The San Francisco call., 1908-08-19

Thomas eve. thomas went 10 III
I'D for more he might as well have re-
mained on his back.
The fight clearly demonstrated that
Ketchel is a more dangerous man than
ever and out of his class as far as the /
middle weight boxers are concerned. |
II showed that the champion is not
lucky puncher, but a marvellous hitter |
who can strike a knockout punch from
any position and who can get away /
with a seemingly awkward shift that ,
is all his own-something original and |
as effective as it is strange.
Ketchel was at his best last night. /
Entering that ring without a thought |
Of the bothersome question of weight |
hanging over his clear brain he knew |
that he could make a better fight than
ever before in his life. He knew that
had the sign of the red man on Thomas
and he knew that all he needed was a
single punch to bring victory home. /
He saw his chance ere the fight was
minute on its way and he kept on try
ing Thomas could not stand off the
rushes of the champion, so the rest
was easy.
THOMAS LOOKS HEAVY
When Thomas entered that ring he
looked like a formidable heavy weight
In fact he never shaped up to better
advantage in his life. He weighed in
the neighborhood of $50 pounds, his
eye was bright and he had the appear
ance of a man who could Withstand a
world of punishment. This was before
the bell rang. At the conclusion of
the mill Thomas was a detected looking
specimen of manhood, beaten in mind
and body
The men entered the ring shortly
after 10 o'clock. When the bell sounded
they both rushed at each other and
Ketchel missed a couple of left Iunges
10 the jaw. He finally put in a sting
ing left to the body and they went into
a clinch After jabbing Thomas with
another left. Ketchel missed a terrific
right swing for the head and they
clinched again.
During this mixup the champion was
bursting into Thomas body with his
left and jolting him up. Though
Thomas did all he knew to stop these
tactics. his efforts were unavailing.
When they separated Ketchel whipped
the left to the body again and varied
the monotony with the left to the jaw
Thomas, in the meantime, did some
good with straight lefts, sending
Ketchel back a couple Of times, but the
blows did not have much power behind
them AS they came together for an
other clinch, Ketchel suddenly led with
his right and shot in hard to the stom-
ach. Thomas doubled UP a bit, and as
he did the champion shifted like a
flash and brought that peculiar left
hook over. The blow landed flush on
Thomas eye and Joe dropped to the
floor like log, while the house
shouted for more blood.
SHOWS. HIS GAMENEsS
Thomas was a beaten man there. He
never should have risen. However, his
gameness got the better OF his judg-
ment and slowly he arose at the count
OF sev IN. No sooner was he on his feet
than the lion OF man in front of him
was tearing again. He brought his left
up like a piston rod. and every time it
landed Thomas shuddered. Ketchel
kept swinging for the knockout blow,
but the round was bit too far ad-
vanced. and the bell sounded while
Thomas was desperately attempting to
guard himself and Ketchel was as des-
perately struggling to put him away.
The remainder of the fight was
merely a formality. 1t had ended
there as far as anybody in the house
was concerned. Thomas evidently
wanted to go on and his seconds did
not see why they should interfere with
him, though each and every one of
them knew that the finish was only a
matter of a half minute or less.
When Thomas wobbled across the
ring. Ketchel was right on the job
with a right swing, which went short
by a few inches After the usual
clinch, Ketchel whipped an awful kick
OF his right into Thomas stomach.
After rushing his man to the ropes
and hammering him downstairs with
both hands, Ketchel rushed him out in
the open again. A couple of lefts to the
Jaw were followed by sledge like
uppercut and Thomas fell in a heap.
The finish which the crowd was wait
ing for had arrived.
Thomas lay on his back while George
Harting, the veteran time keeper, be-
gan to count. Referee Eddie Smith
stood over the vanquished boxer for
a few seconds. and, as he motioned to
Ketchel as the winner, Captain An
derson of the park police station
stepped in to stop the unequal con-
test
But his services were not wanted.
Before he put his foot inside of the
ring Frank Mcdonald and the others
of Thomas seconds were already lift
ing him up and preparing to carry him
TO his corner. Thomas did not come to
for several minutes.
Thomas was as game as ever but he
was hit harder. He appeared to be in
grand shape and looked fit for a
grueling mill. He was faster on his
feet than the champion, but his leads
were slow and he acted anything but
the part of a polished boxer. Just be-
fore Ketchel landed the punch that
won the fight in the first round Thomas
put In a pretty straight left that sent
his man back, but this blow counted
so little that it went unnoticed.
If Thomas was in good physical con-
dition and capable of going the route
he did not have a chance to show these
qualities. Ketchel tore at him just as
he did in the last battle, but last night
his judgment was better and his blows
were harder. That's why the third
round was never fought
LARGE CROWD THERE
The largest crowd that the Coliseum
held since the night Nelson and Attell
fought witnessed the mill The gal
lery was packed and the ground floor
was well represented. For a warmed
over match the fight surely did bring
the fans out, clearly demonstrating
that Ketchel Is being recognized and
that Thomas is still a popular boy.
Battling Nelson was the big hurrah
Of the evening. After the crowd yelled
itself hoarse for him for fully five min
,1tes the young master of the ring at