Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-28

AND WAS ALL BUT FINISHED.
THE RUNNING RACES BOWLING
GAMES AND MOTIFS = OTHER
sFicRTING MATTEREa
Frank Bradley is an artful dodger.
If he were a base ball pitcher he
would be "phenom." He has drop
that is a winner.
Bradley introduced some original
ring tactics in his twenty round bout
with Oscar Gardner last night. They
were new to the local followers of the
game. They also kept the kid" guess
ing. Gardner never fully solved Brad
ley's curves. Bradley has learned one
branch of pugil;sm, and mastered it. 1t
is the art of defensive fighting. AS an
offensive fighter he is not in Gardner S
class.
When the men agreed to break clear,
G rdner was making concession
which meant everything TO his oppon-
ent. Every time Bradley got into tight
place he dropped to his hands From
rear view he formed an inverted v;
from a side view an inverted u. This
L formation almost invariably brought
Gardner on Bradley's back, and occas-
ionally off his own feet. Bradley's drops
came with Christian regularity, aver
aging about five to each round.
Bradley is not dub. On the con-
trary, he is fairly clever, and f0xy-de-
eide dly foxy He blocked a great many
of Gardeners leads, dropped before
many others, and proved himself game
to the core. There was not time
When he did not hold something up his
sleeve. Several times when Gardner
left openings he showed his hand, but
never revealed its full strength A less
clever man than Gardner would have
lost the decision to Bradley.
But Bradley met his superior in ring
generalship. Oscar Gardner might have
finished him, but a great deal depends
upon the stress which is placed on the
word might" Gardner realized that
he could net lose the decision in any
event, and kept after his man in that
cool calculating way which keeps a
boxer on the sunny side Of Easy street.
The kid was not taking any chances.
Oh dear. no. That's not Gardner
style. He had taken the measure of his
opponent once before. and he did not
underestimate his abilities.
Gardeners efforts to induce Bradley to
change his tactics were unavailing. Sew
eral times he left wide openings to
draw leads from his opponent, but
when T }dley sent his hammers
through they connected Then he
would dron. ard Oscar would walk to
lis corner and think it all over while
he was scraping his shoes in the rosin,
all the while watching the Phiiadelnh-
ian out of the corner cf his left optic.
1t Was evidently Bradley's purpose
to keep away from Gardner until the
last few rounds, and then by a lively
miX-up make q showing which would,
at the worst give him an even break
and split the money in the same pro-
portion But "the best laid schemes o
mice and men," etc. When he cut out
the pace he found Gardner there, and
he came out g very moor second in the
two minutes of rough house which fol-
lowed
The men WEIGHED in at 1876 pounds at
three O'clock in the afternoon. 1t is
safe to say that Bradley took on about
six pounds before he entered the ring,
while Oscar did not weight more than
1873 Bradley had the advantage over
bis opponent in height; weight and
each, and bears a striking facial re-
semblance to Gardner. Bradley was at
tended by Campbell and Brown. while
Eddie Gardner. Geo. Nau and Hugh
Arnold were in Gardner's corner.
The crowd was the largest that ever
assembled in the Metropolitan club
house. Many persons unable to secure
seats, stood throughout the evening
The crowd was a compliment to Oscar
Gardner. and evidence Of his popular
ity. Nearly every city and town
within a radius of fifty miles was
represented.
The curtain raiser was lively six
round bout between Snapper Bill"
Of Bellaire, and Cunningham, of Steu-
benville. The latter was the larger
Bill was put out in the third round,
and challenged his opponent for an
other go" Young Clancy challenged
The winner. Leslie Pearce's sons then
gave an exhibition Of the blows Of
famous pugilists and boxed three
rounds, richly meriting the shower of
silver which fell into the ring.
1t was about 80 o'clock when time
was called for the piece de resistance.
The first few rounds were very tame,
OSCdE DGlHS uHUDl6 " SSl t1IUuSH
Bradleys defense, and Bradley drop
ping every time he was cornered
Bradley landed so infrequently that
the crowd cheered every time he con-
nected. None of his blows were effec-
tive. The only blows of Gardner's
which counted were handed out after
he forced Bradley into corner, or
against the ropes.
In the eleventh Gardner put left
hook on the jaw which sent Bradley
to the floor. He was up instantly, and
Oscar was after him, but only sue
ceeded in landing a punch in the ribs
Toward the close of the round Bradley
dropped, with Gardner on his back.
Bradley opened up the thirteenth
with a jab on Gardeners ribs, which
tickied Brad's seconds, as well it
might, for his good ones were few and
far between. In the fourteenth Oscar
rushed Bradley to the ropes three
times, and chopped his neck and jaw
At the close Of the fifteenth Bradley
hooked his right on the jaw, and got
cheer from the crowd.
Oscar opened up the seventeenth
very aggressiyely, and chopped the
neck with his right. A moment later,
as Bradley was closing in, Gardner
caught him on the neck with his elbow
and fOOred him