Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-05-02

1
was staged at the Coliseum, and It wa:
packed to the doors-the heavy betting
generating a "sellout." Officially the
match was a draw The decision was
one Of those raw" things that called
for booing. The crowd was sold on the
idea that Sullivan won. The match
went the limit, 20 rounds.
Most of the many bets, and there
were some that were stable, were made
that Sullivan would or would not stay
10 rounds
Sullivan Trained Hard
The proprietor Of saloon IN BIZ
the day he arrived in Billings The
liquid dispenser had lost money on Sid
LaFontise and Tommy McCune, kayo
victims Of McGoorty. Jack was doing
/ roadwork when a man driving fine
span Of horses drew up alongside and
asked if he were Sullivan from Butte.
Jack replied in the affirmative. The
man introduced himself. It was NC
DO you think you can lick Me-
Goorty?" was one of his questions.
yes think I can" replied Jack.
What makes you think SOP" asked
McNulken.
@T'm going to train hard for the
fight" said Jack, land I've won from
bllht EsAC1OO4Ny AOcS w.
IF you feel that way, SAID NC
AIulken, "Ill have good sized chunk
down on you, but I'll only bet that
you will stay 10 rounds"
Butte Men in Both Camps
George Kessler, former Butte ooxer,
was in Billings doing some work Tor
the Billings Light and Power Co. and
was touting Jack to defeat Eddie When
Kessler bet that Jack would win, that
was the signal to many fans to plank
down on Sullivan to stay at least half
the distance Charlie Norval Of Butte
was training McGoorty and Charlie,
when questioned, told all and sundry
that Sullivan was tough hombre. Guy
Stapleton, former county attorney OF
Silver Bow county, had just built the
Stapleton block, then the highest and
largest office building in Billings. He,
too, made a number of bets on Sulli-
van When the fight took place, Guy
was an adviser to Jack.
Incidentally, Frank and Bud" Lewis,
who operated the Luzon cafe, lost their
restaurant backing McGoorty to put
Jack away before 10 rounds. They later
opened a restaurant in the rear Of the
Exchange saloon. Billy Moore, who had
an interest in the Northern hotel bar,
lost that equity, betting on Eddie. He
moved to Cody, and for many years
was head bartender at the Irna hotel,
owned by Buffalo Bill. Colonel Cody
was fond of Moore and his ability back
of the bar The colonel would tell
crowd gathered around the bar that
Billy was the best mixologiSt In the
country. To embarrasS Moore, Cody
would tell his guests that Eddie Nc
Goorty was kind enough TO help Billy
decide to make Cody his home. When
ever Billy would hear McGoorty's name
mentioned he would stuff his ears.
For the first 10 rounds Jack would
jab and dodge, repeating the formula,
staying out Of harms way. McGoorty
couldn't get in any damaging blows,
Jack setting such fast pace that Ed
die never could get set for left hooks
or rights to jaw or body. None OF Jacks
blows carried much steam, but he was
doing all leading and hitting. Jack had
$500 on himself TO stay 10 rounds. When
that money was won, ne tore loose IN
the 18th and succeeding rounds. in
tent on putting Eddie away, or to gain
a decision.
Eddie did not win a round. Sullivan
was on top of him in the second half
of the fight McGoorty was forced to
take the defensive. Jack slammed Nc
Goorty all over the ring in the last
round. When the bell rang, Jack went
over to the referee to have his arm
raised aloft, but the official lifted NC
0OOA W 4l6AA0 AAd1AO % WCAAs NesN-N
roundly abused the referee, who, in de-
Tense, admitted that Jack had won the
last 10 rounds easily, but argued that
he thought Jack had conceded the first
10 rounds to his opponent, so he could
win his bet and those of his hackers.
The roar Of the crowd was favored
with the cheer of the Bronx. While Ed
die was popular, the crowd in all fair
ness thought that Jack won easily.
Jack was talking of Eddie the other
day and remarked that In his opinion
'McGoorty was a fraction Of a second
slow to being a champion" According
to Jack, Eddie owned a good left hook
left jab, uppercut right to the jaw
and body, but his delivery Of these
wallops was just slow enough to per-
init his opponent to cover up.
This McGoorty was quite a lad. At
the age of is, he won the Wisconsin
130-pound amateur title, winning three
bouts in one evening. He turned pro
at the age Of is. BY the time he had
reached his 18th milestone, Eddie was
a middleweight. In this division, he
met the best men Of his day. In 1910,
when Stanley Ketchel, middleweight
title holder, was killed, Billy Papke,
former champion, and Cyclone Johnny
Thompson both put in claims for the
crown. This pair moved into the light
heavy ranks toward the end of 1911
In 1912-13 there was a new host Of +
claimants, including McGoorty, Jack
Dillon, Jimmy Clabby, Frank Klaus,
George Chip. Mike Gibbons, Bob Mocha
and Hugo Kelly.
At that time, in some states where
boxing was legalized, decisions were
not allowed. During those years the |
records of many boxers were replete 1
with mo decision" listings, instead of I
wins or losses. McGoorty was always /
mentioned as one Of the best when /
sports writer's wrestled with the task 1
OF picking a newspaper middleweight |
champion. While Eddie fought in Butte (
only once, he was rated faces with /
local fans.
In 10000 the Oshkosh boy made Bill
lings his headquarters for a time. In |
that city he kayoed Tony McCune and /
Sid LaFontise. Later he took on SulIi- /
van and Tony Caponi, both bouts re-
sulting in 20-round draws Later he |
went TO Thermopolis, Wyo., to meet
Caponi, over the same distance, with /