This is the money shot from the Battling Nelson-Ad Wolgast fight in 1910. Both fighters covered in blood. I mean, my God, look at Nelson's face, it's all cut up, swollen, bleeding, he resembles Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. But Nelson wouldn't quit, he just kept coming, he was not of this Earth. He was capable of taking hellish punishment. Like I said before, Battling Nelson was made in hell. If I were a lightweight fighter, any era, and I looked across the ring and saw Battling Nelson standing there, I would know I'm about to go through something that will probably traumatize me for the rest of my life. That was what it meant to share a ring with Battling Nelson. Ad Wolgast as well for that matter.
If you visit the IBHOF (International Boxing Hall of Fame) website and look at the profiles for the fighters who have been inducted, you'll notice that each fighter has a small profile picture with a gold frame around it, this is the IBHOF profile picture for Battling Nelson and the photo that was used for it. This kind of stuff is fascinating to me. It's an awesome image of Battling Nelson, standing on a wooden platform in the desert, it reminds me of an outlaw posing in the Old West.
Another Battling Nelson fight I want to mention is his 20 round war with Aurelio Herrera on September 5th,1904, in Butte, Montana. This is a wet dream of a matchup, you got one of the toughest, most durable fighters in boxing history vs one of the hardest punchers in boxing history. Aurelio Herrera's punching power is mythical, murderous power.
The fight took place in a newly constructed arena for the Montana Athletic Club. The Butte Evening News stated that the arena would seat 10,000 people and was intended to bring in big fights while charging small prices. For the Herrara-Nelson fight the first four rows cost $3 per seat, seats in rows five up to the barbed wire were $2, and the remaining were $1.
Nelson was just coming off an impressive knockout over Eddie Hanlon and saw the potential for a big money fight against Herrera while waiting for a title shot. When he sent word out of his willingness to meet Aurelio at 130 pounds it made national sporting headlines. A bidding war to secure the bout erupted between Los Angeles and Butte which, on paper anyway, seemed a mismatch. But the little mining town displayed its salt as well as loyalty and passion for their adopted son by winning the bid in an unlikely David and Goliath upset over the much larger “City of Angels”.
A twenty-round fight was arranged, the event to take place on September 5, Labor Day. The buildup in the weeks leading up to the bout was considerable and the attributes of both fighters were endlessly expounded upon in the press. It promised to be a battle of mythic proportions, the proverbial “Irresistible force” (Herrera) meeting the “Immovable object” (Nelson).
Decades later Nelson, who in his younger days had been a sparring partner for Herrera when the latter came to Chicago, recalled his pre-fight mindset in an interview with journalist Stanley Weston:
“I knew Herrera’s style perfectly because I had made a study of him during the sparring partner days when that crazy Mexican gave me $10 a week and figured that it gave him the right to kill me. I felt I could beat him if I could stand off his terrible rushes. I respected his power and felt that if I could lick him I could lick anybody in the world.
As there was some danger of the bout being stopped by State authorities I arrived at the big arena early, reaching there at 2 o’clock or fully three hours before the fight was scheduled to begin. I went into the promoter’s office and was surprised to see Herrera, sitting behind the big desk, smoking his inevitable cigar. I hadn’t seen him for some years and we shook hands warmly. He was never too friendly with anybody but we got along good in the Chicago days and he evidently remembered. I wished him luck and he just shook his head and said ‘best man win. Eh, Bat?’
The promoter assured us that the State officials would not interfere but that it would be best if we started the fight as soon as possible. Herrera and I both agreed to get into ring togs immediately and wait for the signal to put in an appearance. He seemed coldly confident and disinterested. His air, I confess, bothered me.”
