The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-06-01
George Munroe, Famous
Boxer, Takes Final Count i
Graduate of the Old School
of. Ring Performers Dies
Suddenly of Heart Attack
at New Haven Home
Met McGovern Three
Times.

George Monroe, one of the greatest
boxers of the old school and better
known to the present generation OF
fans as referee and instructor, died
suddenly at his home, 48 Rowe street,
New Haven, late yesterday afternoon.
Medical Examiner Marvin M. Scar
brough pronounced his death due to
heart disease. Monroe, who was en-
ployed at the Marlin-RockweH cor
poration, went home yesterday noon,
complaining of illness. He was or
dered to bed and at o'clock he suf-
fered an attack of commissions, dying
before medical aid could be summon
ed Monroe was in his 43rd year.
His wife and two children, one and
six years old, respectively, survive
him.
The death of Monroe marks the
passing of another wonderful scrap
per. In the heyday of his career he
b was recognized as one of the best
bantamweights in the country al
though he never held a champion
ship. He fought in New Haven on
several occasions, his last bout here
being with Casper Leon at Music
Hall, whom he decisively defeated in
Is rounds The older fan will recall
how the clever Monroe TODD off and
outgeneraled and outboxed the tall,
wiry, and more experienced Leon
after breaking his hand early in the
battle.
Perhaps Monroe's most notable
scraps were those with Terrible Terry
McGovern, whom he outlived by only
a few weeks. Monroe engaged In
three battles with the lamented
Terry, holding him to 20-round
draw on one occasion and being
knocked out twice afterwards. Mon
roe always gave McGovern credit TON
being the greatest fighting machine
that ever crawled through the ropes
and was steadfast in his opinion that
that latter was his only obstacle
towards the championship. Monroe
fought the best men in his class dur
ing the early '9Os and as far as can
be ascertained, McGovern was the
only man that ever scored decisive
victories over him. Monroe also
fought Austin Rice, one of the grand
old veterans of the fight game, and
defeated him.
Monroe was one of the cleverest
boxers in the game during his time.
He could also assimilate a whole lot
of punishment, but there were very
few, if any, rivals who managed to
cut him up at all. Monroe always
gloried in the fact that he got out OF
the game without a mark and his
appearance strengthened that point.
The only criticism that could be found
with Monroe's boxing was his lack
of fighting spirit. He seldom chose
to assume the offensive, but after be-
ing stung once or twice he usually
set a pace that upset many good
fighter.
Monroe was the type of a man that
was a credit to the sport. He was
clean-cut, a man of few words and
one who usually adhered to strict
training rules. He was also recognize
ed one of the handsomest boxers of
his time while his girlish voice was
also a matter of much comment. He
was known to many fans as the sill
ver-haired boxer as his hair became
grey at an early age. His last ap-
pearance in the ring was in Madison
Square Garden, about % years ago
when he appeared in the preliminary
to the Fitzsimmons-Ruhlin bout.
There are several conflicting stories
told about Monroe's ring earnings
Some people say that he earned about
$4,000 during his career, but this
has never been substantiated. 1t is
known, however, that he lived a lux
urious Mfe after his last knockout e
the hands of McGovern, and THAI he
squandered fortune. His estate con.
sists only of his personal effects.
Monroe was chief second to Jacl
Johnson in that memorable scrap with
Jess Willard at Havana three year.
ago. Right up to the time of hi
death he maintained that the figh
was not fought on its merits, and tina
the colored man had deliberately laiC
down to the present champion. Mon
roe, however, argued that he he wa
not notified before hand that the bou
was to be frame.
After the Havana affair he removed
to England where he opened a box
ing school. The war forced him on
of business, and he came back t.
this country, opening up anothe
school at Atlanta. He RENAME,
there for several months, and thel
took up his residence in New Haven
At the time of his death he con
Quoted weekly classes at the Arena
AAC dAoO OhACAdbCN ISlcI60 III severe
important bouts, and was to hav
been the third man in the ring at tn
Riverside show at the Arena mex
Monday night.
His real name was George JosepI
. Cooney, but early in his ring caree
he assumed the nom de plume c
Monroe and it always stuck to him.
Monroe was very popular anon
the boxing element of New Haver
and also this city. He and Die
Howell of this city, dean of Connect
cut fistic writer's, were old tim
friends. He acted as manager :
Billy Fitzsimmons featherweigf
star, and also loked after the affair
of his younger brother Nick, VIII
has the makings of one of the be:
young scrappers in the East.
Monroe's death adds another nam
to the long list of departed ring he
roes who have been claimed b
Father Time during the past yea
Most prominent of those who hay
died are John L. Sullivan, Mike Dor
ovan, Les Darcy, Terry McGover,
Bob Fftzslmmons and Charlie
Mitchell, all of whom were war;
personal friends of Monroe's.