Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-11-30

Willie Ritchie's acquisition OF the
lightweight title Thanksgiving Day.
although big surprise to the rank
and file OF the Honolulu sporting fra;
ternity, has peculiar interest for .
number of ring followers here who
have never even seen Richie in ac-
ton. For Richie had a FIRST class
press agent in the Islands, even be-
fore his name was being printed in
mainland papers as q fighter OF spe-
cial merit.
WiIlie's booster in this locality was
that versatile gentleman, Mr.. Benjas
min Bruins, better known hereahouts
as Brother Benjamin. and Ben GER
tainly handed 1t out in large. strong
doses. Richie is a sort OF protege
of his, and even before the fight with
Welsh in Los Angeles. when the
Frisco lad was pftchforked into the
ring on three days notice to substi-5
tute for the stricken Wolgast. Bruins
was touting him to friends here as
about the niftiest thing In the light
weight line
Before he left Honolulu early in the
year, Bruins told me that if Ritchie
could keep down his weight he was
sure to become lightweight champion
in the near future. That was before
the four round affair With Wolgast on
Decoration Day, and after that mill
Bruins wrote several letters to friends
here, telling them Just how good RIFT
chic was, End what he had done 70
Ad in the brief space OF time he had
him inside the ropes.
Odds Misleading.
Honolulu is a long ways from san
Francisco when ii comes 10 figuring
sporting performances, the only data
the local fans have to 60 on being
six day old newspaper accounts. There.
were some here who looked fav0rabIy
on Ritchie's chances up To q week be
tore the fight. but when they read
in the Frisco sport columns that the
odds had gone back from 10 TO q, To
2 to I. they were steered OF There
seemed to be no reason for the bet
ding change unless Wolgast had made
much the hest showing during the lat-
tsr part OF his training spell. and with
both men on exhibition. as Il were. Il
was safe to suppose that close ettr
dents of the game found something
TO Justify the long price on the San
Franciscan. This betting change IL
what switched good many local fans.
and as the result there was little bet
ting here on the fight
"Uncle Bill" Naughton had the sit
uation pretty well sized up in one OF
his fight articles, when he said. com
menting on Wolgast's operation
year ago, that IL the removal OF ane
appendix slowed up a sprinter from q
10 second to an II second man. as
had proved to be the case In several
Instances, it was logical TO suppose
that similar operation would change
a champion fighter into a mediocre
performer. Apparently Wolgast has
never been his old self since hts opeT-
alton. but 1t has taken good beating
to make him fully realize this fact
For Business Reasons.
1t seems certain. from the news dis
patches of the fight, that Ad deliber-
ately fou1ed his opponent, rather than
lose by knockout. While this ac-
ton Is hardly to be commended from
a sporting standpoint, 1t must be ac-
knowledged as keen business move,
for it is ring custom when cham
pionship changes ownership by rea-
son of foul, to give the loser first
chance at a return match. Had Rit-
chic scored a clean knockout over
Wolgast, he could have kept him 'on
Continued on rsge A.