It's called a "booster gap" - the added resistance forces the coil to produce a higher voltage. It's a old trick for getting flooded engines to start.
Needing a booster gap to fire up an engine sometimes indicates poor cap and rotor, and fouled spark plugs. In your case perhaps the old coil is on the way out. I've changed more than a few of the original armoured 122 coils.
Resistor spark plugs, and resistor wires accomplish the same thing.