The fight didn’t disappoint and the crowd of ten thousand witnessed what would go down in history as one of the great battles of the first half-century of Queensberry boxing. Bat and Aurelio met in mid-ring at the first bell and slugged away. The indestructible Dane showed his usual form, seemingly impervious to any punishment meted out to him. The strategy of moving in close so as to smother Herrera and not allow him the range necessary to get maximum power into his swings, which had failed Benny Yanger previously, was proving effective for Nelson. He consistently beat Herrera to the punch and got an early lead. But in the fifth round Aurelio saw an opening and exploded an overhand right through Bat’s guard, spinning him around as he sailed through the air. The capsized Nelson landed in a heap on the floor. He took a nine count and when he arose Herrera rushed him. The crowd cheered wildly as Herrera desperately tried to put the finishing touches on Nelson, but the Dane fired right back and the two traded nonstop until the end of the round. The rest of the bout was nip and tuck with Nelson landing the more frequent blows and Herrera the more powerful. At the end of twenty rounds both were cut, bruised and exhausted but the decision in Nelson’s favor was a just one. Both battlers received plaudits by sportswriters the following day and Nelson was generous in his praise for his opponent.
Battling Nelson and "Fighting" Dick Hyland, man these photos are awesome, tough of the toughest, blood-and-guts warriors to ever live. Dick Hyland was featured in one of the most famous boxing photos in history. In 1913, Dick Hyland went 15 savage rounds with Ray Campbell, a fight in which left both Hyland and Campbell absolutely covered in blood.
Another shot of Battling Nelson facing off with Dick Hyland, this was taken before their fight on May 29th in 1909 at the Mission Street Arena in San Francisco. Battling Nelson successfully defended his crown by knocking Hyland out in the 23rd round.
Battling Nelson facing off with Rudy "The Fight Boer Boxer" Unholz before their bout on February 4th, 1908, at Naud Junction Pavilion in Los Angeles. Unholz prevailed winning a ten round decision.
Battling Nelson facing off with Abe Attell before their fight on March 31st, 1908, at the Coliseum in San Francisco. Attell, known as "The Little Hebrew," was one of the finest fighters of his era, a true all-time great featherweight. Attell was the world featherweight champion for over six years, holding the undisputed title from 1906 to 1912. During this dominant reign, he successfully defended his crown a record 21 times. While he held the title as early as 1903–1904, his definitive, recognized reign lasted from his victory over Jimmy Walsh in 1906 until his loss to Johnny Kilbane in 1912. Attell, despite being a smaller featherweight, often challenged top lightweights. Attell dominated the first eight rounds, but Nelson’s pressure began to wear him down by the ninth. In the 14th round, Attell was in distress, but he managed to use his ring experience to survive to the final bell. The fight was declared a draw after 20 rounds.
These photos really hit home. If you've studied World War 1, which I have, then you'll know the horrors that took place. It was a terrible war, the slaughter was on another level, and the methods used to kill made it even more horrific. It was a war in which a lot of weapons made their debut, including the flamethrower, poisonous gas, and the tank. These are photographs of Battling Nelson taken at Fort Myer, Virginia, in 1918 depicting Nelson posing with a punching bag made up to look like the highly disliked German Kaiser Wilhelm II. If you're not familiar with the him, Kaiser Wilhelm II didn't single-handedly start World War I, but his aggressive foreign policy, impulsive decisions, and crucially, his promise of "blank check" support to Austria-Hungary during the July Crisis, significantly escalated the conflict from a regional dispute into a continental war. Great photos of Battling Nelson using the Kaiser as a punching bag.
This is an awesome photo of Battling Nelson in training camp for his March 14, 1906 fight with "Terrible" Terry McGovern. Love the old house in the background.
Battling Nelson defeated "Terrible" Terry McGovern in a 6-round newspaper decision in Philadelphia on March 14, 1906, in a brutal, fast-paced fight. Nelson, dominated the action with heavy blows to the head and neck in the fourth and fifth rounds. This is another encounter I would love to see, two absolute beasts.
This is a photo of Battling Nelson facing off with Anton LaGrave before their bout on October 31st, 1910, at the Dreamland Pavilion in San Francisco, as Billy Jordan and referee Ed Smith look on in the background. After 15 rounds the fight was declared a draw.
Battling Nelson and Jimmy Britt bad a notable series, they fought a total of four times. Britt outpointed Nelson in the first and third fights but Nelson brutally knocked him out in the second fight. Their fourth fight resulted in a 10-round no decision. Some of their second fight is actually on YouTube, Britt was a great fighter and should be in the Hall of Fame but Nelson's pressure wore him down in that second fight. That was the thing about Nelson, he was relentless as hell and just kept coming at you, if you weren't in great physical shape he was going to wear you down and eventually get you. Here are some cool items from their rivalry. This is a photo of Nelson and Britt facing off before their fight on December 20th, 1904, in which Britt won a 20-round decision.
