# Oz Boxing History Thread



## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Thread to post anything Australian boxing related. Videos, articles, pictures, stories, whatever.... doesnt necessarly have to be old either, if you have something revelant to share, post it, im sure many fights fly under the radar so to speak.

Keep seeing the mention of a possible purge over at esb, so i might see if i can grab some stuff from my old threads and dump them in here too, just so i dont lose them 

:cheers


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

Bugger said:


> Thread to post anything Australian boxing related. Videos, articles, pictures, stories, whatever.... doesnt necessarly have to be old either, if you have something revelant to share, post it, im sure many fights fly under the radar so to speak.
> 
> Keep seeing the mention of a possible purge over at esb, so i might see if i can grab some stuff from my old threads and dump them in here too, just so i dont lose them
> 
> :cheers


:cheers..good work..


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

Mick Dooley

BORN December 25 1862; Yellow Rock-Albion Park, New South Wales, Australia (near Dapto); Some sources report 1863 
DIED February 13 1935; Claremont, Western Australia 
HEIGHT 6-0 
WEIGHT 150-175 lbs

Dooley was a very capable fighter who knew how to handle himself in the ring; He tangled with larger men often and won the Heavyweight Championship of Australia during his career

Dooley defeated such men as Bob Fitzsimmons, Billy McCarthy, James "Tut" Ryan, Peter Felix, Bill Doherty and Jim Fogarty

1883
Jim Davis Paddington, ---, Aus W 
Webby Booth W 
P. Ryan W 
Sandy Ross W

1884
Jun 25 Nat Burns Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 5
Jun 25 Peter Jackson Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date

1886
Jan 23 Sullivan Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jan 30 Jim Nolan Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4
Feb 13 Jim Nolan Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 1
Feb 20 Bailey Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Feb 27 George Seale Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 6
Mar 6 Larry Foley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
-Some sources report "EX 3"
Mar 20 an unnamed opponent Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Mar 27 Peter Jackson Sydney, NSW, Aus LT 3
Apr 24 Pablo Frank Sydney, NSW, Aus W 6
May 1 Duffy Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 2
May 15 Bob Fitzsimmons Sydney, NSW, Aus TK 4
May 29 Snow Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 3
Jun 2 Bob Fitzsimmons Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
-Some sources report "W 4"
Jun 5 Bob Fitzsimmons Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
-Some sources report "W 4"
Jun 12 Dowling Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 2
Jun 19 Stanley Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4
Jul 10 Jim Fogarty Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 2
Jul 12 Jack Malloy Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jul 31 Eddy Seymour Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Aug 25 Novice Jack Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Aug 28 Tom Lees Sydney, NSW, Aus L 4
Oct 16 Eddy Seymour Sydney, NSW, Aus D 4
Oct 27 Jim Hall Sydney, NSW, Aus D 4

1887
Mar 17 Frank "Paddy" Slavin Sydney, NSW, Aus LK 10
-Some sources report 3/24/87
May 7 Mick O'Brien Sydney, NSW, Aus TK 5
Jun 4 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 6
Jun 11 Jim Nolan Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4
Jul 30 Larry Foley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 3
Aug 13 Paddy Gorman Sydney, NSW, Aus LK 3
Dec 24 Peter Jackson Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 2
Dec 31 Martin "Buffalo" Costello Sydney, NSW, Aus D 8

1888
Jan 21 Professor West Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 2
Jan 26 Peter Jackson Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Feb 4 Peter Jackson Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Mar 17 Peter Jackson Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 3
-Some sources report 3/11/88
Apr 18 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
-Some sources report "L 6"
May 1 Bob Fitzsimmons Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jun 29 Pat Kieley Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 5
-Some sources report 6/29/89
Oct 27 the "Irishman"  Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 1
-This man very likely was "Jack Burke";
He was in Australia at this time
Nov 3 Billy McCarthy Sydney, NSW, Aus W 8
Dec 8 Frank "Paddy" Slavin Sydney, NSW, Aus LK 1
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia

1889
Jun 8 Jack Gaven Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jun 10 Jack Gaven Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jun -Dooley opened a Tobacco Shop in Parramatta, NSW, Aus
Jul 29 Jim Hall Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 7 Pat Kieley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4

1890
Jun 24 Joe Goddard Sydney, NSW, Aus LK 21
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia
Aug 30 Peter Jackson Newcastle, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 2 Peter Jackson Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Oct 30 Joe Goddard Melbourne, Vic, Aus LK 7
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia;
Some sources report "L 7";
Some sources report 11/01/90
Nov 19 Peter Jackson Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4

1891
May 25 Joe Choynski Melbourne, Vic, Aus LK 2

1892
May 23 Martin "Buffalo" Costello Sydney, NSW, Aus LK 2

1894
May -Dooley claimed the Heavyweight Championship
of Australia following Harry Laing's death
Jun 23 James "Tut" Ryan Melbourne, Vic, Aus W 20
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia;
Some sources report 6/25/94

1895
Dec 2 Larry Foley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 3

1896
Feb 29 Mick Purcell Melbourne, Vic, Aus KO 2
Apr 4 Peter Felix Melbourne, Vic, Aus KO 2
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia
Jun 27 Peter Felix Melbourne, Vic, Aus ND 8
-Felix lasted and claimed the win
Aug 1 Peter Felix Melbourne, Vic, Aus ND 10
-Felix lasted and claimed the win
Aug 6 -Dooley left for South Africa; Details of
all his bouts there are not known

1897
Feb 6 Joe Goddard Johannesburg, Trans, SA LK 2
-Heavyweight Championship of South Africa;
Some sources report 2/05/97;
Some sources report 2/07/97
Jul 3 Peter Felix Brisbane, Que, Aus D 10
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia

1898
Sep 7 Bill Doherty Fremantle, WA, Aus TK 6
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia
Dec 26 William Bell Coolgardie, WA, Aus KO 2
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia

1899
Jan 21 Jim Fogarty Perth, WA, Aus KO 2
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia
Feb 25 Bill Doherty Kalgoorlie, WA, Aus LK 6
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia
Apr 22 Bill Doherty Kalgoorlie, WA, Aus LK 4
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia
Jul 12 James "Tut" Ryan Kalgoorlie, WA, Aus LK 4

1900
Apr 30 Jack Andrews Fremantle, WA, Aus TK 3
May 29 Bill Doherty Fremantle, WA, Aus TK 8
-Some sources report "W 8"
Aug 11 Bill Doherty Sydney, NSW, Aus  LK 3
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia;
Some sources report "Ultimo, ---, Aus"

1901
Jun 17 Peter Felix Melbourne, Vic, Aus LK 2

*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1886
Jul 10 Bob Fitzsimmons Sydney, NSW, Aus LK 2

1900-1901
Bill Doherty LK 4

*** Much Data Was Provided By Jan Skotnicki ***

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization


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## Stiffjab (May 21, 2013)

Great thread :happy


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)




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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

..check out some of the ferocious combos that Richards knocked out blokes with..awesome stuff..


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Shame i cant imbed these particular videos, but here it goes....

Dave Sands vs Irvin Steen - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_2900.do?assetId=clip_8896686&keywords=sydney stadium

Ken Bailey vs Mickey Tollis - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_3000.do?assetId=clip_8896687&keywords=sydney stadium

Tommy Burns vs Lem Dittmar - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_4000.do?assetId=clip_8896696&keywords=sydney stadium

Gary Cowburn vs George Barnes - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050228_1800.do?assetId=clip_8897066&keywords=sydney stadium

Tommy Burns vs Eddie Marcus - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_1700.do?assetId=clip_8896677&keywords=sydney stadium

Jimmy Carruthers Sparring - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050045_0200.do?assetId=clip_8857016&keywords=sydney stadium

George Barnes vs Johnny Rensgurg - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_9200.do?assetId=clip_8896742&keywords=sydney stadium

Tommy Burns vs Mikey Tollis - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_3600.do?assetId=clip_8896692&keywords=sydney stadium

Unknown Amatuers - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050043_8200.do?assetId=clip_8856599&keywords=sydney stadium

George Barnes vs Clive Steward - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_8600.do?assetId=clip_8896736&keywords=sydney stadium

Emile Griffith vs Ralph Dupas - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050228_3100.do?assetId=clip_8897077&keywords=sydney stadium

Ralph Dupas vs Rudell Stitch - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050228_0600.do?assetId=clip_8896755&keywords=sydney stadium

Frank Flannery vs Ernesto Aguilar - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_2800.do?assetId=clip_8896685&keywords=sydney stadium

Len Dittmar vs Bud Smith - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_4700.do?assetId=clip_8896702&keywords=sydney stadium

George Barnes vs Mick Leahy - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_9600.do?assetId=clip_8896746&keywords=sydney stadium


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Fantastic post on Doohley.

I read an article about his first fight some time back, he described how the larrikin gangs use to organise fights too, each gang would place bets, all records and money were usually looked after by a nuetral party (usually a tobacconist), winning gang took the lot.


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

..I wish I could just find 'That's Boxing' in it's entirety but these are all interesting little segments..:good


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

Bugger said:


> Fantastic post on Doohley.
> 
> I read an article about his first fight some time back, he described how the larrikin gangs use to organise fights too, each gang would place bets, all records and money were usually looked after by a nuetral party (usually a tobacconist), winning gang took the lot.


..this is a era of boxing that fascinates me..the calibre of the fighters getting around and the amount of times they fought each other..
..I've read 'In the Day's of the Giants' by Bill Doherty a few times and I was like a pig in shit..it's like a boxing fairy tale to me..except it all actually happened...


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

..is this bloke along side Kostya Tszyu as our greatest ever import?










Peter Jackson
(the "Black Prince")

BORN July 3 1861; Frederiksted, St. Croix, Danish West Indies 
DIED July 13 1901; Roma, Queensland, Australia 
HEIGHT 6-1 1/2 
WEIGHT 192-210 lbs 
MANAGERS Larry Foley, Charles E. "Parson" Davies, J.B. Simpson

New Book -- PETER JACKSON by Bob Petersen

Jackson is considered one of the greatest boxers who ever fought in the ring; He was fast and smooth, a boxer - puncher of the first degree who took his time, paced himself, jabbed and moved, and possessed a dangerous "One-Two"; He often fought men using just one arm - his "right hand barred"

Jackson was a serious threat to John L. Sullivan during the late 1880s and early 1890s but never received a title shot; He traveled extensively and engaged in many fights trying to secure a championship fight; Many historians consider Jackson to be the greatest fighter of that period

Jackson was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1956 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990

1878
-Jackson arrived in Australia from the West Indies

1881
-Jackson was a boxing pupil of Larry Foley at the
White Horse Inn in Sydney, NSW, Aus

1882
Jack Hayes Sydney, NSW, Aus D 5
Jack Hayes Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 7
-"Bare-Knuckles" were used for this bout
Dubbo in Australia W 
-Dubbo was an Aborigine
Sam Britten Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 
-"Bare-Knuckles" were used for this bout

1882-1883
-Jackson fought about 30 exhibitions at various
locations in Australia

1884
Jan 28 George Cave Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 1
Jan 28 Tom Lees Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 6
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Jan 31 Tom Lees Sydney, NSW, Aus W 4
Feb 2 Tom Lees Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4 
Jun 25 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4 
Jul 26 Bill Farnan Melbourne, Vic, Aus LK 3
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia
Sep 23 Bill Farnan Sydney, NSW, Aus D 6
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia;
The crowd broke into the ring;
Some sources report "Melbourne, Vic, Aus"

1885
May 1 Larry Foley Sydney, NSW, Aus EX 3
May 2 William Miller Sydney, NSW, Aus EX 4

1886
Mar 27 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus TK 3
Apr 3 Bob Berbs Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
May 22 Pablo Frangues Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jul 12 Tom Taylor Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 3
Jul 17 Dan Hickey Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Aug 7 Riley Sydney, NSW, Aus W 3
Aug 15 Hugh Healey Newcastle, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 25 Tom Lees Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 30
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia
Oct 2 Jack Malloy Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Oct 9 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Nov 20 Pat Kieley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4

1887
Feb 15 Pat Kieley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Mar 3 an unnamed opponent Sydney, NSW, Aus EX 3
Apr 6 Pat Kieley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Apr 25 Mick O'Brien Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 1
May 21 Frank "Paddy" Slavin SCH 
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
Negotiations fell through
May 23 -Jackson challenged Frank "Paddy" Slavin to a fight; Slavin refused
Jun 4 Jim Nolan Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 
Jun 11 an unnamed opponent Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jun 25 Jim Nolan Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jul 9 Dan Hickey Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jul 16 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4 
Aug 6 Tom Taylor Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 24 Jim Nolan Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 1
Oct 1 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 3
Oct 22 Steve O'Donnell Sydney, NSW, Aus W 3
-Some sources report "ND 3";
Some sources report "ND 4"
Nov 26 Stonewall Jack Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 2
Dec 24 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 2

1886-1888
Billy McCarthy in Australia EX

1888
-Jackson and Frank "Paddy" Slavin got into a barroom fight
Jan 14 Martin "Buffalo" Costello Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Jan 26 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Feb 4 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Feb 11 Tom Taylor Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Mar 17 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 3
-Some sources report 3/11/88
Apr 17 Larry Foley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 
Apr 21 -Jackson left Australia for America
Jun 18 Con Riordan San Francisco, Ca EX 4
-Some sources report 6/04/88
Jun 20 M.J. Sullivan San Francisco, Ca KO 2
Jun 26 Joe Choynski San Francisco, Ca EX 4
Aug 24 George Godfrey San Francisco, Ca TK 19
Dec 27 Joe McAuliffe San Francisco, Ca KO 24
-Some sources report 12/28/88

