Omaha daily bee., 1912-05-05
WOLGAST-RIVERS COMBINE
New Wrinkle in Holding Of the
Lightweight Honors.
NO CHANGE IN BATTLING NELSON
Holder and Challenger Arrange for
Fight and Then for Return
Match and May Continae
the Game.
px w. w. NAuGHroN.

By w. W. NAUGHTON.
SAN FRANCISCO. May 4-when Bat.
ting Nelson hears !, he will foam at ths
mouth.
A Los Angeles dispatch saws that Ad
wolgast and Joe Rivers have formed 4
lightweight championship trust II vii
be waste Of breath for any aspirins
pugiiist to challenge the winner Of the
Fourth Of July contest. for Ad and jos
have arranged TO meet a second time in
Mccarey's arena on Labor day. no matter
how their first engagement turns out.
But why should Nelson be wrought up
! does someone ask?
Let me explain.
No man on Gods green footstool ever
valued his championship iaurels as Nelson
did II he hadn't been such a tough
filbered individual. both mentally and
physically. the chances are the loss Of his
title TO wolgast would have broken ths
Norseman's heart.
Nelson took his medicine, though. with
out making wry face. He said that
wolgast had proved himself the better
man that day--or at least up to the
moment when Eddie Smith interfered and
gave the victory to the Michigan wild
cat.
Il was In bad shape. all right. but
had been in just as bad a fix In other
contests" said the Batter. Il had no
idea there was going to be any interfer'
enes. least ways from the referee. had
. suspicion that my seconds might besir
to think my chances Of winning had gone
and I kept warning them against towel
tossing. I certainly ala not feel a.
though al the fight was knocked out Of
me and viii always think that the tide
Of the thing might have taken sudden
switch n the referee had held aioof q
little while longer But Smith. sup
pose. considers he did the right thing a
the right time and that's the end Of Y
% far as that particular fight is con
cerned
Il believe the world will back me up IN
saying there IL another chance coming 70
me. II thought wolssst was my master
you would never hear whisper out Of
me. but I do not think anything OF the
kind. am sure. can retrieve my
iaureIs ana Just a. soon a. he has haf
his fling at theatrical tours and that
kind OF thing. VIII be ready ana waitlne
for him. l am gratified to know thai
Woirast recognises there Is another films
coming to me. His manager, Tom Jones'
gays he would az soon fight ms as any
one else II the Inducements look right
ana he only has to keep his ears open q
find out that there IL q demand fos 9
return match and every prospect OF Z
demonstrating crowd. II Is only right
that ] should get another chance with
woigast, for the public knows thai
through ali my career ! never denied
beaten opponent second match"
But Nelson never got his return fight
with WolEast. 1t may have been IN Z
measure his own fault, for In the ais
cuszion that arose between the rivals
harsh words were used and Nelson aban-
doned all diplomacy and abused the new
champion roundly. In his chasrin thu
Dana coined such terms a. Cheese
champion" ana -squirrsl-Eoaded Boob
when thinking up epithets TO apply "a
the wildcat. Such expressions. whlit
no doubt extremely relieving to over
wrought feelings. are not BY any, nsanl
conducive 10 matchmaking. A. q con
sequences wolgast turned his back ooldly
upon tho Durable Dane and has kept l
turned ever since.
Now. what will Nelson say when thu
man who turned him down 90 unceremon
iously h lessening his own risk Of relin
gushing the championship BY Arranging
for q return match before the first one 4
foushtg
No matter what Nelson or anybody els'
has to ssy about II. the wolEast- River
double steal has . weird look. BY theil
actions Rivers and wolEsst have yankee
The championship out of the open marke
and are making II their private property
who can say but that before the Lahol
Gay encounter comes along they ma,
<aKree 20 meet again ON some - the holi
days beyond that again and make theil
little game Of freeze-out PERENNIAL II
such case II will Be In order. for light
weights generally. who don't believe 4
sss.ch close corporations where free-for-al
.tstles ars concerned. to hold indixnstios
smeetings. appeal to the public and de
clare the wolgaxt- Rivers everlasting
.ehampionship null and void
Seriously. the contract does not lool
right. Al and Joe may see no harm d
what they are dolng-may consider. II
fact. that they arr not offending agsins
the ethics Of the sport In any way. bu
without intending II. they arr casting |
slur on their July bout. Since they hsv'
had an understanding in regard to q re
turn match Il IL but natural that sus
zpicion should arise and that sports gen
orally should begin TO wonder II Their
ara any other understandings which has'
not b<en made publiS.
< OF the fxo men. woiEast appears IN tn
worse light In the connection As cham
spion. Of course. he Ii the dictator and !
-stsnds 10 reason the suggestion OF |
brace Of fights came from him. FOR tina
matter. Il WAS probably one Of the east
iron conditions under which he agreed Il
box Rivers And II that was the way 0
II. Al analysis Of wolgasfss motives /
easy 70 make. He feels that By sgrselnl
To box az early Is July he Win not b
giving himself time to recover prop<ril
from his operation for appendicitis an
he wants 10 make sure Of chance &
redeem himself later II things 70 wruul
"a the Fourth.
But this explanation. n u h the rish
one. viii be cold comfort to the light
weights who are compelled to stand fdil
By until sAd and Joe have finizhsd Id
series.
DEFEAT OF GRIZZLIES
MIGHT REMOVE c0ncEI1
-. urtrsst. rs.,.~< .<e<-. 49, -.