Adolph Wolgast

Adolphus Wolgast (8 February 1888 in Cadillac, Michigan – 14 April 1955 in Camarillo, California) was a world lightweight boxing champion.

Personal

Wolgast was the elder brother of fellow boxers Johnny Wolgast and Al Wolgast.

Professional career

Known as the "Michigan Wildcat" and fighting under the name "Ad" Wolgast, Wolgast turned pro in 1910 and in 1911 captured the World Lightweight Title with a TKO win over George Memsic. After the California bout, both fighters arrested and charged with violating the anti-prizefight law. Wolgast would later defend the title against Mexican Joe Rivers in 1912, a bout that caused controversy. Delivering simultaneous blows, they knocked each other out. Referee Jack Welch counted to ten and the bout was over. However, he awarded the win to Wolgast, claiming that Ad had started to rise before the fatal ten. Rivers' fans let out a roar, believing he had been fouled. To add to the confusion, the timekeeper insisted the round had ended when Welch reached the count of four. But Welch's ruling became the official verdict.

Wolgast ultimately defended the belt five times before losing it to Willie Ritchie in 1912.

Life After Boxing

Wolgast was declared incompetent in 1917 and a guardianship was established for him. He suffered a nervous breakdown in 1918 and was placed in a sanitarium from where he "escaped." He was later found living in the "North Woods" of California as a "mountain man." In December 1918 a Los Angeles court found him competent to handle his own affairs, and terminated the guardianship.

In the early 1920s, Jack Doyle, famous for his Vernon, California boxing venue, took Wolgast "under his wing," and allowed him to train at his boxing gym, promising Wolgast a bout "tomorrow." Tomorrow never came, yet Wolgast continued to train diligently every day for that bout tomorrow.

Death

After again committed to another mental hospital, he was beaten by guards who had heard that he was "a tough guy." (Some report, apparently incorrectly, that he died as a result of this beating.) He died April 14, 1955 in Camarillo, California, USA of heart complications.

External links

*
*CBZ [http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/wolgast.htm page]
* [http://www.geocities.com/jcbunnell Geocities]