The early career of Sam McVey

Jack Johnson is often given a bad wrap because of the inexperience of McVey when they fought. So i thought i might look at some of his earlier fights. Here is one from his battle with Toothpick Kelly, who was a top contender and a superheavyweight even by modern standards. Note that McVey had been in good form leading up to this bout.


Oxnard Courier


MAKES ANOTHER STEP Toward Championship in De- feating Kelley After four rounds of heavy Sam McVey of defeated pick Kelly the pound wonder of San Francisco in Los Angeles Tuesday A number ot nard enthusiasts attended tbe and brought more back with them than they The Los Angeles Herald says Uie following among other things con- the learned professions many are but few are So wrote George A tie many years in describing the defeat of a coming and last night tbe much touted Kelly gave a living exemplification of the truth of the A wallop in the pit of the stomach from tbe right glove of Sam did the and no questions It came about the middle of the fourth round after the heavyweight ment ever seea and Kelly's seconds bad their bands full bringing the huge fellow back to com tor table breathing tbe made good everything ever said about him ami displayed a right that is legai tender for the goods any time it He dropped tbe big fellow clean in the second round with a right hook to the and shoved two or three ol the same sort to ribs during tbe The negro kept his head well and took advantage of every while tbe bigger man swung very wild and was a great disappointment to those who bad expected to see a The straight left which he was credited with to was mainly con- by its and the only redeeming feature of bis fighting was the speed and willingness with which he set tbe pace at the

 

here is one referring to a fight on 15 May with Frank Fields (or so it seems). It isnt to clear on who fields is, but he seems to have been training hard, if nothing else. This looks like a good win for Sam.

Oxnard Courier.

ARE READY TO ENTER THE RING Frank Fields who will box 20 rounds in Pioneer hall on May are both in Thompson having arrived from Wan Francisco on and are ing careful Thompson is completing his training with his old He from an eight to ten mile spin in the morning and in the afternoon is in the in the Bice where he puts in two hours bag rope hand ball playing and boxing with Kufus winding up with a fust Frank Fields is largely the same course of training and bas been working steadily in the gymnasium every afternoon for the past two weeks with Jack He is in ex- good form and seems con- of putting up the best exhibition he has ever yet He will box fifteen rounds with Sam McVey on the 25th. Rufus Thompson of who is an exceptionally fast light heavy issues a challenge to meet auy in Southern California in his Another interesting feature to nard sportsmen is in a letter which T. trainer of Jack has stating that he will O'Brien at the ring side in Oxnard on May 31st and will issue a challenge to the winner of the Thornpson

 

This one is from the Oxnard courier on 29 march 1902. It is a very intersting preview of McVey v George Sullivan who is portayed as a good fighter and which is listed as McVey's debut fight on CBZ. Unfortunately the scan misses some of the important points, but it seems to me that this article has McVey having already scored 8 wins or perhaps that is KOs, i am not sure, and possibly 2 losses or that could even be 2 draws or NDs, i am not sure. Anyway, very, very interesting i would have thought.



ANOTHER GLOVE CONTEST AHEAD Arrangements have been completed for a glove contest at the Auditorium Saturday April 12th, under tbe auspices of the Oxnard Athletic club The principal event ia a 20- rouud heavyweight contest between Sam McVey of and Hvan of Los Both men are to enter the ring weighing 200 This contest is for 50 per cent of the gate receipts and a side bet of McVey is a colored who has been employed for several in Roche Hvery He has a trainer here from Los and is a handy boxer for a man of bis tremendous McVey lias been iu eight out and out victories and two Sullivan is and has a reputation as a boxer with a good record of He is training in Santa Prior to the main event a 6 round middleweight go will be held between E of Santa Paula atd Jack McClosky of Los is bicycle man of Santa and this is his first appearance as a although he is said to have been a very clever Tom Massey ia at Santa Paula training Closky has bad several contests in which he has proved although in none has he been iu In this bout be expects to show what's in

 

here is the fight report from the same paper. Note that McVey is the main event, not the preliminary. Not likely to happen for a fighter on debut.


ANOTHER BOWLING ALLEY THE BOXING CONTEST McVey of Oxnard Defeated Sullivan in the Sixth OD Saturday night in tbe Masonic Auditorium was held the boxing con test previously the cipal go being between tbe heavy McVey of Oxnard and van of Los Tbf former won in the sixth round and seemed to have everything his own way as far as a finish although hin opponent was the more clever of the two men The preliminary go was of greater interest than tbe main and was for six rounds between of and Rankia of SantH After some clever work by both the decision awarded to by Frank

 

I hope some of you guys are enjoying these articles even though they are hard to read. This one is absolutely massive, and I dare say that Mcvey and/or Mendoza might have some interest in it. If i have read this correctly, Sam McVey in preparation for his fight with Jack McCall (who was described as aussie fighter who was KOd in 9 rounds by Joe Walcott), it is mentioned that McVey sparred with the best boxers in the world, including preparing Tom Sharkey for his fight with Jeffries. And Sharkey was unable to knock him down!

