The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-30
LAVlGNE WHIPS WALC0TT.
FIGHT ENDS ABRUPTLY AT THE END
OF THE TWELFTH ROUND.
O'Rourke Claims That MS Man IL Attacked
With Cramps and Throws Zip tho sponge
Hard Fighting by both Principals
Eight thousand Persons SEQ the Contest.

o'Rourke Claims That MS Man Hs Attacked
With Cramps and Throws Up the SPONGE
Hard Fighting by 10th Principals
BiEht Thousand Persons SEQ the Ooh'es''
SAN Francisco, Oct. 29.-Tho greatest crowd
Mt n prize fight in this city since the tltZsiih-
mons.Shnrkoy mill saw the Walcott-baVigho
battle tonight at the Occidental A.C, in tho
Mechanics Pavilion. Fully 5000 persons were
In the place. and they were drawn not only
IRON San Francisco. but from every town Oh
any size in the state as well as the East.
AS in nearly every pugilistic contest that has
been scheduled to take place In the city, rumors
OF crookcdncss and fake fight began TO DO
circulated a couple OF days ago. In n ma
Jority OF cases they seemed to be entirely with
out foundation and made chiefly for the purpose
OF influencing the betting. But this time inc
betting seems to have started the rumors. The
way the money went on bred distrust, tho
amount waGcred being in the noighborhood OF
$4,000. The money of the small bettors, which
In the aggregate makes u tidy sum. and is usu-
ally posted at the last moment, did not go on in
the amount expected.
The betting opened n week ago at 10 to g.
with Wnlcott as the favorite. Gradually the
Lavigne money came in and Walcott's price
heightened, and last Wednesday it was even
money. Then the rumors got afloat and Wal
colt money became a bit scarce. Lavigne had
taken the place OF the favorite at 1Oto9. To-day
the LaVtgnc money piled in even moro rapidly
than 1t could be taken and Walcott went back to
z. AT o'clock tonight Lavigne men were will
ing to take G TO 10, but no Walcott money could
1t is declared by the men who deny any crook.
edhess that tho change in price was
brought about ny two things. In the first
place, II became generally rumored that the
weakened Walcott SO that he realized he could
moi win thu IA militia I1,n,, tI., L'.atn sn r,n. trnrlr
plunEcrs nearly all favored the Saginaw lnd.
and The money had a good deal to do with the
posted a check of $4,000 in a poolroom to be
wagcrcd on Walcott. He stopped when 81 900
of 1t had been accepted.
According to the articles the men were to
night twenty rounds at 1875 pounds, to weigh in
at q o'clock this evening, The club guaranteed
a purse of $4,000. or 60 per cent. OF the gross
At 9:45 o'clock tho men entered, the ring,
meiia,ely. BEHIND Waicott We're ORo1rke,
Joe Cotton and q. orge Dixon. Lavigne had as
sssgq1uires Ted tAieXander. Billy Armstrong and
Billy lIariRnc. Eddie Graney was introduced
as referee, with the announcement that II he
saw anything about the affair that looked ques-
out OF the ring.
The announcement that the Sherkey.Goddard
fight would take place here on Nov. 10 was re-
cciyed with n storm of Kisses.
The gong for Waicott and Lavigne to begin
hostilities sounded at 10 o'clock. The men
FIRST Roundabout men were careful. but Lavigne
was the more agrees i've. though a bit Wild. lie FOL.
lowed walcott viciously during the last half OF tho
round and landed a number OF telling blows on the
colorsd lads face. The men fought IKE demons. with
Lavigne hav ng decidedly the better OF the round.
SECOND RouND.-Both were strong and aggressive
and they cut out a very fast pace. LaSisne was
rrs minute. walcott evened matters up toward the
close. and t was any body's fight.
THIRD ROuSD.-The men kept up their fast pace.
Lavigne doing the bulk OF the leading. waicott.
however. stood his ground and blocked most OF the
ForETn RorSD.-Thc round opened with both men
not do him much damage to spepk OF. He conteuted
himself with blocking the Kid 5 blows. In a cyclone
but " AS not distressed.
Firth KorNn-LaviFne was still disposed to rush
matters. but Walcott stood him or clevcriy. Neither
man seemed to he able to got In any telling blows,
% W!id. Il The ,A nHht 's SO Far E.s Ias,. Gg, r nsE!S" Sram Sy.ns
SIXTH R9u>D.mThn men went at each other IKE
the stomach and jaw with the right. Joe chopped
the Kid on the neck with overland blows. but tid
and Lavisne received a slight advantage.
SEVENTH RorNn.-lavigue went after the coiored
corners OF the ring. He soon had walcott groggy,
but the latter clinchcd, ducked and turn d his back
on the KID to avoid the terrific punishment. The
round ended in a c!incn. with WaIcott doing the
EldHTH Rousp.-walcott seemed to recuperate with
the rest. while LnviSne slowed W: The men kept to-
althouSh LaviSne Sc med to be doing the most et-
fTc,iye ]tshtins; Waicott on"ned a ga;h oy, La.
the Kid. He beat Walcott. in a fearful manner toward
the close Of the round. and seut him limping and
| NINTH RoUSD.-Both men fought like Wildcats.
Lavlgne seemed TO BE- short OF steam, while Walcott
was stronger and did some hard work. The men
W. re clinrhed most Of the time. the only effective
blow being by L.avigne. who landed over Walcotts
heart.
TENTH RoUSD.-Wa lcott came up llmping, and It
was said that he was taking cramps. LavIgue went
at him, scoring on the body and Jaw. He received
about as good rs h" gave, however. The pace W as
pcrceptibly slower, and Laviyne was covered with
blood. The referee was hlood.spatterei from parting
the men. who were clInched most OF the time. La.
vigne had "A shade III" better OF the round, downing
Walcott once. But the saginaw boy seemed to be
weaker.
ELEVENTH RorSD.-Walcotts appeared to he strong in
clinrheS. but Law ne cuntinu, Il to follow and play
for the body. WalcOtt found a way OF stopping the
KIDS trive-, however. and the latter transferred his
attention To Walcut"s Jaw. He landed some telling
riShts there. lavigue seemed to be suffering from
cramps as the round closed. =
TWELFTH ROCND.-Lav gne was n sorry-looking
fighter with his blrod.cOvercd face. hut he was strong
ami kept up the pace. He planted drive after drive
on WOlcott's stomach, and the colorPd boy was as.
sisted to his corner by O'Rourke. after receiving a
fe rful heating n the stomach. The round ended In
Lavigne's favor.
AT tho close of tho twelfth round O'Rourke
announced that Walcott could fight no more on
account of an attack of cramps. He accordingly
threw up the sponge amid deafcninS cheers.
The victory was fairly earned by Lavignc, who
who did tho most Of the leading and landed
nearly all the furnishing blows.