Bisbee daily review., 1918-01-19
Jimmy Nichols
Opposes Nelson
In EIks' Match

Word comes from Bisbee that the
man selected to oppose Henry Nelson.
uncle OF the famous Battling Nelson.
/ is none other than our old friend jim
ME Nichols.
It was a pleasant surprise 10 the
! Douglas Elks 10 learn that they would
have one more opportunity to see
Jimmie in action before his retire
ment.
Few men have been as closely con-
nected with the prize ring as Mr..
Nichols. Il was in the fall OF 1895
that he made his debut at the old
I Arena Athletic Club in Chicago. He
fought a twenty-rOund draw with the
famous Jimmy Barry. Young Barry
was AT the time the champion bantam
OF the world and at his best. II was
this fight that made Nichols famous
and the last that Barry ever fought
Barry has the distinction of being
the only retired champion retaining
his title
After this battle Nichols travelled
the country meeting all corners. He
met and defeated such men as George
Dixon. Kid Lavine. Ike Weir. and all
the light and middleweights of any
&rOminence. and never failed to deal
the sleeping potion TO his man.
II was in the year 1900 when boxing
was prohibited in Massachusetts, that
his hackers arranged a match for him
with a famous college athlete. They
met on the outskirts Of Boston. and
fought one Of the blOOdiest battles in
the history of the prize ring. Nichols
save his man such terrific beating
that il was feared for time that he
would not live. and the authorities got
after Nichols but he had already
made his way into Mexico. where he
remained in secluSiOn for a number OF
years. finally locating in Bisbee, where
he could make a quick getaway if
necessary
Since this fight Jimmie has never
entered the prize ring but on special
! occasions he VIII give an exhibition.
but for friends only. and strange TO say
after so many years he still retains
his speed and terrific punching pow
ers-
Henry Nelson. the local man. has
had varied career. and while he. too,
was champion of his class. it was only
after many hard-fought battles. and
overcoming apparently insurmOunta-
bic obstacles. that he landed the title
/ of lightweight champion.
Nelson comes from Hegewich. H.,
and is an uncle of the famous Battling
Nelson. Henry is the first of a family
Of fighting men, and now that he is
ready TO retire. he often takes great
I pleasure in telling OF those in his fam
/ ily who are now active in the fighting
game or recOunting his own experienc,
/ es.
One Of the first and greatest obsta.
cles that Nelson had to overcome was
/ the opposition of his parents The
! elder Nelson vas a Baptist preacher
and al rally determined that his son
/ ana hey should follow in his footsteps
II as this opposition that finally
I 67lvs Nelson fron his home, and 10
I the de- erminatiOn that he would a
/ Mount - something in his chosen pro
+ feSsioD. He has defeated such men as
Harry Forbes. Jack Day and Joe Cans
4 In Battling Nelson's life history car
&c found the story Of how he received
T Us first instructions from Uncle Hen
-- c21 it was his uncle's success
tnS i~epired him and finally made Of
him the greatest OF all lightweigh,
champions.
] This Nelson Nichols bout is causins
considerable comment and no doubt
viii be one Of the greatest battles evel
staged in Arizona.
The out of town interest is SO keer
that arrangements have been made
with the Western Union TO haveS al
operator and instrument at the rims
side. The fight will go out by rounds
and the boys who are now stationed al
the different camps will be kept post
ed as the entertainment progresses.
i The famous Jazz band is Arranging
a program for the evenings entertain
ment They win announce it later.
Douglas International