The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-12

hear a whimper out OF me. out do
not think anything of the kind.
II am sure l can retrieve my
laurels and just as soon IS he has
had his fling at theatrical tours and
that kind OF thing ] will be ready
and waiting for him. am gratited
to know that Wolgast recognizes
there is another fight coming to me.
His manarer,Tem Iones,@sa ss=he
would as soon fight me as any one
else II the inducements look right
and he only has to keen his ears open
TO find out that there is demand for
a return match and every prospect
of a record breaking crowd. IL is
only right that | should get another
rhance with Wolgast. for the public
knows that through all my career L
never denied a beaten opponent a
second match"
Got No Return Match.
But Nelson never got his return
fight with Wolgast. 1t may have
been In measure his own fault, for
In the discussion that arose between
the rivals harsh words we're used
and Nelson abandoned all diplomacy
and abused the new champion round
In his chargin the Dane coined
such terms rs. .'Cheesa~ Champion.
and Squirrel Headed Boob" when
thinking up epithets to apply to the
wildcat. Such expressions. while no
doubt extremenly relieving TO over
wrought feelings, are not by any
means conducive TO matchmaking.
As a consequence. Wolgast turned
his back coldly upon the Durable
Dane and has kept it turned ever
since.
Now what will Nelson say when
the man who turned him down SO UNI
tremendously is lessening his own
risk OF relinquishing the champion
ship by arranging for a return match
before che first one is fought.
No matter what Nelson, or any
body else, has to say about 1t, the
Wolgast- Rivers double steal has a
weird look. BY their actions Rivers
and Wolgast have yanked the cham-
pionship out OF the open market and
are making IL their private property.
Who can say but that before Labor
Day encounter comes along they
may agree to meet again on some of
the holidays beyond that again and
make their little game of freeze-out
perennial? In such case ii will be
in order for lightweights generally.
who don't believe in such close cor
porations, where free-for-all titles
are concerned, to hold Indignation
meetings. appeal to the public and
declare the Wolgast-Rivers everlast-
ing championship null and void.
Does Not Look Right.
Seriously, the contract does not
look right. AID and Joe may see no
harm In what they are doing--may
consider. in fact. that they are not
offending against the ethics of the
sport In any way. but without intend
ing it. they are casting slur on their
July bout. Since they have had an
understanding in regard to a return
match, it is but natural that suspic-
ion should arise and that sports gem
orally should begin TO wonder II
there are any other understandings
which have not been made public.
or the two men. Wolgast appears
in the worse light in the connection.
AS champion. of course, he is the
dictator and it stands to reason the
suggestion Of brace OF fights came
from him. For that matter, it was
probably one of the cast-iron condi-
tions under which he agreed to box
Rivers. And ii that was the way of
1t, an analysis of Wolgast's motives
is easy to make. He feels. that by
agreeing to box as early as July, he
may not be giving himself time to
recover properly from his operation
for appendicitis and he wants to
make sure Of chance to redeem
himself later II things 80 wrong on
the Fourth.
But this explanation, II It Is the