The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-03-05
SPIRIT HISTORIANS STILL SING
PRAISES OF OSCAR GARDNER, 4
F0RN|FR WHEELING PRIZE FIGHTER

Ji.;nr, WILL olw;,ys %. 4 matter 0f CON
lecture hu, II - generally admitted ny
IN. best o. tn" tr$ric auth"rtti"S o: :"
wars ago that pScar at his best; WAS
Easily IL" master - AIRY Fighter IN IN"
world within pounds ~ his w"iEh'.
Weight WAS q matter that h" rarely
cr.Sid.rrd lie gave i away by IN" ton.
anil while h" himself scaled only ia
pounds Il, OF" tim" an! later fought
best AROUND -. n" did not hesitate t"
,nr., men weighing rs much as l45
pounds.
And n all four classcs--aGatnSt ban
ta:nS. feathers. lights and w"ltcrsAh"
was ,h> sun" irr~"r that swept all BE-
fore, lrru. In either haUd h" carried IN"
punch e.: n w"lt"rwcIEht while h" was
hi..Srl! littl,, more thrn bantam. n"
was ya.ur t. tn" core. every inch 4
thoruughhr,d possessed tn" c"oln"ss
and Ern"ralshia nc L champion and tore
IN with Il relentless fury and Fighting
spirit .';ai nov"rth"lrSS w"r" always
n,arilcd hy absolute" fairness and an
raErr:r.:.S :, show mercy - u beaten ana
hrlrlr>< opponent.
\: ui- t.a,". t;a-IurrS friends corr
tSud Oscar had ~ good n claim rs lin
my Barry - tn" wnrld'S hIntamw"lEht
,.hnu,ni,,nstIu After George pIXon nu;-
grew the class. Barry claimed the cham
piunship and dri.rltri casper Leon. IN
4 TIKI" ha,tl" IN September %. lS93.
+, knocking Leon out in H." %Nth. T"unH
Barry however. could only draw III :"
rounds with Sammy Kelly. VII" ais" as
putrd his ;itl". y"t Gar!'": stopped h"!-
lv in Z baltic FOR which h" Is said 10
, HAY, trained only on" day.
Aad there arr many who contend 4"
I T.. = Il. ,snt ~ rtl fN,sT
would HAY" w"n--r";,lly did w!n--tn"
| worlds trath"rw"ight championship nv
stopping IN" renowned Terry MrG"rcr'f.
McC;ov.Cu won III" It'll" from Gc"rG"
! Dion IN New York. january s. 1900. ami
, on March ; Of the sam" y';Lr-In Il hou'
| staSrl m the same city-hc IS credited
, with Knocking out Gardner in the third
| round
Terry In Distress.
Put earlier in that fight Gardner
! knocked MctInv"rn flat with ON" Of his
terrific w;l"pS. and many of the spec
: ,ato-s charged that Terry was out and
| should have been counted uu;. but thar
! Rr:.re.. Jnhnuy White showed farorit-
! ism by permitting him I" grasp ono o.
! Tia rincr'S logs in assisting himself TO
I ariS''.
, Q. n. Lawrence. ono" Oscars manager
and now Sciiipc aut"m"bll" su2Ples'
! waved enthusiastic when discuSsintG
: the former ring star.
! Oscar Gardner IN his prtm" gave
J away moro weight thanAny fighter that
/ Eyer entered the ring. not harTing the
B great FitzSinlmon$." said Lawrence. Tie
! won tho haujarlw"iCht iitlc ut llb.
hounds. yet he fought ncu weighing as
, must as l4@ pounds
/ In 1901 Oscar established a record OF
. IS contests. md all bit two wcr" 20
. rounds ar moro. C;ardnrr did not train
, for his hrt,iHS. Had h" trained and
! "a ken the car, ~ himself that hc should
hay" taken. h. would har" made name
;iii.Gyal"d in ring history. He was a
! :;rra, grucrr! in tho ring. always cool
r and cnufl"nt. He always Ind smile
, on his fuc". and tho harder the punish
; mont the broader ,hN grin. II" always
; had his opponents guessing. and they
, iInrw n" was tho r1ost dangerous Fighter
;hov eyer faced on account OF his terri
; tic punch.
oscar vas az clean fighter as ever
donned the gloves and he gained the
, admiration Of all who faced him in the
ring and OF tho fans. as we'll BY his
fairness. Any Zinc he could get the
Other fellow 10 mix Il. his opponcn was
PLAYING ,hc game as he liked it, for Ike
other great Fighters Gardner was not q
boxer know OF no one of tho present
day in his class would could have stood
| before his for four rounds"