Page 170 - YB1910_Classical

Round Three The third and final round was the sceneof a terrific encounter. McCann somewhat lessenedhis chances in the early part of the round by winding his arm around the String Bean's neck and hitting himself in the face. He seemed to understand this later, however,and the fightingbecame fast and furious. The climax came when Pinch in a moment of passion seized Shipley's nose firmly in his teeth and administered a cruel, cruel, bite to its extremity. Pandemonium broke loose. Amid cries of "murder" from the String Bean and "foul" from the audience, the fight was awarded to Shipley and the policewere obliged to clear the hall. Alas-McCann had lost. When seen in their dressing rooms after the fight they had little to say. Shipley, with characteristic brevity, talked for four short hours to the reporters, and said as brieflyas possiblethat heintended to sue McCann formayhem, assault with a dangerous weapon, and several minor counts including desertion and arson. It was left forthe defeated Pinch, however, to rise to heights which never could be reached by his victorious rival. His sublime remark when ques- tioned about the fight has gone down in history as the epitome of indomitable pluck and determination coupled witb a spirit that knew not how to brook defeat. With folded arms the superb little generalcogitated (whatever that means) for several minutes, after being asked the leading question "Would you fight him again?" At the end of that time he lifted his noble head and a light of almost transcendent beauty flashed across his seraphic race. As we sat breathless he opened his lips and uttered the momentous wordswhich willbecome famous in history, "I 'Would, Yes," and we tiptoed from the room leaving him alone with his dead. 166