The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-28
FELTz THE WINNER
GOT DECISION OVER RICE AT END
OF TWENTIETH ROUND.
A CLEAN AND PRETTY BOUT.
GLOVE CONTEST AT THE THEATER
WENT THE LIMIT.

Had am Opportunity of Seeing for
Many a Month-CIose and Exciting
with Never an Indication That
Either Man Was Going Out-De-
cision Given to FeItz on Points.
Some of the Spectators Thought 1t
should Have Been N Draw.
Tommy Feltz of Brooklyn was
awarded the decision over Austin Rice
of New Brunswick, Conn, in the TWEEN
ty-round glove contest for points be-
fore the Savannah Athletic Club last
night, after one of the cleanest and
best exhibition of the fistic art ever
seen in the city had gone the full limit.
OF course, there were those in the
audience who were disposed to cavil
at the decision of the referee. Some
there were who thought the decision
should have been given to Rice, while
a larger number were of opinion that
both the little ones had shown equal
cleverness, fortitude and skill, and that
the contest should have been declared
a draw.
The largest audience that has at
tended glove contest at the Theater
for many months saw that of last
night 1t was not top-heavy, for the
parquet, balcony and gallery were all
comfortably filled. The fact that four
fifths of the noise that was produced
while the rounds were in progress came
from the gallery did not in truth indi-
cate that all the people were massed
in that portion of the house, but only
that that section of the audience sur
passed in vocal powers, enthusiasm and
abandon those in the lower tiers.
The main bout was preceded by four
rounds of lively preliminary between
two soldiers of the garrison at Fort
Screven, Edmund Early and Jim
Young They mixed it up after lively
fashion for four hot rounds. Early had
decidedly the better of it from the
sound Of the first gong, and near the
end of the fourth got in a swing on
Youngs jaw that stretched that indi-
vidual on the mat. Referee Zeigler
decided that both men had been in
long enough and stopped the prelimi-
nary with decision in favor of Early,
whom he referred to as the gentleman
in this corner"
The main bout followed the prelim-
mary with a promptness that was as
as II was extraordinary
and unusual. Owen Zeigler was in
the ring with the principals and Gene
Massart was in charge of the watch
and gong. In Feltz's corner were AL
McMurray. Harry Williamson, Frank
Hart and Fred Jewett, while Rice was
looked after by his trainer, Jimmie
Nelson; Peter Mamie and Tom Cor
coran.
Zeigler announced before the gong
sounded that the bout was to be TWEEN
ty rounds for points and the decision
under straight Marquis of Queensber-
ry rules, the men to be allowed to
strike with one arm free and to break
clean at the command of the referee.
When the gong sounded for the first
round both the lads stepped briskly up
to the center of the ring. They mixed
it up from the start. Feltz was the
more aggressive of the two, but Rice
was with him at every stage of the
game and countered briskly the light
blows that Feltz landed on head and
face Rice seemd to place most reliance
upon a straight right or left lunge for
the stomach, which he used frequently
and with good effect. In the first round
the work was light, but lively, with
the advantage perhaps a shade on the
side of Feltz.
The second round belonged to Rice
He worked the straight punch with his
left and landed twice on Feltzs ribs,
Feltz countering with light and inef-
fective blows. Three times in the
round Rice tucked his left under
FELIX'S ribs and every time the little
man WINGED. He got back with some
good ones himself, but Rice owned the
round.
The other rounds following these re-
sembled them in almost every partic-
ular. Feltz led in the fighting, but
ne could not subdue the logged and
tenacious determination with which
Rice met his 'ruShes, nor could the lit
tie man from Brooklyn avoid the
punches that Rice landed on his stats.
Between the two boys the advantage
gravitated, the star of first one and
then the other being in the ascendant.
Neither ever secured an advantage
suciently great to indicate that he
had the bout won, and before 1t had
gone half its length 1t was freely pre-
dicted by those best enabled to observe
the condition of the contentants that IT
would go the limit.
There were no blows landed that even
appeared to be productive of SUFFICIENT
erect upon man who received them
TO put him out of the game. Feltz had
a boil on his arm, which broke during
the first round, and distributed some
drops OF blood on his and Rice's gloves
and persons, and the person of the ref
cree. 1t was the only claret that made
us appearance. Ihere was not a
knock down blow delivered, and neith-
er of the lads was ever off his feet
for an instant.
The last three rounds witnessed
sparring that was fast and furious
When the gong sounded for the eight
eenth both men came rather YEARLY
TO the center. but they mixed IL lp in
good shape after a moments careful
watching for opportunities and OPEN
ings. Rice led for his opponents head
with his left and landed, and Feltz
handed 1t back, delivering his package
In the same place. Several times the
referee had to part the gritty little
scrappers and the gong sounded lust
as Feltz wound up the round with a
swing that found its way to Rice's
ribs.
In the nineteenth round Feltz landed
on the ribs as the men came together.
and Rice handed it back with interest
He followed up his advantage with a.
straight left to face, and as Feltz re-
treated to the ropes planted another in
the same place. Feltz hooked his right
in Rice's ribs and Rice came back with
two hard jolts in the face. Feltz
swung his right to the Stats as the
gong sounded for the close of the
round.
Feltz had the better of the twentieth
and last round. He started things GO