1889
George Godfrey EX 
George Godfrey EX 
Feb 9 Joe McAuliffe San Francisco, Ca EX 4
Apr 26 Patsy Cardiff San Francisco, Ca TK 10
-Jackson knocked Cardiff down in the 6th and 7th rounds;
The bout was stopped due to arm injury to Cardiff
May 1 Shorty Kincaid Virginia City, Nv TK 2
Jerry Flowers Spokane Falls, (?) SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jun 15 Tom Lees Minneapolis, Mn EX 4
-Some sources report 6/20/89
Jun 17 Patsy Cardiff Minneapolis, Mn EX 4
Jul 11 "Sailor" Charles Brown Chicago, Il TK 4
-Gloves were used for this bout
Jul 23 Tom Lees Cincinnati, Oh SCH 
-This bout was scheduled but not held; Police intervened
Jul 25 George Peters Detroit, Mi TK 3
Jul -Jackson was scheduled to spar at Baltimore, Md
Jul -Jackson was scheduled to spar at Washington, DC
Jul 27 Tom Lees Erie, Pa EX 4 
Jul 29 Billy Baker Buffalo, NY W 4
Jul 30 -Jackson got into a street with Tom Lees at Buffalo, NY;
Lees was angry about money Jackson owed him for training
and sparring
Jul 30 Tom Lynch Buffalo, NY WF 2
-Lynch fought dirty; Police intervened when
he bit Jackson; The referee awarded the verdict
to Jackson
Aug 5 Paddy Brennan Buffalo, NY TK 1
 -Jackson split Brennan's nose; Police intervened
Aug 6 Billy Baker Buffalo, NY EX 
-This bout was reported to be held at Toronto, Ont, Canada
by The Referee (Sydney, NSW, Australia)
Aug 8 Jack Ashton New York, NY SCH 
-This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Aug 8 Billy Baker Hoboken, NJ TK 3
-Some sources report "W 4"
Aug 9 James "Ginger" McCormick Hoboken, NJ KO 2
-Jackson used mostly short left jabs which rocked McCormick;
He did not use his right hand; Peter finished his man in round
two with short hard left hand blows; Time: about 2 minutes
Aug 17 Joe Lannon Revere, Ma SCH 
-This bout was scheduled but not held; Police intervened
Aug 19 Jack Fallon New York, NY TK 2
-Reports vary- "W 4" - "EX 4"
Aug -Jackson left America for England
Aug 29 -Jackson arrived in Liverpool, Eng
Sep 24 -Jackson reportedly got into a street fight with
Tom Lees at London, Eng; It is questionable that
this occurred since no English papers reported it
Oct 2 Jack Fallon Westminster, Eng EX 3
Oct 3 Jack Fallon Westminster, Eng EX 3
Oct 4 Jem Hook Westminster, Eng EX 3
Oct 5 Alf Mitchell Westminster, Eng EX 3
Oct 7 Jack "Baby" Partridge Westminster, Eng KO 3
Oct 8 Jack Watson Westminster, Eng EX 3
Oct 9 Jem Young Westminster, Eng EX 3
Oct 10 Jem Young Westminster, Eng EX 3
Oct 11 Jack Watson Westminster, Eng EX 3
Oct 12 William "Coddy" Middings Westminster, Eng EX 3
Oct 14 Jem Young Westminster, Eng W 4
Oct 15 Alf Mitchell Westminster, Eng W 4
Oct 15 Alf Ball Westminster, Eng TK 2
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Oct 16 Jem Young Westminster, Eng EX 3
Nov 11 Jem Smith London, Eng WF 2
-Smith was disqualified for using wrestling tactics
Nov 14 Jem Smith Westminster, Eng EX 3
Nov 15 Jem Smith Westminster, Eng EX 3
Nov 16 Jem Smith Westminster, Eng EX 3
Nov 19 Jem Smith Westminster, Eng EX 3
Nov 20 Jem Smith Westminster, Eng EX 3
Nov 21 Horace Horrigan Westminster, Eng TK 2
Nov 22 Jem Smith Westminster, Eng EX 3
Nov 23 Charles Burgin Westminster, Eng W 4
-Some sources report "TK 2"
Nov 23 Jem Smith Westminster, Eng EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Nov 25 Wolf Bendoff Plymouth, Eng EX 3
Nov 26 Wolf Bendoff Plymouth, Eng EX 3
Nov 27 Wolf Bendoff Plymouth, Eng EX 3
Nov 27 Skinner Plymouth, Eng WF 2
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Nov 28 Jem Young Portsmouth, Eng EX 3
Nov 29 Sailor White  Portsmouth, Eng TK 3
-White was the Champion of the British Navy
Nov 29 Wolf Bendoff Portsmouth, Eng TK 2
Nov 29 Jem Young Portsmouth, Eng EX 3
-The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
Nov 30 Jem Young Portsmouth, Eng EX 3
Dec Wolf Bendoff Portsmouth, Eng EX 2
Dec 2 Scotchy Gunn Brighton, Eng W 4
-Gunn was considered the best heavyweight
in the South England area
Dec 2 W. Woodhams Brighton, Eng TK 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 9 Jem Young Leeds, Eng EX 3
Dec 10 Jem Young Leeds, Eng EX 3
Dec 11 Jem Young Leeds, Eng EX 3
Dec 12 -Jackson had invitations to fight exhibitions in
Liverpool, Cardiff, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow
from Dec 12 - Dec 14
Dec 16 Jem Young East London, Eng EX 3
Dec 16 Jem Young London, Eng EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 17 Jem Young East London, Eng EX 3
Dec 17 Jem Young London, Eng EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 18 Jem Young East London, Eng EX 3
Dec 18 Jem Young London, Eng EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 19 Jem Young East London, Eng EX 3
Dec 19 Jem Young London, Eng EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 20 Jem Young East London, Eng EX 3
Dec 20 Jem Young London, Eng EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 23 Jack Fallon Dublin, Ire EX 3
Dec 23 Jem Young Dublin, Ire EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 24 Jack Fallon Dublin, Ire EX 3
Dec 24 Jem Young Dublin, Ire EX 3
Dec 24 Peter Maher Dublin, Ire KO 2
-The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
Dec 26 Jem Young Bristol, Eng EX 3
Dec 27 Jem Young Bristol, Eng EX 3
Dec 28 Jem Young Bristol, Eng EX 3

1890
Jan 27 Jack Ashton Brooklyn, NY EX 3
-Gloves were used for this bout
Jan 28 an unnamed opponent Brooklyn, NY SCH 
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan 29 an unnamed opponent Boston, Ma EX 3
Jan 30 an unnamed opponent Brooklyn, NY SCH 
Feb 1 Jack Ashton Brooklyn, NY SCH 
-The previous 2 bouts were scheduled; The outcomes are not known
Feb 10 Jack Ashton Hoboken, NJ EX 
Feb 11 Jack Ashton Hoboken, NJ EX 
Feb 12 Jack Ashton Providence, RI EX 4
Feb 20 "Soldier" James Walker Washington, DC KO 1
-Gloves were used for this bout
Feb 21 the "Herculean Gypsy"  Washington, DC KO 2
Feb 24 -Jackson performed in Baltimore, Md during Feb 24-27 
Mar 3 -Jackson performed in Jersey City, NJ
Mar 4 Jack Fallon Brooklyn, NY TK 2
-Some sources report "EX 2"
Mar 4 Jack Ashton Brooklyn, NY EX 3
-Different reports indicate the previous 2 bouts 
were held the same date
Mar 5 Gus Lambert Troy, NY ND 4
-Police intervened; This was a rough bout;
Lambert mauled and wrestled Jackson
Mar 8 Stephen "Reddy" Gallagher EX 2
Mar 17 -Some sources report that Jackson performed in Dayton, Oh
Mar 25 Mike Queenan Chicago, Il SCH 
-This bout was scheduled but not held
Mar 25 Tommy Chandler Chicago, Il EX 
Mar 25 Jack Ashton Chicago, Il EX 3
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Mar Jack Ashton Chicago, Il EX  
Mar 29 Dick Keating Louisville, Ky KO 1
Apr 1 an unnamed opponent Cincinnati, Oh EX 
Apr 2 an unnamed opponent Cincinnati, Oh EX 
-Jackson performed in Cincinnati through 4/07/90
Apr 19 Jack Ashton St. Louis, Mo SCH 
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
Police intervened
May 3 Jack Ashton Buffalo, NY EX 3
May 19 "Denver" Ed Smith Chicago, Il TK 5
May 26 Jack Ashton Denver, Co EX 3
May 27 Jack Ashton Salt Lake City, Ut EX 3
May 28 -Jackson performed in Odgen, Ut 
Jun 2 Jack Ashton San Francisco, Ca SCH 
-This bout was scheduled but not held;
Police intervened
Jul 23 Tom Johnson Marysville, Ca TK 4
Aug -Jackson left America for Australia
Aug 21 -Jackson arrived in Australia
Aug 30 Mick Dooley Newcastle, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 2 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 6 Jack Burke Wagga Wagga, NSW, Aus ND 4
Sep 8 Martin "Buffalo" Costello Melbourne, Vic, Aus ND 4
Sep 9 Martin "Buffalo" Costello Melbourne, Vic, Aus ND 4
Oct 20 Joe Goddard Melbourne, Vic, Aus D 8
-Heavyweight Championship of Australia;
Jackson knocked Goddard down in the 3rd round;
Both men were knocked down in the 5th round 
Nov 19 Mick Dooley Sydney, NSW, Aus ND 4
Nov 26 -Jackson left Australia for America

1891
May 21 Jim Corbett San Francisco, Ca NC 61
-Some sources report "D 61"

1891-1892
-Jackson appeared in vaudeville giving exhibitions

1892
Jan 4 Con Riordan Ogden, Ut EX 4
Jan 9 Con Riordan Kansas City, Mo SCH 
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan 11 Con Riordan Chicago, Il SCH 
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan 11 Jack King Chicago, Il TK 3
-Some sources report Al "Fish" Carter was
Jan 11 John Dalton Chicago, Il KO 3
-Some sources report "KO 4";
The previous 2 bouts were held the same date;
Some sources report 1/12/92
Jan 18 Con Riordan Brooklyn, NY EX 
Jan 19 Con Riordan Brooklyn, NY EX 
Jan 20 Con Riordan Brooklyn, NY EX 
Jan 21 Con Riordan Brooklyn, NY EX 
Jan 22 Con Riordan Brooklyn, NY EX 
Jan 23 Con Riordan Brooklyn, NY EX 
Jan 25 Con Riordan Boston, Ma EX 
-This bout was part of a Benefit for Joe Gans
Feb 15 Al "Fish" Carter Philadelphia, Pa EX 
Feb 16 Billy McLean Philadelphia, Pa EX 
-This was a friendly session; McLean was 59 years old
Feb 17 Joe Butler Philadelphia, Pa W 3
-This opponent used the name "Joe Butler"
but was not the famous fighter by that name
Feb 18 Milton  Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
May 30 Frank "Paddy" Slavin London, Eng KO 10
-Heavyweight Championship of England;
Heavyweight Championship of Australia
Oct 26 -Jackson sailed for America
Nov 1 John McVey Philadelphia, Pa EX 4
Nov 16 John McVey Norristown, Pa EX 
Nov 22 an unnamed opponent Birmingham, Ct EX 
Nov 28 Denny Kelliher Philadelphia, Pa W 4
Nov 29 Billy McLean Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
-Gloves were used for this bout
Nov 30 Bob Caffrey Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
Dec 1 Billy Leedom Philadelphia, Pa EX 
-Some sources report "ND"
Dec 2 Jack Fallon Philadelphia, Pa EX 
Dec 3 Joe Butler Philadelphia, Pa EX 
Dec 5 Tommy Chandler Chicago, Il EX 
Dec 5 Jim Douglas Chicago, Il EX 
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 12 -Jackson performed in Denver, Co 
Dec 13 -Jackson performed in Salt Lake City, Ut 
Dec 14 -Jackson traveled to Ogden, Ut and probably sparred 
Dec 15 -Jackson arrived in Reno, Nv

1893
Jan 11 Joe Choynski San Francisco, Ca EX 3
Jan 19 Frank Childs Los Angeles, Ca EX 4
Mar 17 Joe Choynski San Francisco, Ca EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 19 Joe Choynski San Francisco, Ca EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 4 Joe Choynski Cheyenne, Wy EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 8 Joe Choynski Kansas City, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 9 Joe Choynski Kansas City, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 10 Joe Choynski Kansas City, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 11 Joe Choynski Kansas City, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 12 Joe Choynski Kansas City, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 13 Joe Choynski Kansas City, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 14 Joe Choynski Kansas City, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 20 Joe Choynski Omaha, Ne EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 21 Joe Choynski Omaha, Ne EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 1 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 2 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 3 Joe Choynski  St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 4 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 5 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 6 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 7 Joe Choynski Chicago, Il EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 14 Joe Choynski Chicago, Il EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 15 Joe Choynski Chicago, Il EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 16 Joe Choynski Chicago, Il EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 17 Joe Choynski Chicago, Il EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 18 Joe Choynski Chicago, Il EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 19 Joe Choynski Chicago, Il EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 20 Joe Choynski Chicago, Il EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Aug 31 Joe Choynski Newark, Oh EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sep 4 Joe Choynski Cincinnati, Oh EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sep 5 Joe Choynski Cincinnati, Oh EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sep 6 Joe Choynski Cincinnati, Oh EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sep 7 Joe Choynski Cincinnati, Oh EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sep 14 Joe Choynski Olean, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sep 18 Joe Choynski Syracuse, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sep 19 Joe Choynski Syracuse, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sep 20 Joe Choynski Syracuse, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 2 Joe Choynski Kingston, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 15 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 16 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 17 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 18 Joe Choynski  New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 19 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 20 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 21 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 22 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 24 Joe Choynski Lawrence, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Oct 27 Joe Choynski Bangor, Me EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Nov 3 Joe Choynski New Brunswick, Me EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Nov 4 Joe Choynski Lowell, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Nov 14 Joe Choynski Holyoke, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Nov 15 Joe Choynski New Haven, Ct EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Nov Joe Choynski Hartford, Ct EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Dec 4 Joe Choynski Philadelphia, Pa EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Dec 14 Joe Choynski Worcester, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Dec 15 Joe Choynski Worcester, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Dec 18 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Dec 19 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Dec 20 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Dec 21 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Dec 22 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Dec 23 Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin

