A Good Littler Man Wins Big

With half a minute left they were upright near the edge of the mat. "I had his arms locked in front of his chest," Owings said later. "I looked down and saw his feet, and I knew I had to go for them. I tripped him and as he went down I was on top of him and got his shoulders to the mat." Owings got two points for a takedown, two for driving Gable's shoulders to the mat. Owings now led 13-10 with 22 seconds left.

Gable needed only five of those seconds to escape and make it 13-11. Both tried for takedowns and went off the mat. As he walked back on, Gable glanced at the scoreboard in disbelief. Three seconds left. Two points behind. To get a tie he needed a takedown for which there was hardly time. Gable was stunned, so much so that it was Owings who drove in to try for a takedown. At the buzzer Gable sagged to one knee. He had lost.

Fifteen minutes later Gable mounted the victory platform beside Owings and accepted something he had never received before—a second-place medal. As he took it, 8,500 people rose to applaud. Gable's chin was on his chest. He bit his lips. The applause continued. Thirty seconds. Forty-five. It lasted another half-minute and during that time Gable slowly raised his head until it was erect. Even in victory he had never been so honored nor received the tribute of a crowd that expressed itself more eloquently.