Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-04-14
MINISTER To
TRAIN NELSON.
Omaha Pastor Will Spar With
Lightweight Champion PugiliSt.
GREAT ADVOCATE OF BoxIdG.

Rev. F. r. Wedge Believes sparrins
the Best Way to Reach Young Men
and Make Christians of Them-NeVer
Intends, He Says, to Give Up ReIi-
sious Work.
When Battling Nelson, champion
lightweight pugilist of the world,
starts training for his next fight he
will have a preacher for a sparring
partner. The Rev. F. r. Wedge OF
Omaha. Neb., who applied for the job,
sent Nelson the following letter:
''To begin with, this is lot letter on
the 'mooching' order, like so many that
you and 1 both receive. Although a
minister of the gospel and an Omaha
pastor, l felt as though we both have
much in common, for like fight as
well as l like to reach down in the
gutter and help a poor fellow to a bet
ter life. Although filling a pulpit ev-
cry Sunday, find time to work out
with the mitts and enjoy roughing 1t
as much as Roosevelt.
1--WE have met, although not person
ally acquainted, yet we have some or
the same friends in common and have
fought some of the same men. This
was before l went to the University OF
Nebraska and finished taking course
in the theological seminary. Bill
Daniels of Rhilander, where you and
Fails fought ten rounds, started me in
the business. 1t was there l got
draw a little over a year afterward.
Your battle with Fails was the first
ever saw. That put the fight notion
into my head when was a tough
young lumber jack. Thanks for the
inspiration. After beating fellows like
Jack Glynn and Tommy Wallace,
Colonel Andy MuIligan took me for
good thing. Well, to make 1T short,
for two years did the fighting. He got
the money; got the exercise. l guess
you understand something about that.
"But he missed his guess when he
took me for a coming champion. Sue
cess took my. head, and l had to go by
way of the booze Sullivan pace. With
the help of whisky they had an easy
time. Beat two or three dubs after
that and decided to get an education:
prepared and entered the University
of Nebraska. finished with an average
of 80 per cent in my studies, then took
4 course in the theological seminary
and entered work as regular pastor.
Il never became knocker against
the game. l encouraged young men
of my church to take up boxing. 1t
was crowded with boys and men.
Most of them began to lead good, clean
lives. It's the best way in the world
to reach the young men and make
Christians of them. Now, in spite of
all this good work accomplished, lot
of old cranks have got together and
tried to put me out of commission in
my church; also some of the preachers
began to roast me for preaching a SER
mon in Omaha from the prize ring. |
am no fanatic l believe in using
good. sensible methods to help men to
a better life, and / believe boxing is
one of the best. For daring to stand
for what / know is right these people
have endeavored to hand one over on
me.
First of all, l never intend to give
up the religious work. Now, | submit
this proposition to you: That 1 be Civ
en- chance to be your boxing partner.
l was never brilliant as a boxer on
the Abe Attell order. but l can rough
it and take a good beating. am now
only twenty-eight, and these years of
leading a pure life have made me
tougher, stronger and faster than ever.
If / can't stand the work, then l don't
want a cent, and 1 will pay my own
expenses from Omaha to New York.
I don't mean to say that can stand a
pace such as you set out in your fights.
But In your stage bouts and in train
ing for fights, if 1 can't do as well as
Joe Gilligan, then you can put me
down as a dead one. No other preach
er has had to resort to boxing in or
der to preach and help others. Few
have had the nerve to speak in favor
of the most manly of all sports, be-
cause they know they would get what
/ have already received-the condem-
nation of those who do not know fight
ers or the help that boxing will give to
a man."
'"rhis fellow reads like the goods,
and l am going TO give him the job"
said Nelson = New York Evening
World.