The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-07-09
FIGHTING DAYS OF
ABE ATTELL ENDED
Forced to Relinquish His
Crown Because He Can
not Defend 1t Longer.
(National News Association

i
New York, July s-Can it be that
the time for the passing of that won
derful little fighter, Abe Attell is at
hand?
1t would seem so, according to all
reports of the condition of Attell who
is resting or at least trying to within
the confines of little old New York.
Abey has been kept out of the ring for
months now because of an injured
shoulder, and according to those who
are in close touch with the little Jew,
it is likely that he may never enter
the arena again to defend the title of
featherweight champion, which he has
held for many years and that, too,
without serious contention.
AS rare as snowballs on the Fourth
OF July on the equator in the game OF
pugilism will be the case of Abey if
he Is forced to relinquish his crown
through inability to defend it. Since
the days of glove fighting began it is
hard to find champion who has been
forced to give up his title through an
Injury received in the ring. There have
been many cases, far too many, where
a champion through defeat has been
dethroned after he had passed the
stage of his best fighting days Many
INSTANCES of this might be cited here,
taking into consideration every class
from the heavyweights down to the lit
tie bantams.
Jeff One Example.
There was only one man among the
big fellows who quit before his title
was taken away from his. That was
James J. Jeffries, and he was forced to
give up his crown through voluntary
retirement principally because there
was no one capable of making him
fight for it. But the fact must not be
overlooked that after six years of re-
tirement this same James J. JeffrieS
was hauled back into the ring to meet
that inevitable defeat which has been
traditional since the start of the game.
from the hands of the negro, Jack
Johnson.
Another instance is that of Joe Cans,
bered among the dead. For years Joe
was lightweight champion. He con-
tinued to fight until age and tubercu-
Ilosis. caused through excessive train
ing, made him a different man. 1t
made him an easy victim for Battling
Nelson, and with that defeat went the
title he had held so long. And as indi-
eating the change in the Baltimore
man, it was not long after that death
claimed him.
| In Class Alone.
Those are cases where fighters have
met the inevitable, but in the case of
Abe Attell it is far different. Up I'M
til the time his shoulder was injured
in fight less than year ago, with
Tommy Kilbane at Cleveland there
Iwere few able to make Abey step his
limit to win. He fought all the feath-
erweights that could be sent against
him. And he beat them all and gath
Tered in the sheckles all the while. But
since being put out of commission, At
tell has not been able to stand train
ling, despite the fact that he has been
under the watchful eye of physicians.
IOn;y a couple Of weeks ago Abey was
to have fought in an eastern ring. The
match had been made and all was
ready for the setting, but the fight
didn't take place. A couple Of days
before fight time it was called off by
Attell. who announced that he was un.
able to fight.
1t would be hard to find a more Won
|derful little fighting machine than At
tell. Ruling the roost for years, he
has been giving away pounds in order
Ito keep active. He has everything
There is in the pugilistic repertoire at
This finger tips Many declare there
never was more clever defensive and
defensive fighter, and this combined
with his great headwork, which made
him wonderful ring general, COM
lpleted the machine which has proved
|invulnerable to attack. AS a two-hand-
ed fighter, none ever was better, and
If there is anything lacking in Attell
lit is stiff punch. He had a punch
THAT could score knockouts, but he did
l1et display it often.
Woleast Recovered.
There have been other cases and
there are at the present time where
injured hands or arms have put fight
Ter out of commission for a time, and in
other instances for all time; but these
men were not champions. However,
lit is interesting to cite the case of one
lchampion, a present one. This is Ad
Volgast of Cadillac, Michigan. holder
lof the lightweight championship. When
Jack Redmond fought the little Michi-
gan "bear-cat' more than a year ago
lWolgast broke his right hand He
managed to stay the limit, ten rounds,
with Redmond, and thereby saved his
title.
Then it was up to the champion to
take a long rest. so that the injured
maui might mend. For months Ad