The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-01-18
GALA NIGHT FOR PUGS
Prize Fighting is inaugurated in ke-
n0Sha Under the Most Aus
piCious Circumstances.
CITY OFFICIALS AT RING SIDE

Mayor German and Five Police officers
Turn out TO see That the Contest is on
the Square While an Alderman Took in
the FUNDS at the Door-Three Bouts
Pulled of-Howard Gets the Decision
over skotski in the Fifth Round
Kenosha is to be a prize-fg citing
city, Such is the verdict given at the
sparring match pulled off at the
Sch1itz hall at the corner of Milwaukee
avenue and Union street last night,
and when the principals who furnished
the sport for the evening entered the
ring a distinguished company of
guests were present. OF course the
Mayor of the city and five police Off
GERS went to the place to see that the
fight was on the square and an Alder
man stood at the door to take in the
money just to see that none of it got
away. The crowd was a mixed one,
consisting of some three hundred men
and boys of all ages and stages. The
ring had been pitched at one end OF
the hall and ample room had been ar
ranged to accommodate all the spec
tators who desired to see the fight.
The main contest of the evening was
the go between Howard, the co1ored
man, and SkotslSi, who has some pre-
tensions as a pugilist, but in order to
make up the evenings entertainment
several preliminary bouts were ar
ranged. Frank Ba1tes acted as referee,
and Hosea Sell, of Waukegan, was
chosen as time-keeper.
The show opened when the referee
climbed into the twenty foot ring and
announced a friendly bout for three
rounds between Madison and Wattles,
commonly known in the pugilistic
world as c. Kradland and F. Pagel.
Neither Of the boys had much to rec
ommend them as prize-dghters, but
they mixed up for three rounds in
way which was very satisfactory to
the crowd. There was no decision in
the first bout.
The second bout was between Hank
Baker BILLY Greenl who has on sever
al occasions put up claim for the
middle weight championship of Keno
sha, and George Batisford. The latter
man was awarded the decision, but &C
cording to the opinion of many of the
spectators the fight should have been
awarded to Baker. The two men
fought for six rounds and Batisford
had the advantage of about fifteen
pounds over his opponent. In the way
of science Baker was a leader and
clearly outpointed Batisford.
The final go of the evening was be-
tween Howard, the co1ored man, and
A. Skotski, of the West side. No an
nouncement of the value of the purse
was made but it was stated that the
men fought for purse. The go was a
fast one from start to finish. That is,
the men hit each other as fast as they
could. Neither made any display of
science and it IS doubtful if either of
them could have stood up for ten
rounds. The first round started the
mix-up and from then on the men
fought in manner highly satisfactory
to the crowd. The rules of the ring
were forgotten and both men were
repeatedly called for fouls. One of the
decisions OF the IG1GIGG CI6dlSQ d SIGdC
deal of merriment when in the second
round he called out Gwen FOULS"
The first round was Skotski's. He
made a good showing and seemed to
have Howard at his mercy. In the
second round, however, the white man
fell down and for the remainder of the
five rounds the co1ored man had the
best of the fight. In the fourth round
Skotski had little the better of it and
had not the gong sounded he would
probably have knocked his opponent
out. In the fifth round the fighting
was tremendous and Skotski fou1ed
Howard again. AS things were get
ting lively the referee decided that this
was a good place to stop the battle and
awarded the fight to Howard on a
foul.
There was little betting on the fight
as the sporting men of the city seemed
to be afraid that the battle had been
fixed. One bet of twenty dollars was
all that was heard of at the ring side.
OF course the bar in connection with
the hall did lively business.