Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-19

] ~
n stated that Freddie Welsh
does not figure high UP in the
| list of lightweights" To let such 4
statement 90 unchallenged would be
unfair TO the Welshmant equally IN
I fair to the boxing game.
The writer holds no brief for Fred
/ die Welsh, is not the special pleader
/ FOR any pugilist, but 1t is his business
| TO write about boxers, and write as
! the facts present themselves
Welsh requires no special pleaders;
I his record can be offered in evidence
and the fight fans can then draw
their own conclusions.
If Freddie Welsh does not figure
high up in the list of lightweights,
who does?
Welsh holds a decision over Willie
Ritchie. He beat him to twenty
round decision in Los Angeles on the
afternoon Of Thanksgiving Day, 1911
And Freddie Welsh holds a decision
over Matty Baldwin And Mary
Baldwin holds a decision over Willie
Richie.
Freddie Welsh boxed the great
"Packey" Mcfarland three times.
Once, in Milwaukee, Mcfarland
gained a ten-round decision over
Welsh. The late Malachi Hogan ref
creed that bout So inCensed were
the fight fans and newspaper men OF
Milwaukee over the verdict rendered
by Malachi Hogan that, though Ho-
gan had refereed all the big Milwau-
kee bouts previous to that time. he
was never again allowed to act as
the third man in the ring in any bout
in Milwaukee.
Subsequently Freddie Welsh boxed
"Packey" Mcfarland to 25round
I M. I'D i1F n 90
of boxing who saw that affair claim
it was one Of the greatest battles II
had ever been their good fortune 20
witness.
Later in London. England, Freddie
Welsh boxed Mcfarland a twenty
round draw.
Welsh's Great Record.
Freddie Welsh beat Matty Bald
win in a twenty-rOund bout in San
Francisco on the night of June %,
1911.
The same Matty Baldwin whom
/ Welsh beat defeated Willie Richie II
/ san Francisco on the night of August
| 81. 1911. and unless the writer is hor-
rbly mistaken, Harry Foley, who is
now Willie Ritchie's manager ref
creed the Baldwin Richie bout. Now,
surely Ritchie could hardly have felt
the Baldwin bout. If he did, Harris
Foley would not be his manager -
day
Freddie Welsh has been lighting
since 1905. In his entire ring career.
to the best of the writer's knowledge
and belief, Welsh has been knocked
down only once. and that was in his
bout with Packey Mcfarland in Los
Angeles. Welsh always claimed That
in reality he slipped down in this
bout Anyhow, the mishap to Welsh
occurred very late in the contest and,
allowing that Mcfarland did score a
| Touchdown, it must not have been a
very severe one i'm view of the fact
! that Welsh got draw with PacheE.
Matt Wells and Packey Mcfarland
are the only men in the ring who hold
| decisions over Welsh. The MCFar-
| land decision Is explained above. Aft
| er Matt Wells defeated Freddie Welsh
! for the lightweight championship Of
| England and the Lord LOnsdale belt
| Freddie Welsh came back and rewOn
| his lightweight title and his Lord
| Lonsdale belt. And right here it is
] interesting to note that Freddie Welsh
/ is one OF the only three men who ever
| lost a championship and then rewOn
| it. The other two were Stanley
! KetChel. who lost his title to Billy
| Papke and rewon ii, and Tom Allen.
| who lost his title TO Mike McCoOle
! and came back and defeated the same
man who beat him for the crown.
! Speaking of Freddie Welsh. Packey