Battling Nelson and Jimmy Britt squaring off before their second fight on September 9th, 1905. Nelson defeated Jimmy Britt by 18th round KO in Colma, California. A near-riot broke out near the entrance, with people held at gunpoint after they rushed the fence. Nelson claimed the "white" lightweight title, as Joe Gans was the real champion.
A photo of Nelson and Britt from their second bout in full fight poses along with the promoter "Sunny" Jim Coffroth. In the background you can see the two fighters in the ring with the crowd in view.
On July 31, 1907 (postponed from July 3rd) at the Auditorium Rink in San Francisco lightweights Jimmy Britt and Battling Nelson met in the featured match. Britt won a 20 round decision. This is a postcard commemorating the fight.
This photo was actually used on the 2010 Ringside Boxing Round 1 Battling Nelson card. It was also used for the 2012 Panini Golden Age Battling Nelson card, regular size and mini.
Speaking of Battling Nelson cards, I actually own this original type 1 Battling Nelson photo that was used for his 1910 Red Sun Cigarettes card, his 1950s Joe Palooka Candy box card, and 1923 strip card. The Joe Palooka cards are really neat, they came on the back of the Joe Palooka Candy box and were meant to be cut out and collected.
My type 1 photo
1910 Red Sun Cigarettes
1950s Joe Palooka Candy (Nelson on top left hand corner)
A few more Battling Nelson cards I want to mention, this is the 1910 Robertson Candy Co. Battling Nelson card (in the middle), ridiculously rare set, I've been looking any card from this set for years and to this day I've never seen any card from this set surface on eBay. At first glance these cards appear to be from the 1910 E76 American Caramel "Prize Fighter Caramels" series. Turning the card over reveals it is something entirely different and special. A little known edition of the same 20 subjects was produced for the Canadian market by the "Robertson Candy Co." to be sold with "each piece of Pure Sugar Candy." To date, only 15 cards TOTAL have been recorded by SGC. Interestingly, the American Caramel card has a version where the letters of his name on the front of the card are small and large, as shown on the very bottom.
Here's a closer look at that 1910 Robertson's Candy Co. Battling Nelson card, a card I would love to own. Ridiculous rare, you'd have better luck finding the Loch Ness Monster!
Another Battling Nelson card I want to mention is this little beauty right here, the 1910 T229 Kopec Cigarettes Battling Nelson. Like the Robertson Candy Co. cards, this set is identical to another set, the 1910 Pet Cigarettes set, except for the backs. Both the Kopec and Pet Cigarettes versions are rare, but the Kopec is ridiculously rare. I've included photos of both cards and examples of what the different backs look like, I can't find a Kopec Cigarettes Battling Nelson back so I found an Owen Moran as an example of what the Kopec back looks like. This is a stunningly beautiful card, with an image of Battling Nelson out in the country with some little barns off in the distance.
Another card, the 1909-16 PC758 Max Stein Postcards Battling Nelson. These postcards include baseball players, boxers, pilots, political figures/statesmen and dancing girls. PSA grades these and they can be extremely difficult to find.
Last card I want to mention is the 1908 "Health and Strength" Battling Nelson Postcard. It's just an awesome image of Nelson, the way the image presents itself, the Black background, the Grey color of Nelson, he looks like a statue, perhaps a statue of an Ancient Roman Gladiator.
November 26th, 1910, at Blot's Arena in San Francisco, California. Owen Moran vs Battling Nelson. The only time in his career that Battling Nelson was knocked out. The many brutal wars finally caught up to the durable one.
Credit: Associated Press
"For the first time in his career, Battling Nelson, the "durable Dane", a shell of the once great pugilist, was knocked out today beyond all dispute by Owen Moran, the sturdy lad from Birmingham, England, in the presence of one of the largest crowds of spectators ever assembled at a glove contest in this city. Moran knocked Nelson out in the 11th round of a scheduled 20 round event, his victory being clean and leaving no room for argument as to his mastery over the one time champion. Moran throughout from the first tap of the gong, proved himself complete master of the situation and there was not one round of the eleven fought that could be accredited to Nelson. The 11th and final round opened with neither fighter in distress. Moran, who apprently had been biding his time, flung his right forward, catching Nelson flush on the jaw and down he went to his haunches for the count of nine. Nelson tottered to his feet. Again the Briton's powerful right dropped Nelson to the mat. The performance was thrice repeated, Moran each time reaching Nelson's unprotected jaw with his right and with the last the referee and timekeeper counted the fateful ten."
