The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1920-05-27
LAWSON KNOCKED OUT
IN THIRD ROUND.
Fast Californian Hammers 0p-
ponent to Finish at Nex-
perce Gym While Big
Crowd Cheers.

Stanley Ketchel, Of California,
took the fight from Charley Law
son, of Lewiston. with a knock
out at the end of the third round
in a boxing bout staged at the
High School gymnasium in this
| city last Saturday night. The
end was tragic in a way and left
no doubt in the minds of those of
the big crowd which had paid
$500 to see the contest as to the
genuineness Of it and the super
ior ability of its winner After
receiving a rain of left jabs on
the jaw and a powerful right over
the heart, Lawson went down af-
ter a hard swing from Ketchel's
left to his jaw and the gong saw
ed him from the count. He was
lifted to his chair by his assis-
tants and from this he fell Imply
to the floor just as the referee an
nounced Ketchel to be the victor.
Then the crowd broke from its
moorings and amid a roar of
cheers, the winner was carried on
| the shoulders of his admirers to
his dressing room, apparently
none of the worse for the meet
/ ing. Lawson was still groggy in
his seat for moments after the
gong would have sounded for the
opening Of the fourth round.
At the conclusion of the three
prelimnaries, which left the
crowd in jolly humor (the odd
style Of Clark's fighting being
particularly inducive to mirth),
the principals Of the main event
were examined and weighed in,
Ketchel at 149 pounds and Law
son at 155. While Lawson was
favored in weight, Ketchel had q
slight advantage in reach; but
the match looked mighty well
balanced up to the last minute
before the opening round, and
the betting had been even and
takers were about half and half
wherever wagers had been con-
sidered.
Brakeman Jack Warren Of the
Camas Prairie line had made his
announcements as referee and
when the warriors said they were
ready he met them in the center
Of the ring, and scarcely had they
released their preliminary hand
clasp when each came back at the
other for keeps. Round one
brought out the best each fight
er had, but Ketchel's superior
speed was clearly evident and
just how long Lawson could
stand the incessant humping
from that busy left was the ques-
ton. While the heavier man
showed the effects more, it was
still a fight at the end OF the
first.
The second opened with Ketch-
ell still coming on at full steam
and Lawson was not long IN TAX
ing refuge in clinches, tho he was
fighting back to the end when
Ketchel knocked him down with
right over the heart and left
to it's favorite landing place on
Lawson's jaw. He was down
when the gong sounded.
The third was defensive
proposition on Lawson's part
with Ketchel taking every advan-
tage for landing. The Lewis
ton boys nose and mouth were
bleeding and this irritation was
also given attention by the Cali
fornian. Before the end came,
Lawson's hackers had ceased to
cheer. The result was now a mat
ter Of time, and the time was not
long.
The fight was given under the
direction of the local Legion post
and was regularly supervised by
a state official, and it was the
first event Of its magnitude In
the prairie country. The result
indicates that others will likely
follow as conditions warrant.
Ketchel will fight Jas. Cottrel-
Ii, the 19-year-old Sokane Won
der, at Lewiston ON June 8, and
| if successful in this meeting will
probably challenge Lux, the well
ter-weight champion of the Pa
cific Coast, and it is Ketchel's de-
sire to have this fight take place
at Nezperce.