1889-1894
Billy Woods Denver, Co EX 4

-Jackson engaged in occasional boxing exhibitions

-Jackson scheduled bouts with Peter Maher, 
Tom Sharkey, Jim Corbett but they fell through

1894
Jan Joe Choynski New York, NY EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Feb 3 Joe Choynski Logansport, In EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Feb 4 Joe Choynski  Milwaukee, Wi EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Feb 5 Joe Choynski Milwaukee, Wi EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Feb 13 Joe Choynski Kalamazoo, Mi EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Feb Jim Daly Buffalo, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Mar 4 Joe Choynski Washington, DC EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 5 Joe Choynski Washington, DC EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 6 Joe Choynski Washington, DC EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 7 Joe Choynski Washington, DC EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 8 Joe Choynski Washington, DC EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 9 Joe Choynski Washington, DC EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 15 Joe Choynski Richmond, In EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 17 Joe Choynski Decatur, Il EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 18 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 18 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 19 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 20 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 21 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 22 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 23 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Mar 24 Joe Choynski St. Louis, Mo EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Apr 30 Joe Choynski Boston, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 1 Joe Choynski Boston, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 2 Joe Choynski Boston, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 3 Joe Choynski Boston, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 4 Joe Choynski Boston, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 5 Joe Choynski Boston, Ma  EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
May 6 Joe Choynski Boston, Ma EX 3
-This bout was held between acts of the play, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Sep 15 -Jackson sailed for St. Thomas, West Indies and on
to England
Dec 3 David St. John London, Eng EX 3
-St. John was said to be the Champion of South Wales
Dec 17 George Sykes London, Eng EX 3
Dec 18 David St. John London, Eng EX 
-Jackson was appearing in London for five nights
Dec 17 - Dec 22; He most likely boxed St. John
on Dec 19 - Dec 22
Dec -Jackson was scheduled to appear at Jarrow-on-Tyne,
Glasgow, Manchester, and Paris (following his show
at London)
Dec David St. John Paris, Fr EX

Dec -Jackson was scheduled to spar six more times in Paris
during Dec

1895
Jan 7 David St. John Glasgow, Scot EX

1896
Jul Bob Fitzsimmons Cardiff, Wales EX

1897
Mar 4 -Jackson opened a Boxing School in London, Eng

1898
Mar 22 Jim Jeffries San Francisco, Ca LT 3

1899
Jim Jeffords Nanaimo, BC, Can EX 10
-Some sources report "D 10"
Jim Jeffords Victoria, BC, Can EX 6
-Some sources report "D 6"
Aug 24 Jim Jeffords Vancouver, BC, Can LK 4
-Some sources report 8/23/99
Sep -Jackson left America for Australia;
This trip took place during Sep-Oct
Dec 2 Billy Warren Melbourne, Vic, Aus D 25

Undated
Billy Woods Denver, Co EX 4
-This bout was held during 1889-1895

*** The Following Bout Is Reported But Not For This Peter Jackson ***

1895
May 29 Gus Wilkie Baltimore, Md ND 6

*** Much Data Was Provided By Mark Dunn ***

*** Much Data Was Provided By Christopher LaForce ***

*** Assistance Was Provided By Sergei Yurchenko ***

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

..just a side note..you can really tell the length of a fighters career by how long it takes to scroll down the page..Jacksons took the longest yet!:good


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

American Willard Brown with dancing girls - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050578_1500.do?assetId=clip_8965109&keywords=sydney stadium

Jack Carroll vs Wesley Ramey - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050576_7900.do?assetId=clip_8964676&keywords=sydney stadium

Russel Sands vs Tommy Romulo - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050044_8100.do?assetId=clip_8856995&keywords=sydney stadium

Bronco Johnson vs Pran Mikus - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050044_6400.do?assetId=clip_8856978&keywords=sydney stadium

Walter Haines vs Freddie Dawson - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050044_6300.do?assetId=clip_8856977&keywords=sydney stadium

Len Dittmar vs Freddie Dawson - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_4500.do?assetId=clip_8896700&keywords=sydney stadium

George Barnes Sparring - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_7900.do?assetId=clip_8896729&keywords=empire titles

Frank Johnson vs Frank Flannery - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_5200.do?assetId=clip_8896707&keywords=empire titles
(you get a good idea how sloshed Flannery is in this one :rofl)

George Barnes vs Billy Todd - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_9800.do?assetId=clip_8896748&keywords=empire titles

George Barnes vs Attu Clottey - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_8000.do?assetId=clip_8896730&keywords=empire titles

Pat For vs Frank Johnson - http://www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/48050227_5900.do?assetId=clip_8896711&keywords=empire titles


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## The Kid Taylor (Jun 18, 2013)

Peter Jackson is the only Commonwealth Heavyweight champion this country has ever had. Jack Johnson went and visited his grave after capturing the Heavyweight championship of the world off Tommy Burns in 1908.


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

joogaray said:


> ..this is a era of boxing that fascinates me..the calibre of the fighters getting around and the amount of times they fought each other..
> ..I've read 'In the Day's of the Giants' by Bill Doherty a few times and I was like a pig in shit..it's like a boxing fairy tale to me..except it all actually happened...


I wanted to buy that book a coupla years back, but i didnt want to fork out the $100+ they were asking :lol:

I have read both Young Griffo biographies and also have Larry Foley's bio somewhere. All excellent reads. There is apparently quite a definitive book on Peter Jackson, its quite a tough read ive heard though.


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

_*Fighting Blood *_was a short documentry film made in 1951 about Australian boxing. In not completely sure if it was intended to be an educational or an entertainment film, probobly both as was the style back then. I've not seen the complete film which runs for about 18 minutes but found these clips a little while back for anyone who is interested in having a look. The first clip is about Alfie Clay and Elley Bennett, the second about Dave Sands.

http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentari...od/clip1/?nojs

http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentari...od/clip2/?nojs


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

A little excerpt from Archie Moore's bio about his time in Australia...



> The age old argument of heredity versus environment would likely receive a lively workout in the case of beginnings and trials of Archie Moore. The kinds of problems that plagued him would likely discourage the average individual, yet he persisted in overcoming problems such as loneliness, poverty, racism, exclusion from title fights and&#8230; WEIGHT!
> 
> It was while training in the Megalong Valley that he noticed the habits of the Aborigines, original inhabitants of Australia. They were in commune with nature though not the ruling class, treated much as ******* in America though they were not so enslaved.
> 
> ...


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

THE ORANGE AND THE GREEN

LARRY *FOLEY*'S. GREAT FIGHT WITH SANDY *ROSS*.

Wednesday 1st August 1917
(By One Who Was There.) ,

I have read in "The Miner" lately a good deal about the pugilistic career of Larry *Foley*. But no one as yet has made any mention to that 140 rounds fight at Cook's River between Foley and Sandy *Ross*. I hear that the place is called Como now. It was only known to us youngsters in those days of long ago as Cook's River. Perhaps a description of the cause that led up to the fight and its consequences may be interesting after so many years by one who was there.

A sparring benefit was being got up for Sandy *Ross*, and Larry *Foley*, being known as a good sparrer, was asked if he would assist as he would be considered a good draw by "the Mickeys,' as the Orangemen called the Irish at that time. *Foley* good-naturedly promised to attend and spar with *Ross*. *Ross* shortly afterwards got blowing to his friends that he would make a holy show of "the Fenian" That was what they (the Orangemen) used to call *Foley* when he was not listening". But some of *Ross*' friends could not hold their tongues, and *Foley* got to hear of it. He then refused point blank to assist at the benefit. This led to a lot of nasty talk, and *Foley* was accused of being a coward and not game to face the Orangeman. It was rumoured that ; *Ross* boasted that he would give *Foley *a good hiding the first time he got a chance. A Mr. Austin, who kept a public house and blacksmith and wheelwright business in Parramatta, heard of Ross' boasting and offered to back *Foley* for £100 to fight *Ross*, bare knuckles. 
This was jumped at by the Orangemen but they would not put up the money, preferring to wait till they got to the ringside. It then turned into a fight for the supremacy of the colours- the orange and the green. Any betting was to be done at the ringside.

It was reported that the fight was to take place somewhere near the Blue Post public house on Cook's River. We youngsters got to hear of it from Jim Austin. I and another boy made up our minds to see it. I lived at Newtown then and the night before the fight I and a couple more youngsters started out at about 10.30 to walk to the Blue Post Hotel. We got there at between l am and 2 am. We were expecting to see a crowd of people there, but instead of that five or six mounted constables came up. They seemed half drunk, for they started waddying everyone they could see. I got one blow with a waddy across the jaw. I ran around behind the chimney, where I picked up half a brick. Just as I was going to let the bobby have it right in the face my mate caught my arm. I would have made a pretty picture of him, for I was in the shade of the chimney and he was in the full light of the lamp that burned feebly in front of the public house and I had a full view of him, as he was only about three yards away from me.

It was a pitch dark night and the way that the police chased the people about as they arrived separated mates, so that it was hard to find one another again. I never again saw my mates after the police chased us the second time. It was all virgin country and bush there at that time. No one that I asked knew where the fight was going to come off, nor had they seen any or the fighters about. Just at peep of day I noticed a woman come out of a hut about 400 yards further down the road from the pub. Followed by four men, she ran across the road and took a bush track leading down to the banks of Cook's River. The river there is about a mile down from the road. I followed them behind, dodging from one tree to another; without them seeing me; although they looked back a good many times, as the police were following every three or four, people that they saw going in any one direction. The police were determined to arrest either *Foley* or *Ross* and to stop the fight.

As those I was following got close to the river banks, I spotted a boat there in waiting. I then came up with those that I had been following, showed myself and got into the boat before the last of the others got in. It cost me a shilling, but the others had to pay two shillings. The boat had only got 40 or 50 yards away when the police came in sight, and called on the boatmen to come back. He stood up in his boat and turned his back towards them, and rowed us over the river without altering his position. He landed us where the fight was to come off.

There were about 30 or 40 people already there and a ring was being formed on a nice piece of level green soil. The boat was detained and the boatman was told that if he attempted to go back he would be followed and sunk. There were also a couple of other boats detained. The police were calling on the boatman to go back, but he did not get a chance to do so neither was he willing. The next boat that came over from a point lower down the river brought *Ross*. But there was no sign of *Foley*. No-one knew where he was, as the police had been chasing the people about so all night that they lost one another in the darkness and did not meet again. After waiting about-half an hour after *Ross*'s arrival, people began to look up and down the river for *Foley*. But there was no sign of him. They then, began to think that he had either caved in or that the police had got him. *Ross* then commenced to do a lot of bragging. He called *Foley* a damn Fenian and reckoned that he only wanted 20 minutes in which to dish him up. But he was afraid that the damn Fenian would not give him a chance; and it was only what he expected that the Fenian would disappoint him again, as he did at the Benefit meeting. Suddenly someone said "Hello, here comes a boat; I wonder if it's police in disguise." This place was about a mile or more lower down the river than where I got in and near where *Ross* came across from. Everyone was getting ready to clear out. I was the only kiddie there, and I made off as soon as I heard them speak of police (for I knew what to expect from them) so that I had a quarter of a mile start, when someone spotted *Foley* in the boat. I came back and found everyone all smiles, *Ross* included. Now everyone was satisfied that there was going to be a fight. The trouble did not end here, for though *Foley* and a few friends landed, Austin was nowhere to be seen. Austin was to be *Foley*'s principal man and backer. *Ross*, seeing this did a lot more bragging and swearing, blaming Austin this time for making a put-up job on him. He also became abusive of *Foley* and wanted to know where Austin was and the 100 pounds that he said he was willing to back *Foley*. Larry quickly answered "I don't know". A reply that made *Ross* laugh. Some of *Ross*'s friends seemed annoyed too for it was said that they had brought money with them, intending to back *Ross* at the ringside. Not one of the men that were appointed *Foley*'s seconds put in an appearance and there was no prospect, of them getting to the fighting ground as no boat was allowed to return.

I must here explain why Austin did not put in an appearance. Austin was to follow *Foley* who left for the place appointed for the fight early in the night so that Larry could have a few hours rest. But some time after *Foley* and a few friends had left a policeman, who was said to be a friend of Austin's told him that if he attended or in any way assisted at the fight, an effort would be made to get his license cancelled. (The law was more strict with regard to prize fighting in those days than it is now) Austin did not like running the risk of losing his license, and a party was sent out after *Foley*, but owing to the way that the police were hunting people about they never met *Foley*. The party expected to meet *Foley* at the BluePost pub at Cook's River, but if either *Foley* or *Ross* had been there they would have been arrested. Now this will show that there was no bluff about *Foley* and how willing he was to let this Orangeman make mincemeat of the Fenian in 20 minutes. "Only 20 minutes and it'll all be over" so Ross said and his friends laughed.


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

When *Foley* landed he did not meet a single one of his supporters that he expected to meet. There was no towel, nor bottle for him to have a drink out of (for fighters generally have some sort of mixture to sip at now and again). Not one man in a thousand would have had the heart to still consent to fight. Anyhow the Fenian was not going to disappoint the Orangeman. After some talk between Ross and his friends that I did not hear, as I could not get near enough, arrangements were made for the fight to come off.

*Foley* came over to where I was sitting on a log. He recognised me (for I knew him) and spoke to me and asked me what I thought of the business. I said, - "It's bad .business Larry" at which he laughed. But I could see it was a forced laugh, for the man must have felt hurt to find himself in such a .position. Anyhow a man named Kelly of. "The Rocks" in Sydney, and another named Jackson a butcher, consented to act as seconds for *Foley*. A man named Sparks and another whose name I did not hear acted as seconds for Ross while a man from Melbourne called Carstairs acted as umpire and bottle-holder. Now, *Foley* had no towel or bottle to hold, but as *Ross* was so eager to get at "this Fenian" he offered to give *Foley* a share of the contents of his bottle, but nothing could be found to put it in, so it was agreed that both men drink out of the same bottle, which they did. They tossed for corners and .*Ross* won. He picked a corner so that the sun shone on his back and right into *Foley*'s face- a great disadvantage. . .But a few willing hands soon pulled down some bushy saplings and. built a sort of shed over him.

