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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Old Timer

Jim Fell

BORN   April 2 1855; Cumberland, England (Some reports state Newcastle, England in 1856); He settled in Saginaw, Michigan for a while
HEIGHT 5-9 (Reports vary from 5-8 to 5-10 1/2)
WEIGHT 160-190 lbs

Fell was a plucky, scrappy fighter who traveled extensively and compiled a lengthy record; Some sources report that he was a coal-miner who was game and tough but not too classy as a boxer; He fought contests using London Prize Ring rules, Queensberry rules, Police Gazette rules, bare-knuckles and all types of gloves -  soft gloves, hard gloves, skin gloves, etc.

During his career, he defeated such men as Bob Ferguson, Tom Kinnard, James "Sparrow" Golden, O.H. Smith, Denny Butler, Jack Hanley, John Hughes, Harry Umlah and Jack McAuley

1873
       Bill Hayley                 Leed Gate, England              KO 16

1873-1881
       Jack Caradis                in England                      KO  
       Jack Caradis                in England                      KO  
       Jack Wepwell                in England              (30:00) KO  
       Sam Griffiths               in England                       D 60

1881
Oct 15 -Fell arrived in America

1882
       Bill Brady                                                  KO  5
Jul  5 Jack McLaughlin                                             KO  5
Aug 22 Tommy McManus               Rich Hill, Ks           (20:00) TK 14
          -London Prize Ring rules were used; Some sources report "W 14"

1883
Jul 16 Hugh McManus                near Rich Hill, Mo              LF 92
                   -Some sources report July 13 near Kansas City;
           Some report July 15 1884; Harry McCoy was the referee
1884
Feb 14 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey    New York, NY                    LT  2
          -Some sources report "L 2"
Apr  5 O.H. Smith                  Omaha, Ne                        W  3
          -Soft gloves were used
May 13 Jack Hanley                 Clear Creek, Ne         (30:00) WF 22
          -Some sources report "L"; This bout was held near
           Denver, Co; Hanley was arrested after the fight
           and sentenced on May 24 1884 to three years
           imprisonment at Nebraska State Penitentiary; He
           was released on Oct 25 1886; Fell escaped after
           the fight and avoided punishment; London Prize Ring
           rules and bare knuckles were used
Dec 12 Joe Popp                    Toronto, Ont, Canada            KO  2
          -Some sources report 12/13/84

1884-1885
       Jack Cooper                 New York, NY                     W  
          -This bout was held during the fall of 1884 or early 1885;
           Perhaps, this is the same as the 2/09/85 or 3/06/85 bout

1885
Jan 22 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey    New York, NY                     L  4
Jan 26 Jim Fay                     New York, NY                    TK  3
          -Some sources report "John Fay";
           Some sources report "W 4";
           Gloves were used for this bout;
Jan 30 Jim Burns                   New York, NY                   SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled but not held; Burns did not show
Jan 30 John Banks                  New York, NY                    LK  2
          -Banks knocked Fell out; When Fell came to, another round
           was fought; Fell quit after the third round
Feb  9 James Robertson Couper      New York, NY                    KO  7
Mar  6 Jim McDevitt                New York, NY                    KO  1
Mar  6 James Robertson Couper      New York, NY                    TK  1
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Mar 11 Harry Umlah                 Hartford, Ct                    KO  2
          -Some sources report 3/12/85
Mar 20 John Hughes                 in New Jersey                   KO  5
Mar 30 John Banks                  New York, NY                     D  3
Apr 16 Denny Butler                Harlem, NY                      KO 21
       Jack Smith                                                   W  
       "New York" Tom Allen        New York, NY                     W  
       George Rooke                Cincinnati, Oh                  ND  
          -Police intervened
Jul 10 Dan Collins                 Hamilton, Ont, Canada            L  2
          -Gloves were used
Aug 22 George Peters               Detroit, Mi                      D  4
          -Gloves were used; Some sources report "J. Peters"
Aug 27 John "Buck" Fogle           Troy, NY                 (6:00) TK  2
          -Some sources report "Buck Foyle";
           Some sources report "W 2";
           Hard gloves were used
Sep  1 John "Buck" Fogle           Dayton, Oh                      KO  2
          -Some sources report "Buck Foyle"
Sep  8 Alf Cliff                   Port Huron, Mi           (7:00)  W  2
          -Hard gloves were used
Sep 17 Tom Robinson                Troy, NY                (23:00)  D  6
          -Hard gloves were used
Oct  2 Sam Grof                    Dayton, Oh               (2:00)  W  1
          -Gloves were used
Oct 26 Gus Lambert                 Montreal, Que, Canada           LK  2
          -Boxing Championship of Canada
Nov  5 Billy Peters                Detroit, Mi                      L  4
          -Perhaps, this man was "George Peters";
           Fell failed to knock out Peters;
           Peters knocked Fell down in the 4th round
Nov 13 George Rooke                Cincinnati, Oh                  ND  1
          -Gloves were used; Police intervened
Nov 21 Dusty Gibbons               Detroit, Mi              (1:40)  W  1
          -Gloves were used
Dec  2 Tom O'Donnell               Howard City, Mi                 KO  2
          -Some sources report "W 2";
          Hard gloves were used

