The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-01
new STAR Halls FROM
CADILLAC, MICHIGAN
Bunnmed His Way on a Freight
to First Flgh|-- Beaten
Only Once

Cadillac, Mich March 4 Ad
Nolgast, conqueror Of Battling Nei-
son and new lightweight champion oil
ihc wo ID, rode into The prize ring by
beating his way on freight from
Cadillac to PctoskeS
That was less han four years ago,
Today be Is the leader Of his class
III the fighting game, and in that time
has had but Que decision given
against him. cnriously enough the
only boy who ever beat Wolgast WAS
one who adopted tho name Of his lat
est yir;im and wen under he name
of young Nelson This took place
at Grand Rapids, July II, lgG6.
Just now the most joyful town ~
Che United States is Cadillac Mich
Residents Of that little place began
cclcbra ing Tuesday evening when
news came that Ad Wolgast had
beaten Battling Nelson. They have
not stopped yet but pretty soon Iney
are going 10 rest up. so that he citi-
zens of that bu & will be in shape TO
give the new champion a royal well
come home.
The residents Of Cadillac are up IN
arms againss Milwaukee for c'almin5
TO be the home Of the new champ,
and they have all the odds over the
Foam city. for II is there that VOL
CASTS entire family lives a the pres
cnt time ana Il was there that the
new champion firsI saw the light OF
day. FebIua y s, 1855
Stars as cigarmaker.
Wclgas's S father was cigarmak-
er. and when young Ad was old
enough TO ge into the money making
line he went with his father and
learned the genie arr OF turning ont
periecios. This did pretty vel un-
Til he was Is yea 5 old Then he
saw there wasnt much chance %
make any great amoun. OF money in
the cigar business He became rest
less. but going into the fighting game
had never entered his head He had
had few street fights. as any boy
will but he had never had a boxing
glove on.
During this restless period news
dlifted into Cadillac that there was
10 be fight at Petoskey. Young
Wolgast hea them talking about
this scrap and decided he wanted to
see the mill lie had never seen a
ring battle before He didA have
any coin in his pockets 6u, be
freights slow down going through
Cadillac, and they have to stop a.
Petoskey or go into lake Michigan.
Therefore the future champion hop
ped Que Of these freigh's and landed
in petoskey On The Afternoon of hc
battle. Then he found that II WIS
not as easy TO beat his way ini0 the
cna as It had been 10 gei into 'Own,
lie stuck at the entrance. After q
while the promoter came TO the door
with worried look on his face. ono
Of The boys billed TO 80 on in The
preliminary had tailed 10 show up.
He wanted SOME one 10 80 on.
Wolnss.'s First Fight
Adolph w decided hat he would
DC Wiling 10 stand w before the
other guy for chauce of seeing the
big go. and in addition pull down Two
whole dollars and half. This was
rs good as two days work with his
father In 3be cigar shop KID
Hoorc was ibc hoy he had to face.
The Kid had been out few times
and was hooking pretty good by the
fight followers of Pc eoskey.
Wolgsst didn't know anything
about boxing. Neither does history
tell who seconded him in bis first
mill The main fact Is that he Dor
rowed pair of trunks, waded idlo
Kid Moe, and by dint OF huslling
aud tieh.i every minute, won the
decision after siA rounds. lie felt
proud Of himself after that victory
aud some Cadillac sports recdoned
that they had winner.
Nd Defeats Young Nelson
Ibe boxing game WAS alive IN
dfand Rapids hen and they prompt.
IL got into communication with the
promoters Of the Rapids battles at
thar lime asking that Wolgast be put
on with some one in a p eiminary
The fact that they offered 10 bring
Gown 100 Cadillac fans led Promoter
Frank Lynch to take Up the offer, and
III addition he agreed 10 give VOL
sgsi $40 rhe kid was there with
be Is on He lanGed Ia Grand Rap
Ids June Is, and that af efnoon went
Into the ring againa boy who was
fighting under the name OF Young
Nelson
Wolgast didn't have any science,
but he went into il hard. and in the
thi.d round had the referee counting
over The form ol his opponent. This
ended ihe battle, bur started a great
rivalry between the pair The fee.-
ing became known and they were
matched 10 meet July Y Then It
res thnf ne onlv decision ever CIV
en- agains Wolgast was registered
Wolvast was confident that he could
ljok Nelson He didn'i pay much at.