The usual preliminaries having been gone through, the long-wished-for fight started. Ross started off very quickly and lively. He went mostly for *Foley*'s jaw, where he raised a large lump and *Foley* seemed to have two heads instead of one. *Foley* went mostly for the ribs on the left side and the two blows could be heard almost on top of one another. *Foley* also raised a large swelling down Ross' left side. After the skin had stretched to its utmost the swelling burst and it looked as if it had been tattooed with a knife and so did the swelling on *Foley*'s jaw. I am sure this must have given great relief to both men.

*Foley* was getting it pretty hot and I heard Kelly ask *Foley* what he thought of it, *Foley*- said "Do not take me out of the ring until I am carried out." *Ross* eased down a bit for he seemed to think that he had a harder job in hand that he expected. *Foley* seemed to improve as the fight went on after the first 20 rounds and he let *Ross* know it for the next 20 rounds. Then *Ross* rallied again and for the next 20 rounds he had the best of it. Then Foley's turn-came-again and *Ross* knew he was there for the next 20 rounds after which *Ross* improved for another 20 rounds and so it went on, turn about, up to 100 rounds. *Ross* was getting beaten, but *Foley* was also very weak, or he could have finished *Ross* with one or two good blows. *Foley* first walked up and knocked *Ross* down. It was only the bragging that he had been doing before the fight commenced that prevented *Ross* from stopping. .

Carstairs, seeing this came into the middle of the ring, stood between the two men and said "It's a pity to see two such men putting up such a good fight for nothing but the. Orange and the Green." He asked *Foley* if he was willing to make it a draw, and *Foley* said, "I came into this ring to win or die and I will do one or the other before I leave it." *Foley* had to follow *Ross* all over the ring after this for the next 20 rounds, and whenever he got a blow at *Ross*, down went *Ross*. *Ross* was not able to inflict any punishment on *Foley*. The fight finished by Carstairs calling time. *Ross* walked up to the centre of the ring with Carstairs by his side and followed by his seconds. He held out his hand to Foley and said "I give you best Larry". I did not see any towels flung in they were things that were very scarce. *Foley* had none. '

It was not until about between 40 and 50 rounds had been fought, that the time of the rounds shortened. Up to that they seemed to last about the usual three or four minutes .allowed. After that the seconds used to rush from their corners and pick their man up as soon as he was knocked down. There never was a man born who could stand the terrible punching for 140 rounds that those men gave each other in the first 40 rounds there would be nothing left of them but a lump of jelly. Both men were very determined and went at each other like wild bulls.

I remember an incident that happened in about the 34th or 35th round. *Ross* made a great blow at *Foley*, but his foot slipped on the grassland he went past *Foley* with the whole side of his face exposed. *Foley* saw this and made a terrible blow at *Ross*'s ear with the whole weight of his body behind it. But just as he was .about to get it home *Ross*'s foot supped again, and *Foley* struck one of the posts of the ring, which were of white gum, and knocked a piece of the bark off, about 10 inches long and 5 inches wide in the widest place. *Foley*'s hand dropped by his side and I could see it trembling. I heard some of *Foley*'s supporters who were standing beside me say, "I am glad he missed that one, for the lot of us would be in Darlinghurst and *Ross* in the cemetery." After that *Foley* had to do most of the fighting with one hand using the other only as a guard, and giving a light jab now and again. The subsequent fight goes to prove the truth of the remark, "*Foley* soon dished up *Ross* when he was able to use both hands to fight with."

*Foley*, after a wash and a short rest, left with 10 others for Sydney by a bus that was waiting. It was reported that *Ross* stopped at the Blue Post for a week. The Fenians (as the Irishmen were called at that time) set *Foley* up in a tobacconist's shop in George-street, and the Orangemen bought Ross a new cab for he was a cabdriver. *Ross* had another try at *Foley*, which I did not see, but I was told that *Ross* was only something to practise on the second time.


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

Bugger said:


> A little excerpt from Archie Moore's bio about his time in Australia...


..that's exactly what Rocky Marciono done during his career..:good


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

Bugger said:


> I wanted to buy that book a coupla years back, but i didnt want to fork out the $100+ they were asking :lol:
> 
> I have read both Young Griffo biographies and also have Larry Foley's bio somewhere. All excellent reads. There is apparently quite a definitive book on Peter Jackson, its quite a tough read ive heard though.


'..well I was arsey mate and brought mine for $100 at a antique shop..autographed as well..plus 2 prints of a couple of old bare knuckle fighters..


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

joogaray said:


> '..well I was arsey mate and brought mine for $100 at a antique shop..autographed as well..plus 2 prints of a couple of old bare knuckle fighters..


Well it certainly wouldnt have seemed such a stretch if it were in my hands and signed... thats a damn fine find you got there... mine was on the internet and it was an English seller, was worried it wasnt in decent condition among other things. I'll find a copy one day :yep


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

joogaray said:


> ..that's exactly what Rocky Marciono done during his career..:good


i didnt know that!

It would certainly take some discipline, no way in hell could i make it through a nice juicy steak trying to do that :lol:


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

THE SYDNEY GLOVE FIGHT.
[By Telegraph.] Sydney, May 29th 1883

The glove fight between Professor Miller and Lawrence *Foley* took place this afternoon at the Academy of Music. The hall was crowded to excess by all classes of the community, and there was great excitement over the contest, hundreds of people crowding the outside of the building to get any information. Inspector-General Fosbery was in charge of a large body of police, who were scattered throughout the hall. He inspected the gloves before the men donned them and expressed satisfaction. William Forrester acted as referee, and George Adams, of Tattersal's Hotel, was timekeeper. Some delay occurred through the ring not being completed in time, but the spectators remained very orderly while the arrangements were being completed. *Jack* *Thompson* spun the coin at 2.45 precisely, and Christie, naming it correctly chose the north-cast corner for the Victorian. A few minutes later Foley underwent his toilet in presence of the spectators, looking remarkably well and showing that excellent care had been bestowed upon him during his preparation. *Foley* appeared in his buff, the muscles of his back showing to great advantage. Miller soon afterwards showed out from a side room, wearing a guernsy. He looked the picture of health and bore a very confident expression. There was a remarkable contrast between the two in regarded size, Miller's weight being thirteen stone nine pounds and *Foley*'s eleven stone. The men having shaken hands, *Foley* addressed the audience, asking them to be impartial in their criticism, and hoping they would give Miller fair play. At ten minutes to 3 the combatants stood up for the fight. 
*
Round 1*-*Foley* immediately forced the fighting, but Miller got home first, the rouud ending slightly in favor of *Foley*, not much harm being done. In the second round *Foley* got on to Miller's breadbasket, Miller hitting heavily in the same place. After several good exchanges the round closed. 
*
Round 3*-*Foley* still forced the fighting, getting heavily on to Miller's ribs, Miller replying with a smart tap on the nose*. Round 4*-After smart exchanges in favor of the "little un" Miller scraped out, drawing first blood from Foley's nose, Larry rallied, putting in some good work, when the men came together and "off" was the cry from the referee, the round closing with claret flowing freely from *Foley*. 
*
Round 5*-After a deal of finessing Miller hit *Foley* again on the nose, causing the blood to flow freely. Foley was very busy, but a bit out of temper. This round closed much in favor of Miller. *Round 6*-Both men were quickly up to time and sparring well. After some smart exchanges Miller tapped *Larry* on the nose, when *Foley* sparred for wind. 
*
Round 7*-*Foley* was first at work, but was well stopped. After a bit of sparring *Foley* became very busy getting heavily on Miller's jaws, and sparring all round, amidst great excitement. This was a good round, and was in favor of *Foley*. At this stage 2 to 1 was offered on *Foley*. *Round 8*-Little work was done. 
*
Round 9*-*Foley*'s physog (physique??) showed marks of Miller's punishment. After a short rally Miller lunged out again, drawing the ruby. A good round, in favour of Miller. *Round 10*-Miller got on to the breadbasket, *Larry* returning on the conk and ribs, and doing some excellent fighting, getting all over the big fellow. This was the best round yet fought, and was in favor of *Foley*. 
*
Round 11*- Good fighting on both sides. Miller getting home three times. After continually coming together time was called, ending in a smart well fought round. *Round 12*-*Foley* pounded away at Miller's stomach and ribs, Miller getting in to his opponent's forehead. 
*
Round 13*-This was well fought, and was in favor of Miller, knocking *Foley* on his knees, mainly through water being spilt at *Foley*'s corner. *Round 14*- Miller got three times into *Foley*'s mouth, *Larry* returning on Miller's head. Some good give-and-take work was done, the round ending in favor of Miller. *Round 15*-After a deal of sparring. Miller got on *Larry*'s nose, when the latter did some good fighting. 
*
Round 16*-*Foley* forced the fighting, hitting short, and Miller rattled in a couple of heavy blows, getting well away. *Round 17*-Both men did good work, Miller being heavy on *Larry*'s neck and head, and *Foley* returning hard on the forehead and fighting manfully. An excellent round for both men. 
*
Bound 18* - The combatants sparred for wind. *Round 19*- *Foley* led, getting on to the head and ribs, and Miller returning on the side of *Foley*'s head, the latter hitting straight and twice getting home. *Round 20*-Smart exchanges, *Foley* doing most of the work- *Round 21*-*Foley* was especially active, forcing the fighting ; Miller's left was hanging low as if he were tired. *Foley* dashed in, hitting straight on the mouth amidst great excitement 
*
Round 22*-*Foley* followed upon the stomach, dodging all over the ring, and very chatty. This round finished in favour of *Foley* amidst great applause. *Round 23*-*Foley* was again first to begin, following his man up, when some heavy exchanges took place in favour of Miller. *Round 24*-The men came together quickly, and separating sparred for breath, when some rough exchanges took place in favor of Miller. 
*
Round 23*-After rapid exchanges they came together, and separating Miller hit *Foley* heavily on the neck, and following it up knocked him clean off his pins by a heavy blow under the right ear, *Foley* narrowly escaping falling off the stage. *Round 26*-This was a quiet round and was finished in 1 hour and 53 minutes from the start. Tne betting now veered to 6 to 4 on Miller. 
*
Round 27* began by sparring for wind. Miller rushed at *Foley*, who ducking got well away, and turning smartly hit Miller heavily on the head, the hitter taking matters quietly. The round finished in favor of *Foley*. *Round 28*-Miller hit *Foley* heavily on the ear with his right, *Foley* replying on the head, and Miller popping in one on the mouth. *Round 29*-*foley* hitting short, Miller quietly getting away. The latter now hit Foley hard on the nose with his right. The fighting was now much in favour of Miller. 
*
Round 30*- *Larry* was showing signs of the work done, and sparred for wind. Miller here forced the fighting, getting on to *Foley*'d head, piece three times in succession, following it up with some heavy work. When time was called *Foley* was very much distressed. *Round 31*-*Foley* very busy, but with no power, the heavy weight of Miller having told it's tate. Miller hit heavily on the neck, closing the round. *Round *
*32*-Miller punished *Foley* severely, drawing the claret freely. At this stage the referee recommended a stoppage of the contest, but no notice was taken of the suggestion. *Round 33*- Foley led without any result, Miller landing heavily on *Larry*'s frontspiece, and again turning the tap on. The round was much in favor of Miller, *Foley* being all to pieces. *Round 34*-A slack round, *Foley*. sparring for time; Miller taking matters easily. 
*
Round 35* -*Foley*'a hands very low from exhaustion. Miller put in good work amidst cries of "go it Miller" *Foley* then calling on Miller to toe the mark and fight it out. *Round 36*-a slack round. *Round 37*-Miller was soon at work, knocking *Foley* all over the ring, when the crowd became very excited. 
*
Round 37*- Rapid exchanges, *Foley* rushed at Miller, him down against the ropes amid great cheering. *Round 39*-Miller led off, *Foley* getting away and sparring for wind the round finishing quietly. *Round 40* and last *Foley* had to be assisted by his second to the centre. He then sparred all round the ring. Miller following up well and finding an opening knocked *Foley* clean under the ropes. 
*
Thompson*, *Foley*'s second, then assisted his man up, eliciting an appeal from Christie, Miller's second, for a breach of rule 5. Before the referee could give a decision the crowd rushed the stage and the men were at once removed by their seconds, the referee leaving the building. The time from the commencement was 2 hours 50 minutes. *Foley* was terribly punished, Miller escaping with scarcely a mark. At Tattersall's, in the evening, the referee, in presence of a huge crowd, and in answer to Miller's claim (personally delivered) to the stakes on account of a breach of rule 5, announced that be would give his decision at 10 o'clock the following morning.


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Langford vs Lang


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)




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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)




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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

Bugger said:


> THE SYDNEY GLOVE FIGHT.
> [By Telegraph.] Sydney, May 29th 1883
> 
> The glove fight between Professor Miller and Lawrence *Foley* took place this afternoon at the Academy of Music. The hall was crowded to excess by all classes of the community, and there was great excitement over the contest, hundreds of people crowding the outside of the building to get any information. Inspector-General Fosbery was in charge of a large body of police, who were scattered throughout the hall. He inspected the gloves before the men donned them and expressed satisfaction. William Forrester acted as referee, and George Adams, of Tattersal's Hotel, was timekeeper. Some delay occurred through the ring not being completed in time, but the spectators remained very orderly while the arrangements were being completed. *Jack* *Thompson* spun the coin at 2.45 precisely, and Christie, naming it correctly chose the north-cast corner for the Victorian. A few minutes later Foley underwent his toilet in presence of the spectators, looking remarkably well and showing that excellent care had been bestowed upon him during his preparation. *Foley* appeared in his buff, the muscles of his back showing to great advantage. Miller soon afterwards showed out from a side room, wearing a guernsy. He looked the picture of health and bore a very confident expression. There was a remarkable contrast between the two in regarded size, Miller's weight being thirteen stone nine pounds and *Foley*'s eleven stone. The men having shaken hands, *Foley* addressed the audience, asking them to be impartial in their criticism, and hoping they would give Miller fair play. At ten minutes to 3 the combatants stood up for the fight.
> ...


