Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-11-30
.WOLGAST HAS
APPENDICITIS.
FIGHT IS OFF
Champion Was to Have De-
Tended Title at Los An
geles Tomorrow; House
Had Been Sold Out.

Los Angeles, Nov. 29.-Stricken sud
denly with acute appendicitis, Ad VOL
CAST, champion lightweight fighter
underwent life and death operation
today on the eve of his battle will
Freddie Welsh The operation ap
parently was success, but the patien
will be in the hospital for ten days OF
two weeks, and for three months mus
not put on q boxing glove.
The twenty round Thanksgiving
Z day battle at Vernon, of course, Is off
The house had been sold out early IN
week and the gross receipts estimated
at $35, 900, will have to be returned to
seat purchasers. Wolgast was to have
received $13,500 as his share and Welsh
$4,000. Tom McCarry, promoter Of the
Pacific Coast Athletic club, under the
auspices of which the contest was to
have been staged, said today he would
try to arrange a substitute card.
Wolgast was placed on the operat-
ing table at $3.50 O'clock
Although doubled up with pain he
smiled cheerfully just before the sur
geons applied the ether.
The little champion showed symp-
toms OF the sudden attack last night
after he had eaten hearty supper at
his trainiig quarters in Vernon. Slight
pains caused him to complain but he
went to bed at 10:SO, apparently all
right again. At 2 o'clock, however
his manager. Tom Jones, said Wolgast
awakened him with his screams. .
Physicians diagnosed the attack as
acute appendicitis and declared that
an immediate operation was necessary.
Wolgast was placed Immediately
In an automobile ambulance and
rushed to'the hospital.
Almost continuously he was in great
pain but in the brief periods of COM
~parativerest hi. talked cheerfuliy and
tried fsebiy to Joke with his surgeons
and attendants. 4.T III
As soon as the patient was safely
In the hospital Jones rushed out to
fetch Mrs. Wolgast. When she ar
rived at the hospital Mrs Wolgast
broke down. 'This is the first time
Ad has ever been ill.," she said, "and
! am 30 afraid those knives will kill
him.
The announc cement of Wolgast's i'll
ness had the effect of bolt Of light
ming upon sporting circles. Yester-
day he appeared in the pink of condi-
ton, ready for the battle Of his life.
and fight enthusiasts who saw him
wrestle and pummel his sparring
partners, and Calvert, about like play.
ful colts, were astounded to learn that
he was in hospital this morning at
the point of death.
Freddie Welsh was up before dawn
to receive the news Of Wolgasts i'll
ness. Welsh had been training at a
seaside resort This is blow, am
sure. am awfully sorry Wolgast is
SO bad of, and disappointed because
the fight will have to be called off"
Welsh, however, went out on the
road as usual for a workout.
Every effort will be made to provide
another fight card SO that the large
gate receipts need not be returned
The operation on Wolgast was COM
pleted at 1850 o'clock. Manager Tom
Jones descended from the operating
room to escort Mrs. Wolgast upstairs
to see her husband.
ss"Ad is still unconscious from the
anaesthetic," said Jones. ''but the
doctor say he is doing fine.''
\ The operation lasted forty minutes. |
DR.. J. w. Pollard, who performed it.
states that Wolgast's perfect physical
condition rendered 1t almost certain
that he would recover rapidly.
Z . H . e .