Little Red Mittens

I've covered a great deal of author Jack Karney's literary work here on the blog, including his short stories, recent reprints through Stark House Press, and an informative podcast episode. The New York native wrote a number of stand-alone crime-fiction novels, and a plethora of shorts mostly found in the pages of Argosy and Short Stories in the mid 20th century. I tend to gravitate towards his boxing stories and found another scanned one in the archives, “Little Red Mittens”. The story was originally published in the July 10, 1946 issue of Short Stories.

Like Karney's short boxing story “The Bells Are Ringing” (reviewed HERE), this narrative features a current in-ring bout between two fighters, but pauses during the various rounds for flashback sequences explaining how each fighter arrived at this anticipated moment in their careers. To get perspective, Karney teases the introduction of both fighters before taking readers back five years to December 1941.

It was the Friday before Pearl Harbor was bombed. Two up-and-coming amateur boxers are having a bout, Mickey – the narrator's brother – and a bullish fighter named Goff. After some dirty boxing and a few questionable in-ring antics, Goff wins the fight. This loss not only physically hurts Mickey, but he is also propelled into a ravenous need for a rematch. After immediately begging for a rematch, the injured Mickey goes to the bars and tracks down Goff and his trainers. He's then nearly beaten to death and left. The story then flashes to the present, where Mickey is in the corner of his brother Joe, who is now fighting Goff. 

The story then drifts back in time to 1942 as both Joe and Mickey are embroiled in WWII as well as a love triangle. Mickey's hometown sweetheart is Helen, but he refuses to write her letters. Instead, Joe picks up the pen and begins an intimate correspondence with the girl. Through the military, Joe begins boxing under the tutelage of Mickey. Eventually, he's in prime shape to hit the professional ranks when the war is over. These flashback scenes are preempted by the present bout as Joe and Goff extend into the later rounds in their merciless fight.

Karney can write a great boxing story, and I found “Little Red Mittens” to be a wonderful coming-of-age story with an emotional charm. The story features a number of storylines that connect and weave through the bout. Ultimately, the story is about Mickey's inability to love and provide companionship, his struggles with intimacy with Helen, and his submission to Joe as the superior fighter. Typically, these fighting stories allow for revenge and redemption, and one would think Mickey's rise to a rematch with Goff would have been center stage. Instead, it's a different element as Joe is fighting for his brother's honor.

You can read this story online HERE or below.