Battling Nelson and Tommy Gaffney facing off before their bout on August 4th, 1911, at the Opera House in Medford, Oregon. Nelson stopped Gaffney in the 5th.
Battling Nelson in his military uniform. In his youth he worked as an errand boy for Edler’s Meat Market and chore boy for “Mom” Robbins’ boarding house. In 1898, he enlisted in South Dakota Company G for the Spanish-American War.
This image is from the first Battling Nelson-Jimmy Britt fight, it shows Nelson standing in the center of the ring watching Jimmy Britt being carried to back his corner.
Epic photo of great fighters posing together, from the left, Jimmy Barry, Harry Forbes, Johnny Coulon, Battling Nelson, Buddy Ryan, and George Gardner.
Comments
This is the money shot from the Battling Nelson-Ad Wolgast fight in 1910. Both fighters covered in blood. I mean, my God, look at Nelson's face, it's all cut up, swollen, bleeding, he resembles Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. But Nelson wouldn't quit, he just kept coming, he was not of this Earth. He was capable of taking hellish punishment. Like I said before, Battling Nelson was made in hell. If I were a lightweight fighter, any era, and I looked across the ring and saw Battling Nelson standing there, I would know I'm about to go through something that will probably traumatize me for the rest of my life. That was what it meant to share a ring with Battling Nelson. Ad Wolgast as well for that matter.
Wow. Such an iconic photo.
If you visit the IBHOF (International Boxing Hall of Fame) website and look at the profiles for the fighters who have been inducted, you'll notice that each fighter has a small profile picture with a gold frame around it, this is the IBHOF profile picture for Battling Nelson and the photo that was used for it. This kind of stuff is fascinating to me. It's an awesome image of Battling Nelson, standing on a wooden platform in the desert, it reminds me of an outlaw posing in the Old West.
Cool painting I ran across recently.
Great shot of Battling Nelson and Ad Wolgast before their epic fight on February 22nd in 1910, with the surrounding crowd visible.
Another Battling Nelson fight I want to mention is his 20 round war with Aurelio Herrera on September 5th,1904, in Butte, Montana. This is a wet dream of a matchup, you got one of the toughest, most durable fighters in boxing history vs one of the hardest punchers in boxing history. Aurelio Herrera's punching power is mythical, murderous power.
The fight took place in a newly constructed arena for the Montana Athletic Club. The Butte Evening News stated that the arena would seat 10,000 people and was intended to bring in big fights while charging small prices. For the Herrara-Nelson fight the first four rows cost $3 per seat, seats in rows five up to the barbed wire were $2, and the remaining were $1.
Nelson was just coming off an impressive knockout over Eddie Hanlon and saw the potential for a big money fight against Herrera while waiting for a title shot. When he sent word out of his willingness to meet Aurelio at 130 pounds it made national sporting headlines. A bidding war to secure the bout erupted between Los Angeles and Butte which, on paper anyway, seemed a mismatch. But the little mining town displayed its salt as well as loyalty and passion for their adopted son by winning the bid in an unlikely David and Goliath upset over the much larger “City of Angels”.
A twenty-round fight was arranged, the event to take place on September 5, Labor Day. The buildup in the weeks leading up to the bout was considerable and the attributes of both fighters were endlessly expounded upon in the press. It promised to be a battle of mythic proportions, the proverbial “Irresistible force” (Herrera) meeting the “Immovable object” (Nelson).
Decades later Nelson, who in his younger days had been a sparring partner for Herrera when the latter came to Chicago, recalled his pre-fight mindset in an interview with journalist Stanley Weston:
“I knew Herrera’s style perfectly because I had made a study of him during the sparring partner days when that crazy Mexican gave me $10 a week and figured that it gave him the right to kill me. I felt I could beat him if I could stand off his terrible rushes. I respected his power and felt that if I could lick him I could lick anybody in the world.
