The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-02-23
BATTLING NELSON, GAME TO
LAST, DIES WITH BOOTS ON
For Forty Rounds Men Pummel Each Other
Until Sport Becomes Butchery and
Strong Men Shed Tears
By WILLIAM ]. SLATTERY

pion. He was the victor and to him
went the spoils.
Throughout those 80 bloody rounds
Nelson fought every inch of the way.
but at all times there was something
lacking in him. He did not have his
old time steam nor his punch. He was
slow on his feet and wild with his
blows. He could not force wolgast
around the ring as he forced Cans and
Britt and Young Corbett and Hyland
and a score of others. The stamina the
substance. was not there. Too many
beatings had had their effect.
Nelson's only chance came in the
twenty second round. but he failed Ut
terly. Near the middle Of this period he
struck Wolgast mighty right swing.
which sent the little fellow Keeling half
way across the ring. Bat was slow in
getting near his man. but he finally
landed and by dint of good body punch
ing drove him to the center of the ring.
where they INDUCED in one of their
many mixups, with heads locked.
Suddenly the Dane dashed out with
another right swing. 1t caught VOL
CAST flush on the jaw and he fell to
the floor. He was almost done for then
and there. but though groggy and be-
wildered he regained his feet and did
the best he could to defend himself
UNABLE TO FOLLOW UP LEAD
Nelson was on top of him quickly.
but instead of finishing the fight he
was compelled to allow Wolgast to
clinch with him. hold on and stall the
round out. For the first time the spec
Ia tors realized fully that il was not the
Nelson of championship form who was
hghting. The old time Battler would
have completed his job within few
seconds and everybody would have gone
home. But the Battler could not de
liver He was not there.
Wolgast came UP for the next round
in bad shape. Hc was still grogSv
and weak and uncertain on his feet
The Battler dashed after him like IL
mailman. but he failed to make good
He could not deliver the punch. His
strength seemed gone. and, though he
knew that he had his man where he
wanted him. he was unable TO put the
finishing touch on him.
During the next three rounds VOL
CAST was in a bad way He was slow
to come back and his friends were
praying for him to stay % rounds 1t
certainly looked bad for him along
about the twenty-third and the twenty
fourth. and when Nelson failed to bring
the battle to an end in the twenty fifth
mighty cheer went up. for there had
been lot OF betting that the little fell
low would stick p rounds.
wOLGAST's SECOND WIND
After the twenty-ffth WoISast got
q lie
returned and he began to fight the
champion cleverly. He stepped around
the ring al a lively pace, blocked Nell
sons leads and shot in rights and lefts
to the head with lightninglike rapid
ity. Still, 1t looked as though Nelson
was holding something back and was
due to come on with one OF his famous
rallies. The Wolgast admirers were
hoping against hope that their man
might still keep on and outgeneral the
BattIer.
After the thirtieth had passed and
another vOlley of cheers had filed the
air the Nelson supporters began to lose
hope. They saw their great champion
gradually slipping back. He was a
sight then. His face was beaten prac-
tically to a pulp, both eyes were closed
and his body was covered with the
blood that trickled down from his
mouth and nOstrils- Perhaps nobody
ever gazed at a more Mucous S1ght tnan
Nelson presented. But still he was
fighting and rushing and doing the best
he could.
From the thirty-ift round on. the
Battlers finish could be seen. But few
OF his stanch admirers conceded him
a chance then. Wolgast was clever
and cautious and he kept picking his
man off at will. Occasionally he would
rush and rough the champion around
the ring and the Battler was forced to
take il with only a mild comeback.
Try as he might he could not land an
effective blow on the sprightly little
fellow from Milwaukee.
TRIES TO ross UP SPONGE
Six rounds before the finish Nelson's
manager, John r. Robinson. made
many a frantic effort to toss the
sponge into the ring. the signal that
his man had had enough. But the other
seconds in the BattIer's corner would
not think of il and when Nelson re-
turned to his chair in the thirty-afth
he warned Robinson not 10 interfere,
saying he was able TO protect himself
Il could not bear to see Nelson be-
ing subjected to an unmerciful beat
ing" said Robinson after Che fight i
think too much of him. 7 knew he was
game and would fight tin he could not
stand up, but il was awful TO see him
being punched around that ring in the
condition he was Wait till next time.
know that he can beat WOlgast and
he will do IL vet"