South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-07
"KnOCkOuts"
BY Ed. W. Smith.

Probably no battle in the last o
years of ring history has created more
argument than that peculiar affair be-
tween AID WolgaSt, then lightweight
| champion, and Joe Rivers the Next
can. at Vernon, Calf, on July 4, 1912.
Nobody really knows excepting the
principals whether there was a single
knockout, a double knockout or a
pair of fouls committed just before
Referee Jack Welsh gave his highly
unsatisfactory verdict in the 18TH
round.
1t was a fairly even break between
them up TO the moment when the
battle came to such an unexpected
! ending WolgaSt was far from recoV-
cred from the effects of an operation
| for appendicitis in the November pre-
Vious.
AID was weakening and his stamina
was fast fading under the whitening
| effects of the terrific pace and his
generally effected condition. 1t was
! plain not only TO his handlers but TO
/ Wolgast himself that If he was TO win
at all he would have to do so in a
! hurry.
/ With that in mind he made one des-
perate attempt in the 18th round and
after events proved that his move was
made none too soon.
WOlgast rushed like wildcat and
fairly fought Rivers off his feet. lie
| carried Rivers into his own corner
! through sheer force and landed a ter
rife swing TO the pit of the stomach.
Rivers crawled backwards, falling
| heavily. with his legs drawn up. VOL
| CAST was under such great speed that
! he could not stop and fell over the
/ fallen Mexican.
, In an instant the arena was scream
| ing with excitement. The seconds oil
| he n n
| took sides in a flash and there was a
din that was deafening.
| WoIgast assuredly had been fouled
/ by falling on Rivers knees, both CT
which went into his groin. He fell on
! ton of Rivers and then rolled over
onto the mat, doubling up III great
pain and too weak TO arise he nao
shot his bolt and could not possibly
have finished the battle had II Deen
required of him.
Referee Welsh was counting over
Rivers as Ad sprawled on the mat
And he continued to count up TO the
! fatal 10.
Wolgast meantime had arisen to
one knee but each time topped over
again After the count-out OF RIVERS
/ Wolgast had succeeded in getting on
both feet and with the assistance OF
Welsh had staggered over the ropes
Then he fell Imply over the TOP
strand. utterly unable 20 go on
Rivers in the meantime had got 10
his feet. claiming wildly that he was
up before the fatal 10 had been pro-
! nounced.
This added to the intense excite
ment and for a while it looked as II
there might be riot as the lO'OoV
fans in the arena were frantic with eN-
/ element But il was all over. welsh
! gamely stock by his first decision aho
| left the ring amid a decidedly threat
/ ening movement by the crowd.
To this day Rivers maintains stout
" that he was on his feet and ready
to continue before the referee made
the final count He insists and proo-
| oblv always will that Welsh was mis-
taken and wrongly counted him out oil
| the championship that he fairly Won
on the. other hand and as a NOR
ough offset TO this statement Wolsas'
! insists that Rivers was thorous l,ls
| beaten by the blow he received IN the
midsection and could not have Deateu
/ the count had he been so dlsposeu
adding that ne never Will believe tna'
j pivarS wanted 70 continue anyway