New Britain herald., 1915-01-04
0p0YtOgTAphy
 BY "GRAVY." +.
BY "GRAVY."

Many old time fight fans of Canada and the United States can recall the strong and athletic figure of Joe Wor- maid, once champion of England, for he spent his latter days on this side of the Atlantic and died in Quebec. Today IS the semi centennial of the battle by which Joe Wormald became champion, as he defeated Andrew Marsden in a battle for the big title, the belt, and $2,000. at Horley. Eng land, on January 4, 1865. At that period Jem Mace had temporarily re- tired from the ring and had relin- quishe ed all claims to the champion ship, alth hough it was not long before the gypsy again felt the call of the fighting game and made a successful "come back in the sport which he did so much to save.
 Joe Wormald, the victor in that battle of half a century ago, made his ring debut in England in 1868, When he was matched with Jack Smith. q protege of Jem Mace and popularly called "Mace's Wolf" The latter lived up to his name on that occasion, for he fought Wormald 112 rounds, last ing four hours and a half, until dark ness intcrvened and resulted in q
 
 for S125 side.
 Wormald then fought George Hes. q famous fighter of that day, and beat him in two hours and eight min utes. When Mace retired, Wormald and Marsden were the logical con- tenders for the title. Andrew Mars den was six feet two inches in height and game and powerful fighter. In 1868 he had defeated Ned O'Baldwin, the Irish giant-afterward a familiar figure in American sporting circles in little over three minutes In a later bout the Irishman had the best of it, but the interference of Mars den's friends, who pelted O'Baldwin with stones and drove him from the ring, so intimidated the referee that he called it a draw.
 Then came the Wormald- Marsden battle. in which Joe knocked his op- ! ponent out in the eighteenth round and became the acknowledged cham pion of England. That aroused the warlike spirit of Jem Mace, and he 1 emerged from his retirement to chal- lenge the new champion The match was made, but a few days before the l date set the promoters received q statement from a hospital surgeon i'll ! winch It was stated that Wormald was suffering with perostitis of the right humerus It seems that he had strained the muscles of his right arn, | in training but the trouble apparent 1 ly. spread to his feet rendering them gelid, and making necessary change ! of climate. So Wormald sailed away | to America, and Jenl again claimed the big title.
 l When Wormald arrived on these 1 hospitable shores he found NeL 1 O'Baldwn, the gigantic Irishman
 waiting for him at the dock with q challenge. O'Baldwin had been 1 matched with Wormald in EnsIand
 but was not in condition, and had for 1 feited $1.OOO. The Hibernian WIS anxious 10 get back at Wormald ant
 Joe was willing, so they were match et to fight at Lynnfield Mass. The site
 was the village green, facing a churcl
 and many of the fans settled them.
 selves on tom bstones to watch tht ] milling. The cops interfered in th<
 first round, and O'Baldwin had te
 spend over year in jail Worma it
 settled in Montreal, where he had
 sparring saloon and sporting resort
 Later he went to Quebec, where ht
 was stricken with brain fever, which