The Gardner brothers

[robert.snell1]

The Gardner brothers

I am trying to assist Mark O’Toole in the project detailed below, and would be obliged if you would assist in this please.

Rob Snell

My primary aims at the moment aside from general information would be:

1. As many contemporary reports of the brothers (George, Billy and Jimmy) as possible. I can't emphasize how important contemporary reports of them would be as I'm finding it hard to source some online or in the Irish libraries as their archives are restricted to Irish newspapers of the early 20th century and not American ones.

2. Any information or reports regarding George's manager Tom O'Rourke.

3. Details regarding later life - especially Jimmy and Billy who have appeared to disappear off the radar completely. Given Jimmy was recognized by some as a former Welterweight world champion I find this quite interesting.

4. Anything regarding the brother-in-law relationship between Billy Gardner and Joe Thomas is also an interesting tangent in the story.

Basically I would see this project as being an examination of the Irish-American emigration experience through the personal story of the Gardner brothers in a very colorful, pioneering period for boxing. Thusly I would require as much minutiae of their personal lives as possible.

I would also hopefully be able to raise awareness in Ireland of the extraordinary achievements of George and Jimmy in Ireland. I'm guessing due to post-Gaelic Revival historiography of Irish sport, the Gardner brothers and Irish Olympians who competed for Britain has been somewhat loss in favour of stories of Irish sport that enhance a positive national identity for Eire.

Mark O'Toole

Name: Jimmy Gardner
Born: 1885-12-25
Birthplace:
Nationality: Irish
Hometown: Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
Height: 5′ 7½″ / 171cm
Boxing Record: click

[coreygardner]

Hi,

I've spoken to you before. I actually had written an article about the famous world champion fighter George Gardner a couple of years ago. There was one article that had 60 - year old George Gardner knocking out a gunman who held up his saloon, it was mentioned in the New York Times.

I am writing a book on prizefighters named Gardner and have only found the personal side of shy and quiet Jack Gardner, once a top ten contender for the Heavyweight Championship of the World.

I haven't found anything on Jimmy Gardner either as far as his death, but he did have a son named George Gardner who was a professional middleweight boxer like his uncle.

Is Mark O' Toole writing a book about the Gardner brothers?

My email address is [email protected]


All the best,
Corey