Ingo's Return

Notes in the diary of a prize fighter's success:

> Back home in Goteborg, Sweden's new Heavyweight Champion Ingemar Johansson was whisked from the airport to a local stadium by helicopter, emerged with a boyish grin to walk on a red carpet and display his mighty right hand for 20,000 cheering fans, who paid 40-c- apiece to greet him.

> At a harness race with Girl Friend Birgit Lundgren, he decided to back a long shot, was shortly rewarded with a $200 win on a $2 bet.

> At an auto race, officials bowed when he wanted to take Birgit for a spin in a Ferrari, blanched when he busted into a turn at 100 m.p.h., somehow skidded safely through.

> On a flower-bedecked throne he announced that he would not become a U.S. citizen, that the return match with Floyd Patterson would probably be in Los Angeles. Later, with ballpoint pen in hand, he autographed the prettily preened neck of Movie Star Bibi Anderson, added: "It will last longer if you varnish it." Everyone howled.

> On every hand, he heard radios blaring the hastily pressed record Ingemar O Ingemar, learned that even an Ingemar Cha-Cha (lyrics by Actress Signe Hasso) would soon be released.

And then, with fame sweetening the air, the world champion went about the business of cashing in. Two days after his homecoming, Ingo hit the road on an exhibition tour aimed at earning $50,000, climbed into the ring for a few friendly rounds with brother Rolf, an amateur boxer. At Osthammar, some 3,000 fans crowded in (at $1 a head) to watch in vain for The Punch, chuckle at the champ's cries ("Throw me some mosquito oil"), and cheer happily when the referee solemnly declared him the winner.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.