The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-02-23
NELSON LOSES IN
FORT|ETH ROUND
Beaten to a Pulp And With Eyes Clos
ed Battling Dane Begged to Be
Allowed to Continue Fight.


Richmond, Cal, Feb. 23.--Hs face
battered to pulp, his eyes closed. his
lips puffed, covered with blood, and
staggering helplessly about the ring.
yesterday Battling Nelson, conquer
or of Joe Cans, was saved from a
knockout in the fortieth round of his
fight with Wolgast when Referee
Eddie Smith stopped a most unequal
contest.
Nelson, game to the last, stood in
the center Of the ring, and even
though he could not raise his hands
begged to be allowed to continue. He
was led to his corner heartbroken. In
the opposite corner of the RUG, the
new light weight champion of the
world, Ad Wolgast, of Cadillac, Mich,
was lifted to the shoulders Of his
trainers, amid the cheers of the big
crowd.
Only once in the fight dill Nelson
have a chance, in the twenty-second
round, when with stinging right
cross to the jaw he staggered his op-
ponent Before the round closed he
dropped Wolgast in the middle Of the
ring with similar blow, and three
seconds were tolled before Wolgast
regained his feet.
The crowd prepared to leave the
arena and word went from bench to
bench that another boy mad fallen
victim to the wonderful durability Of
the Dane. But in the next round
Wolgast recuperated and from then
on slowly. steadily, but surely he wore
Nelson down. For twelve rounds be-
fore the finish, Nelson seemed be-
,wildered and his blows were sent as
though he held weights in his hands,
From the thirtieth round, Nelson
could hardly see or hear, the left side
of his face having lost all se1Lblance
of its former contour. He staggered
and hung on. In the thirsy-slxth
round he was all but out, put survived
the round. ,ssst ssasr
In the thirty-eighth round, John
Robinson. Nelson's manager, wanted
to throw the sponge into the ring. but
Abdul the Turk. one of the seconds,
tore it from his hands and threw It
into the bucket From then on, Ia
each round, Robinson protested on
the verge of tears, that his man was
beaten.
When the fortieth came, Referee
Smith asked Nelson If he wanted 10
quit, Nelson, unable to talk. merely
shook his head negatively. Whcn
thirty seconds Of the forticth round
he'd gone, and as darkness was be-
ginning to creep over the scene Of
the fight, and full moon was jist
beginning to peep through the clnuds,
Referee Smith raised Wolgast's glove
into the air. A new lightweight CHAM
pion had come into fistina.
Wolgast said after the light. my
flight today was like training bout.
Only once did he bother me, and that
was in the twenty-second round. Mel
son hurt he more by butting me than
in any other way and felt peculiar
for just a few seconds. | cannot say
anything as to my future plans but
am ready to give any deserving lisat-
weights chance"
When Nelson was able to talk, he
said: 4 am sorry they called the
fight off when they did. think !
could have stayed the forty-fvs
rounds, but have no complaint to
make"
The fight drew about $4,000. Much
money was bet to / on Nelson be-
fore the fifteenth round after that
lit was even. The majority Of the bets
were that WoIgast would stay twenty.
| five rounds.