Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-16
PAPkE QUICKLY
DEFEATS KELLY
ITALIAN WHIPPED IN LESS
THAN ONE ROUND
Miner OutcIassed and outponted Adj
versary, and in Brief Fight Showed
His Greater Skill Against
Contestant

SAN FRANCISCO, May 15.-One
minute and thirty seconds of a sched-
uled forty -five-round contest was suff1-
cient to demonstrate that Hugo Kelly
of Chicago was no match in speed or
skill with Billy Papke, the Illinois
Thunderbolt.
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 deep
cut over his right eye and his chances
for the middleweight championship had
gone glimmering.
Faster and stronger than he has APP
peared since his memorable battle with
Stanley Ketchel at Los Angeles, Papke
practically toyed with his opponent. In
the several clinches he smothered KEEL
ly's attempts at mitigating and pushed
him away, only to land singing rights
and lefts that found 'the italian almost
unprotected.
Kelly lost the battle when PaplSe
landed his first clean right and left
to the jaw. He went to the floor for
the count of nine and arose with sufti-
cient vitality to resist the finishing
punches.
Prior to this Papke had shot a ter
rife left hook which laid an inch-long
cash above Kelly's right eye.
Kelly Weakens
The blow was the opening wedge.
Kelly appeared to weaken, and Papke
without an instants hesitation rushed
him to the ropes, shooting lefts and
rights into his mid-section. Kelly fell,
face downward, and was counted out
by Timekeeper Hastings.
AS Referee Eddie Smith counted
ten" Kelly struggled to raise himself
III. Ia, eff Tod
his last spark of vitality and he
lurched back unconscious. Seconds car
ried him to his corner in a state of
unconsciousness, while a hundred spec
tators climbed into the ring to smother
Papke with congratulations.
Papkes wonderful speed and strength
were the feature of the brief contest.
His taller opponent appeared weak and
awkward by comparison with the Ke-
vance boy, ana at no stage did Kelly
have a chance to show his cleverness. !
Half of the ninety seconds was spent
in clinches.
Papke wrestled and flung Kelly about
with utter disregard of the Italians
greater height Against the ropes, |
whittier he was rushed twice or three |
times, Kelly was almost helpless and
it was in this plight that Papke's clean |
cut blows were landed.
The battle, which took place in the
open air. was witnessed by approx |
mately 5000 people and was the fourth
meeting between the rival middle
weights. While not so announced, |
Papke's victory carries virtually with
it the middleweight championship title, |
inasmuch as Stanley Ketchel has stat
ed repeatedly in public his inability to
make the middleweight limit.
Today's battle was practically over
before half of those present had set
tied in their seats. The blows were
struck at such fast clip that they
could be followed only with difficulty, |
and until the first knockdown it was
not realized that Kelly was so seriously
damaged.
All of Papke's effective work was
done at short range the blows travel |
ing but a few inches and the men
standing shoulder to shoulder. The
fight consisted of but three important
blows Papke landing all of them.
Time was called at PAS p m
Round 1-Papke forced Kelly against
the rope, and the latter, after missing
a right swing, hooked his right to the
stomach They worked to close range, |
both fighting carefully. At close quar-
tiers Kelly swung short-arm lefts and |
rights to the head. Papke, forcing
Kelly to the ropes, swung right and |
left hard to the jaw and hard rights |
to the same spot, putting Kelly to the
floor for the count of nine. A deep
cash was cut over Kelly's right eye
from the effects of Papkes pummelihg !
The Chicago fighter came up very |
groggy He was easy prey for the !
Illinois Thunderbolt. Papke lost no
time in finishing matters. He laced |
out right and left, catching Kelly on |
the point of the jaw, his head strik- |
ing the floor with a resounding whack |
He lay prone blood streaming from |
his right eye. He was quickly counted |
out by the timekeeper. but it was at
least ten seconds before he recovered |
his faculties. Papke was declared the
winner.