Page 13 - lw3586

THE S.RTURD.R.Y EVENI NG P O ST 67
was plummeting straight for the center against the turtleback, I bawled and
of the race track, with the white fabric bawled and bawled.
flapping behind him like an ·awning in Since that autumn afternoon, some WARNING
a gale of wind. thirteen years ago, I have flown many
Down on the ground the spectators a parachute jump-all the way from
stood frozen in their tracks, with Canada to Cuba and as far west as
mouths wide ajar. And as Starr rapidly Wichita, Kansas. There have been day
overhauled Ford, sever~! hundred feet flights and night flights, high jumps 10 BATHERS
below him, the multitude of upturned and low jumps. Every condition I've
faces looked like tapioca spilled on a ever heard of has been encountered at
plaid tablecloth. one time or another. Yet never once, in
However, Alvin [Twinkle] Starr was all that time, have I been able to beat
an old sideslipper. He would open im- down tb,e horrible sense of anxiety that
mediately upon getting clear of the rides right with me until I see the chute
ship, then regulate his descent and di- safely open.
rection by sideslipping. This is accom- And of the hundred or more different
plished by pulling down on enough of jumpers, only one, the late Billy
the shroud lines to dump some of the Bomar, ever paid me the slightest
air, and this,.in turn, causes the para- recognition before going overboard.
chute to fall faster and at the same Billy failed to jump the first time we
time move in a desired direction. It arrived at the point of departure. You
is a maneuver that is widely used in see, he had had a very bad scare; his
spot landings. foot slipped out of the stirrup and he
When Starr caught up with Ford, he darn near fell out. But on the second
released his lines. The parachute in- trip around he regained his composure,
stantly snapped back open and both and after getting down into the stirrup,
boys settled on down to peaceful and very gingerly he leaned back into the
happy landings. cabin, extended his good right hand
For my part, after we limped in for a ii,nd said: ·
landing I crawled out of the cockpit "Well, so long. Thanks for the buggy
and, burying my face in my arms ride.'' And he was gone.

lNSl E TH SE R PES

(Co n tinued fro m Page 17)

a time as I had on the way up. I got We did ten days in Paris. We'd
tired with all the traveling and show- promised to fight the champion of
ing. I got careless about condition. France-I forget his name-if his
And if anybody was to ask what feel- manager would put up a side bet of
ing I got mostly out of being up there sixty thousand francs, and the man-
in the lights-being champion - I guess ager said okay. The night before I was
I'd give it to him in one word. Em- to fight the champ, though, I fought
barrassment-that's what I got most of. the guy that was supposed to be next
A ringside crowd never did bother to the champ-a big miner from some-
me; that was part of the game, and I where up near Belgium. I'd been
was used to it. But I'd been raised in asked not to hurt him, so I mauled him
the outdoors; I'd still rather talk hunt- around a little and pushed him through
ing and fishing and ranching than talk the ropes. He wouldn't get back in. I
fight. I'd worked in the mines and went on with the rest of my exhibi-
boiler shops. I knew gyms and train- tion, and that was all there was to it.
ing camps and dressing rooms. I was
used to being a fighter, but I was not Champion by Default
used to being champion. Being cham-
pion kept me surrounded by strangers But the champion's manager showed
and crowds, and living in places that I up in my dressing room afterward.
wasn't used to and didn't like very He'd come to get a line on me, and Don't be fooled by sunburn. It's a burn, like any
much. I didn't like swell hotels, for in- he'd watched me push this other guy
stance; the people were all right, I out of the ring. The champ's manager other burn-just as painful, just as serious.
guess, but they weren't my kind. And did not have any sixty thousand francs
I did not like being stared at and fol- with him, but he spoke perfectly good Treat sunburn with the tested, proven burn remedy
lowed and glad-handed. I was em- English-two words of it. -Unguentine.
barrassed. · "We resign," he said.
Being up in the lights would feel That's all there is to the yarn that I U nguentine, for fifty years the standard preparation
different to different people, of course, won the championship of France. We
but that's the way it was for me. took a swing around the country, then for burns, is scientifically medicated for the repair
Two days after our show closed, crossed back to England, Scotland and as well as the relief of a burn. It soothes at once,
Brady sent me to England, and my Ireland. shields the sensitive tissue from the air, pro-
next engagement was a bunch of · In Dundalk, on the Irish coast, I met
fights that don't show in the record Tom Sharkey's father. When our train motes prompt healing and quick recovery.
book. In London, meeting all comers stopped there, a guy came rushing up
at the Royal Aquarium, I knocked out to me and told me the station agent Take no chances. Ask your druggist
probably twenty or thirty fighters in wanted to see me. Unguentine and be sure! Price 50¢. ,-'
the course of three weeks. The offer "Who is he? "
was one hundred and fifty dollars to "Little Jimmy Sharkey," the man
any British fighter that would stay said.
four rounds with me. None of them I hustled out. Little Jimmy Sharkey
gave me a workout. looked like Tom, · only shorter and ing powers keep out just
maybe even broader. He grinned and ' enough of the burn. rays
European Tour stuck out his fist. to let you tan even•
"So you know my boy Tom," he ly and handsomely.
A beauty treatment
The Aquarium did a good business, said. for the entire body!
though. It was a big place-I don't "I sure do," I told him. "He's a Three han<!y ~izes.
remember how many balconies there · great boy, and I expect him to give me
were-and the Britishers packed it a tough battle."
every night on the chance of seeing the Tom's dad said: "So do I. Further-
American heavyweight champion get more, and not wishing you any hard
in trouble. The box office did maybe luck," he said, "I hope to hell he licks
three thousand dollars a night, split 60 you ! " And he still chuckled and
to the management and 40 to me. pumped my hand up and down.