The chronicle=news., 1914-09-18
FREDDIE WELSH
II, /, ORIGINAL o RIG A
"nARO LUCK KID"


New York, Sept. lS.-The original
hard luck kfd"'Eis Freddie Welsh OF
Pontypridd His life. his frlends
agree, has been one series of misfort-
unes, Just one thing after another.
And now the great European war
prevents the plucky little lghter
from cashing in on his recent great
victory. He's tlisgusted and writes
to a friend in America thus:
.Just when it looked as though
would pick up more than 100000 in
European music hall engagements
alone, the war--and It is real war
started. All plans M in the air.
Don't be surprised If you hear
have gone into the army.
| 1t was Los Angeles restaurant at
midnight. December 81. 1911. AS
the big clock In the balcony struck
ll2. Freddie turned his watch over
and laid 1t face down on the table.
saying: .'Good-bye to the enemy.
This has been my worst year.
Another time Welsh remarked:
"When they were handing out
horse shoes somebody made mis-
take and gave me the left hind shoe
of a sick mule. ! have had my pock-
cts full OF rabbit toes, fonr-leaf clor-
ers and such like. but they all go on
n strike when ! get them. If ii was
raining diamonds Id have cramps in
both hands"
As early as 1907 Fred had the
/ promise of championship battle.
T, but Joe Cans suffered slight illness
and Welsh's plans were broken not
to be mended again. Welsh's first
Los Angeles appearance was in 1908
when Baron Long. then at the head
clever foreigner for a match with
Phil Brock. An liberated ankle laid
Welsh flat on his back. For three
days prior to the match he lay with
his left leg ih an icc pack keeping
his injury a secret to all save his
iihysician and trainers.
| What would have been an easy
bout went the long, weary 25-round
bout. Welsh hobbling about on one
foot and suffering untold t0rtures,
gave one Of the most remarkable eX-
hibitions ever seen in Queensberry
ring and was awarded with the de-
cision.
In the same year an ignorant sec
ond" robbed Welsh OF a victory over
his old enemy. Packy Mcfarland,
From the tenth round on this incom-
pctent handler threw cold water on
Welsh as he came back to his cor
ner. The water ran down Fred's
body and settled in his heavy wooden
socks and shoes. .a .-. ...
Pounds of extra weight were thus
put on Welsh. whose footwork is one
of his strongest assets. fIie feet so
heavy that he could scarcely dance
to the twenty-fifth round. when Jim
Jeffries gave draw" decision.
Again during this same year Welsj,
was matched against Abe Attell for
| 5l rounds. Here the elements were
against both boys. A heavy rain
storm set in during the hattie. The
roof leaked like sieve. Rim zsiders
hoisted umbrellas while the clever
lads worked In a ring that was n
pool Of cold water. In the last round
a dry space OF less than six feet
square remained in the center of the
ring. Welsh won the decision.
Minor misfortHnes continued to
follow Welsh. On February %.
1911. he lost the lightweight cham
pionsh!p Of Great Britain to Matt
Wells. Fred was sttll struggling to
l tr, oh, u
weight title. s mt5
Finally he was matched to box Ad
Wolgast at Los Angeles on Novem-
Der 80. 1911. Two days before this
event was billed to occur and with a
3S0, 900 ilpuse in waiting. Wolgast
was stricken with appendicitis. To
usc Weisl's words. "This make n
tramp out OF me. I can't figure my
M luck fGr
On November II. 1912. Fred was
made happy when he won back the
English championship from Wells.
Shortly afterward he cabled that his
beloved mother had passed away.
An injnry to his neck caused tile
calling Off Of two matches. one In
Los Angeles and one in San Fran
cisco. Again matched for the worlds
championship. Willie Ritchie ran
out" OF the proposed Vancouver bat
tie. leaving Welsh to hold the sack.
Last came Welsh's recent triumph
over Richie. He had but to stretch
forth his hand and clasp a fortune in
easy money. Within the montl, tho
war clouds 'smothered the new cham
Mons plans. 'i l"ftA '...t