Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-27
BY LAY DAVIDSON

TO lose to Little on a tOul and tha
basis. There was nothing left fc
call off the bets to protect the PIT
When Walsh had instructed 1
their conduct during the fight al
ners, the official timekeeper, by
and Walsh held up his hands and
reasons best known to myself, I
fight" The fans were stunned fc
interest in the bout while trying
traordinary action. : Wolgast also
and although the timekeeper imm
to start, Welgast refused to leave
the reason for calling off all bets.
ing, and as Little was advancing
After the fight had ended Walsh
called the press representatives togeth-
er and made the following statement,
in justifying the action taken:
Il went out to Vernon yesterday
morning to talk over the rules with
Wolgast and instruct him regarding his
conduct during the fight. Afterward
Wolgast got confidential with me and
told me that the purse for which he
was fighting was too small and that
he had decided to lose to Little on a
foul and bet on Little and make a
cleanup. He said that he could get a
return match with Little, and that
they would draw big house. I tried
to persuade him against this plan, and
showed him where he could not get
away with it without loss Of prestige.
and practically no financial gain. He
was stubborn and refused to change his
plans for losing on a foul, and I left
him. went out there again this morn
Ing and had talk with him upon the
subject, hoping that he was only kid
ding me about it. I found he had not
changed his mind and that all my ar
guments were Of no avail. I still re-
fused to take it seriously and came up
town and watched out for the betting.
When L found so much Little money
going into the hands Of betting COM
m1ss1oners last evening, when previ-
ously there had been none in sight, I
became convinced that Wolgast was
carrying out his plans, and that he in
tended to fake by losing on a foul. It
was my duty to inform Manager Long,
and did so after 1 arrived at the
pavilion
Wolgast was interviewed after the
fight, before he had left his dressing
room, and while he was angry because
bets had been declared off, he pro-
fessed ignorance as to the reason there
for, and requested to be informed.
When told that Walsh had made the
statement outlined herein he made de-
nial and said:
WoIgast Makes Denial
why, it is lie, of course. I would
not lose to Little for a thousand dol
lars. 1t would hurt my record and 7
would not have it go in my record for
anything. If Walsh says that he lies.
L III, +l,aA L. I
interpret that way. / bet $100 that I
would knock Little out and can prove
1t, so why would I try to lose on a
foul and mar my record? Walsh never
has liked me very much since I OBJ
.Jected to him refereeing the fight with
Weeks and he probably is telling that
story just to get even with me. If J.
wanted to fake, why would I tell him
ABOUT 1t? 1 would not need his heIp,
as he would have to declare me the
loser if | fouled Little and 1 could get
away with it without his help and if
1 wanted to be crooked l would be
very foolish to take him into my conf
dence. I regret that this thing has
come up, because It casts an unenvi-
able reflection upon my integrity and
honor and / always have tried to be on
the square and always intend to be-"
1t is one Of those regrettable affairs
that occasionally bob up to hurt the
sport, but, fortunately for the sport in
this instance, the alertness, integrity of
the officials involved and the pr6mpt
and effective action which they took to
forestall any possible effort at perpe-
trating a fraud upon the public has
saved the sport from any i'll effects be-
yond the unpleasant notoriety which
naturally attaches.
Stops Little in Fourth
After Wolgast started to fighting, he
quickly convinced the fans at ringside
tnat ne was sure winner. He COM
pletely outclassed Little in every way.
He outboxed him, outslugged him. out
roughed him and punched much more
effectively. He proved beyond all doubt
that he is one of the greatest feather
weights in the world and it is doublv
regrettable that he should be involved
in scandalous proceeding such as
that which was connected with his
name last night.
first round, but after that period he
never had a chance to win. The
knockout resulted from a series of
leads to the wind, a right uppercut to
the jaw, followed quickly by a full left
swing to the pit of the stomach. Lit
tie fell and rolled over and was counted
out. He had sustained severe punish
IueuL LnIOuSHOuI the HgnC to the final
blow and was unable to give much
punishment in return.
When all bets were called off VOL
CAST baked and seemed on the point of
refusing to fight. Little went after him
from the gong, and in a few moments
they were mixing it rough house style.
They fought like tigers, and at close
quarters each punished the other Sc
verely with body blows and uppercuts.
They wasted little time in this round,
and it ended with honors about even.