Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-22
Former Ch a mpio n
Passes Away in Char
ity Hospital -Squan-
dered a Fortune
NEW YORK. Feb. 80.
<OTEkRIBLE TERRY" McGOVERN

<(gJNEhRl BILE TERRY McGONER<.
ex.fcatherweigh champion of th,
world. died here today IN the Kings
county Hospital at the age OF thirty.
seven.
Two days ago he applied at tho hos
ptal for medical aid, saying he was
nennless. and death came to him in
tho charity ward as result Of pneu-
,nonla and complications. His wife was
notified of his serious condition. She
cached his bedside just before hlStooll
the last count
The passing OF McGoNeru marks 'inis
10 the career of one Of the greatest. If
not the greatest, of all feathcrweight
champions. In the heyday of Ills career
McGovern was tiger IN the ropcd
Z arena. lie was a veritable demon i'm
the ring for his fighting heart. his speed
and his durability that was character
istic Of all of the great Champions of by
gone days.
As featherweight champion of the
world McGovern earned thousands of
dollars lie was one Of the most popu-
lar fighters who ever wore "A pugiistic
crown and he has often been ranked as
ths greatest of the great quartet of for
mer fea eathcrwcight champions of which
he was member
THAT quartet. with McGovGru. cou-
t.rne and Young Iorbctt
That he should die i'm the charity
ward of hospital. broken and penni.
less. seems sad twist Of fate. but. like
many other great lighters, McGoycru
threw lis wealth away
Born in Pennsylvania
McCiovcrn was born I'm JohustoNn. IA.
IN 1880. Had ~ lived until March
he would have been thirty-cisht years
old lie was of Irish-American parent
age and his given name was Joseph
Terrancc.
at the age OF seventeen re start II
his boxing career around his home city
Of Johnstown and rose rapidly a. a
festherweght
In four short years he had risen To
tho top OF his class. for II was, in June
1900 that he knocked out George Dixon
in eight rounds in this city. and won
the worlds featherweight title
As featherweight champion or tho
world McGovern earned fortune in a
few short months. lle did not coniine
himself to- his own class, for he stepped
out to meet men who had an advantage
on him in weight. and his terrific
punches stopped every man who faced
him in 1900. his one bright. year rs
4 champion. in less than ten rounds,
Lost to Young COrbett
Z II 1901 McGovsru lost his coveted
title TO Young torbett, Of Denver, who
knocked him out in two ruunds at Bart
ford, Conn. NcGoNsrn at the that time
was growing out of the featherweght
ciass, as was corbett. and later both
stepped out Of the feathorwcight circle
to enter tho lightweight dIvsion. While
corbcttr fought with success as light
weight for "A time, McGOVern was unable
TO fight his way to the top. lie con-
tinued in the ring FOR four years after
losing his title and was active during
1903 when he attempted to win back the
featherWeght crown, only to take the
count at the hands of Nung Corbett Il
second time. being knocked out in eleven
rounds at San Francisco
Always Popular
Terry always was a popular boxer,
Like the great and only John l.. Sulli-
van. the mere mention of his name was
enough to strike terror III the hearts
Of his opponents. He was rushing,
tearing slugging fighter. who kept after
his man until he was beaten into help
. lcssness. They called Terry the 'whirl-
wind" in those days, and he lived up
to his name.
He. first gained fame in 1899. when
he disposed Of Pedlar Palmer the Eng
lish featherweight champion. in less
than one round at Tuckahoc, y. y,
McGovern was nineteen years old then
7 and embarked on a career which Drought
him wealth and glory for two short
years At the age of twenty-one he