The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-06
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(Reg. U. S. Pat. OIL By JACK CUDDY

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 New York, Jan. .. = (UP) We were standing in the hack-court at Stillman's gymnasium, talking to Lieut.. Benny Leonard of the U. s. maritime service, when we noticed big guy in 8 gray suit drift in through the entrance. He carried a large, fiat pasteboard box under his arm.
 We knew we had seen the big fel- low some place before. Then recog- milton dawned. We asked Benny: Isn't that the King?"
 "Yes, that's the King all right; that's the old Kingfish himself, " Benny replied.
 Kingflsh Levinsky came over to us, with 8 strange shuffling walk, and shook hands. He was so fat he seemed bloated. He looked as If he were packing about 240 pounds. We asked, Flows things?"
 Things are alright" he mumbled with rather vacant smile. He talked like a man with wooden lips and as though his tongue were too large for his mouth.
 What was the Kingfish doing these days?-the chap who fought for Il years in the ring.
 'Sellin' neckties-eee-." Proudly, he opened the box and displayed his wares. King Levinsky specials" he said, pointing at the little tag on one of the cravats.
 As the big, battle-scarred fellow andered away through the throng with his box, Lieut.. Leonard said: That's a helluva note; isn't 1t? There's a man who made fortune with his fists-probably more than $4OO O0O0. And now he's selling neck ties. Why is it that fighters can't keep money?"
 "You should know, Benny" we told the former lightweight cham- pion in the blue greatcoat with the gold on the shoulders. "You blew plenty"
 1T ddin't blow my money" Benny denied. T lost it in investments. But it adds up to the same. It's lucky for me I did pretty well on my come back.
 "You know I've figured out that fighters always wind up broke be- cause most of them were very poor boys to start with. Then they make 8 lot of quick dough when they're too young to have any hrains. You take Levinsky over there. I'll bet you're thinking he's punchy. He's not punchy. He always acted that way. He's got more brains now than he had when he was fighting-because he's older and more matured.
 He's been making living selling neckties for about year now. He tried wrestling after he quit fighting. And when he quit wrestling, the only thing he could do was sell ties, or go into one of the racketS. He took the ties. And you've got to re- spect him for his choice
 We contacted the King again, and Benny asked him point-blank, Say, King, what was the low-down on your fight with Louis at Chicago? Did you quit that night?"
 Levinsky grinned and muttered Huh, I don't know-honestly. Guess jus went on sit-down strike"
 They were talking about the night of August T, 1885, when Levinsky suffered a technical knockout in the first round while sitting on the ring ropes in Chicago,s Cominskey Park. Louis had fioored him three times. When the King rose the third time. he settled back into the ropes like man seeking rest in an arm chair.
 T don't think you actually quit . said Benny. "A fellow who had as many fights as you, against tough guys like Lomski, Slattery, Hudkins Pauline. Mickey Walker, Maxie BaeI and even Dempsey, couldn't have been afraid of anyone. I think you 1 just froze up from nerves because 1 you've been hearing so much and reading so much about what a killer Louis was. I've seen a lot of bOyl freeze up like that-boys who had plenty of courage, plenty of heart
 "Did 1t ever happen to you, Ben ny?" we asked.
 The lieutenant shook his head thoughtfully. "No, I can't recall that it ever did. I was never very imaginative"