Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-23
'AD" WOLGAST Wins
THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Sturdy Milwaukee Scrapper
Defeats Bat Nelson in
Forty Rounds.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal. February %
Adolph Wolgast. pride of Milwaukee, is
lightweight champion of the world
After a grueling battle at Point Rich
mond yesterday afternoon 1900 fight
fans saw Battling Nelson's colors lower
ed. They saw him, after forty rounds
of the gamest fight ever witnessed. bleed
ing. staggering and half blind. unable to
tell his corner, while Referee Eddie
Smith stopped the fight and declared VOL
CAST the winner.
AS far back as the thirty-fourth round
Robinson. Nelson's manager, wanted to
stop the fight. but the Dane would n, :
let him. He apparently preferred to take
his medicine. If he had to.
From start to finish it was Wolgasts
fight. He outboxed Nelson at every turn
and. though the Dane hit hard and true
when he did land, the Milwaukee boys
blows and their rapidity far outclassed
Only a Question of Time.
1t was apparent, after the twenty-fifth
round, that wolgast's victory was only
a question of minutes. In the thirty
Dutchman to finish what began to seem
of the Battler.
When time was called for the fortieth
round, Nelson, blind, limp and worn
out. tried a right swing. but came about
a foot short. He then got in solid
right, but Wolgast came back at him
with a swing like catapult- Eddie
Smith saw that the end had come. He
stepped between the men and stopped
the fight. proclaiming Wolgast the win
ner, amid the deafening cheers of the
thousands who had watched him fight
every inch of a terribly beset road to
the championship. At that Nelson was
game He wanted to continue, but was
helpless. Wolgast was carried on his
seconds shoulders, while the Dane was
led to his corner.
Thousands of dollars, placed on Nelson
before the fight. were lost. At the ring
side there was much money changed
hands at even money, and toward the
end of the fight odds of 10 to OH
Wolgast found no takers. The German,
In addition to winning. saved thousands
for his hackers. as soon as he lasted
twenty-five rounds.
Robinson stated after the fight that
he thought Nelson could have lasted
glad Smith had stopped the battle. Nell
son would make no statement. He was
beaten fairly and squarely.
Record-Breaking Crowd.
lin spite Of a downpour of rain at l
o'clock, the crowds surged across the
bay to the arena at Richmond. and it
was apparent that there was to be a
record-breaking attendance. Sid Hester
however, was nervous. and had phoned
to the "Battler'' early. to see if he
would appear should the storm continue
I'm fight by lightning or any kind
of a. Storm was the Danes answer
Jones, Wolgast's manager. had de-
clared that unless $1,000 was deposited
with some responsible party to guaran-
tee his interest in the pictures he wouldn't
let Wolgast fight. Hester was able to
satisfy him that everything was all right
The crowd was impatient and cheered
for the fighters. Two or three women
who were in the boxes got the customary
salutation. Tom Jones came in the ring,
tried the ropes and said
I'VE are ready as soon as they are
Wolgast weighed in his dressing robe
at 132A. ..t..-
Both Under 1873 Pounds.
Nelson weighed in at under lbs. There
was no weighing in at the ringside. Both
weighed in at the sheds.
At 2:55 pm. Wolgast entered the ring
with Tom Jones, Hobo Dougherty.