Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-01-10

Nearly so years ago, In an open air
ring in front Of the grandstand al
the old Butte race track and in the
presence Of a crowd Of over 5000 per-
sons, was fought between Peter Me-
Coy, middleweight champion Of Ameri-
ca and Dune" Mcdonald Of Montana.
probably the greatest ring battle which
ever took place In the state.
This battle was fought with hard
gloves took two hours and 10 minutes
70 finish and was ended In the 31st
round when Mcdonald was knocked
out It was practically the first big
fight Mcdonald participated in in
Montana, but he was for years prom
inent in sporting affairs in the state
thereafter and his last appearance in
the ring was when he came from
Seattle to referee the Battling Ortego-
al Sommers fight held in the Shrine
temple in Helena.
At the time OF his fight with Nc
Coy Mcdonald was % years Of age,
6 feet in height and weighed 1924
pounds. He was a native of Nova SEQ
tia and had come to Butte a year
before from Salt Lake. where ne had
been a pupil Of Jack Waite and held
a cup as the best athlete and boxer
I in Salt Lake and one for being the
/ best catch-as-catch-can wrestler of the
/ Mormon metropolis.
/ Native of Ireland
Peter Mccoy. who held the middle
weight championship by default, was
a native of Ireland, q years of age,
feet 9 inches tall. and weighing las
pounds. He had II ring battles with
hard gloves to his credit, had whipped
Dickie HARDWOOD, 100 pounds, in three
rounds; had knocked out Charlie Clark.
middleweight champion of Massachu
sets in six rounds; had fought four
round draw with Jake Kilrain when
Kilrain weighed 100 pounds and Nc
Coy only $50; had whipped Mike DON
ovan, ex-champion middleweight OF
America, in four rounds, and had in (
turn been knocked out in seven rounds /
by Jimmy Riley, an l85-pounder Of /
Liverpool
It was while travelling through the /
west with the John L. Sullivan COM /
bination that Mccoy signed for fight /
in Butte with Mcdonald. The stakes
were $500 a side, the winner to receive (
90 percent of the gate receipts and
the loser 10 percent. The fight was
to go under the Marquis Of Queens
berry rules and was held in Butte on
Sunday, May l8, 1884.
When the time arrived for the fight,
the race track. The grandstand, the
roofs of all adjoining buildings, and
the ground Immediately around the
raised platform upon which the glad
iators we're to meet, were densely
packed with men. The police regula-
tons we're perfect. Ropes were
stretched about 10 feet from the plat
form, the space inside being occupied ]
BY the sheriff and his deputies, the
,ity marshal, city policemen and spe- {
;ial officers.
A little before 2 o'clock Frank Hayes, :
second. appeared upon the {
platform with McDonalds colors, stars {
md stripes, which he tied at his prin- {
.ipals corner. At o'clock Mccoy b
made his appearance, accompanied by
Dan Rice, his trainer; Jerry Mullin,
helper, and z. Burke, bottle holder. u
rs Mccoy stepped upon the platform i
he vast crowd made the air ring with
&ACCAC WAAAlAA COAAbA4hSA AQA oOAAAS SA4AA6s
aice tied McCoy's colors, a green sash,
o his corner. McCoy's corner faced
he sun and the champion raised a
arasol to shield his bare head from
IS rays.
At 2:25 Mcdonald, preceded by
rank Hayes, his trainer; Frank
Iwens, helper, and Bart Flowers, bot
e holder, put in his appearance. Again
he crowd broke into a wild yell and
lstily cheered the young Nova SEQ
an. At this point in the proceedings
heriff Irwin mounted the platform
nd addressed the aSsemblage. He
aid the officers were not there to
adorse prize fighting, and while these
0ntests were Of doubtful propriety.
aere was no law to prohibit friendly
leetings with gloves. But he proposed
lis one should be conducted in an
rderly manner.
All the preliminaries having been
,mpleted, N. b. Ringeling was then
greed upon as referee. T. E. Julian
npired for Mcdonald and Bill Mosby
the same office for Mccoy.
ommy Rogan and another were APP
,inted timekeepers. Time was called
Id the contestants stepped to the
inter- Of the ring, with their seconds,
Id shook hands. While In this posi- L.
1n the group was photographed by -
! enterprising travelling artist. Nc .
" offered to bet Mcdonald $500 on @aa
e result Of the fight but Mcdonald
Id he had no money and could not
Re the bet Time was called at 2:45.
cDonald Hits Canvas
In the first round Mccoy brought
st blood but he burst his right glove
d four minutes we're lost In provid-
3 him with another. In the second
ind Mcdonald was floored by Nc
y, and in the third he was put
the floor twice.