The Washington herald., 1911-03-18
W0LGAST TAKES
FIGHT IN NINTH
Referee Eyton Saves Memsic
from Knockout.
By w. w. NAUGHTON.

By w. w. NAUGHTON.
Los Angeles. March 17.-Wolgast in the
ninth round. 1t was anybody's fight for
five rounds. but after that the result
could not have been in doubt for an in
stant to any one with a grain of discern
ment.
For by that time. with the buffeting and
the grueing pace, Memsic had faded
to a whisper, while the champion was
just beginning to enter into the spirit of
the thing And once WolgaSt struck his
gait, he was as mercilesS as "A hungry
chicken with a cold boiled potato
There was not a knock-down in the
whole series. a fact which makes it all
the harder for those who want to deter
mine where boxing ends and prize fight
ing begins. but the finish was as dra-
matte a thing as any sport with pugilistic
leaninGs would care to see.
WogaSt came from his nook in the
ring like the little tiger that he is. He
had felt his gritty opponent slowing up
for several rounds, and he scented vic
tory.
After an Intellectual pass or two, the
champion Strengthened his left The blow
caught Memsic between the nose and the
mouth, and the way his head tilted back
was a sure sign that his energies were
relaxed. Then came another left, an
other, and another and every ono of
them took the beaten man upon the
face.
He reeled back and his legs seemed on
the point of giving way. His arms
dropped.
Wolgast with the springiness of a cat,
made for his tottering adversary, but he
never reached him. EytOn, who was
watching things as referee never watched
before. grabbed Wolgast and motioned
avert a Knockout, and it was done in the
nick of time
II Eyton-warned by the threats of Of
fetal interference during the afternoon
had not ended the argument the way he
did, here is probably what would have
happened: WOlGast rush would have
brought him TO Aiemsics side, the spec
tatOrs would have heard the swish and
smash OF WolEast's right glove. and may
be the thud of a head against the canvas
as Memsic dropped to the floor.
And instead of complaining that they
had been robbed of the spectacle OF the
loser beaten to the floor, every rinESider
that l heard comment upon the proceed
ings remarked: "EytOns act was the
timcliest thing I ever saw"
Contest Is Interesting One.
It was a highly interesting contest
one in which the experiences and SEN
sations Of a dozen such affairs were
condensed into one. As some one said.
WoIgast and Mcrnsic played upon the
whole gamut of puGilisGc emotions. They
fought like Trojans and for more than
half the contest the result was so much
in doubt that the onlookers were jump
ing up and down in their seats and
cheering first one lightweight and then
the other in way which threatened
cracked throats TO the CheerCrs. The
excitement reached fever heat in the
opening round when McmsiC. while bOr-
ing toward his man, placed a jarring
right -hander on the champions Jaw.
They were in a ClinCh an instant later
and as they swung around WOlgast' s
knees were SagEinC and there was a
hlmy look in his eyes.
Lucky hoy. Ad. that the ClinCh came
when il did.
Memsio did not need the shriIlinG Of
the excited throng to tell him that he
had his man in a bad wav. He knew
by the limp manner in which Wolgast
hung in his arms that the champion was
shaken through and through, and he
tiled to free himself and measure his
man for the knockout blow.
But WOICast hung on like grim death. |
and in his eagernesS to pull clear McmSic !
wrestled his man TO the floor.
lust there was where WOgast dis
played horse sense He just Strengthened |
out on his back for a few seconds and |
blinked at the blue sky. There was no !
occasion for him to arise quickly, for he |
haG not been sent down by punch and |
there was no count going on.
1t was a chance TO take a brief rest |
and think things over, and Ad availed |
himself or it.
When he finally stood erect the round |
was almost spent, and while Memsic was |
figuring out the best way 10 pile into |
the badly stung King of the lightweight |
the bell rang. And I'll be bound. !
no music ever sounded sweeter to the |
ear of man than the tinkle of the gong
lid to Mr.. Ad WOlgast, of Cadillac, |
Mich.
Nor was that the only time tho sword |
was hanging over Champion Wolgasts |
head. MemSiC, who is nothing if not a |
hard pUnCher, was in rare form to-day, |
and the whizzing. hair-raising swings he
sent in WolSast's direction during each |
Of the first five rounds must have made |
he champions hackers shudder.