The morning call., 1891-11-21
A LONG FIGHT.
Soto Gave Up His Contest in the
Thirty.first Round.
Monthly Fistic Exhibition of the Pacific
Athletic Cuba Six-Round Contest Be-
tween Soldier and Sailor.

The opening contest at the Pacific Athletic
Club last evening was a siX-round "go" be.
tween Sailor Bill Page. champion heavy
weight of New South Wales, end Billy
Walker, champion of the United State:
Army, Department of California"
Page had the advantage in weight about
ten pounds. Walker gave his weight as 19(
pounds. Neither made favorable impress
sion on the several judges of fighting flesh
Page was slow and awkward and seemed
at loss to know how to deliver his goods
The so lder fought very shy of his quarry
during the first round and lodged easily Out
of harms way.
In the second round the New Zealander
made some desperate but awkward endeay-
ors to knock few teeth out of Walkers
head, but each attempt proved fruitless. In
the third round Page was downed by right
on the jaw. Both were pretty well pumped
out in the fourth, which ended greatly in
favor of Walker. who cut up Pages face
pretty badly.
The fifth round was very excl ting. The
pugilists fought themselves 10 standstlll
but Pag proved to be the gamer man and
made the soldier see stars by couple Of
pun ches, one Of which sent him 10 the mat.
ting. He arose before being counted out
and managed to remain until time was
called for corners.
LOOKING Up AT THE CLOCK.
In the sixth and last round Walker con-
tinualy cast his eyes up at the clock AS il
the seconds could not travel fast enough.
Page had the best of the round and the ref
cree considering that both men had done
about equal work ordered an extra round.
Page showed that he was possessed OF much
grit and fought as best he could every inch
of ground with the soldier, who was of the
two in the best condition. Walker was
given the decision.
The event of the evening was called
Immediately after the heavy-weights had re-
tired from the ring 1t was a contest to a
finish, between Joe Soto and George
Lavigne. feather-weightS. Joe Choynski,
who had his colonial muStache removed,
refereed the match. Layigne stripped more
muscular than his wiry opponent
Soto was the first to lead light left on
Lavigne's breast. The latter made some
attempt to catch Soto with cross shots, but
the Mexican was always out of range.
Soto had the best of the round. Nothing of
note happened in the second, but during
the third Soto sent home couple of good
lefts on the FrencEman's mouth and chest
One hot rally occurred in the fourth round
which favored Lavigne. who had n very
speedy delivery at short range.
VERY GENTLEMANLY sPARRING.
The fifth passed without either havin z
had an exchange of blows. The sixth and
seventh also passed without any fighting
worthy of mention. In the eighth Soto
landed good right which was returned by
Lavigne with double interest. 1t was very
gentlemanly sparrlng so far, principally
Sparring at long range until the thirteenth
round, when Soto was sent down with d
straight lett on the neck.
The blow was not severe, but the Spaniard
after arising tegan TO play Peek-a-boo
Robinson'S tactics, that is dropping 10 the
floor to avoid being hurt. Soto was Kissed
vehemently. In the fourteenth round Soto
pursued his favorlte tactics of either drop
ping 10 the floor or catching Lavigne by the
legs. The latter was fighting very fair, and
challenged his opponent to stand up and
not show cowardly tactics.
The only real fighting was in the sixteenth
ound. Soto received n couple OF good
smashes, which took all the tricks out OF
him, and he continually kept dropping tc
the floor. ChOynSki cautioned him not to
fall without some reason. LaYigne was de-
termined to force the mill, and he followed
Soto up very close. Some good exchanges
resulted at short range, and then Soto tried
to land his right but missed.
SOTO GAVE UP THE FIGHT.
Soto fought better in the seventeenth and
gave about as many blows as he received.
Lavigue showed slight signs of distress, but
neither, up tn this stage of the game, sho wed
any visible signs of punishment. During
the eighteenth round Soto played for time
by lodging around the ring closely followed
by his opponent.
In the twentieth round it was thought
that Soto would quit. lie made some ex.
cuse in reference to having been hit below
the belt, which did not go with the referee.
Soto then resumed his falling-doHn tactics
until the round closed. In tile twenty-firsl
Layigne became a little reckless, ard Soto
took advantage of an opening, landing his
right solidly on his opponents neck, stlg-
gering him.
The twenty-sec0nd resulted in foot-race
with Lavigne after Soto. The Spaniard
came out Of the tweIty-third with pulled
lips, the result of brace of straight lei its
which he stopped with his tamale grinders
Soto did better ia the TWEEN y- fourth, but his
opponent gave back With double force the
blows he received.
The contest dragged along until the thirty
first round, when Choynski stepped to the
center of the ring and announced that Sotp
had given up the fight on account of his
hands having given out, and physician who
examined his dukes after he had entered his
dressing-rOOm reported that no bones were
broken, but that his fists were very much
swollen from hitting his opponents head.