Tom Sharkey

Thomas "Sailor Tom" Sharkey (November 26, 1873 – April 17, 1953)Template:Efn was an Irish professional boxer who laid claim to the world heavyweight title by defeating Bob Fitzsimmons on December 2, 1896 in a highly controversial fight.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Sharkey's recorded ring career spanned from 1893 to 1904. He is credited with having won 37 fights (with 34 KOs), 9 losses, 6 draws, and 2 no contests. In 1953, Sharkey was named in Ring MagazineTemplate:'s list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He is notable for his bouts with heavyweight champions James J. Jeffries, "Gentelman Jim" Corbett, and Bob Fitzsimmons, fighting them each twice.

Early life

Template:Unreferencedsection Sharkey was born in Dundalk, Ireland on November 26, 1873Template:Efn. His story began when he ran away from home and went to sea as a cabin boy. In 1892, Sharkey landed in New York City and joined the United States Navy. He was eventually deployed to Hawaii where he began his pro fighting career.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Professional career

Standing Template:Convert tall, Sharkey had unusually broad shoulders for a man of his height, and sported a tattoo of a star and battleship on his chest. In 1900, he also acquired a large cauliflower ear, courtesy of a brawl with Template:Ill, that added to his persona.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sharkey won his first professional bout against British Navy heavyweight champion Jack Gardner, who he knocked out in the fourth round on St. Patrick's Day 1893.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1896, he met his first real challenge when he went the distance with hall of famer Joe Choynski, who later knocked out legendary heavyweight Jack Johnson in an eight-round match, and claimed victory after eight rough rounds.<ref name=":0" /> Sharkey followed that fight up by challenging "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. The two met and the fight was ruled a draw after four rounds due to police interference.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sharkey vs. Fitzsimmons

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File:Christian Endeavor Convention Hall, Mechanics' Pavilion, July, 1897, San Francisco, from Robert N. Dennis collection of stereoscopic views.jpg

Interior of the Mechanics Pavilion, San Francisco, in 1897

On December 2, 1896, the San Francisco Athletic Club sponsored a fight at the Mechanics' Pavilion in San Francisco between Bob Fitzsimmons and Sharkey. Unable to find a referee, at the last minute they called on former lawman Wyatt Earp. He had officiated 30 or so matches in earlier days, though not under the Marquess of Queensbury rules.<ref name=reilly>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The fight may have been the most anticipated fight on American soil that year. It had been billed for the heavyweight championship of the world, as it was thought that the champion, James J. Corbett had relinquished the crown.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Fitzsimmons was favored to win, and bets flowed heavily his way. Earp entered the ring still armed with his customary Colt .45 and drew a lot of attention when he had to be disarmed. He later said he forgot he was wearing it. Fitzsimmons was taller and quicker than Sharkey and dominated the fight from the opening bell. In the eighth round, Fitzsimmons hit Sharkey with his famed "solar plexus punch", an uppercut under the heart that could render a man temporarily helpless. The punch caught Sharkey, Earp, and most of the crowd by surprise, and Sharkey dropped, clutched his groin, and rolled on the canvas, screamed foul.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Earp stopped the bout, ruling that Fitzsimmons had hit Sharkey when he was down. His ruling was greeted with loud boos and catcalls.<ref name=rasmussen>Template:Cite news</ref> Earp based his decision on the Marquess of Queensberry rules, which state in part, "A man on one knee is considered down and if struck is entitled to the stakes." Very few witnessed the foul Earp ruled on. He awarded the decision to Sharkey, whom attendants carried out as "limp as a rag".<ref name=shillingberg>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Sharkey vs. Jeffries