..love the writing style of the day..:good


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)




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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

..one of our most underrated champs ever...


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)




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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)




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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Fantastic photo of Lionel there.... i've not seen that one. That docco on Ellis vs Micheals is a good'un too, saw that about a year ago.


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

*Trevor King*

Boxer&#8230; Gambler&#8230; Minister
By Barbara Martyn, 13th Dec 1967, Womans Weekly
He was a "sharp dresser" in his early thirties, with good looks covered by a healthy tan collected at various race meetings. His manner and movements had a smoothness well suited to his profession&#8230; gambling. As he sat in the coffee lounge going over the racing form, the big, brassy sound of a Salvation Army band burst through to him. He wandered outside. A fresh-faced young girl in a black Sally bonnett caught his eye. For amusement, he started winking at her while she stood with the band, trying to make her laugh and "put her off". He little realised as he stood there that he would be soon joining this army and one day marrying this girl.
You know this story, you say? Its the Damon Runyon one they used for the film "Guys and Dolls", where the professional gambler falls in love with a Sally and is converted? Well the similarity is striking, but this is a real story of Australian "guy" Trevor King and his wife Judy. The scene described happened a little over four years ago at Parramatta, N.S.W. 
Trevor, now Captain King of the Salvation Army, an ordained minister, told the story with frankness and humour as he sat bouncing his six-month-old son, Adam, on his knee in his new Army quarters in Maroubra.
Trevor and Judy (also a captain), who have just taken over the Maroubra parish, had moved moved into their new home behind the Salvation Army Citadel in Boyce Rd only a few days before. They were full of enthusiam for the work they planned for their first parish. As Trevoer fed Adam his orange juice and spoke of his hopes to help young people find the best way to live, it was hard to believe just a few years before this man had been, in his own words, "deeply mixed up with the underworld of Sydney"
"Through my life as a professional gambler, I came in contact with thieves, prostitutes, and even murders," he said "Shortly after i joined the army, i went to Parramatta Jail with Judy to give service for the inmates. Almost every second man recognised and greeted me." "What an impression for the girl i hoped to marry! But Judy said 'It seems you know more people inside jail than outside.'"
Before turning to gambling for a living, Trevor was a professional boxer for 15 years, winning 55 out of 56 fights including the N.S.W Featherweight Championship. As his story unfolded further it became clear that his whole life had been a fight; he had faced many adversities with the same courage he showed in the boxing ring. "Looking back, i can see all my life has been a preparation for my work now, and that it doent matter what happens to a man but how he faces his experiences that counts," he said.
Trevor spent his childhood in Cessnock NSW. "My father was an alcoholic, and through this, i first came to know the Salvation Army. Many a time they would bring Dad home when he was incapable of making it on his own. I also remember the food and clothing they gave us and little presents at Christmas time." "This was my only contact with religion as a child, but the memory of their kindness always remained."
In his early years, Trevor was crippled by rheumatism. At 11 he was told he would never walk again. But through a program of exercises, massage and careful diet he regained the use of his legs. It was from exercising in the gym that Trevor developed a love for boxing. At 15, he won his first professional bout - against a man of 23. "I owed my physical strength to the rigid program of exercises and the special vegetarian diet, which i kept up for the whole of my boxing career," he said. " Although i was always a little slow on my feet, i was compensated by being very quick with the hands. In my whole career i was knocked down only once and never knocked out."
Trevor fought his way through to become Lightweight Champion of the Northern Coalfields. Then he won the state Featherweight Championship and became number one contender for the Australian title. Despite his almost perfect record this title was never to be his. He signed to fight a title bout against champion Elley Bennett in 1954 and also entered contracts to fight the British champion and the world champion in America. Three weeks before the title fight, Trevor was injured in a motor accident. For the second time in his life he was told he would never walk again. H eremembered how exercises had helped him before and was determined not only to walk again, but also fight. This time he was helped and encouraged by the nursing nuns of St Joseph's Hospital, Auburn, NSW, another example of devoted service firmly impressed on his memory. Through sheer determination, he altered the doctors predictions from complete crippling to walking with a perminant limp, then walking. By 1960 he was back in the ring.
"My exercises included alot of skipping. At first i did fifty skips on my good leg to every one on my bad leg. Slowly i reversed this. Then i started running. After six years i was running five miles every morning. Not bad for a cripple&#8230;eh?"
Trevor resumed his fight career in New Zealand, where he beat the New Zealand Lightweight Champion. He returned to Australia for another try at the Autralian Championship. Then he contracted hepatitis. "It took me a year to get over that, then i went went to a sheep station in North Queensland to start training again. There was a second motor accident in which i suffered some head injuries, and i decided to retire." "Incidently, the one fight in which i was beaten was against Sigi Tennenbaum, an ex European champion, in 1952. This defeat also roused my fighting spirit and made me persevre to become a better fighter. I fought Sigi again later and beat him."


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

"My brother introduced me to gambling. Up until my second accident i had never placed a bet, but my fighter. I fought Sigi again later and beat him."brother had backed my fights and we had shared the winnings." "With the money from my fights and about $39,000 compensation i was awarded for the car accident, i became a gambler." "I attended about 14 race meetings a week. I can tell you gambling does not pay. I must have tried every system possible in my four years of gambling, but one thing always lets you down - that unpredictable human element."
Trevors experiences as a gambler made him a much poorer, but wiser man. "After four years of gambling, nightclubbing and heavy drinking, i became very dis-satisfied with my life and started looking for something better." "Although i had left school at 11, i had always been a tremendous reader. When i was fighting i always had a book with me to read between training and bouts. I read through every subject - physiology and diet books to help me improve my physical condition for fighting, then i went on to philosophy, psychology and other subjects. I was known in the fight world as 'The Thinker.'" "I began to try to work out a better way to live, and because of the quiet i used to go into an empty church to meditate. I still had no call toward religion, but i gradually came to believe that we did live in a universe of moral consequence." "That is good is rewarded by good, and bad by bad. This applies to everything. If you treat your body well with exercise and proper diet, as i had done as a fighter, you feel well. If you abuse it with heavy drinking and wild living, as i had done as a gambler, you feel terrible. I still go for a two mile run every morning before breakfast and when i get back the milk is on the doorstep. I always look at it and remember the nights i would arrive home with the milk rotten. I know which life i prefer." "The same applies with what you do in life. In my four years of acquaintance with Sydney's underworld, i never met a happy criminal." "After i saw Judy that day at Parramatta, i went to a Salvation Army Service, and there i found, as it is said, 'the way, the truth and the light'" "I volunteered full-time service with the army, two years later, Judy and i were married."
After four years of study - two at a Salvation Army College - Trevor was ordained. His wife was ordained at the same time and together they will minister the parish. "Judy has always felt the call to service and although she is only 21 she has equal rank with me within the army. We are particularly keen to work with young people and plan to buid a youth centre between the house and the citadel. We hope all the young people in the area will find it a good place to come for sport and social get togethers. I will possibly teach a bit of boxing if the young boys and their parents would like me to. I dont look upon this as encouraging agressiveness - i have never known a good fighter who was a bully." "But i do believe boys should have the ability to defend themselves against a pack of bullies, and more even important be able to protect their girlfriends or family. Judy plans to form a guitar group. She is a very good guitarist and singer."
Trevor and Judy agree that their work wont leave them much time for a private life, but its the life thy have chosen and because they are working together their happiness is very evident.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/4977737


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

*Trevor King*


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

*Never lost his touch...*

For many, boxing is a violent blood sport, but Trevor King insists it is very much a gentleman's game.

"Boxers aren't aggressive. Why would they be?" he said. "They get all their aggression out in the ring. They don't have to prove anything."

Nonetheless, the 79-year-old from St Ives once knocked a repo man out cold.

It was 1984 and King was helping a family having trouble making mortgage repayments.

"This fellow was doing it tough and his family was just trying to eat so I started taking over food every week," King said.

"But while I was putting food in the fridge, these repo guys built like front row forwards turned up, crashing in without even knocking.

"When the wife inadvertently got between her husband and one of the men, he pushed her away, causing her to fall over and when her husband stepped in the repo man threw a punch."

So did King.

"I gave him a good whack on the chops but he must have had a glass jaw because he was out cold for quite a while," he said. "But I gave him a cup of tea when he woke up and I told him to be on good behaviour.

"Nobody ever picks me as a boxer and I don't mind that at all."

King was one of Australia's greatest featherweight fighters although he never won a world title nor an Australian crown. But during a 64-fight career he was never knocked out either and suffered only one loss.

While he has faced some of the world's greatest fighters, some of his greatest battles have been fought closer to home. Polio, hepatitis, car and motorbike accidents have all blighted his career,

"You have to set yourself goals and ambitions otherwise people do it for you," he said. "If you look at a situation squarely and face up to it, you can nut it out. And you should never, never say 'can't'."

It was that determination which led him to found the Westside Mission drug and alcohol clinic in Ebenezer 25 years ago. Born in Mount View near Cessnock, King was the youngest of 13 children, including 10 half-siblings. At age eight, polio and rheumatic fever crippled him, restricting him to an iron lung for more than a year.

"Both my brother Leo and a few of my half-brothers were boxers and I remember hearing one of them say to the other that Leo was the family's last chance for a title," he said. "They had discounted me and I made up my mind then and there that that's what I would do."

Despite being unable to walk, when his mother asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, he told her a boxer.

"She said 'No you don't, you want to be a champion'. That always stayed with me," King said. "I'll never forget it."

Before she died, his mother left instructions that 10-year-old Trevor should be taken to the local gym of boxing trainer Taff Thomas, who had the reputation of having "healing hands" as well as a reputation as a fearsome opponent.

"My brothers used to take me in, put me on Taff's rubbing table and then go off and have a drink," he said. "Then one day Taff said to me that if he could find one boy who would do exactly what he wanted, he could make him into a champion. I said I would and I did."

He learnt to box, first one-handed from a specially-designed tripod stool then, once he reached 15, on the professional circuit.

"It actually worked well because it lulled opponents into a false sense of security when my foot movements were slow," he said.

He went on to lose only one fight, to Swiss boxer Sigi Tennenbaum in 1952, before defeating Tennenbaum later that year. The following year, he faced champion Aboriginal boxer Elly Bennett in a non-title bout. "He was ranked the hardest puncher in the world but he was a lovely  person," King said.

Bennett was ranked number one in the world and his defeat meant King was offered a world title fight. But two weeks before he was due in the ring, he was hit by a car while on his motorcycle, landing him in St Joseph's hospital for 11 months. He was told he would never walk again.

"But I'd already been told that, so I ignored them," he said. When the wound turned gangrenous, doctors told him they wanted to amputate but he refused.

"When they told me that, I said to my brother, 'go down to Mick Simmonds (sports store) and get me a good pair of boxing boots'," he said. "He told me I was mad, that they were thinking of taking my leg off, and he came back with rubbish because he said I wouldn't be wearing them anyway."

Six years and seven months later, wearing those same boots, King beat New Zealand lightweight Mick Corliss, but the drama wasn't over. Soon after, a hepatitis diagnosis took him out of the ring for a year, then, just as he was about to travel to England to fight in the Empire Boxing Championships, he was hit by a car while out training.

"I woke up in Bowen hospital and I was convinced I was still in St Joseph's," he said. Unable to remember anything from the previous six years, his memory loss was so severe that his friends would visit him with a pregnant girl in tow as a joke to try and convince him the baby was his.

Unable to fight because of the head injuries sustained in the accident, he studied psychology, philosophy and theology, then trained as a minister, first with the Salvation Army and then with the Methodist Church.

In 1972, convinced he was "better off running his own show", he started the Caring and Sharing Mission in Maroubra.

"Of my seven half-brothers, five were alcoholics and so were my father and brother and most of my uncles and cousins," he said. "I missed that gene, and for that I'm very fortunate."

He changed the name to Westside Mission in 1984, moved it to Ebenezer on the Hawkesbury River and has been involved ever since. In 2004 he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to people with drug and alcohol dependencies.

"I'm the luckiest man alive," he said. "My brother once told me that with missing out on a world title, an Empire title and an Australian title, I was the unluckiest man in the world. I said to him 'How can you say that? I'm alive. You can't beat that'."

http://northside.whereilive.com.au/news/story/tony-kings-greatest-fight/


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

*King's a hit with hungry
*
By Miranda Devine
August 4 2002
The Sun-Herald

Nice things happen all over this city every day and more often than not go unnoticed. But Terry O'Riley, 75, a homeless man who who says he sleeps under a bridge at Windsor, rang last week because he didn't want the kind act he witnessed at the McGraths Hill McDonald's to be forgotten.

Like a lot of homeless people, O'Riley says he goes to McDonald's every day because it is safe and warm and you can sit for ages on a cheap cup of coffee. Two weeks ago he saw a hungry man scrounging leftover food from the tables, when another man walked over and gave him the meal he had just bought himself and the jacket off his back. O'Riley recognised the generous benefactor as former Australian featherweight champion Trevor King, and says the boxer didn't have enough cash left to buy himself another hamburger.

"That's just the man he is," said O'Riley, calling from a phone box in Windsor. "I wanted to get on a rooftop and tell everyone about the kindness I saw."

O'Riley, a well-spoken former accountant, has had a lot of sadness in his life, because "drinking and gambling got me - the races and then the poker machines. I had a lovely wife and kids and a lovely home in Elizabeth Bay. But if you keep making the same mistakes people get sick of you eventually".

He has known King, 72, off and on for 40 years, since he was a boxing fan and King was a champion. Now King runs the Westside Mission for alcoholics and drug addicts in Ebenezer, where O'Riley has dried out a couple of times.

Whatever demons O'Riley lives with keep sending him back to drink and the Windsor Bridge remains his only home. But he sees the good in the world with a clarity that people with easier lives often miss.

"It's a beautiful world," he says, without irony.


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

A fantastic audio interview with Trevor King done by ABC radio in 2009....