As there was some danger of the bout being stopped by State authorities I arrived at the big arena early, reaching there at 2 o’clock or fully three hours before the fight was scheduled to begin. I went into the promoter’s office and was surprised to see Herrera, sitting behind the big desk, smoking his inevitable cigar. I hadn’t seen him for some years and we shook hands warmly. He was never too friendly with anybody but we got along good in the Chicago days and he evidently remembered. I wished him luck and he just shook his head and said ‘best man win. Eh, Bat?’
The promoter assured us that the State officials would not interfere but that it would be best if we started the fight as soon as possible. Herrera and I both agreed to get into ring togs immediately and wait for the signal to put in an appearance. He seemed coldly confident and disinterested. His air, I confess, bothered me.”
The fight didn’t disappoint and the crowd of ten thousand witnessed what would go down in history as one of the great battles of the first half-century of Queensberry boxing. Bat and Aurelio met in mid-ring at the first bell and slugged away. The indestructible Dane showed his usual form, seemingly impervious to any punishment meted out to him. The strategy of moving in close so as to smother Herrera and not allow him the range necessary to get maximum power into his swings, which had failed Benny Yanger previously, was proving effective for Nelson. He consistently beat Herrera to the punch and got an early lead. But in the fifth round Aurelio saw an opening and exploded an overhand right through Bat’s guard, spinning him around as he sailed through the air. The capsized Nelson landed in a heap on the floor. He took a nine count and when he arose Herrera rushed him. The crowd cheered wildly as Herrera desperately tried to put the finishing touches on Nelson, but the Dane fired right back and the two traded nonstop until the end of the round. The rest of the bout was nip and tuck with Nelson landing the more frequent blows and Herrera the more powerful. At the end of twenty rounds both were cut, bruised and exhausted but the decision in Nelson’s favor was a just one. Both battlers received plaudits by sportswriters the following day and Nelson was generous in his praise for his opponent.
Battling Nelson and "Fighting" Dick Hyland, man these photos are awesome, tough of the toughest, blood-and-guts warriors to ever live. Dick Hyland was featured in one of the most famous boxing photos in history. In 1913, Dick Hyland went 15 savage rounds with Ray Campbell, a fight in which left both Hyland and Campbell absolutely covered in blood.
This is the famous photo of Dick Hyland (on the right) and Ray Campbell taken after their fight in 1913.
Another shot of Battling Nelson facing off with Dick Hyland, this was taken before their fight on May 29th in 1909 at the Mission Street Arena in San Francisco. Battling Nelson successfully defended his crown by knocking Hyland out in the 23rd round.
Battling Nelson shaking hands with "Chrysanthemum" Joe Choynski, a murderous punching heavyweight in the early 1900s.
Battling Nelson facing off with Rudy "The Fight Boer Boxer" Unholz before their bout on February 4th, 1908, at Naud Junction Pavilion in Los Angeles. Unholz prevailed winning a ten round decision.
Battling Nelson facing off with Abe Attell before their fight on March 31st, 1908, at the Coliseum in San Francisco. Attell, known as "The Little Hebrew," was one of the finest fighters of his era, a true all-time great featherweight. Attell was the world featherweight champion for over six years, holding the undisputed title from 1906 to 1912. During this dominant reign, he successfully defended his crown a record 21 times. While he held the title as early as 1903–1904, his definitive, recognized reign lasted from his victory over Jimmy Walsh in 1906 until his loss to Johnny Kilbane in 1912. Attell, despite being a smaller featherweight, often challenged top lightweights. Attell dominated the first eight rounds, but Nelson’s pressure began to wear him down by the ninth. In the 14th round, Attell was in distress, but he managed to use his ring experience to survive to the final bell. The fight was declared a draw after 20 rounds.
