1939-06-20 — Page 25

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 20, 1939.

Ravaged With Tuberculosis, Wracked With Pain, He Fought Till Death Wrote "Finis" To

By Leo

Fuller

THE TRAGIC TALE OF JOE GANS, "THE OLD MASTER"

NE of the greatest fighters of plain. The real truth behind his re- of $34,000 was to be divided so that and still Joe carried on, the skin drawn by the name of Joe Gans. Some was indeed a tragic

blow, Nelson every rib showing, practically a living gecret. Joe would not go into action unless it was skeleton. At last the forty-second say he was the best lightweight Gans at that period had just realized a fight to a finish with no limited num- round was signalled, and the amazing who ever

ducked under the that he was hopelessly in the grip of ber of rounds..

Nelson, covered from head to foot, with the dread tuberculosis. Severe courses ropes, and all agree that he put of training would have made his condi- implies, Nelson could fight forever. He drove home deliberately a cruel blow to As his nickname the Durable Dane blood, hurtled across the ring and up some of the most sensational tion worse.

relied on his amazing powers of resis- the groin! Like a sack of wheat, Joe battles in ring history. Yet none Yet, game to the core, and knowing tance to wear down the weakened collapsed to the canvas, and rolled in who knew him in his halycon he had only a few years of sunlight Gans. By a superhuman effort, which agony, Riots broke out round the days realised the terrible tra left, Gans would battle anyone on their probably hastened his end by a number ringside. Luckily the referee was gedy of his life-that he lived own terms-apart from making weight. of years, Joe made the weight, and en- made of stern stuff-he had to be in He practically murdered all the best tered the ring, grey looking and ill. those days-and in those quarters- and fought always under "the welterweights in the United States. He The battle took place in Nevada, and and he immediately disqualified Bat- shadow of Death!"

knocked out Kid McPartland in five was the first fight promoted by the tling Nelson! As soon as he had re- He was nicknamed the 'Old Mas- Willie Fitzgerald in ten. Giving away was also one of the gamest contests mother:

rounds, Charlie Sieger in fourteen, afterwards famous Tex Rickard. It covered, Gans sent a telegram to his

ter', and as a fighting man had pounds of weight, he beat the best in ever fought by the frail looking negro. "I'm bringing home the bacon!” three main characteristics. As a Blackburn, who now trains Joe Louis.

the land, including the famous Jack

Expecting to smash Gans down with- Yet think under what fearful cir- boxer he displayed perfect co-or-

in a few rounds, Nelson leapt into ac- cumstances this wonderful negro had dination of arm and leg movements,

tion in fiery style. He was painfully fought; think what undiluted grit his surprised when a series of smashing victory had needed!

ΟΝ

all time was a skinny negro which was then the lightweight limit draw, and, as a final

fusal to meet men at 133 pounds Nelson received $23,000, win, lose or tightly around the bones of his face,

Always Broke

state,

even

Hideous Spectacle

and

shuffling flat-footedly across the Despite his continued activities, Joe left hooks knocked him halfway across Flashes Of Old Form canvas, languidly and listlessly, and was always broke. He did the fight the ring. He attacked once more. Joe The hand of death was on Joe Gans at the same time ducking a punch ing, but rarely got the money, and in shuffled away, hitting on the retreat. by a fraction of an inch; secondly 1906 he was in terrible

From then on the Old Master gave his when he fought Nelson for the second there was the sleep producing pow- the world. sight weight of whom rough gold miners who formed the bulk Dane knocked him out

though he was lightweight champion challenger a boxing lesson that those time, but on this occasion the Durable in seventeen er of his blows, and lastly, he sel- he was terribly fond, was practically of the spectators never forgot.

rounds, and thus gained the light- dom missed when he started a starving in Baltimore; his illness was

weight championship. Joe was still a courageous fighting man, and in the punch on its way.

slowly gaining a faster grip on him;

early stages of the battle he showed Joe's great days started

By the time the fight had gone ten flashes of his one time form. Yet Nel- he was down to his last dime. when he knocked out Frank Erne, and became Finally he was forced to admit that rounds, Nelson was a hideous spectacle, son was one of the ring's phenomenons lightweight champion of the world. Yet the only way to repair his fortunes was His face was ripped to ribbons, his there never has been a man possess- his prominence brought the simple to take part in a title contest, and the nose and mouth cut and bleeding, his ed of such incredible endurance negro little beyond trouble. He was greatest draw of all would be between eyes half closed, Joe hit him when and ability to keep going under fiendish amixed up with a bad crowd, and al- himself and a tigerish fighter by the where he liked. And it was only the punishment.

extraordinary though he made a fortune, others spent name of Battling Nelson, the Durable latter's

recuperative Two months after this, Gans actual- it for him. There was often funny Dane. The latter had been gaining powers that enabled him to keep his ly fought Nelson again, but this time business' connected with his fights, yet supporters for months, and was

the feet.

it was dreadful slaughter. Even so, Joe was never the author of it, he was outstanding challenger.

Gans rose to heights of courage that he lasted twenty-one pain-wracked just a man who by a freak of nature Nelson's manager was a shrewd and are born only in desperate circum- rounds before he was knocked out! possessed all the qualities of a wonder hard-boiled man, and he laid down stance. Raging at his own impotence; Joe Gans spent the last months of his boxer. Furthermore, nature was to harsh and unsporting conditions for dumb-founded that Gans's hoped for brilliant, brief, and tragic life with his make him pay for them..

the contest, knowing full well that poor collapse seemed further and further mother, and he died in his home town Having sensationally gained the Gans was in no position to refuse. He away, Nelson viciously tried to foul the of Baltimore, Maryland, where they Laurels from Erne, Gans apparently insisted that Joe make the weight at champion. Joe's wizard boxing frus- now have a monument to one of the rested on them. He refused to make 133 pounds--at the ringside! Thus giv trated him. The ringside scenes were greatest fighters who ever drew on a the weight for challengers, and this at ing him no chance for a feed after incredible, yet the thugs and ruffians glove.