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/06/22/2604900.htm


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Danny Geale interview from 1-5-12 abc radio during the cricket lunch break

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-05/interview-daniel-geale/3759900


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

..here's the article I stole the picture of Lionel from..

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/boxing/from-poverty-to-the-top-of-the-world-20110509-1efu1.html


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

:happy

Tommy Burns vs Vic Patrick
http://www.t3licensing.com/video/cl...do?assetId=clip_27507894&keywords=vic,patrick

Vic Patrick vs Bos Murphey
http://www.t3licensing.com/video/cl...do?assetId=clip_27507662&keywords=vic,patrick


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

*PATRICK* AGREES  WITH
*DAWSON*... Our Boxers Lacking In Ríngecraft

AUSTRALIAN boxers have forgotten the tremendous value of ringcraft.
That's what Freddie *Dawson* meant last week when he said that the majority of Australian fighters were *right* *hand* *crazy*. *Dawson* has not missed a trick in summing up what is wrong with Australian boxing.
He is *right* in everything he says about the Australian method of fighting and training. Definitely Australian fighters are *right* *hand* *crazy*.
All they want to do is to throw the *right* *hand* over and end the fight.
They don't seem to get the idea that before a fighter can effectively throw the damaging *right* he has to get his opponent set to receive it. All that takes ring craft. You just can't walk up to a good class fighter and knock him down. Nine times out of ten the fighter that goes in for the "kill" without any premeditated campaign will find himself on the receiving end.
Most of the fighters in Australia seem to miss out on the essentials of the boxing game.The excuse is lack of experience.

When they bump into a boxer who knows how to use his hands well and thoroughly and they get a beating they claim that they "haven't been around." I would say that most of our preliminary boys step into the fight ring with a very scanty knowledge of the basic principles of boxing.
Since I have been refereeing fights I have been astounded how few boxers in Australia know how to get their balance to place punches. People are under the belief that boxers are born.

Certainly good fighters have come into the game with a certain amount of natural ability, but they would have got nowhere without having been taught the basic principles of boxing and a sound method of conditioning.
The natural fighter has a punch, but he must be shown how and when to use it.It's the same in every sport, the beginner always wants to start the wrong way.The art of boxing seemed to have disappeared from the game in Australia when Jack Carroll retired.
Carroll was probably the best boxer Australia had from the time when the great Albert Griffo dazzled the world.Carroll was like a will-o'-the wisp.
The first time I saw him fight he seemed to me to be all arms and legs.
He made use of the ring and threw punches like greased lightning. And he was a hard man to hit.

I was never a boxer. Maybe I wasn't a good example to the young boxer in Australia.I won most of my fights the easiest way the knockout. The quicker the better. But I had studied balance and I knew the *right* time to rip over the left. I was, of course, a southpaw.
Before I ever thought of entering the fight game I knew how to use the gloves and place a few punches.I used to go along to Ern McQuillan's gymnasium and pay two shillings a week to be shown how to use the gloves.

I suppose the fight game had a fascination for me. I used to read all the fight reports in the newspapers, go to the Stadium when I had enough money to pay my way into the bleachers, and read every book that had anything about fight that I could lay my hands on.

I was naturally a hard puncher. Whenever I got the chance I was in the ring at McQuillan's gymnasium, sparring.
Soon I wanted a real fight. Thought I would go all rights
It came along, and I knocked out Les Shocker in three rounds at Carlton Stadium in a four round preliminary. I won seven fights in a row with knockouts, and knew that I could really punch. But very often in my career I was glad that I had learned the basic principles of boxing and knew how to protect myself, and was able to stop punches from landing.
When I began to meet fighters who knew something about the game I soon found out that a punch to the chin wasn't everything about winning a fight.

They called me one of the greatest punchers Australia had produced.
But by that time I knew that hard punching was a waste of time if it wasn't planned before*hand*.
Most of our boys just want to throw punches and see their opponent battered down in double quick-time. What they forget is that while they are walking up throwing punches a good, cool boxer can pick them off and wait for the *right* time to make his return.* Dawson* was an object lesson to Australian boxers. There was the ideal boxer fighter. He beat Jack Hassen, Norm Gent, and Jean Mougin all the same way.

He boxed each of them into a position when he could just go ahead and deliver the knockout punch without any fear of it missing out. And what is more, he didn't get hurt doing it.
Dawson showed the benefit of having started at the bottom of the rung by learning the basic principles of boxing and building around it a solid knowledge of ringcraft on his wayup.
In *Dawson*, young Australian boxers saw the polished boxer fighter with a scheming fighting brain.

Harry Rudolph, manager of Freddie *Dawson* and Johnny Toth, who is looking after Henry Brimm, places considerable value on roadwork. I didn't do any roadwork because I didn't like it. Roadwork might have done me a lot of good. I don't know. I made up for it with plenty of skipping and shadow sparring. I was able to pace it with anybody I met.

But if trainers like Harry Rudolph and Johnny Toth place so much faith in roadwork, they must know what they are talking about.
I advise young boxers in Australia to accept any advice handed out to them from Rudolph or Toth.
I also agree with Harry Rudolph that the small windbag does a lot to speed up punches. Vital Assets. Condition and speed are the two vital assets of the boxer.

Most of Australian boxers train hard. Some train too hard and leave a lot of it in the gymnasium when they step into the ring for the fight.
Punching the small windbag, skipping, shadow sparring, and fast sparring partners will get a boxer into condition. This method of training will keep him working hard and fast and not prove a heavy drag that will burn up his energy. A lot of Australian boxers spar too hard. They make a gymnasium spar almost a fight. A spar in a gymnasium should be a battle of wits to sharpen the eye and speed up the punches.The fighter receives enough hard punches in the actual fight.

I used to punch the heavy bag until 1 found out it wasn't doing me any good. I switched to a swivel bag suspended from the ceiling of the gymnasium and attached to the floor. The bag weighed about 151b. It was fast and I had to move fast.

I do not agree that Australian boxing is In the doldrums. The topline fighters in each division in Australia are good fighters. But I do agree with Harry Rudolph that there are not enough good fighters in each
division.We want more fighters from America, England, and Europe to give our boys experience. American fighters on the rise can gain world recognition by coming to Australia and earn more money than they can in their own country.


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

joogaray said:


> ..here's the article I stole the picture of Lionel from..
> 
> http://www.smh.com.au/sport/boxing/from-poverty-to-the-top-of-the-world-20110509-1efu1.html


:thumbsup


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)




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## Crusher (Jun 14, 2013)

Bugger said:


> *PATRICK* AGREES WITH
> *DAWSON*... Our Boxers Lacking In Ríngecraft
> 
> AUSTRALIAN boxers have forgotten the tremendous value of ringcraft.
> ...


Great read!


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Looks like Talbot was another Mudgee boy who had the goods


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Crusher said:


> Great read!


Yep, i enjoyed it too. :cheers


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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)




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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

i found this nice little piece on Fammo a few weeks ago... shame the fella whole made it couldnt complete his series...


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Here's that article about Dooley... not as much on him as i remember... but still an interesting read non the less.... really gives a nice insight on the workings of the game at the time.


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)




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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)




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## joogaray (May 21, 2013)

Bugger said:


> Well it certainly wouldnt have seemed such a stretch if it were in my hands and signed... thats a damn fine find you got there... mine was on the internet and it was an English seller, was worried it wasnt in decent condition among other things. I'll find a copy one day :yep


..mate..inbox your postal address and I send you my Bill Doherty book..a loan obviously ..I think your one guy who would appreciate it and it needs to be shared instead of sitting in a box in a container..
..and only if you promise to send it back


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## Rise_Above (Jul 16, 2013)

joogaray said:


> ..I wish I could just find 'That's Boxing' in it's entirety but these are all interesting little segments..:good


Ive got the DVD, I could organise a copy if you like mate.


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## stiflers mum (May 23, 2013)

The full documentary of the Lester Ellis v Barry Michael fight ''A Melbourne Story'' which Joogaray put up a 8 minute clip of before.






Thank you to @Teke @20a87 for putting this up on you-tube.:good Though I already got a copy off Rodin but interesting doco. Damn shame thug Alfonse Gangitano pretty much ended Barry's career.


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## sallywinder (Aug 4, 2013)

Don't know about aussie boxers being right hand crazy, not in the modern era anyway. SUCKERS for a right hand perhaps....


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Sally, I think the article is relevent even to this day. Lenny Zappa is the first to spring to mind in recent times, obviously had some decent skills and good power, but relied far too heavily on his right hand and threw it way too often.


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

*Tragic Story Of Stanley Ketchel*

Bill Lang - 16th Jan 1936

When I heard Broadway ringing with
the shouts of newsboys, 'Middle-
weight champion murdered!' I felt as
though all the punches I ever took in
the ring had been rolled up into one
and rammed into me below the belt.
A shadow fell over my American
tour, every minute of which I had enjoyed up to then.

At the time, I told myself that the
one man I would have been prepared
to fight with bare fists or knuckle
dusters was the murderer of handsome,
genial Stanley Ketchel. But that was
in 1910 and the fellow must have just
about finished his life stretch by now.
Stan Ketchel was one of the first
men I met when I arrived in San Francisco, 
and in a few months I had got
to know him through and through. His
life story reads better than a novel. 
After Sam McVea he meant more
to me than any other fighter I met. so
is it any wonder I felt pretty sick when
I bought a newspaper and read how he
had been shot in cold blood, and then
beaten over the head with a rifle butt?

Although I knew his record backwards, 
Stanley Ketchel was only a
name to me when I began to unpack
my trunks in a big San Francisco hotel 
only a few hours after we had hit America.
The telephone rang and I answered.
'Say, Mr. Lang,' the girl at the front
office said. 'The Assassin wants to
see you.'
'The what?' I yelled down the
mouthpiece, not feeling nearly so well
as I might have.
'Ah, don't you know?' she came
back. 'His name's Stanley Ketchel,
and he's middleweight champ, of the
world, but for guys like you he's just
an assassin.'

And so Stanley was known to fight
fans all over America. 'Michigan As
sassin' was the full title, and the
newspapers coined it after he had battered 
his way to the American championship 
on a long series of knockouts.
I've never met a real assassin, but
if I do he's not going to look anything
like Stanley Ketchel. As he burst
into the room, I got a glimpse of the
handsomest, most smiling face I've
ever seen oh a fighter, a broad-rimmed
cowboy hat, a diamond-studded shirt
front and the best cut suit New York's
leading tailors could turn put.
I got no time to see anything else,
because The Assassin had swooped on
me.

'So you're Bill Lang, all the way
from Australia,' he said. 'Mighty
glad to meet you, Billy boy. How is
the ole horse thief? Welcome to
America. I'm Stan Ketchel, and I
fight a bit. too. We just gotta get 
acquainted. What about it?'
I told the whirlwind I was mighty
glad to meet him too that I'd like to
get acquainted and what was wrong
with that very minute?'

'It's a go Billy Boy!' said Stan. 'I
got the gas buggy outside. Let's shoot
up the town!'
In a few minutes we were snorting
through San Francisco in Stan's glaring 
yellow roadster, getting waves
from all the cops, hundreds of street
urchins, and more than a few girls
promenading on the side walks.
Just the same as in all my future
meetings with Stan, our first stop was
a saloon. Everyone in it, from bar
man to glass-washer, knew Stan, and
I got my fair share of reflected glory,
which I liked a lot.

Stan put down three stiff brandies
neat, using a sip of water as a chaser
-'just to keep the game respectable,
pard,' as he put it. I stuck to English 
stout, and as we drank I got a
chance to size up The Assassin.
In the fight game you meet a lot of
swell dressers, but I never saw man
looking more like a band-box than
Stanley Ketchel. His shirts and socks
were never anything but silk, his
shoes never cost less than 20 dollars
(£5) a pair, and his suits came from
the best and most expensive tailors in
New York and Boston.
Right from the jump I liked every
thing about Ketchel, even his swagger
ing and loud talk, which was not ar
rogance, but merely self-confidence
and a bit of showmanship every American 
boxer must learn if he wants to get a fight.

The whole of my first afternoon in
America I spent with Stan, and probably 
would have put in the night, too,
only he had arranged to take his girl
to a revue.
He was a confiding, talkative fellow,
and in a few hours I bad got the story
of his boxing career up to that point.
From my own readings of the papers
and talks with Stan's friends after
the murder, I was able to round off
the tragic sory of a great fighter.

Born of Polish parents, Stanley 
Ketchel - Stanislaus Klecal was his real
name- found the ability to fight come
to him just as naturally as the ability
to talk and walk. His first job was as
a 'bouncer' ('chucker-out' is the Aus
tralian equivalent) in a saloon and,
dance hall in the town of Butte, Montana.

The way he could chuck out rowdy
miners twice his size recommended
Stan, then a lad of only 17, to Maurice
Thompson, a promising north-west
lightweight, and Thompson engaged
him as a sparring partner.
Stan soon became Butte's best 
preliminary boy, and he didn't take long
to get his first big fight against a 
fellow called Kid Tracey. The bout was
scheduled to last 20 rounds, but Stan
ended it in 30 seconds with a punch
like a kick from a mule.

He 'next got a fight, against Sid La
Fontise, welterweight and near champion. 
Fontise was a great hitter, and
round after round he kept smashing
punches into Stan's face. Ten times
Stan went down, but he scrambled up
each time, and in the 24th round he
landed a right-hand blow that put 
Fontise out for 10 minutes.
Other wins followed just as fast as
he could get fellows to stand up against
him to be knocked down, and at the
age of 19 Stan had scored 16 knock-outs.
In 1906, the year before he went to
San Francisco to try his luck, his record 
was 32 knock-outs in 36 fights!
Stan's first big fight in 'Frisco has
a place all on its own in American ring
history, and even today the locals will
tell you it was the greatest piece of
mutual slaughter ever seen in California.

Ketchel's opponent was the famous
middleweight, Joe Thomas, and the
fight came off in the Mission Street
Arena.
Punching in a way that later earned
him his nickname, Stan went after
Thomas from the word 'go.' Thomas,
a shrewd fighter, defended with straight
lefts, waiting until the young tornado
blew himself out. But the one trouble
about Stan was that he never blew
out, and never slackened until his victim 
was stretched out nice and still.

