Old Timer's Story from the Past

This is an oldtimer's story with nothing to do about chess...

The year was 1952 and I was 11 years old. My fun sport was playing football [American football]. I was very good at returning kick offs for touchdowns and as a running back in our neighborhood games. We only had a few players on each team. On kick off returns players would tackle me but I often shook them off and kept going. I did know how to fall without hurting myself.

Also, baseball was fun and one day I heard there was a game in a neighborhood about a mile away.  I decided to go there and ask if I could play? Really the first time for a venture somewhat out of my neighborhood.

I got to the  designated area and they had a small game going. I asked to play and one of the players went to a nearby house to tell someone that someone new was in the neighborhood. He came out and immediately I recognized him as one of the 2 or 3 town bullies. He was always beating up other kids.  Apparently this was "his neighborhood" and he asked me what was I doing in his neighborhood and immediately told me he wanted to fight me. I knew if I fought him--he would strike me many times and I would be beat up.  But then, I noticed something. A house was being built with a basement and there was a large and deep depression in the ground with a steep slope to the bottom.  I moved a few feet towards the edge and told the bully that I did not want to fight him but if I had to --I would.  So, he started to punch me and I was a rather good wrestler and grabbed him by the arm and threw both of us down the incline.

Over and over we rolled but I was not being hurt and hoped I would end up on top.  As it turned out he ended up on top but he had been somewhat hurt and a little dazed and in two seconds I was on top. He was still a little dazed and I debated if I should start punching him?  I decided I better as if he recovered he very well might turn the tables on me.  So I [ with reluctance] started punching him in the head and he could only make feeble attempts to counter. Finally he cried out STOP!  IT'S ENOUGH and the fight was over and I left rather quickly.[there had been about ten kids watching the fight]

About 3 months later I was in my garage lifting weights and he came by on his bike and yelled to me in a somewhat friendly manner that I was just lucky and he still could beat me up.  I told him, "sure" and he smiled and left.  [I guess I earned his "respect"]