He was an undefeated lineal champion, but I have not seen a thread about him here.

You first

 

IBHOF has this to say about him

One of the premiere lightweights of the 19th century, McAuliffe immigrated from Ireland to the United States at a young age, settling with his family in Maine.
He began fighting in 1884, during the bare knuckle era. In 1886, he captured the American lightweight title by knocking out Billy Frazier in the 17th round. A protege of Jack "The Nonpariel" Dempsey, McAuliffe claimed the vacant world title by stopping Canadian Harry Gilmore in 1887. That match set up a confrontation against English champion Jem Carney.

Fighting in the United States on November 16, 1887, McAuliffe and Carney battled to a 72-round draw. The bout ended controverially when American fans stormed the ring after McAuliffe was dropped for the third time in the fight. When order was restored, both pugilists exited claiming they were world champion.

In 1889, McAuliffe battled to a 64-round draw with Billy Myer but managed to defeat Myer in two subsequent bouts. The final Myer win came in New Orleans on the Carnival of Champions card held September 5, 6, and 7 in 1892. On that card, George Dixon retained his featherweight crown but John L. Sullivan lost the heavyweigh title to James J. Corbett.

McAuliffe beat Young Griffo in 1894, retired shortly after, made a comeback in 1896, and retired for good after his 1897 battle against Philadelphia Tommy Ryan

 

His record

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/mcaul.htm

 

Yay, Tracy added my correction to that page

A story from Fleischer's book about McAuliffe:


Always a reckless plunger, the lightweight champion immediately placed the $10,000 by which he was the richer for defeating Myer, in Dick Roche's hands, with instructions to bet the entire sum on Sullivan to whip Corbett.

Jack officiated as chief second for 'John L.' and in the early stages of that fateful encounter, pleaded continually with the Big Fellow, not to rush the agile youth from the Coast but stay back and make him lead to him. But Sullivan failed to heed McAuliffe's advice, fought in his usual headlong fashion, wore himself out, and when he virtually succumbed to sheer exhaustion, Corbett put on the finishing touches, annexing the heavyweight title in the twenty-first round.

Much downcast over 'John L.'s defeat, and plunged in additional gloom because he figured himself as virtually broke, McAuliffe sought out Dick Roche:

"Dick," said he, "I'm stoney, cleaned out. That ten thousand iron men I gave you to bet on 'John L.,' was my whole bankroll. You'll have to pay my way back to New York, unless you want me to bum it on a freight, or walk."

Dick Roche smiled, reached for his wallet, opened it, dug out a number of bills, and handed them to McAuliffe.

"You can pay your own trainfare," he said, laughing. "There's your ten thousand bucks, Jack. Maybe this will teach you a lesson not to trust your own judgment too much. You see, after you passed me the dough, I got to thinking, and went to have a chat with Corbett's handler, Billy Delaney. After I heard Billy's speil, I was convinced that Sullivan was going to lose. So I held out on you, Jack, and didn't bet the roll. I didn't want to see you flat, especially after the bully fight you put up, even if you did come close to giving me heart-failure with your slapdash, damfool ways of training."

 

good work Senya and Dempsey

 

Good article, senya. I enjoyed reading that.

McAuliffe was widely regarded as a P4P force of nature by a fair number of boxing experts back then.

 

I have apic in an old Boxing Illustrated somewhere ,it shows both men as old timers "recreating " their epic batlle for posterity.

 

I love hearing these old classic stories.

**** todays boxers suck ass.

 

Ok, ok. Here are a couple more. Fleischer wasn't the most scrupulous author where facts are concerned, but his stories are fun to read, indeed.


McAuliffe's monologue on his fight with Billy Frazier, Harvard University boxing instructor, always brought a laugh. Here is how he told it:

"Did you ever hear of a prospective opponent giving an undefeated champion $5 to kid him along and prevent him running out of a fight?

"It gave me a laugh, but it really happened. In the fall of 1886 I became my own manager because Billy Madden was too busy campaigning for Charlie Mitchell. I made a match with Billy Frazier, boxing instructor at Harvard University. I wired for Patsy Sheppard, a well-known sport and saloon keeper of Boston, whom I had never met before, to be my second.

"Arriving at Boston I went into Patsy's saloon to wait for him. I was cold and had eaten nothing since leaving New York, so I ordered two bottles of stout. They made me dizzy and I soon fell asleep with my head on the table. Patsy came in, took one look at me and said, 'I'll not second that drunk and I'm going out and put my money on the other fellow.'

