12 Sports Aces, January 1943 — page 40: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

38 12 SPORTS ACES Willie got permission at the refinery to go in the office and look over the per- sonnel records. He needed real speed on the Oilers if they were to try any fast- break type of play, if they were to win games, but he didn’t have speed. He dug up, through the records, Teddy Bright— a kid who’d been a whiz of a player in prep school. He found a dead-eye shot in a mechanic named Ogelsby. The next game they played Midwest A.C. Ripping off an attack that really got under way, they stunned the noisy ad- herents of the Midwest. Willie tolled fif- teen points, and Kelso ran wild with nine- teen. When the boys got back to the locker room, they were all hepped up. They hadn’t known they could do it. Even the press broke down and gave them a writeup. But Feets Kelso, it de- veloped, had torn a back ligament in a side- lines scramble. The Oilers had a game two nights later—a return brush with the Acme Insurance five. It proved a bang-up wild game, a thrill- er that the Oilers crawled through to win. But Willie was scared. The team wasn’t near right without the gangling Kelso. And the game with the Jewelers was looming close. Sam Finney burst into the dressing room when the Acme shebang was over. By his own admission, the refinery owner had never been so excited about an Oiler team. He smelled second or third place in the offing. That was practically a cham- pionship to the Oilers. “Without Kelso?” Willie moaned mo- rosely. “Who knows?” the impeccable Finney declared. “I might even loosen up and buy you a player.” Willie shook his head. “What’s the use!” he said. “Anyway, who could you get this late in the season who would do us any good?” Willie was at his desk in the plant a couple days later when the office boy threw a letter marked Personal on his blotter. It was from State Teachers, It said: < We will have a representative down over the week-end of the 23rd to talk over con- tracts. The field has been narrowed down to : Boer sr Boo Bee Bee G++ Gorse Gere G re Ger Gro Ooe Gee GerG so Gor Ger Ger Gre Grr Ger Ge Or Grr Ger Gree two. Frankly, you have the inside track be- cause the other prospect is asking more money than we’d like to pay. Our representative is eagerly looking for- ward to attending the Jeweler-Oiler game. Willie thought, “So that’s Bounce’s tac- tics. When he decides to lower his ante, he’ll make them think they’re getting a elassier article in him!” Finney dropped in on: Willie the next morning. He came in with a rush. He said, “You’re gonna hop on me for what I did. It cost me something to wangle, but it will be worth it to me if the Oilers can finish even third in the league.” Finney’s smooth face was flushed and he was all aquiver. “I got you one of the sharpest eyes in the game. I got him from the Jewelers—after I convinced them it wouldn’t weaken them much at all since they had a swell sub in a fellow named Moscowicz. I sold ’em on the idea it wouldn’t make a threat out of us any- way. And their man Dinter liked the price I put up.” Willie held his breath. “I got Bounce Bender,” Finney said. “Your old teammate. He’s waiting down- stairs.” Willie caught the edge of his desk to steady himself. “You’re foolin’!” he gasped thickly. But he knew Finney was not fooling. Downstairs, Bounce was waiting. His grin was reckless, taunting. “I’m glad to play with you, Willie. I hope you’re not sore or anything.” Willie said dazedly, “Listen. We’re out to win. Everything else is second to that. Report for practice at the warehouse at seven-fifteen tonight.” UT all the glue and fire was out of Willie. Bounce had stolen a job out from under him once before? What was to step him now from ruining this game and Willie’s chanees with State Teachers? Bounce was out to get that job for him- self ! And it looked exactly as if that was in the offing when Bounce took the floor with the Oilers against the Orioles. It was the last game before the big Jewelers set. to. Gomicbooks (C@