The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-11-25

the Durable Dane, Fepruary
 Fight fans saw the starkest (pos sfbly the most stupid) courage, and beyond doubt, the most bruising lacerating and relentless battle evei fought between iightweights.
 Nelson had won the title from the old Master, Joe Cans. in 1908 using the same tactics with which he had overcome other great fight. CTS of that period. notably Jimmy Britt, Aurelio Herrerra, probably the most devastating knockerouts the division ever boasted, Fighting Dick Hyland and others.
 Bat Always Moved In.
 Bats method was that of peg ging away at his opponents-al- ways moving in-taking a bundle of blows to infiict one of his own. When a-boxer cleverly blocked or ducked one of the Dane's swings. the Bat would spit and sheer. His idea. of a great fighter was one who could show plenty of protrusions on the brow and cheekbones and gnarled caulifower sprouts around the ears.
 And when he met wolgast he met his counterpart. The Bearcat also thought that the easiest way to win was to do all the catching until the other fellow was tired pitching-then to take over the pitching burden until his man went down and out.
 From the outset both fighters were eager to prove who could eat the most leather. It seemed that Nelson was deliberately letting Wolgast c1out him all over the head and body while he pressed in and awaited his chance to slug.
 When the Bat would dish up punches 1t was Ad who would put on his napkin and advance to blot up the punishment.
 Before six rounds had been fought. both men looked like ani- mated strawberry sundaes. When they broke from a ciinch it looked us if they had been at it with ice tongs. The ringsiders were, enjoy- ing it like gourmauds at a ban quet.
 Round after round, they kept up this double -barreled massacre and the honors were fairly even. In the twenty-third round it seemed at last that Nelson had the greater appetite. Ad went down like a piumnet under fierce right and the crowd jumped on the benches to nee the referee chant the dole- fu1 ten.
 Hut the Bearcat had room for another helping-to say nothing of dessert. He beat the count and again surged in to share the stuff fing with the wiry Battler.
 From this point on the tide shifted to the waspish lad from Michigan. Old Bat was beginning to feel the pace and his punches seemed to have cooled off.
 At the thirty-fourth round the crowd was glutted and yelled for the referee to stop it, for Nelson was swaying drunkenly. and barg- ing around the ring with wobbly legs. his arms hanging helplessly at his sides.
 Shows Gamencss.
 When the bell rang, the official. knowing that all hope for the Dane was lost, stepped to the champions corner and advised him to give up, warning him that to continue might be fatal. Nelson blinked and shook his head, saying. Never: Never! Never!"
 For five more rounds the old champion gobbled up everything Wolgast had to serve. It seemed he would burst. At the beginning of the fortieth, Nelson put his arms up into a pitiful position to fight. The referee stepped between the two and stopped it just as a towel came flying into the ring from Nell sons corner.
 Wolgast had won-but at what price! His head was as badly bat tered and bruised as Nelson's. His body showed as many purple blotches as the Dane's.
 The Results.
 Neither man ever recovered from that exhibition of how much a human frame can stand without releasing it's ghost. Nelson walks the streets with aimless steps--his brain battling with a heavy fog.
 Wolgast lost the championship soon after winning it and, for a while, drifted around fights and fight clubs. But he finally wound up in a psychopathic ward where he shadow-boxed and trained" for another phantom fight with the Durable Dane.