Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-27

OnScT3in OllnS the nations ol IuIOpe
is an easy pastime toward Identifying
Just who is middleweight champion
rugilist. At the present moment the
title is in possession of Mike O'Dowd,
but unfortunately, relates \. Lippe,
manager of pugs and with sense OF
humor, Mike did not come TO the
throne by direct descent. The real
owner of the title may prove to be
Jeff Smith. but the matter is so stig-
tossled that r/may meyer be adjusted.
The complication started. says Lip7e.
when George Engle took Frank Klaus
to France to meet Carpenter.
The bout was held at Dieppe in
connection with the Grand PriN auto
races. 1t was a fine fight. but II lost
money. However, everyone was pald
because such a thing as welching IN
boxing in France is unheard OF. Ihe
fight was promoted by Leon See, edi-
tor of a boxing paper. Duke de Cass
backed the venture. KLAUS recelVeu
$4,000 and Carpenter $4,000.
"Klaus won the fight in the eight
eenth round. Billy Papke and l had
gone to Dieppe to see the battle. Car
pentier appeared to have the better
OF the engagement. but in the eight
eenth round, coming out OF cllnCh'
Klaus elbow caught Carpenter on the
chin. One of the Frenchman's sec
cnds, becoming excited, jumped INTO
the ring. The French are sticklers '"t
the rules and Carpenter was at 2hco
disqualified, although he had the pe'-
ter of the fighting up to that tlme,
"'rhen Carpenter and Billy PapKe
were matched. There are many prom
inent men in France who are gre -
devotees of boxing. Among Niennes
l- fg
yautbier. the sculptor. and Tristan
-ernard. known as the Mark Twain OF
T'rance. When the Carpentier-Papke
match was made these men got TO-
rether and proposed Offering oelt
for the winner. OF course, II was
thought Carpenter would win ana ne
could he proclaimed the middleweiSnt
champion, as Papke was recognlzeu
as the king in his class. having as
sumed the title upon the death Oh
Stanley Ketchell.
some Belt, Monsieur"
Ever since Richard X. Fox gave
belt to John L. sullivan oelt mas
been emblematic of CHAMPIONSHIP
There have been many belts,-.9ut
Vienne and his friends planned that
this belt should be unique. NauIhle,
said that he would design II anu
would supply the ivory work: OlneI
c,nxnbuted the gold, said to be worth
Z, SEo and ieweler in Rue de ia
ply did the gold work without pay
rhe belt was known as the 'NondeI
lsnd Relt.' being named after lhH
Wonderland Club.
1T took Vauthier six months 70
complete the ivory work ana put the
beIt together and, in fact. was h't
completed when Papke knocked OUT
Carnentier in nineteen ROUNDS III W.
Rerore telling of the battles that tol-
lowed for the belt. a little description
of the trophy may be Of interest i
''Vauthier. who was the sculptor -
the gates of the Paris Exposition as
signed for the buckle OF the oelt tl7
figure of a woman in light attire.
when asked why he picked cut sucn
n figure for a belt of a fighter. he re-
n1iad that foreigners did not come 10
Erance to see the country, to see the
Gna buildings and the work OF art
1ut thew came to see the Parlslan
woman So we have the hgure OF
q woman with hands outstretched on
.be buckle of the belt. Handsomely
carved in solid ivory. On the IVORY
side pieces Of the belt is head OF /
game cock. denoting 'gameness. ana
the head of a lion. denothg couI
age.' The ivory work on the DetI
took frst prize at the Grand Palals
exhibition and Nauthier declared re
would not reproduce the ivory WORK
for $2,50O. N,
"On the back of the belt is solidt
gold disc. upon which were to be in
scribed the names of the fighters who
won il The first name that appears
Is that of Billy Papke. and under ms
the only other name is that OF JeH
Smith.
How the Plot ThIckened
Here is where the plot fer the mid |
dleweight championship th'ckens. Ac-l
cordlng to the deed of gift three
nights had to be won by the holder 10 7
retain possession of the belt. Papke
at the time was the recognized mi6- {
dIeweight champion and his victory /
over CARPENTER gave him the belt, out (
he had to make two more fights in /
order to hold ii. Papke then fought
Bernard and won in six rounds. He /
then met Frank Klaus as the third !
man. Klaus won that fight in fifteen I
rounds. He was having the better OF
the fighting, when the mems heads |
came together Papke had lowered |
his head to get in close. and it came
up under Klaus chin. Of course. /
Papke was disqualified by Matro, n /
referee. And, by the way, Aatro was /
killed in the recent war.
THE Wonderland Belt was thea
turned over to Klaus and he had to /
win two more fights in order to re-
tain posse ssion of the handsome /
trophy. Now, the rules in Paris call I
for the holder Of the title tc defend It'll
against his logical opponents. and |
failure or refusal to do so causes him I
tc forfeit his title and the belt.
JEFF Smith, who was with Papke |
and myself in France. was picked as /
Klaus next opponent for Smith had
been going along. winning from all |
comers and knocking OF the good |