Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-16
KNOCKS OUT KELLY
Forty. Five Round Fight Lasts Minute
and a Half.
ILLINOIS BOY FAST AND STRONG
Victory Virtually Carries middle
weight Championship, as .Ketchell
Cannot Make weiGht
Limit, A.

and thirty seconds OF a scheduled 6.round
contest was sufficient to demonstrate that
Hugo Kelly of Chicago,is no. match in
speed or skill with Billy Papke, the nli-
nois thunderbplt. At the end Of this brief
period, after half a dozen short rallies,
Papke stood unmarked, while Kelly lay
UNCONSCIOUS in the center Of the ring, with
a deep cut over his right eye and his
chances for the middleweight championship
gone glimmering.
Faster and stronger thar he had ap-
peared since his memorable battle with
Stanley KetcheI at Los Angeles, Papke
virtually toyed with his opponent. In the
several clinches he ~srnpthered Kelly's at
tempts at mitigating ana pushed him
away, only to land singing rights and
-fefts that found the Italian almost unpro-
tected.
Kelly Makes Sorry SHOWING.
Kelly lost the battle when Papke landed
HIS first clean right and left to the jaw.
He went to the floor for the count Of
nine and arose without sufficient vitality
to resist the finishing punches. Prior to
this Papke had shot a terrific left hook
to the temple which laid open an inch-long
cash just above -Kelly's right eye. The
blow was the opening wedge. Kelly APP
peared to weaken, and Papke, without an
instant's hesitation rushed his to the ropes,
shooting lefts and rights into his midsec-
ton. Kelly fell, face downward and was
counted out by Timekeeper Hasting. As
referee Eddie Smith counted ten Kelly
struggled to raise himself on his elbow, but
the effort exhausted his last spark Of vi
tally and he iurched back unconscious.
Seconds carried him to his corner in a
state of Inconsistencies. while a hundred
spectators climbed into the ring to smother
Papke with congratulations.
Papke's wonderful speed and strength
was the feature of the contest. His OPP
ponent appeared weak and awkward by
comparison with the Kewanee boy and at
no stage did Kelly have a chance to show
his cleverness. Half OF the 30 seconds was
spent in clinches. Papke wrestled and flung
Kelly about with utter disregard OF the
Italians greater height. Against the ropes,
whittier he rushed twice OF three times,
Kelly was almost helpless ma 1t was in
this plight that Papka's clean blows were
landed. .
Attendance six ~Thc<sand.
The battle which took place in the open
air was witnessed by approximately s,oOt
people and was the fourth meeting between
the rival m~iddleweights. &Papka was tins
f~avorite in the betting While not techni,
cally so, Papka'ss victory carries virtually
with it the middieweight championship
title. in as much as Stanley Ketchell ha,
stated repeatedly In public his inability t.
make the middleweight limit.
Today's battle was practically over be
fore half Of those present had settled II
their seats. The blows were struck a
such a fast clip tina they could be followed
only with difficulty andtil' the first knoel
down it was not realized that Kelly was 81
seriously damaged. All OF Papka's effec
tive work was done at short range, tn
blows travelling but a few inches and tn
men standing shoulder TO shoulder. Tn
fight consisted OF but three importan
blows, Papka landing all OF them.
Round One-Pspke forced Kelly sSainA
the ropes and the latter, after missing
right swing, hooked his right to the stom
ach. They worked to close range, bot
fighting carefully. Al close quarters Kell
swung short arm lefts and rights to tn
head. Papka forcing Kelly to the rope,
swung right and left hard to the Jaw an
a hard right to the jaw put Kelly to tn
floor for the count Of nine. A deep gas
was cut over Kelly's right eye from tn
effects Of Papka's pumnAiing. The Oh
cago fighter came up vsrS grosEy. II
was easy prey. for the Illinois Thunderbol
Papka lost no time in finishing matters
He laced out a right and left, estchin
Kelly on the point OF the jaw, his hea
striking the floor with q resoundin
whack. He lay prone, blood streamin
from his right eye. He was auickl
counted out by the timekeeper. but II, va
at least 10 seconds before he recovered hi
faculties. Papka was declared the WHINE
!, Peoples store Tss~ Wins.