Sam Collyer
(Walter Jamieson)

BORN   1842; in England (Some sources report Brooklyn, New York)
DIED December 7 1904; Brooklyn, New York
HEIGHT 5-5 1/2 (Some sources report 5-6)
WEIGHT 115-130 lbs

Collyer came to America as a boy; He served with the Union Army during the Civil War and won the Congressional Medal of Honor for valor; He lived in Brooklyn for most of his life but, at some point in time, moved to Baltimore and opened a bar

During his career, Collyer defeated such men as "Young" Barney Aaron, Johnny Lafferty, Johnny McGlade, Billy Kelly, Horatio "Race" Bolster and Mike Carr

He was at his peak as a fighter from 1866-1870 and won the Lightweight Championship of America; Collyer was elected to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1964

1866
Mar 26 Mike Carr                  Rock Creek, Md                    W 14
          -Some sources report "W 10" on "4/27/66" at "Baltimore, Md"
           Some sources report "TK 22" on "3/16/76" at "Richmond, Va"
May  8 Horatio "Race" Bolster     Alexandria, Va                   TK 49
Jun 20 "Young" Barney Aaron       Pohick Landing, Va               TK 47
          -Lightweight Championship of America;
           Some sources report 6/21/66 at "Poe Creek Landing, Va"
Sep  7 Johnny Lafferty            Alexandria, Va                   TK 39
          -Lightweight Championship of America

1867
Jan 15 Johnny McGlade             Goldsboro, Pa                    TK 47
          -Lightweight Championship of America
Jun 13 "Young" Barney Aaron       Aqua Creek, WV                   LT 67
          -Lightweight Championship of America

          -Collyer claimed the Lightweight Championship of America
           when Aaron retired

Aug 21 -Collyer performed in Brooklyn, NY with his sons, 
           Dan and Eddie; Likely, he sparred
Nov 27 Billy Kelly                Strickland, Pa                   TK 36
          -Lightweight Championship of America;
           Some sources report "W 111"

1868
Aug 24 Billy Edwards              Cove River, Va                   LT 34
          -Lightweight Championship of America
           Some sources report "LT 47" at "Cherry Point, Va"

1870
Mar  2 Billy Edwards              Mystic Island, Ct                LT 41
          -Lightweight Championship of America
           Some sources report "LT 40" on 3/07/70
Jul 19 Johnny Lafferty            Quindoro, Mo                     KO 21
          -Some sources report 7/19/71

1872
Nov 23 Patsy Maguire              Little Rock, Ar                  WF  7 

1874
Aug  1 Billy Edwards              Smith's Ferry, Va                 L 11
          -Some sources report 8/08/74;
           Some sources report "L 10"

1875
Jun 11 Arthur Chambers            Lancaster, Pa                    EX   
          -Some sources report 6/12/75

1876
Jan 20 Johnny Saunders            New York, NY                     EX   
       Jem Mace                                                     L   

1877-1878
          -Collyer was in prison

1879
May 12 -Collyer and Billy Edwards got into an argument at
          Charles F. Ottignon's Benefit in Brooklyn, NY

1882
Jan    an unnamed opponent        Philadelphia, Pa                 EX   
          -This bout was held during late Jan-early Feb 1882
Mar 28 Driscoll                   Jersey City, NJ                  EX   
Jul  8 John Lydon                 New York, NY                     EX   

1883
Mar 15 Mike Mullery               New York, NY                     EX   
          -Some sources report 3/05/83
Apr  9 Pat Jourdan                New York, NY                     EX   

1886
Mar 16 Mike Carr                  Baltimore, Md                    KO 14
          -Some sources report 3/16/66

1887
Feb 21 Con Dugan                  Brooklyn, NY                     EX  3
Apr 21 Tom Bruce                  Brooklyn, NY                     EX   

1888
Dec 17 Jack McAuliffe             Brooklyn, NY                     LK  2

1891
Apr 27 Johnny Stuart              Brooklyn, NY                     EX  3

1892
Dec 30 Johnny Stuart              Brooklyn, NY                      D  4

Undated
          -Collyer competed as a pedestrian after he retired
           from the ring

*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1866
Apr  3 Jack Donnelly              Baltimore, Md                     W  8
Apr  7 Pete Maguire               Alexandria, Va                   TK 27
May 30 Johnny McGlade             Alexandria, Va                   TK 52

*** Much Data Was Provided By William Matthews (of Cornwall, England) *** 

*** Assistance Was Provided By Sergei Yurchenko  ***

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