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Show I SIKI'S LIFE STORY BY BATTLING SIKI As Told by Milton Bronner, NEA Staff Correspondent CHAPTER FOUR Slki Resumes Boxing ' CHAPTER TV i When the irar -was ovor, my arUl-j iary regiment vrxs sent to Versailles near Par iB. I was demobilized shortly aftM-trard, Itu Corporal JnJs Pha2. with 'two decoratmna and honorable woumlt.: Alio, I bad no job aDd only 200. franc. Rut T wanted to be through i dlh uraahmjc. I xaked for a jot' a-i a waiter In a little restaurant. Ihe owner was a tpaod feTlow He- saw my medals and gare m a ohane-. even if 1 did break platen occasional!) . Hi was a plain Jittlf place where you didn't have to put on a lot of style. N', the work vcas much nier thai dish W '-mi of. v ITVO m-dre fights, I had a couple of lights In L920 1 went to Toolouao and beat Henrys In j 10 rounds on points, and knocked, out J. Andouy in four rounds, after ioaing to him on point gbt -ars be-1 fore. One day I had my arm full -f dishes and a mm -:r,- t tne arifil naid. "Tou are SIM!" I told him 1 was. He said he Tried me to fight In Paris, agninstl Derenzi, champion of the Frencn j ai-my. The boss let m off to train. I ;is ho thought It would help his eat-, lng place If I won or put up a rood I losing fight Th patrons would know SJkl. the fljrhter. '.tis wailing1 on them Maybe he was a sly dog. J I knocked out Derensl In three roands. LACKED MANAGER, I may be a fair fighter, but I am a rotten business man. T am almost ashamed to tell you how llttlo I got I for licking the army champion 300 francs, which was only about $23 in American money then' I don't think 1 only got a little money because I am colored. No. I : think it Is because until I met Charley Hellers, my present manager, j I never had anybody to adviso mc i what r ouitht to ret, "Why. even In the- biggest fights with mn like Jour-ni'e Jour-ni'e a'nd Carpmtler. 1 drw down small sums. After beating Dercnzl I could get other fights to carry me along until tho next one. In the spring of 1!2'i I knocked out V Marchan-i and West-brook West-brook and won from IeKevre. J-l J-l epaus. Rene Davos and J. l-iggett. "MEAIi TlCKl r i) V3. But I wan t K- tting anywhere. I was only considered a fourth rater fighting fourth raters. Nobody believed be-lieved in me. and I wasn't ambitious. I liked rating and fighting, and fought to at. I would tight anybody If S price was put up, not a fancy prleo either, but one meaning food and drink for a month. 1 rat lots of fish I eat meat that sti ks to the ribs. I like to gnaw the hones. I don't drink tea or coffee or-milk. or-milk. In prance I drink wine like a Frenchman, in Holland I drink beer like a Dutchman Also. I smoke a good deal. "When not training I like to be out with m?n. I smokinjj and talking and drinking. When I train. 1 take lots of sleep. Sleep Is good for a lighter It helps build his body and quiets his nerves."' (To lie Continued ) (Copyright, 19U2, NEA Service.) |