In the fifth round Joe Thomas got
tired of waiting and sailed into Stan.
But Stan stood his ground punching
like a machine, and soon the two of
them dropped any pretence at keeping
up a guard and just stood there, slug
ging at each other's face and body.
After four or five rounds of this the
crowd got so scared they couldn't even
cheer!
The slaughter went on until the 32nd
round, when both Stan and Joe looked
pretty near pulverised. Then Stan
made a supreme effort. Taking no notice
of a tattoo of blows he swung his right
to Joe's jaw with all the force he had.
When I was in San Francisco three
years later, fight fans were still talk
ing about that punch. It landed with
such force, they told me, that Stan's
glove burst open. Joe, of course,
dropped like a log. and for half an
hour or so he could have been operated 
on for appendicitis without even feeling it.

In those terrible 32 rounds, Stan was
on the floor about 18 times, while Joe
Thomas was spreadeagled 29 times!
That fight gave Ketchel a world reputation, 
and until he met Billy Papke,
the Illinois Thunderbolt and world
middle-weight champion, he was considered 
unbeatable. But Billy smacked
him on the bridge of the nose when the
first round was only two seconds old
and Stan was blinded. For 12 rounds
he took terrific punishment until Papke
knocked him out.
Many a fighter would have been discouraged 
by that hiding, but not Stan.
The following day he was telling the
world he would knock Billy out in 11
rounds the next time they met.
And that's exactly what he did!

The fight was held in San Francisco,
and after the second round Stan had
as good as won the world middle
weight championship. But to make
good his boast, he carried Papke along
to the eleventh round before putting
him out!

One world championship was just a
beginning for Ketchel, and a month
after his fight with Papke he amazed
the boxing world with an announcement 
that he would fight Jack Johnson 
for the world's heavyweight title.
Johnson at that time was scaling regularly 
15 -st Stan's top weight was
never more than 11 st. 6 lb. In addition, 
Jack could give him four or five
inches in height ana' a few inches in
reach.

To keep up appearance when he had
to get into the same ring with Johnson
to be announced for the coming fight,
Stan got special boots made with high .
heels and a new overcoat that was
heavily padded at the shoulders! This
subterfuge made him look something
like Jack's height and build, but there
weren't many who were fooled by it.
And so, Stanley Ketchel climbed into
the ring at Colma, California, in the
September of 1909. to meet a man who,
I claim, was the greatest heavyweight
champion the game has known.

Stan tore into Jack in his usual
homicidal way and after mixing it well
for 11 rounds, he got through Jack's
guard in the twelfth and floored him
with a terrible chop behind the ear.
Jack staggered up at nine and Stan
sprang at him with right hand drawn 
back. But Johnson was far from done, 
and as he straightened out of
his crouch, his long arm. lashed
out, catching Stan flush on
the chin, breaking his jaw and 
putting him out for a good half
hour.

It was little more than a year after
that fight that Stanley Ketchel came
bounding into my room at San Francisco. 
I saw him almost every. day for
three weeks and then Hugh Mclntosh
and I struck east to New York. A few
weeks after we got there, Mac told me
he had arranged for me to fight Ketchel 
at the Fairmont Athletic Club.
Knowing as much as I did about
Stan, I went into strict training at
Connecticut, about 60 miles from New
York. My chief sparring partners were
Sailor Burke, runner-up to Ketchel
for the world's middleweight championship 
and a heavyweight named McClusky.

Every afternoon for weeks, Sailor and
I fought an all-in bout, and, although
I never knocked him out, I floored
him dozens of times.
Then one afternoon, a couple of
flashly-dressed fellows from New York
motored down to watch me work out.
After they had seen me get Sailor's
measure in one of our usual slogging
competitions they followed me to the
dressing-room and made' me the only
offer to fight crook I ever received in
my ring career.

'We represent Stan Ketchel,' they
said, 'and we want your 5,000 dollars.'
'What 5,000 dollars?' I asked them.
Then they explained that Stan had
arranged for each of us to pay 5,000
dollars to an independent stakeholder
as a guarantee that we would be both
be on our feet at the end of the fight.
This, of course, was only a bluff they
were trying to pull on me to get my
5,000 dollar guarantee while Mac was
on his way back to America from England, 
so I told them I had never fought
crook in my life and never intended to.

The next day, Stan 'sprained his
ankle,' and the fight was postponed
indefinitely.

That incident made me very disappointed 
with Ketchel, but after I had
thought it over I realised he hadn't
done anything very bad. After all,
what's wrong with a gentleman's agreement 
not to half-kill one another, provided you're
prepared to give the fight
fans good entertainment and work hard
for a genuine decision on points?
And that, apparently, is all Stanley
was aiming at, so that his tender jaw
could get quite better again.
It was only a few months after this
that a bullet ended Stan's career.
Anxious to have another go at Jack
Johnson, he thought he had better put
on weight first, so he bought a ranch
in Missouri and retired to it to eat
plenty and sleep a lot. This was early
in the October of 1910,

On the night of October 15, when I
was walking along Broadway to see one
of the revues, I heard the newsboys
shouting out the story of the murder. .
That morning Stan had lined up for
his breakfast at about 9 o'clock. The
table was set on the verandah, and in
the bright sunshine Stan began to wade
into his bacon and eggs
He was half through the meal, his
friends told me later, when he heard
someone hiss his name from inside the
passage leading to the verandah. 
Suspecting nothing, he turned, to receive
a bullet in the chest.
The shot didn't kill him. and he must
have grappled with his assailant, be
cause when help arrived from a neighboring 
ranch he was found lying on the
floor, with his head brutally battered.

They didn't take long to get him to
Springfield Hospital, where an operation 
was performed, but he sank
slowly, and died soon after 9 p.m.
There was a motive behind the murder 
of Stanley Ketchel, and the subsequent trial, 
in which a man was sentenced to gaol for life, 
indicated that it was a woman.

Still, that was a side of Ketchel's
nature I never saw. I only knew him
as a friendly, chivalrous, generous fellow
and a prince of fighters.


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## Josey Wales (Jun 4, 2013)

Where the heck did this thread come from ? I must have missed this first time around and after a quick shufty of it i intend to enjoy it tomorrow when I should be working . Ace


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## Bugger (Aug 2, 2013)

Montague James Furlong was born in Sydney on 22 July in the year of 1868. We know little of his early days, save that he was an apprentice plasterer before discovering he was good with his fists. These were bare-knuckle times, and Jim Hall, as he would call himself, was only too pleased to take the gloves off for man, woman or beast. It was said that a drunken Hall once struck a man in The Rocks, then the man's wife for interfering, finally backhanding the couple's child for crying out in defence of his parents. Whatever the truth, the magistrates of Sydney were well pleased when Jim began fighting professionally in 1886. Hall mostly fronted up for scrappy duels in Foley's Hotel, a pugilist's pub in Sydney's George Street that was affectionately known as 'The Iron Pot', on account of the sweat that dripped from the walls when the nights steamed with drunken roars and fighting fury. 

Jim, a six-foot middleweight, showed that he had some mettle - on his third professional show, he fought to a draw with Mick Dooley, a one-time heavyweight champion of Australia, and in January of 1889 he held his own for five rounds against Bob Fitzsimmons, an ex-pat Kiwi who was widely regarded as the toughest around, and who would go on to thrill America as one of the greatest fighters the world would ever see. It was the beginning of one the most intense and anticipated rivalries in the Victorian boxing era, the watershed of which would arrive on a rainy winter's night in New Orleans in 1893. 

But it was on 8 May in 1889 that Hall first made the crowds stand up and take notice, knocking out middleweight title-holder Edward 'Starlight' Rollins in the 20th round at Sydney Stadium. Jim Hall had come from nowhere and beat a bona fide Australian champion. Those who doubted the result were astonished two months later when Rollins, having demanded a rematch, was knocked out again, only this time in the fifth. Before the year was out, Jim Hall's record was a litany of carnage: Jack Malloy, knocked out in the 15th round; Herbert Goddard in the fourth; Jack Slavin in the tenth; Herbert Goddard again, this time in the third, and in the third once more when Herbert was foolish enough to come back for another thrashing 21 days later; Eddie Welsh in the fifth; Pablo Fanque in the fourth . . .

But it was Bob Fitzsimmons who was considered the fighter for Hall to beat. With a record of 24 wins - including one against a younger Hall - one draw and just four losses, Fitzsimmons was Jim Hall's ticket to the United States, where purses were plentiful for fighters from the colonies. Jack 'Nonpareil' Dempsey, the Irish-American Middleweight Champion of the World, who had been beaten only three times in 65 bouts, was on notice that either Hall or Fitzsimmons would soon be sailing to take his title. Exactly which one of the two Australian fighters it would be was an even bet.

A bout was arranged at Foley's on 11 February, 1890 and what happened that night remains a mystery to this day. Fitzsimmons claimed that Hall had promised to pay him to take a dive, thus clearing Hall's way to America to fight Dempsey. It's an unlikely scenario - Fitzsimmons was proud and, like Hall, on his way up, as keen as any to have a shot at a world title. But Fitzsimmons was known through his career as unscrupulously honest and gentlemanly - in the early 1900s, while staying at the Hotel Windsor in Melbourne, Bob, drunk and rowdy, was knocked out by a hotel guest named Charles Salter after making a rude remark to some ladies, and it was a contrite Bob who knocked on Salter's door in the morning to congratulate him for doing the right thing. Hall, who had no such gentlemanly record, swore to his dying day that he beat Fitzsimmons fair and square. What is known for sure is that Fitzsimmons went down for the count in the fourth round, and Hall was declared the winner. What is also certain - because Fitzsimmons never stopped bleating about it - was that he never received the £75 that Hall had allegedly promised him for hitting the canvas. Whatever the truth may be, it's fair to conclude that Fitzsimmons was outfoxed by his opponent, the controversy leaving both victor and vanquished itching for a rematch, so as to show the world who was the better man.

By all accounts, Jim Hall was an impressive physical specimen, a fact to which the _Washington Post _would dramatically attest: 

_When in his prime, Hall was one of the handsomest athletes that ever stripped between the ropes. Over six feet in height, broad of shoulder, taper of waist, thin in the flank and beautifully proportioned, he might have stood for the ideal model of an ancient Grecian sculptor. His features were regular in outline and, like that other Adonis of the modern era, James J Corbett, bore scarcely a trace of the many battles in which he engaged. Jim Hall carried no 'tin ears', for the very good reason that his cleverness enabled him to avoid such disfigurement. A remarkably brilliant boxer, his cat-like grace and agility, combined with a thorough knowledge of ring craft and the ability to think and act at the same time, made him the perfect specimen of the brainy glove artist. _

Jim Hall was also a shocking drunk, incapable of keeping his temper from boiling over into violence and alcoholic rage. Everything had been set for him to sail to America to meet Jack Dempsey when, on the eve of his voyage, Jim decided to pass the hours farewelling friends and strangers alike at a local tavern. After drinking all day, Hall found himself in an argument with another patron. A fight broke out, the terrified drinker defending himself against the furious Hall in the only way he thought would be successful, by pulling a knife and lashing at the hands that flew toward him with cracking speed. Hall beat his assailant to a pulp, but not before the knife gashed his right hand wide open. Fleeing the law, Hall bolted for his boat, but his hand was bleeding so profusely the captain of the vessel would not allow him on board. Hall's American invasion was thus postponed.

While Hall was recuperating, Fitzsimmons seized the chance to leap into Hall's ticket against Jack Dempsey, steaming to the United States with his story about his organised loss to Hall and the unpaid £75. On 14 January, 1891, Fitzsimmons took Hall's place in the fight with Jack Dempsey for the middleweight title in New Orleans, shocking the nation by giving Dempsey a hiding, knocking him down no less than 13 times and begging the champion to quit before more damage was done. He finally convinced him with a knockout in the fifth round, Fitzsimmons carrying the bloodied 'Nonpareil' to his corner.

Hall was furious at the news of Fitzsimmons' victory, sobering up for long enough to take ship to America, where news of his imminent arrival was telegraphed to a nation still buzzing from the bruising Fitzsimmons had given the 'unbeatable' Dempsey. _The __Chicago Tribune_ announced the coming war on 24 January, 1891:

_Those who witnessed the Dempsey-Fitzsimmons fight at New Orleans are loath to believe that there is a middleweight in the world who can whip Fitzsimmons. Australia possesses such a marvel in the person of Jim Hall, who stopped the lanky Bob in three and a half rounds . . . He has whipped __every middleweight of note in the colonies . . . Hall is now __on the Pacific Ocean on his way to this country to earn, __if possible, the title of middleweight champion of the world. __While the fact he has defeated Fitzsimmons has been __denied, all the Australian papers give him credit for the __performance and it is, no doubt, correct. When he arrives __in San Francisco he promises to make it interesting for __aspiring middleweights_. 

And make it interesting he did. On his first fight in San Francisco in February, 1891, Jim Hall knocked out middleweight Alec Greggains in the very first round, and later won on points against the well-regarded Tommy Ryan in Chicago, the _Manitoba Daily Free Press _reporting that 'it was evident almost from the start that the Chicago man was outclassed by the big Australian'.

Hall was immediately taken under the wing of Charles E 'Parson' Davies, a Chicago boxing luminary whose stable included black fighter Peter Jackson, whose colour was the only reason he wasn't the heavyweight champion of the world, and James 'Gentleman Jim' Corbett, the reigning heavyweight champion who is credited today with having transformed boxing from a sophisticated brawl to a genuine fighter's art. Davies was not a man to be trifled with - a well-connected Chicago hustler, at handshakes with the Windy City's notorious underworld, he was perhaps one of the few people who might have been capable of keeping Hall's constitutional recklessness on a leash. 

