ALL-TIME IRISH BOXERS

surf-bat · Post by **surf-bat** » 06 Mar 2006, 17:48

Crease wrote:After all is said and done...

Rocky Marciano was a gentleman outside the ring,
(and a real mosnter inside it, but he had to be).

How many fighters today could you say that about???

Very few, methinks...

Credit that to his Irish heritage? What thread are you on?*L*

surf-bat · Post by **surf-bat** » 06 Mar 2006, 17:50

Seamus wrote:Expug

Actually I was born in Englewood, which was heavily Irish at one time, before moving to the Back of the Yards when I was 7. The Back of the Yards never had that large of an Irish population like the "Front of the Yards" (Canaryville) which is still pretty Irish. The area had two parishes that started as Irish, St Rose of Lima (Packy's church) and St Basil, both became a mixture of Irish-Poles and Germans after a short time. The Ancient Order of Hibernians had a large building on 54th-Ashland (still standing) that had a boxing ring, and I've heard unconfirmed reports that Packy sparred there as a youth.

Yes, the Jungle is an outstanding book, and every bit as hard hitting as The Grapes of Wrath.

Ah, the Back o' The Yards. Home of the Saltis-McErlane gang. And the most dangerous gunman in Chicago gang-war history, Frank McErlane.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 06 Mar 2006, 19:30

Mcerlane , credited with introducing the Thompson Machine Gun to Chicagos Beer wars during prohibition.

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 06 Mar 2006, 20:32

Expug-Nero

Frank McErlane carried out the first machine gun attack in US History when he tried to shoot Packy McFarland's childhood buddy, and partner in three Joliet breweries, Spike O'Donnell at the NW corner of 63rd-Western. McErlane missed completely, but the building is still there. Exactly a week later McErlane carried out the first successful machine gun attack in US History (Oct 3 1925) when he shot up the Ragen Colt's (aka the Ralph Sheldon Gang) clubhouse at 5142 S Halsted and fatally wounded Charles Kelley and Thomas Hart.

Canaryville isn't going yuppie, just has alot of Irish-American city workers still living there. I went to Easter Saturday vigil at St Gabriel's last year and it was packed.

I never lived in Austin, but know the area well. The other unrelated O'Donnell Gang (West Side O'Donnells) had that area during prohibition. Klondike O'Donnell lived in the 100 block of S Parkside down the street from Columbus Park. Unfortunately the magnificent Resurrection Church has since been torn down, but the area still has alot of beautiful homes. It does have it's seedy parts as well though.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 06 Mar 2006, 20:38

Thats good news about Canaryville seamus. Chicago is gettin a little too yuppie in my opinion. Canaryville always had alot of charachter in its tough working class ways. If it stays like that its fine with me. I think former featherweight contender John Lowey was living in Canaryville for awhile. He fought in Chicago a number of times .

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 06 Mar 2006, 21:01

Expug

I vaguely remember hearing about Lowey, but don't remember much. In the 80's a friend of mine hung out with John Collins, who was from the Scottsdale area. Fuller Park across the tracks from Canaryville still has a very lively boxing program.

For me, a real depressing area is the former site of the old Chicago Stadium. Now you've just got the ugly United Center surrounded by a vast open wasteland. So many beautiful old buildings consigned to the wrecking ball to make way for parking lots.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 06 Mar 2006, 21:22

Fuller Park was the Gym I trained at as a pro, I used to spar with Lenny Lapaglia, right before his fight with Collins. That was at a differint Gym though. You are right about the near west side, I used to love the old stadium too.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 13 Mar 2006, 11:00

Martin Sosa Cameron wrote:May be Jimmy McLarnin the greatest, of course, but, where is Philadelphia Jack O'Brien? And Terry McGovern? I remains, too, Tom McCormick, Mike O'Dowd, Jim Clabby, Bob Murphy, Sean O'Grady and others...

Here, in Argentina, there is an important community of Irish descendants, and the St. Patrick Day is celebrated by a multitude, each year bigger...

I had this list, too, but I don't know who is the number one: Sean O'Casey, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, Seamus Haney, and many, many others! Is greatest the Emerald Isle!

I'd go for
1) Yeats
2) Wilde
3) Joyce

But there has to be room for Beckett

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 13 Mar 2006, 11:02

Wasn't Charlie Burley's mother Irish?

Boxscribe · Post by **Boxscribe** » 14 Mar 2006, 07:37

According to the Burley family Charley's mother, Angeline O'Brien, was from Cork. Further research has suggested that this may not be true - though she was definately white.

More details in the book. Keep an eye on the website for a release date of the revised edition in paperback.

http://CharleyBurley.com

Martin Sosa Cameron · Post by **Martin Sosa Cameron** » 14 Mar 2006, 19:35

Ezzard wrote:
Martin Sosa Cameron wrote:May be Jimmy McLarnin the greatest, of course, but, where is Philadelphia Jack O'Brien? And Terry McGovern? I remains, too, Tom McCormick, Mike O'Dowd, Jim Clabby, Bob Murphy, Sean O'Grady and others...

Here, in Argentina, there is an important community of Irish descendants, and the St. Patrick Day is celebrated by a multitude, each year bigger...