File:Jeffries vs sharky.jpg

Sharkey (left) during his fight with Jeffries

Sharkey claimed the heavyweight title until Corbett resumed his fighting career, who was recognized as the champion until he was knocked out by Fitzsimmons in a title bout. Sharkey was involved in another controversial fight when he faced Corbett on November 22, 1898. In this bout, Sharkey manhandled the shifty and elusive Corbett. He threw him to the ground, hit him with hard punches to the body and head and seemed on the verge of victory when one of Corbett's seconds jumped into the ring in the ninth round. The referee disqualified Corbett and awarded the bout to Sharkey.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On January 10, 1899, Sharkey faced another ring legend, the tricky Kid McCoy. Sharkey knocked out McCoy in the tenth round thereby securing a shot at the heavyweight title then held by James J. Jeffries. The two had met previously, fighting a hotly contested 20-round slugfest on May 6, 1898. The decision went to Jeffries in a close fight.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nevertheless, Sharkey vowed to beat the Template:Convert burly Jeffries in the rematch.

The two fought a memorable twenty-five round bout on November 3, 1899, in Coney Island, New York. The match was the first championship fight filmed for motion pictures, and was the first indoor fight successfully filmed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The lights required for the filming were so hot that they burned the hair from the top of both fighters' heads.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sharkey took the early lead when he battered the larger Jeffries, but Jeffries gained control of the fight in the later rounds and the bout was awarded to him. During this fight, Sharkey suffered a broken nose and two broken ribs, and his left ear swelled to the size of a grapefruit.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Later life

After retiring from boxing, Sharkey operated a saloon and worked as a night watchman and security guard. In 1938, he entered Laguna Honda Hospital in San Francisco, according to newspaper accounts, desperately ill. He died there in 1953 and is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Thomas Sharkey headstone.JPG

Sharkey's headstone

Professional boxing record

All information in this section is derived from BoxRec,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> unless otherwise stated.

Official record

Template:BoxingRecordSummary All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.

Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
54	Loss	37–7–6 Template:Small	Jack Munroe	NWS	6	Feb 27, 1904	Template:Small
53	Template:No2Loss	37–7–6 Template:Small	Gus Ruhlin	TKO	11 (15)	Jun 25, 1902	Template:Small	Template:Small
52	Template:Abbr	37–6–6 Template:Small	Peter Maher	NC	3 (6)	Jan 17, 1902	Template:Small	Template:Small
51	Template:No2Loss	37–6–6 Template:Small	Mexican Pete Everett	DQ	2 (20)	May 7, 1901	Template:Small
50	Template:Yes2Win	37–5–6 Template:Small	Fred Russell	KO	4 (10)	May 3, 1901	Template:Small
49	Template:No2Loss	36–5–6 Template:Small	Bob Fitzsimmons	KO	2 (25), Template:Small	Aug 24, 1900	Template:Small
48	Template:No2Loss	36–4–6 Template:Small	Gus Ruhlin	TKO	15 (25)	Jun 26, 1900	Template:Small
47	Template:Yes2Win	36–3–6 Template:Small	Yank Kenny	KO	1 (25), Template:Small	Jun 8, 1900	Template:Small
46	Template:Yes2Win	35–3–6 Template:Small	Joe Choynski	TKO	3 (6)	May 8, 1900	Template:Small
45	Template:Yes2Win	34–3–6 Template:Small	Tom 'Stockings' Conroy	KO	3 (10), Template:Small	Mar 29, 1900	Template:Small
44	Template:Yes2Win	33–3–6 Template:Small	Jack McCormick	KO	1 (20), Template:Small	Mar 15, 1900	Template:Small
43	Template:Yes2Win	32–3–6 Template:Small	Jim Jeffords	KO	2 (10), Template:Small	Feb 19, 1900	Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	31–3–6 Template:Small	Joe Goddard	TKO	4 (6), Template:Small	Feb 13, 1900	Template:Small
41	Template:No2Loss	30–3–6 Template:Small	James J. Jeffries	PTS	25	Nov 3, 1899	Template:Small	Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	30–2–6 Template:Small	Jack McCormick	KO	2 (6)	Jan 30, 1899	Template:Small
39	Template:Yes2Win	29–2–6 Template:Small	Charles 'Kid' McCoy	KO	10 (20), Template:Small	Jan 10, 1899	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	28–2–6 Template:Small	James J. Corbett	DQ	9 (20)	Nov 22, 1898	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	27–2–6 Template:Small	Gus Ruhlin	KO	1 (25), Template:Small	Jun 29, 1898	Template:Small
36	Template:No2Loss	26–2–6 Template:Small	James J. Jeffries	PTS	20	May 6, 1898	Template:Small	Template:Small
35	Template:DrawDraw	26–1–6 Template:Small	Joe Choynski	PTS	8 (20)	Mar 11, 1898	Template:Small	Template:Small
34	Template:Yes2Win	26–1–5 Template:Small	Joe Goddard	KO	6 (20)	Nov 18, 1897	Template:Small	Template:Small
33	Template:Yes2Win	25–1–5 Template:Small	Punch Vaughn	KO	3 (?)	Aug 16, 1897	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	24–1–5 Template:Small	Tom Parks	KO	1 (?)	Aug 7, 1897	Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	23–1–5 Template:Small	Pat McCourt	KO	2 (?)	Jul 30, 1897	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	22–1–5 Template:Small	Joe Craig	KO	1 (?)	Jul 23, 1897	Template:Small
29	Template:DrawDraw	21–1–5 Template:Small	Peter Maher	PTS	7	Jun 9, 1897	Template:Small
28	Template:DrawDraw	21–1–4 Template:Small	Jim Williams	PTS	8	Apr 5, 1897	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	21–1–3 Template:Small	Bob Fitzsimmons	DQ	8 (10)	Dec 2, 1896	Template:Small	Template:Small
26	Loss	20–1–3 Template:Small	Reddy Gallagher	NWS	4	Oct 1, 1896	Template:Small
25	Template:DrawDraw	20–1–3 Template:Small	James J. Corbett	PTS	4	Jun 24, 1896	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	20–1–2 Template:Small	Jim Williams	TKO	7 (10)	Jun 3, 1896	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	19–1–2 Template:Small	Joe Choynski	PTS	8	Apr 16, 1896	Template:Small
22	Template:Yes2Win	18–1–2 Template:Small	'Sailor' Charles Brown	KO	1 (?)	Apr 7, 1896	Template:Small
21	Template:DrawDraw	17–1–2 Template:Small	Alec Greggains	PTS	8	Mar 12, 1896	Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	17–1–1 Template:Small	John Miller	TKO	9 (?)	Nov 7, 1895	Template:Small
19	Template:Yes2Win	16–1–1 Template:Small	William Dunn	KO	1 (?), Template:Small	Aug 17, 1895	Template:Small
18	Template:Yes2Win	15–1–1 Template:Small	Australian Billy Smith	TKO	7 (20)	Jul 25, 1895	Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	14–1–1 Template:Small	Martin Mulverhill	KO	20 (?)	Oct 20, 1894	Template:Small
16	Template:Yes2Win	13–1–1 Template:Small	Sailor Charles Brown	KO	1 (?)	Aug 21, 1894	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	12–1–1 Template:Small	Jack Marks	KO	1 (?)	Aug 11, 1894	Template:Small
14	Template:Yes2Win	11–1–1 Template:Small	Rough Thompson	KO	4 (?)	Aug 4, 1894	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	10–1–1 Template:Small	Jack McAuley	KO	1 (?)	Jul 18, 1894	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	9–1–1 Template:Small	Billy Tate	KO	2 (?)	Jul 18, 1894	Template:Small
11	Template:Abbr	8–1–1 Template:Small	Nick Burley	ND	3	Jun 21, 1894	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	8–1–1	Jack Langley	KO	8 (?)	Jun 20, 1894	Template:Small
9	Template:DrawDraw	7–1–1	Nick Burley	PTS	9 (8)	May 24, 1894	Template:Small	Template:Small
8	Template:Yes2Win	7–1	Rough Thompson	KO	2 (?)	May 14, 1894	Template:Small
7	Template:No2Loss	6–1	George Washington	KO	? (?)	Feb 7, 1894	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	6–0	Jim Barrington	KO	1 (?)	Sep 10, 1893	Template:Small
5	Template:Yes2Win	5–0	John Walsh	KO	2 (?)	Aug 21, 1893	Template:Small
4	Template:Yes2Win	4–0	Jim Harvey	KO	2 (?)	May 27, 1893	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	Jack Langley	KO	4 (?)	May 3, 1893	Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	J. Pickett	KO	2 (?)	Apr 7, 1893	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Jack Gardner	KO	4 (?)	Mar 17, 1893	Template:Small

