12 Sports Aces, May 1943 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

THE GHOST IN THE RING 21 Dorgan said, “You shouldn’t have done that, Steve. They'll fill the papers tomor- vow with that hungry tiger snarling for raw meat stuff.” “Aw, I’m sick and tired of their silly yapping,” retorted Riley. “ ‘Think you'll take him, Champ? How many rounds, Champ?’ Nuts to them! I won’t have to take any more of that junk after to- night.” “They’re paid for doing that, Steve. It’s their job.” “Yeah? Well, where were they when Joe hit the skids, eh? They pestered the kid plenty when he was headed for the — top. But they left him alone like poison when he lost to Salbo.” Dorgan started a reply. Riley shouted, “They shoved him outa the ring, see? Salbo started it and they finished it. They undermined his confidence, see? The kid was headed places. Joe was good. he—” Steve stopped. He bit his lips, then stared in silence at the floor. Dorgan said in a soft voice. “Sure, Steve. Joe was good at everything he did. Even when the Japs—” “Shut up!” roared Riley. “Joe wouldn’t want any of that stuff,” “Yeah, Joe wouldn’t,” Dorgan said. He hesitated with his hand on the door. “I'll be out in the hall.” He went out. Riley sat on the rubbing table with a bitter face. He had waited for his re- venge for a long time. Ever since the night Sammy Salbo plastered Joe Riley all over the ring for six rounds and got a technica] kayo, Joe never had been the same after that. He tried a comeback, but his confidence was shot to pieces. The lightning foot- work and dazzling speed which the ex- perts said made him a cinch to be the next welterweight champ suffered from indecision. Joe lost to a couple ham-and- eggers and retired from the ring at the age of twenty-two. HAT’S when Steve had hit the re- venge trai] after Sammy Salbo. Steve did not hear from Joe for a long time. The first thing he heard from him, Joe was a rear machine-gunner im the Solomons. The next thing he heard of © him, the War Department deeply re- gretted to inform him that Joe had been shot down and was listed as missing in action. Semething had exploded im Steve then. He had been a fair welter with a good punch in both hands and average speed. . But he tacked the spark, the tiger spirit which made champs. He got that spirit when he heard about Joe. He blamed Salbo for that. Salbo had knocked the stuffing eut of Joe, started him on the downward grade. Joe would have been the champ if it had not been for Salbo’s murderous punches, Steve’s furious punching from then on and spectacular string of kayos won him a crack at the champ. Steve knocked the champ cold in the second round, then settled hack to wait for Salbo, salbo gave him the runaround. His manager claimed Salbo was too green yet to enter the ring with Steve. Steve had waited impatiently. While he waited, he sharpened his gunsights by flattening opponent after opponent. A year after he won the title, publie clamor forced Salbo to sign for the fight, © It was Steve’s night tonight. He could tell them all to go to hell after the fight. After he flattened Salbo and got re- venge for Joe, he was enlisting. He was going to the Pacific to find Joe. Some- thing told him Joe was around yet. Joe was good; he was too goed to let some lousy Japs get rid of him that easy. Steve was impatient to get started. The door opened. A girl walked in. She ~ was small and quiet, her face was smooth and round. But it was her eyes which people always noticed, the same deep blue eyes which once meant the world te Steve. That was before he became champ. He scowled at the door. He snapped, “Beat it the way you came in and tell Eddie Dorgan to quit the wise stuff. He sent for you, didn’t he?” “T came myself,” she said. She fumbled with a handkerchief, then added hesitant- ly, “Steve, I wish you would be careful tonight.” Steve laughed. He said, “That’s hot, Salbo’s girl telling me to be careful. What's the matier? Salbo scared?” comichook Ke eae