"That put me in fine. I had no money as I thought I could get some from him. I went around to Dave Blanchard's gym on Washington Street to see Frazier train. It was then I had my first look at a punching bag, crude as the thing was. Frazier brought a bottle of tea along with him and sipped it at intervals. He busted the punching bag and that gave me a cue to have a little fun so I hollered, 'I'm not going through with this fight. He's too strong. I'll have none of him!'

"They all gathered around me trying to make me change my mind. Frazier then dug down into his pocket and handed me a five-dollar bill!

"I spent it all on steaks, I was so hungry.

"We met in a wholesale house's loft three days later. Frazier had a terrific uppercut, but nothing more than that. He was easy because I was cautious with him for about ten rounds and then stepped out and mowed him down in the 21st round.

"That night I learned something. I went back to Patsy's saloon and who did I find behind the bar with a mirror in his hand sorrowfully gazing at the bumps and welts on his face but Frazier. He was vain and I had marked him quite a bit."

" 'I don't mind the licking so much,' he remarked. 'You proved yourself the better man. But what will the boys at college say when they see this face of mine tomorrow?'

"Tell them it's the face of a pug and not of a college professor. They'll understand."

 

Some years ago I was in Indianapolis to cover a fight and at the local theatre, Jack McAuliffe was booked for a week's appearance. I was with Jack three nights in a row and each night he told several stories, some with a deep fight interest, others chuckfull of human interest and wound up his one man show with a bag punching exhibition and sparring. The story that impressed me most was his tale of the Thanksgiving Day turkey raid in which he and his pals, Dempsey and Skelly—the three Jacks, participated. Here was his story of the raid as I recorded it for my paper, the New York Press:

"It was a gay and festive Thanksgiving Eve some 38 years ago, when I happened to meet my old pals, Nonpareil Jack Dempsey and Jack Skelly, in Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn. We had grown up from boyhood in the old Fourteenth Ward, of Williamsburg, and had served our time together at the cooper's trade in Palmer's old shop. In those days we were almost inseparable and being strong, young and frisky, were always out for a lark.

"A heavy fall of snow had taken place and the sleigh bells were ringing joyfully up and down the popular thoroughfare, while the small kids blew their big tin horns to make the pleasant scene more like a real holiday eve.

" 'What's on tonight, boys ?' asked Dempsey, as he drew forth a roll of bills from his pocket.

" 'You're on, Jack,' answered Skelly with a broad smile. 'After that flash of dough we elect you master of ceremonies.'

"Well, we three fistic Jacks held a consultation as to whether we should take in a show, attend a mask ball, hire a sleigh and drive down to Coney Island or over to New York and see a boxing exhibition at Tammany Hall. Skelly suggested attending the ball of the Larry Carroll Association. I thought a good vaudeville show was the best but Dempsey turned to us and said with glee in his eyes:

" 'No, boys, cut all that stuff out. John Shanley is having a big turkey raffle down at his store. We'll go there and try to win a few turkeys for our poor friends. We can have a lot of sport and perhaps do some hungry people some good, if we're lucky.'

"We quickly agreed to this proposition, and were soon before Shanley's lively bar, mingling with a host of good fellows who were rattling away with the dice boxes. John, by the way, was Dempsey's first backer when the great Nonpareil fought and defeated Ed McDonald. For years afterward Shanley was always with Dempsey in all his important battles, and never missed a chance to put his coin down on him.

"Of course we got a merry welcome from the bunch at Shanley's, for we were known as the three fighting Jacks and were very popular in our old hunting ground. Dempsey was especially so, as he had won a great skin-glove battle, defeating Jack Fogarty in a hard mill only a few nights before. This victory made him a hero.

"In those days I never knew the taste of any kind of intoxicating beverages, and I don't believe Dempsey did, either. So we had our wits about us, and coupled with a stretch of good luck, Dempsey, Skelly and myself soon won a couple of fine turkeys each.

" 'Grab your turkeys, boys, and let's be off,' said Dempsey, as he slung the birds over his shoulder.

" 'Come, have another drink before you go. What's your hurry?' asked Dan Gallagher.

" 'No more now,' answered the gallant Dempsey. 'We'll be back in half an hour to throw dice for some others.'

"The Nonpareil was soon hurrying down North First Street with our turkeys close at his heels.

" 'Now there's a lot of poor devils down this way who have no Thanksgiving turkey to eat tomorrow. Let us surprise them, pals,' said the charitable Dempsey as he ran up the low stoop of a shabby tenement house.

" 'All right, a grand idea,' answered Skelly, as we followed our leader.