I had this list, too, but I don't know who is the number one: Sean O'Casey, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, Seamus Haney, and many, many others! Is greatest the Emerald Isle!

I'd go for
1) Yeats
2) Wilde
3) Joyce

But there has to be room for Beckett

Ezzard,
what a great rating of great men! May I put
1) Joyce
2) Beckett?

But, sincerelly, I'm not sure; best regards!

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 14 Mar 2006, 21:32

Let's not forget Brendan Behan and Padraig Pearse.

ringsider · Post by **ringsider** » 15 Mar 2006, 01:58

Every bum in the bar says he is Irish and can fight........they seem to get more Irish the farther away from Ireland they are.

surf-bat · Post by **surf-bat** » 15 Mar 2006, 03:27

Ezzard wrote:Wasn't Charlie Burley's mother Irish?

Muhammad Ali's Grandfather was Irish. From Ennis in County Clare. I was there in September. WONDERFUL little town! Cobblestone streets, friendly people, quaint shops and a lively pub/music scene.

surf-bat · Post by **surf-bat** » 15 Mar 2006, 03:28

Seamus wrote:Let's not forget Brendan Behan and Padraig Pearse.

I just read "Borstal Boy". Behan is sort of Ireland's version of Charles Bukowski. Witty and a sense of humor that's as dry as a popcorn fart.

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 15 Mar 2006, 11:16

If I remember correctly, Behan drank himself into a coma on St Patrick's Day and died three days later.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 15 Mar 2006, 11:36

Nero3000 wrote:
Seamus wrote:Let's not forget Brendan Behan and Padraig Pearse.
I just read "Borstal Boy". Behan is sort of Ireland's version of Charles Bukowski. Witty and a sense of humor that's as dry as a popcorn fart.

Thta's the only Behan novel I've read but it's a classic.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 15 Mar 2006, 11:38

Seamus wrote:If I remember correctly, Behan drank himself into a coma on St Patrick's Day and died three days later.

shades of Poe...

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 15 Mar 2006, 11:39

Nero3000 wrote:
Ezzard wrote:Wasn't Charlie Burley's mother Irish?

Muhammad Ali's Grandfather was Irish. From Ennis in County Clare. I was there in September. WONDERFUL little town! Cobblestone streets, friendly people, quaint shops and a lively pub/music scene.

Nero is this true or a joke? I've neevr ehard this but I haven't read any of the more recent Ali biographies.

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 15 Mar 2006, 11:55

Ezzard

In the 90's a medical journal published an article by Dr Michael Benitez (wonder if he's related to Wilfred) that theorized that Poe actually died of rabies from a dog bite. The doctor who wrote the article claimed that Poe mentioned in a letter having been bit by a stray dog, and then later exhibited symptoms of the illness. He did like his opium and alcohol though.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 15 Mar 2006, 11:58

Seamus wrote:Ezzard

In the 90's a medical journal published an article by Dr Michael Benitez (wonder if he's related to Wilfred) that theorized that Poe actually died of rabies from a dog bite. The doctor who wrote the article claimed that Poe mentioned in a letter having been bit by a stray dog, and then later exhibited symptoms of the illness. He did like his opium and alcohol though.

Seamus

Do you know the name of the journal? I'll have to do a quick search on this. Thanks for this tit-bit, much appreciated.

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 15 Mar 2006, 12:50

Here's some mention of the article http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/news-releases-17.html

surf-bat · Post by **surf-bat** » 15 Mar 2006, 14:52

Ezzard wrote:
Nero3000 wrote:
Ezzard wrote:Wasn't Charlie Burley's mother Irish?

Muhammad Ali's Grandfather was Irish. From Ennis in County Clare. I was there in September. WONDERFUL little town! Cobblestone streets, friendly people, quaint shops and a lively pub/music scene.
Nero is this true or a joke? I've neevr ehard this but I haven't read any of the more recent Ali biographies.

No joke. That's why he was so warmly received in Ireland for the Al "Blue" Lewis fight. There is a book on that bout that mentions it. I forget the title.

Martin Sosa Cameron · Post by **Martin Sosa Cameron** » 15 Mar 2006, 20:18

It isn't easy to obtain in Argentina books of Brendan Behan and Padraig Pearse in Spanish; if Behan is like Charles Bukowski, it is very interesting; the father of all this courses (between other courses) is Louis-Ferdinand Céline. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who born in Edinburgh, Scotland, was of Irish family, and wrote Rodney Stone, a boxing story.

surf-bat · Post by **surf-bat** » 16 Mar 2006, 22:31

Martin Sosa Cameron wrote:It isn't easy to obtain in Argentina books of Brendan Behan and Padraig Pearse in Spanish; if Behan is like Charles Bukowski, it is very interesting; the father of all this courses (between other courses) is Louis-Ferdinand Céline. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who born in Edinburgh, Scotland, was of Irish family, and wrote Rodney Stone, a boxing story.

Celine is often credited by both Bukowski and Vonnegut as the godfather of this kind of literature. Maybe. Henry Miller has to be considered as well. And what about the mad Russian, Gogol?