In just a few months, however, while touring Detroit with his fighter, Davies found Hall drunk one morning and angrily told him to go home and sleep it off. Hall didn't take the advice, appearing later in the evening, drunker still, in a bar in which Davies was entertaining associates. A boisterous argument ensued, Davies keeping his cool while Jim Hall raged and abused, poking his finger into Davies' chest and generally making a prize nuisance of himself. Frustrated by Davies' composure, Hall threw a haymaker and Davies snatched a lemon knife from the bar and stabbed Hall in the neck, missing his jugular by millimetres, growling at the stunned Australian, 'Next time I'll make a sure job of it'. Hall responded by opening his shirt and daring Davies to plunge the knife into his heart, then accused the Chicagoan of cowardice as Davies escorted the drunk and bleeding fighter to the local hospital. It was the end of their association.

On the rebound, Hall was taken in by the Manly Art Institute in downtown Beloit, Wisconsin, a tight boxing outfit run by trainer John Kline, who saw great potential under Hall's wild demeanour. Both Kline and Hall knew all fights were meaningless unless Hall could be seen to beat Bob Fitzsimmons and put the simmering rivalry and the controversy of the Australian knockout to rest. Thus a showdown was scheduled for late in 1891 in St Paul in Minnesota, one newspaper reporting that 

_the bad blood between the fighters is almost as much of an incentive as the big stakes (a whopping $12,000), and a sport who is in the confidence of both men said he believed that they would be willing to get together even if the stake money were withdrawn. _

Hall trained as hard for Kline as he had in his life, abstaining from booze, he told the newspapers, 'except for the occasional touch of claret'. The nation geared up for what was being touted as 'one of the fiercest battles ever fought by middleweights in this country'. But the enthusiasm was no match for the Governor of Minnesota, who hated boxing with a passion. On the day of the fight, he instructed four companies of National Guardsmen to surround the amphitheatre at St Paul to stop the fight from happening.

It took Kline another twelve months to reschedule the fight, during which Jim Hall passed the time by drinking hard and brutalising a succession of boobs stupid enough to climb into the ring with him. He knocked out Bob Ferguson in Chicago in the fourth round, Owen Marley in the fourth at Dubuque, Iowa, and Joe Tansey in the fourth at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. In Chicago, he downed Mike Boden in the fourth, Al Fish in the third just ten days later, and Jack King in the fourth a month after that. In April, 1892, Jim presided over a month-long slaughterhouse that - the quality of the fighters notwithstanding - has never been bested in the calendars of professional boxing history. Beginning in Ariel, Philadelphia, he knocked out three separate opponents within six days: Jack Flood in the very first round, Jack Houghey in the second two nights later, and Mick White within seconds of the opening bell three nights after that. A week and a half later, at Niblo's Theater in New York City, Chris Cornell fell to the canvas unconscious before the end of the first round and, four days after that, in the same venue, Jerry Slattery was lucky to last the one and a half rounds that he did.

Unable to find anyone of repute who seemed terribly interested in climbing through his ropes, and infuriated by newspaper reports of his 'spectacular inactivity', Hall sailed to London to fight Ted Pritchard for the British world middleweight championship. Jim knocked Pritchard out in the fourth round, returning to America with the British prize belt.

But it was the fight against Fitzsimmons everyone was waiting for, the deep rooted hostility between the two fighters having been lugged out in the pages of the national newspapers for months. Fitzsimmons alerted punters to the 'whipping' he'd given Hall in the early days of the younger Australian's career - along with gentle reminders of a certain outstanding £75 debt - while Hall branded Bob a 'turncoat' and a 'traitor', a reference to Fitzsimmons' imminent naturalisation as an American citizen, a change of national allegiance that evidently rankled Hall. 

At last, 'the most anticipated fight of recent memory' was scheduled to take place in New Orleans on the night of March the 8th, 1893, for a purse of $40,000, the largest the American ring had ever seen. In the weeks leading up to the big night, the newspapers were unanimous about Hall's 'great shape' for the bout, and many tipped Jim to win it. The opinion of the _Chicago Daily_ was typical: 

_It had been the general impression in this country that __anybody who could hit Fitzsimmons could whip him, __as many believe he will not stand punishment. This is, __however, problematical . . . For all that, Hall will probably __be returned the winner. He can punish anybody and __knows Fitzsimmons' weak points. He has the skill to __reach them, too. _

Much of the credit for Hall's standing was given to John Kline's disciplined and rigorous training of the wayward pugilist, and the papers reported upon frightening wagers being laid by the nation's top betting men, almost all in Hall's favour. But Hall appeared to be 'not in the best of shape' when he arrived in New Orleans on the morning of 6 March, a somewhat sour mood noted by journalists as he alighted from his train. 'Hall was not happy,' wrote one reporter, 'and he said so.'

On the morning of the fight, a curious notice appeared in the pages of the Chicago Tribune, the short piece telling of how Hall had been seen to jump in a carriage after lunch and drive hastily away with fellow fighter and big drinker, Charlie Mitchell: 

_Hall said they were only going to dinner and would return __in a few minutes. Kline had Hall's work laid out for him __for the afternoon, commencing at 3pm, but in the absence __of Hall the necessary training had to be postponed. Poor __Kline walked around the hotel as restless as a newly-caged __tiger, and watched the clock as the hours sped away . . . At __seven o'clock this evening, Hall had not returned and Kline __was still walking the floor wiping the perspiration from __his brow . . ._

Rain pelted down on the night of 8 March, 1893, as 4000 people crowded into the Crescent City Club in New Orleans, Louisiana. Celebrities, politicians and the luminaries of the boxing world packed the auditorium; Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp's one-time offsider, now a boxing aficionado and freelance sports writer, acted as timekeeper for the event.

To some, Hall's strut before the bell seemed arrogant - the cock-a-hoop swagger of a conqueror before the fight has been won or lost. Word got around that he'd asked the Crescent City Club officials to show him proof of the certified cheque that was to be presented to the victor. While it has never been suggested that Jim was drunk when he entered the ring that night, his adventures with Charlie Mitchell the previous evening had doubtless left him with a shocking hangover and, for Jim Hall, there had only ever been one remedy for the shakes and tremors, the anxieties of withdrawal. Hall knew that this was the fight of his life, the moment that would prove his bombast to be either based upon truth, or mere shouts from the shadow of a boxer who wished to be. He would have needed all the courage he could get.

The bell rang for the opening of the first round, and it was Fitzsimmons who threw the first punches - two left upper-cuts from which Hall escaped unscathed. For two rounds the pair traded blows to the body and hits to the head, each winning punch immediately answered with an equally ferocious response. Fitzsimmons came out in round three as the aggressor, but then Hall landed two heavy lefts to Bob's head, followed by a right upper-cut that made Bob grab for his opponent and hold on in a clinch at the end of the round. Hall appeared to have his man where he wanted him. 

Then began round four. Buoyed by his bashing of Bob in the closing seconds of the last round, Hall charged from his corner and straight into an arcing right-hand from Fitzsimmons, 'a blow that will shine on the pages of the history of American pugilism', according to the reporter for the _Chicago Tribune_, who was ringside. 
His praise went on: 

_It was a right-hand swinging blow, full on Hall's left jaw and low down where such blows count fast. Quick as a flash it caught Hall and literally lifted him up and backwards. He fell straight back as dead, out as ever a pugilist was. But for the felt beneath the canvas his head would have suffered as it struck the platform heavily. It was a terrific punch and for a few seconds Hall lay still and quiet and scarcely seemed to breathe. The crowd and Fitzsimmons thought he was dead. _

For a few minutes, all celebrations were on ice as Hall's team worked furiously to revive him. No amount of water or the shaking of limbs brought any sign of life to the prone figure. It was a nervous Bob Fitzsimmons who came up with the correct prescription, dousing Jim's face with whisky until the beaten Australian at last opened his eyes. Jim appeared to weep as he was dragged through the ropes, Bob Fitzsimmons waving an American flag high above his head as he marched victoriously around the ring. 

In his dressing room, Jim assumed the position of the loser with haste, bursting open bottles of wine as he sobbed to reporters, barely able to believe that he'd lost. 'If I should whip Fitzsimmons a dozen times now,' he cried, 'I could never recover my reputation. I don't know what I will do now. I hadn't figured on losing, and have made no preparation for the future.'

Eleven days after his loss to Fitzsimmons, newspapers reported on another beating Hall was to suffer, this time in New York. After being denied entry to a bar, a drunken Hall picked a fight with a cab driver who refused to ferry him to another drinking house. According to the Washington Post, Hall was 'thrown down, kicked and pummeled by the enraged cabman until he cried for quarter'. 

Licking his wounds, Hall took a steamer to England, where he believed a successful London campaign might rejuvenate him for a triumphant return to America, so that he might put the past behind him.

In London, he happened to discover a bar that was run by a former heavyweight champion of England, Jack 'Paddy' Slavin, who had relinquished his title the previous year. Slavin had been born in Australia, too - in Maitland, the same town from which Les Darcy would hail - and he could more than keep up with Hall when there was any drinking to be done. Slavin was generous with Hall, whose thirst was deeper than his own pockets, but all Hall saw in Slavin was an opportunity to repair his damaged standing - if he could defeat a heavyweight champion, the humiliation he had suffered at the hands of Fitzsimmons might evaporate, and he could return to America to pick up where he had left off. He began showing up nightly in Slavin's establishment, dressed to the nines in a silk hat and a flashy coat, toasting the bar to the day when Paddy Slavin would have the courage to meet him in the ring. Night after night, Slavin resisted, until the insults became too horrid to bear and Paddy finally agreed to a duel to be fought at the National Sporting Club in Covent Garden on the night of 29 May, 1893.

The bookmakers backed Slavin at five-to-one, the heavyweight's bulk tipped to triumph easily over Hall's comparatively lithe frame. And for the first few rounds it appeared their expectations would be met, Slavin charging at Hall who bolted around the ring, seemingly desperate to escape. Newspaper reports tell of the assembled crowd 'booing scornfully at Hall's apparent cowardice'. The pursuit ended in the fourth round, when Hall suddenly turned and smacked Slavin square on the jaw, the former heavyweight champion tumbling into the ropes and down. Slavin recuperated, only to be floored by Hall again, who now seemed to have been playing possum all night. For the next three rounds Jim picked his friend to pieces, before finally slugging him down and out in the seventh.

Hall's win caused such a sensation in London that the call went out for a rematch with Ted Pritchard, from whom Hall had taken the British middleweight title just a few months before. Hall put all doubt away by dispatching Pritchard with a savage knockout in the third on 13 June, 1893.

What should have heralded the beginning of a return to form for the brilliant but unruly boxer from Sydney was, in fact, the beginning of the end. Hall's victories over Slavin and Pritchard made him an instant celebrity around London Town, and he became a permanent fixture in the late bars and early openers, getting into fights almost nightly, relying on the kindness of friends to bail him out of trouble when the sheen of celebrity began to wear thin. The word in boxing circles was that Jim Hall was a talent lost to himself, a drinker first and a boxer next, a loser who'd won a few, but that was all.

He returned to America out of shape, cap in hand, his reputation as a defeated fighter only reinforced by news of his behaviour in England. No promoter or trainer was willing to touch him. Jim's decline was rapid - his first two ranked fights of 1894 were against novices, Billy Woods and Henry Baker, both to whom he lost on points. In 1895 the only fights Jim Hall fought were with the law, a doctor from Louisville suing Jim for 'maintaining guilty relations' with his wife, and police arresting him for raising hell and assaulting patrons at a Cleveland Hotel. Joe Choynski, a fighter with a good record, agreed to fight Jim in Queens, New York, on 20 January, 1896, knocking Hall out in the 13th round. On 10 August, 1896, Jim was about to fight Steve O'Donnell in New York when he was arrested ringside for a massive debt of unpaid rent owed to his landlord and the fight was called off. 

The ghosts of old rumours seemed to rise from the dead when, in October of 1897, a bout with well-ranked Charles 'Kid' McCoy in Philadelphia was called off by the referee when it became patently obvious the fight had been rigged in Jim Hall's favour. Two months later, Frank 'Paddy' Slavin took his revenge, knocking Hall out in the seventh round during a fight in Quebec. In March of 1899, Jim was let out of jail to fight Charles Lawler, Hall having been picked up the night before for public drunkenness, and it was said he was too sauced to know when he miraculously knocked Lawler out in the tenth. Hall's last fight - his last roll of the dice - was for Joe Choynski's light-heavyweight title in September. With only three months to go before the century, and an era, would be over, Jim was knocked out in the seventh, complaining that he wanted to 'sleep in' as his handlers tried to lift the dazed fighter from the canvas.








Hall survived for a time on past glories, which lived on in the minds of the toughs and no-hopers of Chicago and Cleveland. But by the mid-1900s, he was a patient in a charity ward of a Chicago hospital. He was thrown out on the street when it was discovered he'd been sneaking into the Cook County morgue next door late at night, pinching jewellery and other valuables from unclaimed corpses to sell for drinking money.

His last payout came from a Chicago surgeon named Rahde, to whom Hall sold his skeleton for $150, the good doctor assuming he'd be able to collect on the deal within a year or two. Within days Hall was back, having drunk all the money, and insisting the price was now double or nothing. When Rahde complained, Jim let fly with the final knockout of his career.

On 11 March, 1913, newspapers reported that Jim Hall, 'a former well-known pugilist', had been found dying of tuberculosis in a hovel in Neenah, Wisconsin. Four days later, on the 15th of March, Jim died in the state sanitarium, the New York Times noting that it was 'twenty years ago last Saturday that Hall was knocked out in the fourth round by Bob Fitzsimmons in New Orleans'. There ended the story of Jim Hall, a man who lost one fight, and so lost them all.

In 2006, Wisconsin boxing historian Bill Schutte found Jim Hall's grave at Oak Hill Cemetery in Neenah, the plot marked with no headstone or plaque to tell of who lay below. An admirer of Jim's had arranged for his burial in 1913, but had been careful to leave the grave unmarked, lest certain surgeons from Chicago came in search of Jim's bones. 

With his own spare cash, Schutte purchased and then laid at the head of Jim's grave a small headstone, a black granite block inscribed with the words: 'Prizefighter'.

http://www.au.timeout.com/sydney/books/features/5196/australian-tragic


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