Grippo's Grip

Jimmy Grippo is a professional magician, hypnotist and manager of a southpaw prizefighter, Melio Bettina of Beacon, N. Y. Last week in Manhattan's Madison Square Garden, 23-year-old Melio Bettina met 32-year-old Tiger Jack Fox of Spokane, Wash, for the light-heavyweight championship of the world (according to the pompous New York State Athletic Commission).*

Tiger Fox, a cagey Negro fighter, was 3-to-1 favorite. But Jimmy Grippo was not dismayed. In the last two years his hypnotic stare had never let him down. Before each fight he put burly, clumsy young Bettina through a ritual that was publicized as a hypnotic treatment; after each fight his protege emerged undefeated.

Before last week's bout. Manager Grippo performed his dressing-room hocus-pocus as usual. Then, for good measure, he went to Tiger Fox, put the Indian sign on him behind his back. Just before the opening gong, Hypnotist Grippo ambled over to the Negro's corner, tried to catch his eye, while 2,000 squealing Beaconites went wild in the gallery.

While Manager Grippo continued to stare long range, the Tiger, who had built up a creditable reputation on his crushing punches, patted Bettina with no more force than a pussy cat's paw. In the eighth round, just as the Beaconites were beginning to yawn, the magic worked. Bettina's left hooks floored Grippo's victim twice in quick succession and in the middle of the next round the Tiger, staring stupidly, staggered to a neutral corner.

*In 47 other States, John Henry Lewis is considered light-heavyweight champion.

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