Geoffrey Wegley

From The Great Outdoor Fight

Geoffrey Wegley (b. 1912, d. 1986) was the 1947 Fight Champion.

The 1947 Fight took place under difficult and disappointing circumstances, with torrential rain pouring down all three days of the Fight. (Things might have been even worse, possibly as bad as the infamous 1880 Fight, if not for the improvements made to the Acres since then.) As luck would have it, Wegley was uniquely qualified to deal with these conditions: he was an experienced member of a search and rescue team, helping the victims of floods and other natural disasters. Wegley was also a talented amateur athlete who kept himself in shape with a strict diet and wrestling regimen.

Wegley was able to survive the Fight's initial brawl largely because of his ability to traverse the difficult terrain with ease. He was able to amass a sizable army when it became apparent that his unique expertise would help keep his men safe from both rival fighters and mishaps. As the Fight dragged on, the terrain became more treacherous, and the weather grew ever more miserable, Wegley encouraged his fighters to eliminate each other quickly and cleanly, in order to avoid loss of life or limb from hypothermia.

Thanks to his wrestling experience, Wegley was able to win many fights with ease, throwing or sweeping his opponents onto the muddy ground, making it difficult for them to get up. Many of Wegley's foes were eliminated by incapacitating, but relatively minor injuries such as broken ankles or ribs. At 11:30 am on the third day of the Fight, Wegley squared off against his final opponent, Jim Connelly. Wegley used his mastery of the terrain to dodge Connelly's punches until he tricked Connelly into planting his foot in a gravelly rut. Wegley suddenly threw all his weight into Connelly, knocking him to the ground and breaking his shin.