Unofficial record

Template:BoxingRecordSummary Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column.

Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
54	Template:No2Loss	37–9–6 Template:Small	Jack Munroe	NWS	6	Feb 27, 1904	Template:Small
53	Template:No2Loss	37–8–6 Template:Small	Gus Ruhlin	TKO	11 (15)	Jun 25, 1902	Template:Small	Template:Small
52	Template:Abbr	37–7–6 Template:Small	Peter Maher	NC	3 (6)	Jan 17, 1902	Template:Small	Template:Small
51	Template:No2Loss	37–7–6 Template:Small	Mexican Pete Everett	DQ	2 (20)	May 7, 1901	Template:Small
50	Template:Yes2Win	37–6–6 Template:Small	Fred Russell	KO	4 (10)	May 3, 1901	Template:Small
49	Template:No2Loss	36–6–6 Template:Small	Bob Fitzsimmons	KO	2 (25), Template:Small	Aug 24, 1900	Template:Small
48	Template:No2Loss	36–5–6 Template:Small	Gus Ruhlin	TKO	15 (25)	Jun 26, 1900	Template:Small
47	Template:Yes2Win	36–4–6 Template:Small	Yank Kenny	KO	1 (25), Template:Small	Jun 8, 1900	Template:Small
46	Template:Yes2Win	35–4–6 Template:Small	Joe Choynski	TKO	3 (6)	May 8, 1900	Template:Small
45	Template:Yes2Win	34–4–6 Template:Small	Tom 'Stockings' Conroy	KO	3 (10), Template:Small	Mar 29, 1900	Template:Small
44	Template:Yes2Win	33–4–6 Template:Small	Jack McCormick	KO	1 (20), Template:Small	Mar 15, 1900	Template:Small
43	Template:Yes2Win	32–4–6 Template:Small	Jim Jeffords	KO	2 (10), Template:Small	Feb 19, 1900	Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	31–4–6 Template:Small	Joe Goddard	TKO	4 (6), Template:Small	Feb 13, 1900	Template:Small
41	Template:No2Loss	30–4–6 Template:Small	James J. Jeffries	PTS	25	Nov 3, 1899	Template:Small	Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	30–3–6 Template:Small	Jack McCormick	KO	2 (6)	Jan 30, 1899	Template:Small
39	Template:Yes2Win	29–3–6 Template:Small	Charles 'Kid' McCoy	KO	10 (20), Template:Small	Jan 10, 1899	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	28–3–6 Template:Small	James J. Corbett	DQ	9 (20)	Nov 22, 1898	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	27–3–6 Template:Small	Gus Ruhlin	KO	1 (25), Template:Small	Jun 29, 1898	Template:Small
36	Template:No2Loss	26–3–6 Template:Small	James J. Jeffries	PTS	20	May 6, 1898	Template:Small	Template:Small
35	Template:DrawDraw	26–2–6 Template:Small	Joe Choynski	PTS	8 (20)	Mar 11, 1898	Template:Small	Template:Small
34	Template:Yes2Win	26–2–5 Template:Small	Joe Goddard	KO	6 (20)	Nov 18, 1897	Template:Small	Template:Small
33	Template:Yes2Win	25–2–5 Template:Small	Punch Vaughn	KO	3 (?)	Aug 16, 1897	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	24–2–5 Template:Small	Tom Parks	KO	1 (?)	Aug 7, 1897	Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	23–2–5 Template:Small	Pat McCourt	KO	2 (?)	Jul 30, 1897	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	22–2–5 Template:Small	Joe Craig	KO	1 (?)	Jul 23, 1897	Template:Small