COMING BOXING CONTESTS IN CITY PLEASANT PARTY AT HEARTS mm OF GENERAL INTEREST S. McVoy of and Mr. McCall of Australia will box on June 19 iu Pioneer last victory was over Kelley of Ban Francisco iu six rounds and a year ago he lost to Joe Walcott iu 9 He will enter the ring weighing 173 ers are well known to men weights over 200 pounds and is in first class If he wins the present fight hewill be matched Woods or Ben well known McVey has with some of the fastest pugilists in the country although some of backers had not know it until He boxed with Torn Sharkey ing all of his training before his fight with Jefferies and the heavy sailor waa never at any time able to put him

 

here is the lead up to what was billed as the biggest sporting event in Oxnard's history. McVey v Russell


A FISTIC CARNIVAL McVey and Russell to Don the The sports of will be pleased to learn that another great fight is on for November 1. Tbe champion of the last Sam will euter the ring against Fred a Los Angeles heavy Tbe last tight an exciting and the mill to be pulled olf OD Nov. 1. promises to be eveu more interesting to who enjoy the manly art. Jack the man defeated uy and be iip a powerful The to be for will be GO percent of gate receipts and a 5200 side McVey is to be trained by Hank He is feet il in and weighs iHO pound Russel is 0 feet 4 inches in and weighs 215 It is that Russell may train at Tbe winner of this fight will ably later enter the ring against Jack champion of tbe Johnson and tbe colored champion of Harry the man wl o referred tbe contest here early tbi's month and one of tbe best judges of fistic prowess in the said of McVey in the Los Angeles county sports bare in their Sam a of whom they can well be proud and one wbo in the near future will make any heavy weight There is no one at present in the Queensberry garue wbo is possessed of a better physique than in weight 210 pounds and hard as with DO bad habits and his twenty-first birthday yet to greet tbe lad will make many an ambitious knight of the manly art retire to tbe extreme rear and be It is now up to big Fred Russell to make good bis promise given to Manager Roche of tbe Oxnard Athletic and sign articles to meet the beet country The if will create endless discussion as to tbe respective merits of both

 

Here is the fight report of McVey vs Russell. Difficult to read in important parts again, but it certainly seems quite clear that McVey had a career, before he arrived in Oxnard.


McVEY IS CHAMPION Oxnard Man Puts Russell Out in Five Rounds a terrific right band book on tbe jaw heavyweight pion put big Fred Russell to sleep at the auditorium Saturday night in five fast and put himself right in line for great laurels in the manly art. The round which had been well drew a full There were no vacancies except in the The crowd was good munched peanuts aud took occasional pulls at flat while waiting for the show to Several good wagers were contracted before tbc main and Russell appeared towering nearly six inches over bis a call for 6-1UU to 3200 Russell money found a ready Tbe preliminary was a young fellow working at tbe factory was too much for Frank oi lil They each other for live wbeu after a love tap ou the got feet aud lay down long enough to tye counted Frank Fields A cheer greeted both the big fellows when they but the crowd with It good for him when tbe men were but as soon as tbe work began he showed that be was the better He was were clever aud He outclassed Russell and won on his McVey was in prime and trained to the hour ly Hank himself a dangerous man iu the The fight opened both men sparring for an Russell took the which is just the kind of a fight McVey The first two rounds were but the third was clearly McVey Russell retiring to his corner with a bum Russell poor condition iu the sparing for clinching and bearing down cm bis smaller Russell in tbe clinches from the but McVey bided his oj the fifth with a there were a few the opportunity McVey had been looking for came and with a right lie lauded on Russell's putting him down and o it. MATCH The was by Harry of Lost Angeles whu exceed popular a- an im par tint and He and are quoted a between 3U'Voy ami putt lug I be wonder against is uu doubt iu my McVey mul put up n pretty givon another Russell wont boy greatly the nud skill a Ho WHS nut trained to HS fine a point A return match in Los bo H woil of a M the men about tbe stable would His was up parent and revealed that he hud had some little though had never up the work Roche matched him iu a couple ol events and then signed him up in a yoar Manager Roche has great aspiration for McVey aud in- tend to do his best for It looks very much as though McVey with proper training aud judicious handling cau be made a notable McVey will not be matched for several mouths and theD probably with the winner of tbe Martin which is for the col- ored championship of the It McVey is thus matched the fight will probably be pulled off in San SAM is a native of Texas and will be twenty years old ou his the 21th of He has spent most of his life in though at odd times he has as He is and owes his magnificent physique aud health to perfect neither drinks or He had been in the ring twice before coming to once iu Salinas and once in aud had sparred with good Since coming here McVey has won these seven three six five Of these he says Fogarty gave him the hardest FIELDS SIGNS WITH FOGARTY The next important pugilistic erent in will take place in the Auditorium December 20, aud will be a go between Frank Fields and Jack Fogarty of Los Fogarty is a man of wide experience in the ring and is exceedingly Even McVey acknowledges him to have been the hardest man he ever fought in Oxnard including He has plenty of speed and is au aggressive although ton light for a man of weight and He has signed a antee to at the limit of 158 In the minds of many local and most of the Los Angeles Fogarty is considered to be pretty fast and heavy company for who a very popular middle weight Frank ou tbe other though not having had as much ring as his has won over some very clever and has staying qualities He is a lit ions good cure of himself and many his next If he does he will take a jump to tlie ranks among the pugilists of his eight iu this part of the This will take place during the carnival and in bo very largely

 

bumping for those interested.