These photos really hit home. If you've studied World War 1, which I have, then you'll know the horrors that took place. It was a terrible war, the slaughter was on another level, and the methods used to kill made it even more horrific. It was a war in which a lot of weapons made their debut, including the flamethrower, poisonous gas, and the tank. These are photographs of Battling Nelson taken at Fort Myer, Virginia, in 1918 depicting Nelson posing with a punching bag made up to look like the highly disliked German Kaiser Wilhelm II. If you're not familiar with the him, Kaiser Wilhelm II didn't single-handedly start World War I, but his aggressive foreign policy, impulsive decisions, and crucially, his promise of "blank check" support to Austria-Hungary during the July Crisis, significantly escalated the conflict from a regional dispute into a continental war. Great photos of Battling Nelson using the Kaiser as a punching bag.
Battling Nelson pictured with his trainers Abdul the Turk (middle) and Kid Dalton, not sure what year this photo was taken.
This is an awesome photo of Battling Nelson in training camp for his March 14, 1906 fight with "Terrible" Terry McGovern. Love the old house in the background.
Battling Nelson defeated "Terrible" Terry McGovern in a 6-round newspaper decision in Philadelphia on March 14, 1906, in a brutal, fast-paced fight. Nelson, dominated the action with heavy blows to the head and neck in the fourth and fifth rounds. This is another encounter I would love to see, two absolute beasts.
Cool Battling Nelson training sequence.
This is a photo of Battling Nelson facing off with Anton LaGrave before their bout on October 31st, 1910, at the Dreamland Pavilion in San Francisco, as Billy Jordan and referee Ed Smith look on in the background. After 15 rounds the fight was declared a draw.
An image of Battling Nelson getting into his automobile. Cool car.
A postcard of Battling Nelson in a fight stance.
Battling Nelson and Jimmy Britt bad a notable series, they fought a total of four times. Britt outpointed Nelson in the first and third fights but Nelson brutally knocked him out in the second fight. Their fourth fight resulted in a 10-round no decision. Some of their second fight is actually on YouTube, Britt was a great fighter and should be in the Hall of Fame but Nelson's pressure wore him down in that second fight. That was the thing about Nelson, he was relentless as hell and just kept coming at you, if you weren't in great physical shape he was going to wear you down and eventually get you. Here are some cool items from their rivalry. This is a photo of Nelson and Britt facing off before their fight on December 20th, 1904, in which Britt won a 20-round decision.
A ticket from the second Nelson-Britt fight.
An on-site poster from the second Nelson-Britt fight.
Battling Nelson and Jimmy Britt squaring off before their second fight on September 9th, 1905. Nelson defeated Jimmy Britt by 18th round KO in Colma, California. A near-riot broke out near the entrance, with people held at gunpoint after they rushed the fence. Nelson claimed the "white" lightweight title, as Joe Gans was the real champion.
Photos of the second Nelson-Britt fight, the photo on the bottom shows the end of the fight with Britt down on the canvas.
Cool images of Battling Nelson and Jimmy Britt that appeared in The Elmira Telegram newspaper.
A photo of Nelson and Britt from their second bout in full fight poses along with the promoter "Sunny" Jim Coffroth. In the background you can see the two fighters in the ring with the crowd in view.
On July 31, 1907 (postponed from July 3rd) at the Auditorium Rink in San Francisco lightweights Jimmy Britt and Battling Nelson met in the featured match. Britt won a 20 round decision. This is a postcard commemorating the fight.
Nice Battling Nelson fight pose sequence, it looks like it was taken at the top of a staircase, cool stuff.
This photo was actually used on the 2010 Ringside Boxing Round 1 Battling Nelson card. It was also used for the 2012 Panini Golden Age Battling Nelson card, regular size and mini.
Speaking of Battling Nelson cards, I actually own this original type 1 Battling Nelson photo that was used for his 1910 Red Sun Cigarettes card, his 1950s Joe Palooka Candy box card, and 1923 strip card. The Joe Palooka cards are really neat, they came on the back of the Joe Palooka Candy box and were meant to be cut out and collected.
My type 1 photo
1910 Red Sun Cigarettes
1950s Joe Palooka Candy (Nelson on top left hand corner)
1923 strip card
A few more Battling Nelson cards I want to mention, this is the 1910 Robertson Candy Co. Battling Nelson card (in the middle), ridiculously rare set, I've been looking any card from this set for years and to this day I've never seen any card from this set surface on eBay. At first glance these cards appear to be from the 1910 E76 American Caramel "Prize Fighter Caramels" series. Turning the card over reveals it is something entirely different and special. A little known edition of the same 20 subjects was produced for the Canadian market by the "Robertson Candy Co." to be sold with "each piece of Pure Sugar Candy." To date, only 15 cards TOTAL have been recorded by SGC. Interestingly, the American Caramel card has a version where the letters of his name on the front of the card are small and large, as shown on the very bottom.
