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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Old Timer

Tom Cleary

BORN   c. 1866; Fought out of San Francisco, California; Later on, he fought out of Newburgh, New York
DIED c 1903
WEIGHT 142-155 lbs

Cleary was a tough competitor; He was smart, cagey and knew how to fight

During his career, he defeated such men as Billy Manning (two times), Billy Mahan, Jim McCann and Mike Brennan

1883
Nov    C.C. Smith                  Amsterdam, NY                    D  6

1884
May 20 Frank Johnson               San Francisco, Ca               KO  3
Jul 10 Al Stewart                  San Francisco, Ca                L  3
Aug 15 Al Stewart                  San Francisco, Ca               KO  4
Sep 18 Tom Walling                 San Francisco, Ca               KO  1
Nov 17 Pat Foley                   San Francisco, Ca               KO  1
Dec  5 Billy Manning               San Francisco, Ca               KO 18
Dec 30 Billy Manning               San Francisco, Ca               KO 10

1885
Mar 20 Jim Carr                    San Francisco, Ca               ND 10
          -Police intervened; The fight was put off to be resumed in 72 hours;
           Carr's hands were in bad shape;
May 11 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey    San Francisco, Ca               LK  5
Jul 27 Jim Carr                    San Francisco, Ca                D 19
          -The crowd caused a row; The bout was stopped;
           Some sources report "Jim Casey";
           Some sources report 7/22/1885
Aug 22 -Cleary and "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey opened a saloon at
          17 Powell Street in San Francisco, Ca and named it the
          Nonpareil Saloon
Nov 21 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey    Astoria, Or                     EX  4

1886
Feb  3 -Cleary seconded "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey vs Jack Fogarty 
          in Philadelphia, Pa
Feb 24 -Cleary seconded "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey vs Pete McCoy 
          in Jersey City, NJ
Mar 14 -Cleary seconded "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey vs George LaBlanche 
          in Long Island, NY
May 20 Denny Costigan              St. Paul, Mn                    EX   
Jun 15 Christopher Murphy          Minneapolis, Mn                 KO  2
          -Some sources report 5/25/1886
Jun    Denny Costigan              Minneapolis, Mn                 EX   
Jul 24 Martin "Buffalo" Costello   Alameda, Ca                     LK  2
          -Some sources report 3/27/86;
           Some sources report "San Francisco, Ca"
Sep 10 Young Mitchell              San Francisco, Ca               LK  7
          -Some sources report "LK 12"
Oct 16 -Cleary was in jail; He was arrested after the Costello
          fight and placed under bond; He then fought Mitchell
Nov  1 Billy Mahan                 San Francisco, Ca               TK  7
          -Cleary was arrested after the fight and placed under bond;
           Some sources report "W 7"

1887
Jun    Billy Manning               Los Angeles, Ca                  D 10

1888
Feb  3 Sam Fitzpatrick             San Francisco, Ca               KO  4
Mar  9 Jim Bates                   San Francisco, Ca              SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jun 28 Young Mitchell              San Francisco, Ca               LK 30
          -Some sources report 7/26/88
Jul 23 Paddy Gorman                San Francisco, Ca               LK  9
          -This bout was not held during 1886;
           Some sources report 7/24/1888;
           Some sources report "L 6"
Jul 28 Young Mitchell              San Francisco, Ca               EX  4
Nov  4 Tom Scott                   near Tacoma, Wash. Territory    KO  4
Dec 23 J.L. Smith                  near Seattle, Wash. Territory   KO  6
          -Middleweight Championship of the Pacific Coast

1889
Mar 12 Jim McCann                  Seattle, Wash. Territory        TK  9
          -Some sources report 3/11/89
Jul 22 Mike Brennan                Port Townsend, Wa               KO 14
Dec    Joe Bowers                  San Francisco, Ca              SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled to a "finish" but not held; 
           The men were to fight at about 150 lbs; Cleary argued for 160 pounds; 
           Bowers refused to fight at that weight

1890
Mar 11 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey    Tacoma, Wa                      EX  4
       Joe Ellingsworth            Port Townsend, Wa              SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled
Aug  3 Tom Robinson                Port Townsend, Wa               KO 10

1891
       Charles Hadley              Albany, NY                       D   
       Charles Hadley              Amsterdam, NY                   ND   
          -Police intervened

1895
Feb 18 -Cleary was convicted of manslaughter for shooting to death
          a gambler named Frank Dorrity in Helena, Montana (in 1894)

1900
Mar 17 Billy Mahan                 Chicago, Il                     KO  2

*** The Following Bout Is Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1883
       Martin "Fiddler" Neary                                      KO  2

*** Much Data Was Provided By William Schutte ***

*** Assistance Provided By Seth Callis ***

Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization