The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-07-22
~PRIZEFIGHT--- Daily Short Story

THIS fight between Giovanni
l. Aquavella and B I'D dy
Stevens was not one of those
events of world interest that
had all of America checking
over it's radio tubes before the
broadcast, or that kept the
President of the United States
and John Doe up beyond their
bedtimes while it rocked a ma
ton pro and con.
It was no affair of collosal gate
receipts, lavish newspaper reports,
newsreels, pugiliStic history. 1t
was merely an informal combat
between a lad with the mark Of
championship on him and another
at the moment minus those same,
but dead set to gain them, and so
intent upon his purpose that sheer
determination lent him an incredl-
BILE self confidence; and that, after
all, is the sort of equipment that
is half the battle.
Here he was in the ring, with
his chance, very literally, in his
hands. A long chance at best, for
the name of Aquavella was a GER
tain synonym for fighting laurelS.
But Stevens had his back to a wall
of necessity, and the telescope Of
logic was to his blind eye, a STRAIT
egg which enabled him to perceive
with a great clarity Aquavella's
minor, but surely glaring, short
comings, and which threw into
sharp focus his own superior intel
ligence, longer arm reach, and di-
viner right to conquest.
FOR QUEENIE'S FAVOR
Indeed, in this brief but ever
lasting moment before the first
blow was exchanged, and while the
smile of the gods was still eng
matically upon them both, he felt
almost sorry for this big boy who
faced his Waterloo.
It was Queenie Jones who made
him feel sorry for him. Undoubt-
eddy he would have saved his senti-
ment had Queenie not occupied a
ringside seat, with the intention
of watching Aquavella win again.
You had to spare a little pity
for a guy you were about to strip
of his glamour, particularly when
it involved the possible transfer
ence of the heart interest Of girl
like Queenie, she was going to get
a surprise, and end up admiring
some other guy. And guess who!
Rosebud mouth, yellow hair,
blue eyes, her pretty Jaws working
up and down with the chewing
gum, she was not as yet aware
that her name was carved clear
through the cardiac of the boy the
odds were againSt-Buddy Ste
vens. But she'd know it all right,
when this fight was over!
He let Aquavella open, and re-
taliated with two lefts to the face.
Then Aquevella missed one to the
same spot, and Buddy followed
with q rightato the ribs that
crashed some Of the breath out of
the lungs on the other side of the
rope at the same time, to judge
by the audible gasp that followed
it. But Aquevella was like bull.
He resented blows like that, and
he swung back with a left to
Buddy's ear that sent him Keeling,
but brought him back, second or
so later, just as mad as the next
one, so that he smashed his op-
ponent a right to the jaw that sent
him down, so help us, for some
sort of count, though what it was
he could not tell, for the ringing
in his head was terrific. Aquavella
could punch like a pack of de-
mons.
SECOND BOUND
In the second round it was
Buddy who went down, but in the
third the miracle happened again,
and it was Aquavella, for a count
of six. Buddy smiled a smile that
was a cross between Max Baer's
and Napoleon's, and looked over
the ropes toward Queenie.
Aquavel1a seemed to get
strength out of hitting the floor,
somehow. Now he charged into
Buddy like gorilla that has had
all it can stand, and landed a blow
on the head that almost finished
him. For half a minute he wan
dered aimleSSly round the ring
wondering what he was doing
there, and dimly conscious that he
was about to die and go to heaven,
for this WAS exactly what re0p1e