12 Sports Aces, May 1943 — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

THE PUNCH PROFESSOR 53 He flashed in, fast as a lightweight. His own right was a blur of motion. Rocky Stone lifted to his toes. His head ham- mered back and his mouth snapped open and his rubber mouthpiece siathered from suddenly lax jaws. He swayed there ‘in the center of the ring for a space, then he pitched forward and hit the can- vas on his knees and forehead. The referee took one look at Stone’s quivering hulk and motioned to his eorner to come and get him. He came across to Matty, lifted his right arm high, and Spike Babb was abruptly in the ring. The crowd was going crazy. Spike ‘lmgged Matty, yelled ecstatically above the crowd roar. “A minute and twelve seconds, lad! Big Mat never done better. By Judas, you showed the dirty double-crossers! By Judas!” Matty Rourke said grimly, “I’m glad they pulled it. Now we know I’m ready without a string of fights. Get me Battler Aldera, Spike!” CHAPTER IV PIKE BABB had a hard time holding Matty down after the Rocky Stone fight. The papers were no help to Spike and the promoters made it worse. Fans - wanted to see more of the man who had kayoed Rocky Stone in shorter order than any of the contenders, but they wouldn't lay their dough on the barrelhead to see him go against third or fourth class pa- jookas. The promoters tried to sell Spider Johnson for Matty’s next fight. Matty was all for it. “Johnson stayed with Battler Alders fifteen rounds,” Matty argued. “Benson will have to sign me against Alders after I take Johnson.” “If you take Johnson, lad.” “I took Rocky Stone, didn’t I? In less than either Johnson or Alders needed.” *S$pike Babb looked at the big fellow narrowly. “By Judas, lad, you ain’t as cocky as that sounds, I hope.” billing,” Tim McCarty said. _from a pal on oné of the big downtown Matty flushed, ran his fingers through his cvisp brown hair. “I’m not cocky, Spike. It’s just that— that—” “Sure, lad, I know,” the little man cut in. “You want Alders and I ain’t blamin’ you. Only you made me your trainer and manager and I say not yet. You chilled Rocky Stone and, by Judas, Pd go along with you that you could do it again. Still and all, the fight didn’t last long enough to prove much. Spider Johnson is as clever a ring workman as there is in the heavies. You’ll meet him, yes, and after Johnson you'll get Alders. But not till you got some fights under your skin.” Matty was forced to listen. Cagy Spike Babb laid it flat out to the promoters, in- sisted on a choice of seven or eight men he named. “By Judas, I ain’t throwin’ the lad to the wolves for no lousy few quick dol- lars,” he said. “The fans wanta see him, all right—on my terms. No dice on shoot-~ ing Matty Rourke against a top flight battler until he’s ready.” Finally they saw Spike meant it. Two weeks later Matty went on in the same club. He won in the fifth, knocked out his man with a terrific right to the heart. Matty learned a lot in those five rounds. He was content to listen to Spike. Spike Babb kept him going at a steady pace. A fight every two weeks and constant train- ing to smooth out rough spots that showed up. Matty improved fast. Tim McCarty kept the drums beating with the newspaper boys. Matty Rourke won ten straight fights. He was in the semi-final spets on the cards now, and he had develeped a follow- ing. He fought a questionable draw in his twelfth fight, had his man out cold on the floor when the gong sounded for the end of the fight, then came back two weeks later and iced fhe same battler in the second canto. Newspaper clamor set up anew for Matty to be matehed with Spider John- son, the winner to go against Battler Alders. 7 “Well, looks like the doe’s earned top “I got it Gol — comicbooks