Did Mediocrity Spoil Ichabod Crane?

In either the 8th or 9th grade, I forgot which, but I remember the teacher a t the time, I got into a fight which I got the nick name "Rock" from.  The teacher about that time of day was Mrs Skelton, our English teacher.   There was a new kid in class, I forgot his first name his first name but his last name was Crane.

Being the wise ass I was, one time I jokingly called him Icihabad Crane. He was tall and lean and he looked Ichabad Crane Disney animation of Wahington Irvin's LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW.  He also, being long legged and slim I think I also jokingly said he looked like a crane bird.  He didn't appreciate either name.

I was not trying to a bully, I thought I was just kidding him.  He interpreted my joking as jabbing him.

One day at lunch on ball field near the tennis courts he shoved me around a little because of the names I called him.  He was acting like he wanted to bully me into submission to promise I would not call him names anymore.  I never considered myself a bully, but maybe I bullied a bully.

He took a few swings at me with his fists and each time I either dodged his fists or blocked them.   His arms was like a windmill out of control.  I socked him in the face and blood from his nose and went everyplace.   He went after me stronger and I hit him again and somehow tore his shirt, then he fell down and got his shirt and pants dirty.

When we walked away I did not have a scratch on me and Crane looked like he really got a beating form a gang of thugs, which he didn't.

After the fight either Jackie Turner or Neal Lawrence said, "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?"  There was a movie playing at the Strand Theater by that same name starring Jayne Mansfield and Tony Randall.  Also, not long before  there was another movie starring Paul Newman SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME about the success story of  prize boxer Rocky Graziano.

So, that is why some people still call me Rock and also why my oldest son is named name Rockwell.

Maybe at this moment Mr. Crane, wherever where he is might be explaining to someone the reason people call him Ichabod.