Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-02
LAVIGNE PASSES
TO OBLIVION
ONCE GREAT FIGHTER IN HAS
BEEN CLASS
Erne Conslderate In Recent Battle
ane Did Not Try to Press
old-TIme Idol Too
Hard

The passing of Kid Lavigne, once the
greatest of prize ring idols, was re-
corded for good and all when a referee
stopped the battle between Lavigne and
Young Erne recently. An account of
the bout written by an eastern sporting
writer shows only too forcibly the fate
of man that is down and out
Kid Lavigne was great once. but the
crowd hooted him, and Erne sent him to
defeat.
Following is a resume of the fight:
1t was really n sight to see the once
great Kid Lavigne a mere toy in the
hands of Erne, one of the younger
boxers of today. Lavigne was stopped
In the middle of the sixth round.
Ten years ago Lavigne would have
taken Erne and about five others of
his class and trimmed them as fast
as they could be tossed into ring. To-
day LaVtgne is but a shadow of his
former self. He looked good, he had
the fight in him, but the stamina is
gone.
During the preliminary hours the Kid
sat In the back with his manager talk
ing, when boy brought in q telegram
from his old-time manager, Sam Fitz-
patrick. Good luck, Kid You will
win, sure" it read.
The manager looked at the wire and
then at the Kid. That's right" he
said II think it's going to be Joke"
The Kid twinkled his small blue eyes
and smiled. We'll you Just watch me:
that's ALL" said Lavigne as he started
for his dressing room.
Lavlgne Hopeful
So the preliminaries were over and
Kid Lavigne, the old-time fighter, fol-
lowed by Willie Fitzgerald and Johnny
LOTUS, entered the ring He had a
little cap, black coat and trousers of
the same color He bowed to the cheer
that went up, and his determined little
face showed a smile.
He looked to be the same old-time
tighter as he stood there bowling to old
time admirers who sat at the ringside.
Erne followed Immediately and walked
over to shake hands with the Kid. La
vigne was much smaller than Erne and
looked featherweight, almost, as COM
pared with the long, rangy Erne
Both stripped and the record book
dopesters yelled Get your record book"
Inc bell rang and Lavigne in reality
was shaking hands with young Erne.
They started, but the fieeting shadows
OF former days seemed to laugh now at
the feeble attempts of the once great
Lavigne.
AiS SLOOh Nlln nervousness. He
swung widely over the head of the
clever Erne. He rushed with his head
down, but Erne had a block for every
punch.
In the gallery, where the bloodthirsty
sit, there were yells to Erne to "knock
his bald block off, Put the old stiff
out Erne," and such.
What did they care for the old-time
tighter? They wanted him killed on
TlGV oh hut
had left the system of Lavigne years
ago.
Erne simply played with the kid
Toward the end of the round he clipped
him on the ear and. the kid tottered
toward the ropes, the bell coming to
his rescue as he Strengthened for more.
He wanted to fight, he thought he
could, but he was sadly mistaken.
Erne hit him when and wherever he
pleased, and poor Lavigne, try as he
would, was unable to land a clean
punch.
For three rounds he fought fairly
well. Erne took 1t easy and then La
vigne, tired of his efforts, fell over on
his face as he missed a swing. go
on, Erne, bat the old stiff on the Jaw"
they yelled from upstairs.
Erne Considerate
Lavigne heard nothing. He keptrush-
ing, but he could barely swing his
arms, he was so weak. Occasionally
Erne shot one to the body, but Jack
McGuigan, who was seconding him,
kept yelling, Don't hurt him; take
your time"
Erne was very considerate. He stood
in the center of the ring and let the
poor shadow of the once great fighter
fling his arms about and try to fight.
Lavigne was determined but harmless.
Erne teased along in this manner
until the middle of the sixth round,
when he clipped the kid on the jaw
and sent him reeling to the ropes. He
was so far gone that Referee Crow
hurst stopped it and led the reeling
Lavigne TO the corner
The old-time fighter had run his race.
AS the manager said before the bat
tie, at was a joke" Yes, 1t was a
joke, but there was little to laugh at.
When one thinks what Lavigne would
have done when in his prime the joke
seems to fade.