The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-10-21
BAT NELSON OUGHT TO
 RETIRE FROM RING
(By T. s. Andrews. )

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 Milwaukee,, Wis, Oct 21. I've fought my last battle unless the public thinks am good enough to come back, remarked Battling Nelson, the Durable Dane, as he walked down the aisle of the big rink after his terrific 10-round battle with Ad Wo1gast, the Michigan .bearcat, and the man who won the title from Nelson three years ago in a remarkable contest of 40 rounds. There was just a gleam Of sadness in Bats eyes as he made his exit from the ring, for in his heart he realized that he was no longer the Durable Dane that had been able to make all lightweights back up when he went after them. The former stamina was gone, but the gameness was there as strong as ever, and the willingness to fight as long as he had a leg to stand on was also evident in big chunks. The iron frame of Nell son was there, but not of the same strength that served him when he battIed his way to the 'chambfonship. wondered how on earth the Dane could go through round after round at the pace set without hardly breath ing hard when he took his minutes rest in his. corner. He would slug away and at the end of a round he would be dazed, but after a mo- ment's hesitation would get the old fighting instinct and trot back to his corner with a smile on his face and then turn to his friends and wink at them;s but they knew it was a. forced one. AS the Butler kept up his won title claimant, who sat near his cor ner, remarked:
 Gee, it's a pity to see poor Bat go against it that way. How in the world can he stand the gam. Why, the man must have an iron constitu- tion and a heart of steel to stand there and battle the way he does. never knew what a wonderful fighter he was in the past until tonight. He must have been a marvel of strength and stamina
 The above remark was along the same line of many more handed out It was a case of the fans simply being dunfounded at the remarkable DOW CTS demonstrated by the once cham pion Dane No wonder he was able to light 40 rounds at Port Richmond with Wolgast without even being knocked off his feet. There have been better lightweights-that is, from a scientific and hitting stand point-but never more game nor harder champion than the Dane. He will go down in history as the tough est piece of, fighting machinery that ever stepped into the ring, with the courage of 3. Hon and a heart of steel
 A year ago I suggested that Nelson should retire and quit the ring with the honors due a champion of his class and not wait to be knocked out by some second or third rater, and I trust now that the Battler will never enter the ring to do battle again. He has no right there, for he is only a shell of the former great Nelson, and the fans will not want to see him .hu- initiated by novices. Bat has always been on the square with the fans, the same as the great John L. Sullivan, and they will always have the highest regard for his fighting prowess.
 As to Ad Wo1gastthe former cham pion, why it is a different story It looked at times though Ad had shot his bolt, but he always came back strong and at close work he did some terrific hghting-the kind that gave him the name of Michigan Bearcat He seemed in fairly good condition and hit hard with both hands, but try as he might he could not put the Dane off his pins. Ad needs some more good hard training to fit him for a hard battle, but there is no reason why he should not be able to put up some good battles. He is only 25 years of age: in fact in his prime, and with proper training and care should give a good account of himself.
 AS to t11esscontest, why it can be truthfully said that it was a big sur prise to 90 per cent. of the fans-a