New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-29
WOLGAST FOULS AND
RICHIE GETS TITLE
The Lightweight Championship
Changes Hands After Sixteen
Rounds of Fierce Boxing.
DECISION PLEASES CROWD
Michigan Man Starts Strongly,
hut Slows Up Under Fire and
Is Weak and Groggy
at the End.
~ TT-EraDn 10 Tho TrIbunc. J

.H. telegraph TO The Tr.buncI
San Francisco, Nov. 2S.--A new light
weight champion Of the world was crowned
r DAILY city to-day when Willie Ritchie.
If this city. was awarded the decision over
Sd worgast on a foul after sixteen rounds
cr sa.aae lighting. Wolgast had all the
,ettrr OF the early rounds Of the battle.
rut Rlt.me kept coming, and in the six
,penth round dropped Wolgast fat on his
hack with right hand swing to the jaw.
The champion got up weak and groggy,
his eyes glazed and gasping for breath.
81, was q beaten man. lie Wrched into a
clinch and in trying to uppercut struck
Ritchie low blow Jim Griffin, the ref
cree. stepped in and warned Wolgast, say
ing: III YOU do that once more III dis
qualify YOU" Hardly had he finished the
sentence when WoIgast landed a swinging
gnrercut below the belt and Griffin
ordered HIM TO his corner, declaring the
San Francisco boy the victor
The spectators received the decision with
wild acclaim for it is the first time in
number of years that San francisco has
boastad "a champion. and Riticho is one Of
the most popular men I'm the ring on the
Pacific Coast Tom Jones, the manager
Of Wolgast, however. made a violent pro-
tes, and said that Ritchie was in no way
injured and that the contest should have
been allowed to so on. 1t is believed
that this is the first time that a champion
ship title has changed ownership on
foul blow Wolgast had the better Of
seven Of the sixteen rounds, four being
even. The rest were easily Ritchie's.
Not since the day when Battling Nelson
and Joe Cans. the old master Of the
lightweight class. met i'm that now famous
battle on the sun-baked plains Of Goldheld
has a more bitter fight been seen between
little men. WOlgast is not clever, ana
while Richie is fairly scientific, the Cad
HIas fighter never gave him chance 70
cet set II was just a case Of fight, fight
fight all the way. with Wolgast doing the
most damage. Richie was badly bat
tered His right eye was completed closeu
and his left eve was partly closed. II was
the wonder Of the crowd that he ever sur
vi.ad the seventh round, for Wolgast sent
him staggering and Keeling under 1uri-
Gus yoIley Of body smashing, varied WIN
rent hand swings 10 the jaw. that car
raI a world Of power.
$50. no means the savage hitter that
1yo,gagt is. Richie placed his punches
carefully. lie waited for Nolgast TO open
rp. and then shot over his leads WIN
as much snap as he had at command
Several times he drove the champion
head hack on his shoulder blades with
right hand counters, but Wolgast was II
reality the Cadillac Wildcat and Kept
..awins away. To the wOnderment Of the
SPECTATORS. Richie seemed 20 improve
with distance. and after taking hcKns
that would have finished almost any nor
mai man between the fifth and ninth
rounds he came ont I'm the tenth anG
eleventh periods strong and ready. His
owes were puffed he hled from scvera'
cuts. but he stood up and boxed Wolsast
into kinks from then on until the finish
Along about the twelfth round Wolgas'
seemed 10 be slowing up. The furious
pace evidently told on him, and he fousht
Wildly. That was just the turn for when
Richie had been waiting. Willie shlt'ea
around him, shooting home his counters
with great precision. and he piled up the
porte With the tide apparently turn
ing Woleast fought like raw novice
He swung with blind desperation hoplnG
for a quick victory, but Richie hovered
Just beyond range and chopped home MS
short, iarring punches until he focnd
the chance 10 shoot over the blow which
practically brought the battle TO a elise
when he foored his opponent IN the SIX
tenth round
Richie met Wolgast some time ago In
q four-round, no-declsion bout In which
p knocked down the champion anc
earned the newspaper decision on his su-
perior work. Since then he has clamorec
for return match, 10 which WoigaSt
finally agreed, with disastrous results u
his title.
Tho bows we're matched 10 weigh in AT
!S3 pounds. ringsidc. Both were seVeral
pounds under the weight but appeared
strong Wolgast tried the old stunt OF
Kidding" RItchie. Several times during
the fight particularly when the situation
looked blue for Richie, Wolgast taunted
him with remarks on the cost OF living
and how hard It was 10 digest boxing
glove Richie had one reply for the re-
marks-that was a smashing wallop that
usually shut the champion up for few
minutes II was charged by severa!
sporting writer's that Wolgast did not
train faithfully for the contest, and that
he refused 10 accept Richie seriously.
The betting was brisk, and Wolgast was
fayorIte AZ . 10 ]. Many bets were
made a. oven money that he would knock
cut Richie in eighteen rounds.
For the first four rounds Richie heid