1910 Robertson Candy Co.
1910 American Caramel
Here's a closer look at that 1910 Robertson's Candy Co. Battling Nelson card, a card I would love to own. Ridiculous rare, you'd have better luck finding the Loch Ness Monster!
Beautiful shots of the Loch.
Another Battling Nelson card I want to mention is this little beauty right here, the 1910 T229 Kopec Cigarettes Battling Nelson. Like the Robertson Candy Co. cards, this set is identical to another set, the 1910 Pet Cigarettes set, except for the backs. Both the Kopec and Pet Cigarettes versions are rare, but the Kopec is ridiculously rare. I've included photos of both cards and examples of what the different backs look like, I can't find a Kopec Cigarettes Battling Nelson back so I found an Owen Moran as an example of what the Kopec back looks like. This is a stunningly beautiful card, with an image of Battling Nelson out in the country with some little barns off in the distance.
1910 Kopec Cigarettes
1910 Pet Cigarettes
Another card, the 1909-16 PC758 Max Stein Postcards Battling Nelson. These postcards include baseball players, boxers, pilots, political figures/statesmen and dancing girls. PSA grades these and they can be extremely difficult to find.
Last card I want to mention is the 1908 "Health and Strength" Battling Nelson Postcard. It's just an awesome image of Nelson, the way the image presents itself, the Black background, the Grey color of Nelson, he looks like a statue, perhaps a statue of an Ancient Roman Gladiator.
Awesome image of Battling Nelson training.
November 26th, 1910, at Blot's Arena in San Francisco, California. Owen Moran vs Battling Nelson. The only time in his career that Battling Nelson was knocked out. The many brutal wars finally caught up to the durable one.
Credit: Associated Press
"For the first time in his career, Battling Nelson, the "durable Dane", a shell of the once great pugilist, was knocked out today beyond all dispute by Owen Moran, the sturdy lad from Birmingham, England, in the presence of one of the largest crowds of spectators ever assembled at a glove contest in this city. Moran knocked Nelson out in the 11th round of a scheduled 20 round event, his victory being clean and leaving no room for argument as to his mastery over the one time champion. Moran throughout from the first tap of the gong, proved himself complete master of the situation and there was not one round of the eleven fought that could be accredited to Nelson. The 11th and final round opened with neither fighter in distress. Moran, who apprently had been biding his time, flung his right forward, catching Nelson flush on the jaw and down he went to his haunches for the count of nine. Nelson tottered to his feet. Again the Briton's powerful right dropped Nelson to the mat. The performance was thrice repeated, Moran each time reaching Nelson's unprotected jaw with his right and with the last the referee and timekeeper counted the fateful ten."
Cool cartoon depiction of Battling Nelson. I actually own a photo of Nelson that is very similar to the image of him in this cartoon.
Another cool Battling Nelson cartoon.
Battling Nelson and Tommy Gaffney facing off before their bout on August 4th, 1911, at the Opera House in Medford, Oregon. Nelson stopped Gaffney in the 5th.
Battling Nelson in his military uniform. In his youth he worked as an errand boy for Edler’s Meat Market and chore boy for “Mom” Robbins’ boarding house. In 1898, he enlisted in South Dakota Company G for the Spanish-American War.
Check this out, Battling Nelson as an infant.
Battling Nelson playing a game of Roko with his trainers in preparation for Joe Gans in 1908.
Battling Nelson (second from left) signing the contract for his first fight with Jimmy Britt in 1904.
This image is from the first Battling Nelson-Jimmy Britt fight, it shows Nelson standing in the center of the ring watching Jimmy Britt being carried to back his corner.
Wicked image of Battling Nelson sitting in his corner wrapping his hands.
Battling Nelson on a theatrical tour as lightweight champion.
Epic photo of great fighters posing together, from the left, Jimmy Barry, Harry Forbes, Johnny Coulon, Battling Nelson, Buddy Ryan, and George Gardner.