Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-09-07
THE PUGILISTS.
NELSON OUT FOR ALL TIME
Not Dead But He Never Will Be the Same Says Prominent
 Sporting Writer.

Here is what Bat Masterson has to say about Battling Nelson:
 Billy Nolan must now realize what big mistake he made in sending Battling Nelson up against Cans. He got his charge fairly slaughtered. but discredited as well. It was to be expected that Nelson would be beaten in a battle with such past master in pugilism as Cans. but it was not thought possible that the "Battler' would emerge from the conflict a thoroughly discredited man-even to the extent of having his courage questioned.
 It is really too bad that such a grand little ring warrior as Nelson has shown himself to be in all his battles should be put in such pre- dicament as he now finds himself in by a stubborn, pig-headed manager who tried to do something smart and got caught with the goods. How Nolan expects to square himself with Nelson and with the public for his pusillanimous conduct toward the black man in this match is hard to see. The whole thing will probably end in Nelson finding another man. ager. Battling Nelson is not cow ard, as has been charged by some of the sporting writers who witnessed the battle. His rough way of mill ing may have led them to believe he possesses streak of yellow, and in ninty-nine cases in a hundred when a fighter strikes deliberate foul blow he does it so as to be dis qualified, preferring to lose the battle in that manner than to go down in honorable defeat, but that is not the case with Nelson. He would stand up and take his medi- cine as we'll as any man that ever entered a prize ring for the purpose of doing battle.
 There is not the least doubt that he committed a deliberate foul when he was disqualified, but stop just a moment and consider what must have been the condition of his brain at the time, and then add to that the probability that he had been told to do that very thing when he left his corner in-as Cans himself said-a delirious condition.
 Nelson received an unmerciful beating from the very commence ment of the battle until the end came in the forty-second round. No man ever went into prize ring and re- ceived a greater amount of punish ment than did this boy Nelson, and there is probably no fighter living that would have stood up under one- half the punishment he took from Cans.
 Battling Nelson is courageous, clean-minded. honorable man. and should not be dumped into the dis card just because he delivered one foul blow in a fight at time when he perhaps did not know whether he was in Denmark or Goldf1eld on ac- count of the battered condition of his head. Nelson does not really butt an an opponent, as he has been charged with doing. The manner in which he uses his head when fighting in close quarters gives the impression that he is endeavoring to butt his opponent, but such is not the case. It is his style of fighting and now that the fight is over and every one connect ed with it has had chance to view it in retrospect. it is almost certain than both Cans and Siler will admit that Nelson did no harm with his head. The "Battler" may be able to still draw big houses in the show business, but 1t is extremely doubtful if he ever again figures in the prize ring.
 He has had his. He got it at Goldfield on Labor day from Joe Cans.