29	Template:DrawDraw	21–2–5 Template:Small	Peter Maher	PTS	7	Jun 9, 1897	Template:Small
28	Template:DrawDraw	21–2–4 Template:Small	Jim Williams	PTS	8	Apr 5, 1897	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	21–2–3 Template:Small	Bob Fitzsimmons	DQ	8 (10)	Dec 2, 1896	Template:Small	Template:Small
26	Template:No2Loss	20–2–3 Template:Small	Reddy Gallagher	NWS	4	Oct 1, 1896	Template:Small
25	Template:DrawDraw	20–1–3 Template:Small	James J. Corbett	PTS	4	Jun 24, 1896	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	20–1–2 Template:Small	Jim Williams	TKO	7 (10)	Jun 3, 1896	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	19–1–2 Template:Small	Joe Choynski	PTS	8	Apr 16, 1896	Template:Small
22	Template:Yes2Win	18–1–2 Template:Small	'Sailor' Charles Brown	KO	1 (?)	Apr 7, 1896	Template:Small
21	Template:DrawDraw	17–1–2 Template:Small	Alec Greggains	PTS	8	Mar 12, 1896	Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	17–1–1 Template:Small	John Miller	TKO	9 (?)	Nov 7, 1895	Template:Small
19	Template:Yes2Win	16–1–1 Template:Small	William Dunn	KO	1 (?), Template:Small	Aug 17, 1895	Template:Small
18	Template:Yes2Win	15–1–1 Template:Small	Australian Billy Smith	TKO	7 (20)	Jul 25, 1895	Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	14–1–1 Template:Small	Martin Mulverhill	KO	20 (?)	Oct 20, 1894	Template:Small
16	Template:Yes2Win	13–1–1 Template:Small	Sailor Charles Brown	KO	1 (?)	Aug 21, 1894	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	12–1–1 Template:Small	Jack Marks	KO	1 (?)	Aug 11, 1894	Template:Small
14	Template:Yes2Win	11–1–1 Template:Small	Rough Thompson	KO	4 (?)	Aug 4, 1894	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	10–1–1 Template:Small	Jack McAuley	KO	1 (?)	Jul 18, 1894	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	9–1–1 Template:Small	Billy Tate	KO	2 (?)	Jul 18, 1894	Template:Small
11	Template:Abbr	8–1–1 Template:Small	Nick Burley	ND	3	Jun 21, 1894	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	8–1–1	Jack Langley	KO	8 (?)	Jun 20, 1894	Template:Small
9	Template:DrawDraw	7–1–1	Nick Burley	PTS	9 (8)	May 24, 1894	Template:Small	Template:Small
8	Template:Yes2Win	7–1	Rough Thompson	KO	2 (?)	May 14, 1894	Template:Small
7	Template:No2Loss	6–1	George Washington	KO	? (?)	Feb 7, 1894	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	6–0	Jim Barrington	KO	1 (?)	Sep 10, 1893	Template:Small
5	Template:Yes2Win	5–0	John Walsh	KO	2 (?)	Aug 21, 1893	Template:Small
4	Template:Yes2Win	4–0	Jim Harvey	KO	2 (?)	May 27, 1893	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	Jack Langley	KO	4 (?)	May 3, 1893	Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	J. Pickett	KO	2 (?)	Apr 7, 1893	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Jack Gardner	KO	4 (?)	Mar 17, 1893	Template:Small

External links

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