(COPYRIGHT) once brought down on his woolly head wards. Furthermore, Joe was to wear who were watching rose to Gans, swit- the criticism of the sporting world, his fighting trunks and shoes when he ching their allegiance to the challenger. To-morrow-Spider Kelly However, nothing would make him ex- weighed in. Furthermore, the purse Round after round was fought out,

LAWN BOWLS

THRILLING GAMES IN OPEN PAIRS TOURNEY

WIT

FITH only one exception, all the ties in the Second Round of the Open Pairs Lawn Bowls Championship were played yester- day as scheduled and several close games resulted.

Faker Extraordinary.

heads which included a four and LAWN BOWLS two threes.

W. Melrose and J. C. Chalmers entered the next round at the ex- pense of E. E. Aitkins and H. White whom they defeated by 23 shots to

5.

Thanks to four threes the winners were leading by 20 shots to 8 at the 16th head. The losers scored 10 shots in the next three heads which included two threes, while the winners could only reply with sing- les in the last three heads.

Fight

GOOD GAME AT K.F.C. ON TAP

Further progress in the Second Round of the Open Pairs Lawn Bowls championship will be made this afternoon when four games are down to be played.

Outstanding game will be that be-

At Kowloon Bowling Green Club At the Valley, C. M. Silva and F. X. Soares, holders, defeated a strong pair in A. W. Grimmitt and S. Eccleshall by 24 shots to 17.J. E. Noronha and C. G. Silva de-tween R. Duncan and A. M. Holland

feated H. Gittins and W. J. Howard The winners found the green four on the 9th head the losers took by 46-14 shots. The winners scored very fast but several good heads the lead for the first and only time five fives during the game. were witnessed. A. W. Grimmittat 9-8. was, however, often very short and was not at his best,

next Eight shots in the heads gave the Club pair a lead and they were never troubled for the rest of the game.

and L. C. R. Souza and C. S. Rosselet at Kowloon Football Club. All four players are experienced and a good tussle is anticipated.

The following gramme:--

1

H. A. Alves and F. V. Riberios three easily accounted for L. R. Whant good and E. Tuck winning by 32 shots

to 11. The winners scored on 16 J. S. Logan heads which included a six on the J. G. Meyer

A. F. Noronha last head,

The Civil Service pair opened the scoring with a single and a three, but the winners scored a three on

SHORT WORK

M. U. M. Omar and. K.

Omar the next head followed by a four on the sixth. A three and a four on made short work of their Club mates the 8th and 9th heads gave the J. W. Leonard and W. Ward at Civil Civil Service pair a lead of 12-0 Service, winning by 20 shots to 16. but the Portuguese scored two The winners scored 7 shots in the threes in the next two heads to first five heads before their oppon- take the lead which they maintain ents opened the scoring. The losers ed till the end.

scored a four on the 14th head while At the 19th head

winners the Omars registered two threes were leading 23-14. They were ly-during the game. ing the shot and Grimmitt, who On the same green, owing to the had several back woods, in trying light, A. Razack and J. S. Landolt to carry the jack, burnt the head. had to abandon their game against Starting with aburst and leading W. H. Hobbs and R. S. Meadows by 8 shots to 5 at the eighth head at the 15th head after being led 18 A. Stevens and J. A. R. Selby won shots to 20. The C.C.C. pair re- their encounter against T. A. Madar gistered three fours in their total and A. Madar by 21-16. Scoring a while the opposition scored on 11

the

is

to-day's pro-,

AT KOWLOON F.C..

E. Zimmern

R. Duncan

VM. J. Medina

F. Machado

v

F. X. M. da Silva:

W. Mair and W. Glendenning got A. M. Rodrigues

P. A. M. Holland v through against E. Pope. and

L. C. R. Souza C. S. Roselet

AT KOWLOON B.G.C.

T. Ferguson v W. C. Simpson:

J. Hamilton by 21-19 after being on level terms on the last head. The O. P. Remedios winners scored a four and three E. de Souza p threes during the game while the losers registered two fours:

The following were "yesterday's re- Bults:

+

J. A. Luz and L.-F. Xavier beat E. Kerman and W. J. Burling 27--16.

J. F. V. Ribeiro and L. J. Silva beat V. Chittenden and V. Petherick 18-17 on the 22 head.

J. Tuck and L. R. Whant 32-11.

C. M. Silva and F. X. Soares, the holders, defeated S. Eccleshall and A. W. Grimmitt by 24-17.

A. Steven and J. A. R. Selby beat A. Madar and T. A. Madar by 21-18.

W. Melrose and J. C. Chalmers beat H. White and E. A. Atkins by 23-15. K. M. Omar and U. M. Omar beat W. Leonard and W. Ward. At Kowloon Docks, A. E. H. Castro and V. N. Atienza beat A. L. Eastman and W. Grove 21–11. 20

T. E, Robson and H Nish beat AJ. Bower, and S. Randle 25-11.

W. Glendinning and W. Mair beat P. J. Hamilton and E. Pope 21-19.

A. S. Russell and H. G. Cooper beat E. W. Randall; and R. Basa 26--14.

H. A. Alves and F. V. V. Ribeiro beat

H. Overy and J. Hyde received walk over from R. P. Phillips and E. T. F. Thompson.