12 Sports Aces, January 1943 — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

{ &e He was slightly nervous at a job he had never handled before. He served Richard Lennox at the head of his table. The young man at Lennox’s right, said, “If you have no objections, waiter, serve me my soup without your thumb in it.” Kirk reddened, then remembered that he couldn’t afford to lose this job. Silent- ly he dished up a second soup plats, re- turned to the table, and the heckler, grin- ning, thrust out a foot. Kirk caught him- self just in time, but a little of the soup Spilled onto the table. The diner tapped his glass with a fork. He said loudly: . “The man with two left feet. There’s a spot on my cuff waiter, and you'll foot the cleaning bill.” ; Roger Kirk hesitated just a moment. Then, very calmly, he poured the plate of soup down the young man’s neck. The fellow jumped up, spluttering, took one look at Kirk’s determined face and hur- ried from the room. Kirk started for the door. Lennox said, “Where are you going?” “Leaving,” Kirk barked. “What did you think?” “You haven’t been fired,” Lennox grinned. “Pilcher has made a habit of baiting new waiters. I think you broke him of it tonight. Good work.” Puzzled, Kirk returned to his task. He could not figure Lennox out, Lennox al- most seemed to be on his sitle, but that was unbelievable. Kirk finished serving the meal, went downstairs for his own dinner, then went to his room to study for the evening, The next day he cleaned the rooms after his morning classes, then hurried down to the football field. Under the scru- tiny of Pop Benson there was no dirty play. Reger began to take hope, Lennox, although he had not played footbali in college, was a shrewd quarterback. The varsity might amount to something yet... As the days went by, Kirk settled into his new job, doing the work efficiently and never mixing with any of the frater- nity members, Montana, Nevak, Wishoeki and Donovan had rented an apartment and asked him to come in with them, but he decided to stay where he was. He want- 92 | 12 SPORTS ACES ed a chance to be able to make up his - mind whether he hated Lennox or fiked him. . Pop Benson read off the starting line- up. He said, “This is it. It won’t be easy to beat Tech, This is a green team but it can be a good one. Give me all you’ve got.” Roger Kirk trotted down the ramp, a hollow feeling in his stomach as he raced across the turf. He went through signal practice, and it was obvious that the team was not pulling together as ft should. He went out finally to the centér of the field. They won the toss and he chose to receive. The teams lined up and then the ball was coming through the air, a long, low kick. Kirk danced back three steps, then cradied the ball in his arms, He ran straight forward, then angled toward the sideline. Montana blocked one man out on the eighteen, and Kirk twisted out of the arms of another. A host of tacklens drove him into the ground on the twenty- five. Lennox, bland, his voice silky, called the numbers. Hastings went at left tackle for two yards, Montana got three more. Lennox kicked and Tech took oven, — They went in for power plays, They gained only a few yards at a time but they gained. They piled through Wishoe- ki’s end of the line. He was the weak spot, and onee the quarter found it, he ham- mered it like a man playing a blow torch. They got down to the Tarleton twelve- yard fine as the quarter ended. The teams changed sides and Tech came at them again. The fullback hit Wishocki and bulled through to the eight- yard line, A halfback squirmed around the end and Kirk hit him on the seven, The Tech quarter faded back, cocked his arm and an end caught the pass on the two-yard line. Lennox brought him to the ground but it was a first down. _ Twice the Ta:teion line held, On the third play the fullback raced through tackle and over the goal line. Novak went to nothing, ECOPMICOOOKS (C@)