Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-12-21
''POOR OLD Bat DOES NOT BOTHER NELSON
in The SLIGHTEST; He, HAS HIGH HOPES
Fighting for $4,000 Purses
Doesn't PeeVe For
lmer Champ
HE ADMITS HE ISN'T JUST
AS GOOD AS HE WAS, BUT

NEW YORK, Dec. 21.-"Poor old
Bat" they call him now, where two
years and a half ago he was Battling
Nelson, the wonderful Dane and great
est of all champions.
Poor old Bait" What a slide down
fame's incline!
Today the hero of Hegewisch is
fighting for $1,000 purses. And 1t seems
but a short time ago since he pulled
down $34, 900 for whipping Joe Cans,
the old master. What shadows time
casts over the most brilliant pugilistic
career!
One would naturally suppose Bat
would b. peeved. But he isn't. He
only smiles that smile of his, h same
smile that overspread his features
when he stood over the PROSTATE body
of Jimmy Britt at Colma in 1905 and
realized he was white lightweight
champion Of the world. The smile
later stretches to a laugh, that peculiar
gurgle which belongs OILY to Bat Nell
son, and words come.
1CCy dlii / lultiiS liz obS5y dii0 AK
laughs again..
Reverses have ripped the great rep
utation, but they have not altered the
character or diminished the nerve of
the wonderful battler. He is the same
Nelson, only now he is engaged in
getting back" as he expresses it, to
the place he once held, where before
he was the topnotcher. accepting or
rejecting Invitations as he saw fit.
Poor old Bait"
1t is funny. It's tonight to have to
pay taxes in seven different States
and sixteen different cities, to own a
couple of well-stocked farms in New
Mexico and California and to be un-
able to write out contracts fast
enough to cover the offers for your
services. 1t must be awful to live in
ignorance of how much ones worldly
riches amount to. This is Nelson's
situation.
mo. | frankly admit I'm not as good
now" he explains, but I'm fighting
myself into condition and ] expect to
again be champion. My ambition is to
fight for the lightweight championship
just nee more. II / win, If | lose, or
II I draw, | Will lay the gloves aside
for all time and say goodby to the
game That will be the last of Battling.
Nelson as a pugilist.
I'm not claiming the title now that
Wolgast is Ill, although I have a right
to. Let the mediocre fighters such as
Brown, Hogan, Wells, Welsh and Nc
Fariand do that. Then I'll grab the
guy that's III there. I'm poor old Bat
now, but there may ne a change. T
intend TO play safe and not do as JEFF
fries did. Gradually ] will work myself
into condition for the great test. which
will come later. These guys I'm fight
ing now are all alike. Some OF them
can make me go fast now. but wait
until the Battler gets his muscles hard
and his eye accurate"
Nelson says he demands q specified
weight from all opponents and insists
on making no special weight himself
because he fights often and he has
enough bother attending to his affairs
without worrying about weight for
feits. He is ON trains a great deal OF
tho time and doesn't get as much
chance to condition himself as he
would like. Running around IS he Is
would wear him vi TO make a weight
and fight as often as he is fighting
at present.
.Ill make weight il my opponent will
make a side bet of $780, said Bat.
but not unless he does"
The wonder of the fight game is Bat
Nelson. There win never be another
like him.
The wonder is what he will do to-
morrow night at the Madison A. c.
with zone Round Hogan.