Sullivan fight of the week Sullivan McCormick

I believe this fight was dubious if memory serves me.

 

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Sulivan was McCormick's second for the Ruhlin fight.

 

Just goes to show that a bit of research can go a long way to adding context. It would be nice if you kept this going on a weekly basis. Keep up the good work!

 

1905-03-02 The Grand Rapids Herald (Grand Rapids, MI) (page 10)
SULLIVAN KNOCKS OUT J. M'CORMICK
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PUTS TEXAN TO SLEEP IN SECOND ROUND
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PLANS RIGHT TO THE HEAD
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John L. Enters Ring Weighing 273 Pounds and Yet Shows Considerable Speed--McCormick Hero of 22 Contests.
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John L. Sullivan, former champion heavyweight pugilist of America, put Jack McCormick of Galveston, Tex., to sleep with a straight right to the jaw in what was to have been a four-round boxing contest at Smith's opera house last night.

Sullivan rushed matters from the start and the men mixed it in great style. In the first round the blows were even, but McCormick went to his corner in slight pain. In the second Sullivan went after McCormick, and after about 10 seconds of fighting landed one under the ear which did the business. It took about 10 minutes for McCormick to recover.

McCormick is the hero of 22 battles, having lost but one. He started in the fighting business in 1899. Among his victories were the defeats of Billy Stift in two rounds and of Sandy Ferguson, the colored fighter, who, it is said, Jeffries refused to meet. McCormick arrived in the city yesterday afternoon after making close connections at Chicago. He was at Hot Springs, Ark., training for a fight with Kid McCoy, which was to have taken place Friday night, but dropped training to come here to meet Sullivan. McCormick weighed 196 and Sullivan 273.

 

I have read sources that it was an altogether different James McCormick, one not from Texas.

Tho Pollack says it was Texas McCormick. Ill dig uup my source in the coming days.

 

If we accept that Texas McCormick was Sullivan's sparring partner after this, here's a quote from 1905-03-03 The Grand Rapids Herald (page 10):

Sullivan and McCormack went three rounds last night at Smith's theater. The old gladiator was able to deliver some stiff punches, but he could not lay his man out as he did the previous evening.
McCormack, who hereafter will act as Sullivan's sparring partner, was asked last evening what chance he thought John L. would have with the present day fighters.

 

As you of course know, Ferguson was not black and, according to most sources he beat McCormick on a foul. McCormick had also lost fights to :
Tom Stocking Conroy .DQ
Mike Dummy Rowan.DQ
Fred Russell.KO
Jack Johnson .DQ
"Reported in the Philadelphia Item. McCormick bit Ferguson, among other fouls.[Report in the Topeka State Journal claimed it was McCormick who was bitten and The NY Evening World said no decision was rendered."
No record of him fighting Kid McCoy
I can't find him fighting Billy Stift, either did he? Box Rec has McCormick as beginning his career in1900, so its possible he fought Stift earlier.

 

I think there was also some confusion with Jack McCormick from Philly.

 

I have never seen Texas McCormick mentioned as the opponent before, although a quick search reveals it may be possible. Anyway, here is a pretty good account of the fight.

http://fultonhistory.com/highlighte...lton%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf&openFirstHlPage=false

Actually, if you believe the above article, it could actually be this McCormick, who defeated Kid McCoy. this is all confusing. How many mccormicks were there in those days?

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/11607

 

I simply retyped the clipping I had.
McCormick early record was reported in
1900-02-27 The Morning Telegraph (New York, NY) (page 4)
http://fultonhistory.com/highlighte...lton%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf&openFirstHlPage=false

 

I understand that, as I said you obviously know Sandy Ferguson was white.

 

Maybe his biggest win under M of Q ... joking aside it is a feel good story .. the only question I have if it is the same Jim McCormick as I remember reading that he may be confused with another .. I think in Adam's book or in Strong Boy .. again, either way a feel good up there w 75 year old Dempsey and the muggers ..