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Page 5 of 8 UP TO M’CAREY TO FIND OPPONENT FOR WOLGAST -------------- Ad’s Manager, Tom Jones, Declares It’s Jack Welch for Referee or Bout is Off, But Adds That Champion Will Meet Anyone Else Local Promoters Will Pick to Replace Freddie -------------- THEY WRANGLE OVER REFEREE; McCAREY SAYS, “I DON’T CARE.” -------------- “The referee for the Wolgast-Freddie Welsh contest on Thanksgiving Day will be jack Welch or no one. If Freddie Welsh does not agree by 6 o’clock Thursday night to stand by the articles his manager, Long signed last July, I will call the fight off, and demand his forfeit.”—Tom Jones, manager for Wolgast. “I will not fight Ad Wolgast with Jack Welch in the ring. However, I will not draw the line on any one else.”—Freddie Welsh. “I don’t care whom they select, or what they do.”—Manager Tom McCarey. This is the condition of affairs at present in regard to the Wolgast-Freddie Welsh championship battle at Vernon on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 30, and according to the developments yesterday, no one can tell whether or not the boys will come together. “If they do not fight here Thanksgiving, they will not fight any place on the coast this year,” declared Jones. “I will stick by the articles we signed last July, and if Freddie Welsh wants to back out of the match, that’s up to him. The records or the articles, themselves, will prove who is right in this matter, and the fight bugs can judge for themselves.” “When the match was arranged last July Manager McCarey, George Hancock, Baron Long, and myself got together in McCarey’s office on South Broadway, to consider the articles of agreement. The terms offered were satisfactory to all parties. The only thing there was any talk about was who the referee would be.” “At that time, Charley Eyton, the former club referee had resigned, and was out of the game. It was proposed by some one that Eddie Smith referee the go, and I suggested Jack Welch of San Francisco, in case Smith could not serve.” “Accordingly, Mr. Hancock, who drew up the articles, wrote in the name of Jack Welch.” “Another thing was the weight question. I proposed to make it 133 ringside was put in ‘2:30 p.m.’ This is practically the same as ringside weight for all afternoon fights are supposed to begin at 3 o’clock.” “McCarey spoke up and said that inasmuch as the second prelim might be prolonged for some reason, that he would suggest cutting out that 2:30 business and it was cut out.” “We were all together, and I remember correctly, the articles were not signed that day, but within the next day or two. Long had gone to San Francisco in the meantime, and the articles were sent up to him to sign. He sent down signed articles to McCarey, but I never saw them. It was understood between all of us that Welch’s name was to be put in the articles with that of Eddie Smith, and I did not suppose there would ever be any question about the referee. Long knew all the time that Welch’s name was put in as referee, and no one has ever heard of him kicking about it until now.” “I think that Freddie Welsh is afraid of Wolgast and is trying to get out of this match.” “To settle this question as near as I can settle it. I will refer anyone to the articles that McCarey, Long, and myself signed. They are as follows: Articles of Agreement These articles of agreement entered into this 10th day of July, 1911, by and between T.J. McCarey for the Pacific Athletic Club, party of the first part: and Ad Wolgast and Fred Welsh, parties of the second part, witnesseth: That the parties of the second part agree to box twenty rounds at Vernon Arena on the afternoon Day, 1911, for the lightweight championship, and in consideration of the parties of the second part fulfilling their part of this agreement the party of the first part agrees to give Ad Wolgast amount as agreed with 51 percent of the moving pictures privileges, and is Fred Welsh for his end $5000 and 49 percent of the moving picture privileges. The weight shall be 133 ringside. Twenty-five hundred dollars shall be deposited by each of the parties of the second part not later than thirty days before the date of the contest for weight and appearance. Jack Welch or Eddie Smith, the official referee of the club, shall act as referee. PRINCIPALS: T.J. McCarey Tom E. Jones For Wolgast Baron Long For Welsh “At the end of the paragraph about the weight was originally typewritten the figures ‘2:30 pm’; but these were scratched out in McCarey’s suggestion. To lead the final paragraph beginning ‘Eddie Smith, the official referee of the club’ were written the words ‘Jack Welch or,’ Mr. Hancock doing this with pen and ink at my suggestion. Long knew all about the name of Welch going in there and everyone understood it.” “Now I insist on Jack Welch acting as referee as his name was in the articles I signed. If anything should happen to Jack Welch before the date set for the fight I would have no objections whatever to having Charley Eyton referee, for he is a good man and a capable one. However, as long as Jack Welsh’s name is in the articles as referee, I certainly would not give him a black mark by consenting that anyone else be put in his place.” “I have told McCarey to get anyone he can to take Freddie Welsh’s place against Wolgast, and we are ready to fight here Thanksgiving. We do not pick our opponents.” “When asked concerning the proposition that Jack Welsh’s name had been written in the articles, manager McCarey made the following statement:” “I cannot remember distinctly just which articles Long signed. There was a set drawn up, and after he left for San Francisco a copy was sent him and I think he sent back one he had drawn up himself. I cannot remember the details now.” “At any event, he has not a leg to stand on in this present controversy for it was understood by everyone and by all the parties concerned that Jack Welsh’s name was to be put in the articles as a possible referee. Eddie Smith was a man picked upon because Eyton was out of the game at the time, but Welch’s name was put in as Jones’ suggestion, I believe. “I am not trying to get anyone to take Freddie Welsh’s place in case he does not come to time but the fact that he is going right along with his training makes me think that the squabble will be adjusted some way.” Thursday, November 16, 1911 Los Angeles Daily Times Los Angeles, California ALWAYS KNEW WELSH WAS AFRAID OF ME SAYS, WOLGAST -------------- “So Welsh says that he won’t fight me if Jack Welch acts as referee?” said Ad Wolgast last night over the long distance wire from Wheeler’s Springs. “I have been waiting to wee how Welsh would attempt to crawl out of our fight. I always suspected that he did not want to meet me, and now I am sure of it. He is afraid of me and he knows it. He knew perfectly well and so did Baron Long know that Jack Welch was to act as referee, and they signed the articles of agreement with that knowledge. Their attempt to bring up Welch as an issue is only an excuse to run out of the fight.” “I have planned to leave Wheeler’s Springs Saturday morning for Los Angeles and will witness the Rivers-Conley fight, but if I hear Friday that Welsh has backed out of the fight I will remain up here with Hobo Dougherty and enjoy myself in the mountains.” Wolgast stated that he and Dougherty had been climbing about the mountain trails for the last two days, and were in the best of condition. He was plainly peeved last night when told about the stand taken by Welsh and stated plainly that he believed that Welsh was glad of an excuse to run out of the fight. Friday, November 17, 1911 Los Angeles Daily Times Los Angeles, California
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