The San Francisco call., 1897-02-23
THEY BOXED HARD
FOR TEN ROUNDS
Spider Kelly Won a Hard
Decision Over Lon
Agnew.
An Evening of Swings ami
Uppercuts at Woodward's
Pavilion.
Australian Billy Smith Won a Victory
Over Peppers of Los An
geleS.

The revived California Athletic Clul
gave its inaugural entertainment las
evening in Woodward's Pavilion. A fai1
crowd was present, but the house was
pretty well papered.
The first brace of pugs to enter the rine
was Patsy Corrigan ana Charles Goff
alias Joe McAuIiffe.
Corrigan was no good as a fighter, and
mauled each other for four or five rounds,
TO the disgust OF the spectators.
Billy Smith and Henry Peppers boxed
ten rounds and Smith got the decision, as
he was the aggressor from start to finish.
The event of the evening was a ten
round bout between Lon Agnew and Spi-
most exciting contests that has been
witnessed under the roof of the fighting
pavilion for many moons.
Agnew was strong favorite, and his
frien0s expected to see him win handily
but he found a pretty tough opponent in
the Spider" who was trained to turn.
Kelly and his attendants put in an an
pearance at 1890 o'clock. Kelly was Sec
onded by Dal Hawkins and Young
Mitchell. Agnew soon followed. He was
looked after by George Green and Bert
Brown.
Tom Sharkey was selected by both con-
testants to referee the match. Master of
Ceremonies Jordan announced that the
principals weighed 1877 pounds.
Kelly fought WELL but he resorted to
several tricks which were not altogether
fair. Agnew soon made himself strong
favorite with the spectators on account of
his very clean style, which. was free from
clinching and other methods used by some
pugilists to avoid punishment.
NtN A
cut out hot pace and kept his opponent
on the retreat from the time the gong
sounded until it rang again for corners.
Kelly evidently expected lively mill and
he trained accordingly.
He got away from few right and left
swings by clever ducking, and as the
round was drawing to a close he dropped
mouth, but the blows lacked driving
power.
Agnew came up as fresh as Baltimore
oyster for the second round, and immedi-
ately resumed the aggressive. He forced
Kelly to the ropes and tried hard to land
left hooks and swings, but the Spider was
cunning and avoided the blows by swift
ducking. The BOYS mixed up when the
round was about half over, and Agnew re.
tired with biood-stained mouth.
1t was give and take in the third round
but Kelly landed the most blows, none OF
which see med to annoy Agnew, who kepl
close up 10 mis- game, forcing Kelly fc
dance from end to end of the ring 10 avoid
some jaw-disturbsrs that were aimed al
him.
In the fourth round Agnew fought very
wlckedIy and warmed the Spiders Jaw,
but the blows landed too far back tow ard
Kelly's ear TO do damage.
After very lively exchange AgneW
though he had an excellent chance to send
the Spider to dreamland, and he swune
his right which missed tie point of Kel-
ly's jaw by half an inch and Agnew lel
under the ropes, Kelly giving him slight
push as he was going downward, This
round was about equal in points.
Inc NTH round was very exciting. Ag-
new grew tired of being iabbed in the
mouth, as Kelly was continually getting
his left list over his opponents guard and
Lon determined TO get into close quarters
a not scrlmmage resulted, and Kelly time
and again grabbed Agnew by the
legs to avoid upper-cuts and hooks. Kelly
was growing tired and resorted to clinch-
ing tactics, which style of fighting did not
please the spectators in the least. Agnew
fought great battle to the end, but failed
10 land any OF his favorite hooks and
swings, all of which were cleverly ducked
by the Spider
Referee Sharkey awarded the battle to
Kelly, although nearly all present thought
that Agnew should have the decision.
Kelly landed the most blows, but Agnew
was the aggresSor from first TO last, and in
finish fight would certainly have won,
as the Spider was showing strong signs OF
weakness at the end OF the tenth round.
A draw would have been the right thing.