" 'Here's Widow Murphy with five little kids, on the first floor. I'll knock at her door,' said Dempsey, as he pounded with his right at the door in the back of the dark hall.

"'Howly murther, who are ye?' asked poor Mrs. Murphy, as she carefully half opened her door, rather frightened.

" 'Here's a Thanksgiving turkey for you, Mrs. Murphy, with the compliments of the three Jacks,' quickly answered my old chum with a laugh.

" 'May the Lord bless ye, me boys. I was praying to the Almighty this very minute that he might send the children something good for tomorrow. God bless ye again, me boys.'

"It was about the same sad story at every door we knocked at, and left a turkey. It didn't take many minutes to give away the six big fowls, and, at Dempsey's suggestion, we were soon back at Shanley's mixing up with the dice throwers again.

"Dempsey was a quick-witted fellow, and he soon discovered that his friend Shanley was marking the names of the winner on tags attached to each turkey, after which they were placed in a big refrigerator in a large room back of the regular bar for safe- keeping, so that owners might have their birds in good condition when they started in the wee small hours for home. A bright idea struck the Nonpareil, and he called McAuliffe and myself aside, and in a whisper said:

" 'These fellows have about thirty turkeys stored away in that big ice box in the backroom. Now, they are all well fixed and can afford to buy turks if it comes to a pinch. I'll get to the refrigerator and hand the turks out to you two. Take them out the side hall and give them away to the poor creatures who need a good dinner. You understand ?'

"Of course, we understood and we were soon on the job. In an hour's time there wasn't a turkey left in the refrigerator, but it was a couple of hours before the loss was discovered. Wow! Wow! Wow! but there was an infernal uproar. Even genial John Shanley was up in the air, for he said "it was the slickest trick he ever heard of," and he wanted to send around for Police Captain Martin Short and have the reserves called out. Dempsey, McAuliffe and myself could not help laughing at the storm of indignation. Finally Dempsey stepped to the front and explained the desperate robbery about as follows:

" 'Now, boys, let me explain matters. You all know tomorrow is Thanksgiving day and right here in this neighborhood there are many worthy poor souls who cannot raise the price of a good dinner. So McAuliffe, Skelly and myself gave to some of these poor creatures the six turkeys we won. But six turkeys will not feed many, so we came back and took the others and gave them to those who were greatly in need. Of course, I'm to blame for this mean trick, but if there's any man who claims pay for their turkeys I will give each man a fair price out of my own pocket.'

" 'No No! That's all right, Jack,' cried almost every one present, except a husky big six footer, named Hall, who worked in Havemeyer's sugar house. He said he had two turkeys in the refrigerator and demanded that the Nonpareil give him ten dollars for his. There was a stiff argument over the price and Dempsey offered him a five dollar note, but Hall insisted upon the ten spot. Finally Hall threatened to wipe the floor with the Nonpareil.

" 'I'll tell you what I'll do with you, Hall,' said Dempsey, getting warmed up. T'll fight you right here in the backroom for the two turkeys and twenty-five dollars a side.'

"This greatly pleased the gathering of dyed-in-the-wool fight fans for they were always delighted to witness a good mill, and believe me they were all properly tuned up for a bout that festive Thanksgiving eve. Most of Dempsey's friends present, and especially Shanley, were a bit afraid that the husky sugar man was too big and heavy for the Nonpareil.

"Shanley was always well supplied with boxing gloves, and a pair was quickly selected. The backroom was cleared of tables and chairs, and the contestants were soon in their shirt sleeves in the middle of the room. A referee and two timekeepers were selected and time was called.

"Hall towered above Dempsey, who looked like a mere boy along- side of the sugar house giant, but he was quick as a cat and in the first round he had his opponent bleeding from the mouth and nose. Hall made desperate lunges at Jack, but missed every time.

"In the second round Dempsey continued to dance around Hall, poking him every once in a while with his wonderful left. Then he started to kid the giant and soon got his goat. At the end of this round, the big fellow was puffing like a steam engine in distress.

"But what's the use of describing each round, it was a farce and burlesque as far as Hall was concerned, and he quit cold in the fourth session, declaring the Nonpareil was a wizard. I afterward learned that Hall was the bully of the sugar house and was held in holy terror by his fellow workers.

" 'Come and take a drink on me, Hall,' said Dempsey to the giant after the latter had washed up and got himself together. 'Here's your twenty-five dollars, take it home to your family and learn that charity covers a multitude of sins. Let us drink to a plentiful Thanksgiving, boys!'

"The highest exercise of charity is charity toward the uncharitable."

 

Jack McAuliffe beats up a drunk and is fined a dollar.

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