ever, Jimmy. Night life an fightin' only mix
just so long Some day somebody's gonna
knock you off"
That was Fay. Wise. Always looking into
the future. Always laughing at what was
gonna happen He could see her now, waiting
for him. She was an elegant-lookin' gal - no
kiddin' Tall and - well, built grand, see?
Lotsa curves where they did the most good,
and a complexion. Oh Momma! what skin
That was why she held such swell job. Head
of the cosmetic department of one of them big
Fifth Avenue stores. She was good-time gal,
too. Liked her night clubs and parties and
dancing. Liked to kid Jimmy. Got under his
skin, but he never let on. He could take it,
he could.
Well, tonight was her chance Tonight she
could say, II told you So" and he knew
dog-go good an well that she would, too
Knocked out by a palooka that nobody ever
heard much about. Not much. Except that
he was sharpshooter and could hit and that
lotsa wise money had been bet on him.
Jimmy briggs didn't want to 90 to Fay's
party, but he didn't see how he could avoid
it. Not without bein' yeller. Kinda habit, see
Always after scrap in the METROPOLITAN dis