Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-12
WOLGAST CLAIMS
RITCHIE'S TITLE
Dutchman Claims Lightweight
Championship Because of
No Fight in Frisco.
'PACKEY WILL NOT RETIRE
May Box Mike Gbbons-Murphy Also
Lays Claim to Honors in Default
Of Scheduled Scrap.

{ Chicago. Ill, Dec. 12.-Ad Wolgast,
the invincible has pulled" new one.
He is claiming the lightweight title
by default in view of Willie Ritchie's
failure to make weight for Tommy
Murphy in Frisco. which caused the
postponement of the scheduled 20
round battle AID asserts that Ritchie
won the title on a fuke and while he
isn't trying to take away any of
Ritchie's laurels he says he is the
logical 133-pound title holder.
The Cadillac dutchman came TO the
front with this statement yesterday
afternoon and he says he wrote it
himself on his own typewriter. Il am
busting of my old letter heads and
am going 10 have new batch printed
which will state that | am the 133-
round title holder. After l beat a few
of these near boxers who are crying
for a chance at the title / am going
TO give Richie another mill. He is
one guy ! am going to trim"
is Better Than Ever.
Besides claiming the title. calling
Richie a hambone champion who
o'4cht 10 be in the welter-wvight class
along with Mcfarland, AID states that
he is better now than ever before. He
SAYS he has been taking care of him
self for the first time in his life and
all traces of the operation he under
went for appendicitis has disappeared.
He has been doing road work for the
FIRST time since he won the title in
preparation for the White mill AT Mil
waukee Dec 10. so Wolgast must be
serious in his intentions
Packey Mcfarland took occasion to
deny two reports which have been cir
culated around town since his Britton
fasco. one of them being TO the eff
feet that he intended retiring and the
other than Emil Thirty was through I
as his manager. Packey says Emil
will be his business agent as long as
he is in the fighting game which he
says will be some time to come.
May Fight Mike Gibbons.
The South Slider instructed Thirty /
to get in touch with Billy Gibson of /
New York in view of clinching a !
match with Mike Gibbons in Gotham |
and it may be that they will come TO /.
terms now that Mcfarland is certain /
that he is through as a lightweight |
lie Will allow Gibbons to come in at |
la on the afternoon of the go and |
wants the AFFAIR TO take place early .
next month
San Francisco. Dec. 12-'T will
claim the lightweight championship of /
.he world. now that Richie has re-
fused To fight me. l will defend il
aaginst all corners at 1873 pounds. ring
side, or few hours before entering
he ring"
This was the statement made by
Harlem Tommy Murphy. the great lit
lie New Yorker. who was disappointed
n his match with Willie Richie last
.vening. Murphy was sore through
md through, and so was his manager.
lin Buckley. who backed up his
lighters claim.
In the meantime the lightweight
champion was undergoing another
'peration in his room at the Cont
rental hotel. DR.. Mccarthy again
'robed the abscess in Ritchie's nose
nd ordered him to remain very quiet.
"Ritchfe's condition cannot be de-
ermined for at least two weeks"
aid DR.. Mccarthy after the operation.
i believe that the abscess is the re- ]
ult OF some infection of the nose. He /
must remain quiet and take no /
hances for at least IA days. / do not
hink the injury is serious. but can |
ot make a definite announcement at /
resent II
This means that there WILL be no {
ope OF battle between Richie and '
iurphy for more than a month. and
ossibly two months. Promoter Jim
offroth held long conference with I
i'm Buckley this afternoon and Buck a
" agreed TO start Murphy against "
ltchie al any time. Coffroth, how I
yer. has given up all hope OF staging I
le match till February % at the earl t
st r
Murphy intends TO remain here for a
few days longer. in the hope that
itchie will give him a definite an G
~er. II he gets none he will go back I,
New York at once to spend the holt
avs with his wife and babies.