The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-21
"CHICK"
GANDLL
FIGHTER
White Sox First Stacker once
Knocked Out Mexican
Had to Run For Life.

Probably two-thirds of the baseball
players of the country are also boxing
fans, but the majority of these are ia
miliar with the game only from the
standpoint gained by q seat at the
ringside.
Chick" Gandil, former Cleveland
first baseman, sold to the White Sox
recently, is one of the few who know,
from actual experience, how it feels to
be in the ring, one of the principals
in a real scrap.
For before becoming baseball play
er Gandil was a fighter. Always a big,
husky fellow, "Chick" had the idea
implanted within his brain of becom-
ing a pugilist. He liked to box and
he took part only in amateur contests,
but later took up the game as a pro-
feSsional.
Finally he drifted to Mexico, and it
was here that he became recognized
as real fighter. He was a light
heavyweight, and in class where
often he had to give away much weight
right along, and won a good many con-
tests.
Matched With Bio Mexican.
Finally he was matched with big
Mexican, a giant in stature and in
strength and a hot local favorite,
though not so very proficient in the
scientific use Of his fists.
Training was completed, as "Chick"
tells it, and the hour Of the match ar
rived. The pair Of them, with the ref
cree. entered the ring, the bell an
nounced the starting Of the first round
and the battle was on.
The Mexican started swinging, hop
ing to end the contest with one punch,
and Gandil was kept busy ducking to
escape humiliation. He kept up a
fire of jabs. however, which served
only to enrage the big fellow, who tore
in harder than ever. Neither got in
any telling blows and the first round
ended. The spectators, and there was
big crowd on hand, were mostly
Mexicans. and they cheered for their
hero.
Round two was something like the
| first, and so was number three. 1t
seemed to the spectators that their
man was winning all by himself, as he
not landing, Of course. for as "Chick"
explains it, eff he had landed only
once he would have Won without any
argument"
Then came round four. It was the
old story Of the able. quick boxer evad-
ing a. heavy swing, stepping in and
landing one just right, and the bout
4AC Viz 2hSA "VAS
down and stayed down.
Had To Fight Way Out.
Let Chick tell the rest:
II saw that / had finished him, and
stood back to await the referees count.
But I waited only for. a moment. for
in that space Of time there were more
Mexicans crowded into that ring than
ever saw before in my life. They
just boiled in from every side, and,
seeing what I was up against / started
out. I To-. had to fight my way out, too,
but was able to do so and as soon as
got away the whole crowd started
after me.
They chased me clear out of town,
out over the prairies. and into the wild
lands. remember. I still had on the
boxing gloves and not much else.
was warm enough as long vas l was
running and for a little while after,
but pretty soon it got cold, and near
ly froze to death that night.
"And right there I decided that
didn't want to be a fighter any more.
never went back for my money, and
as for my clothes, I suppose that the
promoter of the fight wore them out"