The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: January 29 - Februrary 4, 1910 & 1920

By Andrew Fruman

We're splitting this week's History Corner up into 2 editions.  Today, we've got news and fight reports from between January 29 and February 4 for the years 1910 and 1920.  Tomorrow, we'll be moving on to 1930, 1940 and 1950.

In this edition: a world title fight featuring Johnny Coulon, pre-fight buzz from the big Battling Nelson vs Ad Wolgast lightweight title clash, Pal Moore, Gene Tunney, Jimmy Wilde and plenty more...

Check out last week's History Corner: January 22 - 28

1910

January 29…

Chicago’s Johnny Coulon climbed off the canvas to defend his world *112 pound title with a 9th round stoppage of Earl Denning at the Royal Athletic Club in New Orleans. Denning, also from Chicago, dropped Coulon hard in the 2nd round with a flush left hand, but was struggling badly by the 5th round, with swelling around both eyes impairing his vision and took a terrific beating the rest of the way.

The bout was originally supposed to take place on December 20, 1909 in Gary, Indiana, but hostilities didn’t get past the 3rd round that night after the local police entered the ring and called a halt to the entertainment. The fighters, along with their managers and the referee were arrested and placed under bond of $1,000 each…

Several Chicago bondsmen made an effort to secure their release, but their bonds were counterfeit in the eyes of the sheriff and local police officials. The sheriff was loaded with John Doe warrants when he went to the ringside. Immediately after the arrests, Judge V. S. Belter was communicated with and those under arrest must appear before him charged with having violated the law against prize fighting in Gary. – December 21 1909, Associated Press

The case against the managers and the show’s promoter was dismissed within days after the defendant’s attorney successfully argued, "that a fight is not a prize fight unless the contestants actually are battling for a prize."

• The 112 pound title was now the lowest (the title weights fluctuated) championship weight in the sport. The National Sporting Club in London had recently established official weights for 8 classes, naming the 112 class "flyweight", although the name would not catch on in the United States until years later.

February 1…

Philadelphia’s hotshot young bantamweight Pal Moore was in sparkling form at the Armory Athletic Association in Boston. Moore handed Henry Miers a sound thrashing, knocking the local fighter down 6 times before referee Maffit Flaherty stopped the contest in the 8th round. The Boston Globe felt Miers’ corner should have tossed in the sponge before it got to that point.

Former heavyweight champion Jim Corbett was among the spectators…

Jim Corbett predicts that Pal Moore the *17 year old bantam will be champion of the world if he is properly handled… He congratulated the youngster and also advised him to climb the ladder slowly because of his extreme youth. "When you are 20 my boy, you can whip anybody," said Corbett. "But do not try to do too much."

• Moore had just turned 18 a couple months earlier.
  

February 3…

Frankie Conley won the newspaper decision over Danny Webster at the Exposition Rink in Portland, Oregon. Conley was the stronger man, forcing the fighting the whole way and according to reports, winning 8 of the 10 rounds against his craftier opponent.

*       *       *

Along with their managers and promoter Sid Hester, Battling Nelson and Ad Wolgast met the press at the Phelan building in San Francisco. The event started off friendly enough, but things eventually got a little heated…

Then the fun started. Nelson accusing Wolgast of making capital of the ten-round no-decision the fighters indulged in at Los Angeles and Wolgast called the champion a liar and a four-flusher.

Right then and there the little goat of Wolgast was seen running about the room, for he started to take off his coat and wanted to settle the dispute as to the championship without the aid of gloves. Nelson has the advantage of Wolgast in having been longer in the game and of having passed through many trying ordeals with managers and fighters, and he coolly sat back in his chair and grinned at the over-anxious Wolgast. Then the Wildcat grew frantic and insisted that they fight it out. Nelson was again on the job with the big money talk, and drawing a roll of bills from his pocket, he again announced that he wanted to bet all or any of part of it, and that if Wolgast was so willing to fight that if he would put up $2500 against the $5000 he would go into the adjoining room with him and the first man out could have all the money.

"Wolgast had worked himself into a rage that would be impossible in the prize ring and said many things that he would not say under other conditions. Even with the long experience and exceptionally cool judgement possessed by the champion he started to get mad and it was then that the friends and managers of the fighters interfered and brought peace.

- Eddie Smith, Oakland Tribune

 February 4…

Local fighter Jimmy Clabby and Boston’s Mike "Twin" Sullivan wrestled their way to a 10 round "newspaper draw" before 3,000 spectators at the National Athletic Club in Milwaukee. Despite giving away 10 pounds in weight, the younger Clabby was the stronger man, while the more experienced Sullivan was the quicker of the two. At one point in the clinch filled contest, the referee warned both fighters "to either liven things up a little more or get out."

1920

January 29…

World flyweight champion Jimmy Wilde scored a 3rd round stoppage over St. Paul, Minnesota’s Johnny Ertle in Milwaukee. A straight right hand "square on the chin point" was the knockout blow.

It was the Welshman’s third appearance on his American visit, and a decidedly better result from his initial outing back in December when he lost to Jackie Sharkey. Ertle had recently gone 10 rounds with the likes of Frankie Mason and Memphis Pal Moore, and had never been stopped according to the Associated Press.

Wilde again impressed us as a boy who prefers fighting to boxing. He was as cool and determined as one ever sees them inside the hemp and made a battle of it right from the jump. Ertle was smothered by the wickedness of little Jimmie’s attack, licked from the start to the finish, outpunched and clearly overmatched. - Associated Press

The following day, it was reported that Wilde would defend his flyweight against Frankie Mason in February with the bout to take place in Toledo.

February 2…

A. E. F. (American Expeditionary Forces) light-heavyweight champion Gene Tunney knocked out battle hardened heavyweight Al Roberts at the Newark Sportsman’s Club. Roberts gave a game effort, but his wild aggression was no match for Tunney’s precise skills.

Greatest interest centred around the bout between Tunney and Roberts. The crowd of about 6,000 spectators was eager to see the former doughboy in action against a really dangerous foe. Whatever doubts his admirers might have entertained of Tunney’s ability were dispelled convincingly. – New York Times

Tunney scored a knockdown with a right hand in the opening round, and had Roberts down 3 more times in the 7th round, before finishing the Staten Island fighter off with a right to the jaw in the 8th round. Tunney had the better of the action in all but the 5th round.

Check back in tomorrow for more of The Boxing Bulletin's History Corner as we move on to the years 1930, 1940 and 1950 for the week of January 29 to February 4.

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