1886
Jan  6 Tom Kinnard                 Elmore, Mi                      KO  5
Feb  9 Tom O'Donnell               Kalamazoo, Mi                    D  4
          -Police intervened; Some sources report "NC 4"
Feb 14 Jim McCormick               Kansas City, Mo                SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled but not held;
           Police intervened and prevented the fight;
           This bout was possibly held during 1883-1884
Apr 13 Jack Wyman                  Alpena, Mi                      KO  2
Apr 29 Harry Grebel                Detroit, Mi                     KO  1
Jun 23 John Clow                   Muskegon, Mi                     D 12
          -Police intervened: Clow was better and should have won;
           Some sources report "D 13" in "Denver, Co"
Jul 10 John Clow                   Cincinnati, Oh                 SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
           Gloves were to be used for this bout
Oct 30 Jack Brady                  McAllister Terrotory, SD ?     SCH  
          -Brady was the "Champion of the Southwest";
           This was a finish fight; Gloves were to be used;
           This bout was possibly held during 1883-1884

1887
Dec 15 Peter J. Nolan              Grand Rapids, Mi                LF  3
          -Perhaps, this bout was held at "Detroit, Mi"

1886-1888
       Mike Conley                                                  L  

1888
Jan    -Fell challenged Jack Fallon
Feb 16 Harry Langdon               New York, NY                    TK  1
          -Some sources report "W 1"
Feb 17 Bob Ferguson                Long Island City, NY            WF  3
          -Ferguson knocked down Fell and then kicked him;
           Referee Jere Dunn declared Fell winner by foul
Mar 19 Joe Lannon                  Brooklyn, NY                    LT  2
          -Police intervened; Lannon was about to knock out Fell;
           Some sources report "L 2"; Some sources report "ND 2"
Apr 18 Bob Ferguson                Hoboken, NJ                      D  9
          -Police intervened
May 15 George LaBlanche                                           SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 23 James "Sparrow" Golden      Providence, RI                  KO  5
          -Some sources report 3/23/88
 Jun 12 -A bout was set between Fell and Denny Kelliher to be held
          in Providence, RI
Jun 14 Jack Wannop                 Grand Rapids, Mi                 D  8
          -Fox Rules were used for this bout;
           Some sources report "W 8" on 7/19/88;
           Some sources report 7/12/88;
           Some sources report Wannop was better
Sep 30 Jim McCormick               Rhinelander, Wi                 KO  2
Oct  2 John P. Donner              Duluth, Mn                       L  6
           -Fell was to knockout Donner in six rounds;
           Donner lasted and claimed win
Oct  5 John W. Curtis              Duluth, Mn                      WF  5
Oct 18 John P. Donner              Ashland, Wi                      D 10
Oct 25 Jack Ashton                 Providence, RI                   L 12
          -Gloves were used for this bout;
           Some sources report "LF 12"
Dec 17 John W. Curtis              Eau Claire, Wi                   D  7
          -Perhaps, this bout was held 12/18/88
           Police intervened
Dec 30 Mart Fahey                  near Minneapolis, Mn             D 10
          -Fahey threw Fell to the floor twice; In round nine, he
           knocked Fell around the ring and finally down; Fell was
           very weak at the end; Fell landed some hard blows during
           the fight; Queensberry Rules and two ounce gloves were used

1889
Jan 21 Patsy Cardiff               Minneapolis, Mn                  L 15
          -Gloves were used for this bout;
            Some sources report "LF 15" on 1/22/89
May 11 Martin Flemming             Milwaukee, Wi                    D  3
          -Police intervened
Jul  3 Jim McCormick               Grand Rapids, Mi                ND 10
          -This bout was scheduled and held; The outcome is not known
Sep  4 Black Diamond               Rhinelander, Wi                 WF  5
          -Perhaps, this man was "Harry Woodson"
Sep    Frank Keller                Ashland, Wi                     EX  
Sep    Frank Keller                Ashland, Wi                     EX  
Sep    -Fell boxed several exhibitions with Keller at Ashland, Wi

1890
Feb 12 Frank Keller                San Francisco, Ca               D  4
Mar  9 Jack McAuley                Salinas, Ca                    KO  2
May  3 Billy Keough                Virginia City, Nv              LK 27
          -Reports vary - "Billy Keogh" - "Billy Kehoe"

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

Undated
       "Denver" Ed Smith                                          SCH  
       C.A.C. Smith                                               SCH  
          -The previous 2 bouts were scheduled; The outcomes are not known

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