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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Old Timer

George Kerwin
(the "Mystery" ; George Kirwin)

BORN   November 9 1874; in England (Some sources report November 15 1876 in Providence, Rhode Island); Resided in Chicago, Illinois
DIED November 25 1947
HEIGHT 5-9 1/2
WEIGHT 132-140 lbs
MANAGER Jimmy "Red" Mason

Kerwin was a ready and willing fighter who was very competitive; He fought out of Harry Gilmore's stable of fighters in Chicago

During his career, he met some talented men such as Matty Matthews (two times), Jack Moffatt (three times), Otto Sieloff (five times), Eddie Connolly (two times), William "Spike" Sullivan, Owen Ziegler, Eugene Bezenah, Jerome Quigley, Dal Hawkins, Jack Bennett and Perry Queenan

***** Amateur Bouts *****

1896
May  9 Ed Seaman                   Milwaukee, Wi                    W  4
Oct 23 Van Richardson              Milwaukee, Wi                    W  3
Dec    Jack Moffatt                Chicago, Il                      W  4
          -Kerwin appears to have been an amateur at this time;
           Some sources report "L 4"

1897
Jan 16 R. Campbell Hudson          Chicago, Il                      W  4
Feb 20 Otto Sieloff                Chicago, Il                      W  3
Mar 20 Joe Frede                   Chicago, Il                      W  4
Apr  2 John Hertz                  Chicago, Il                      D  6
Apr 10 Percy Boers                 Chicago, Il                      W  3
          -Some sources report 1896
Apr 23 Mike Riley                  Milwaukee, Wi                    W  4
May 15 Con O'Leary                 Milwaukee, Wi                    W  4

        -The previous bouts apparently were Amateur bouts

***** Professional Bouts *****

1897
Jul 19 Jimmy Lawson                Chicago, Il                      W  4
          -This was Kerwin's first Professional fight
Aug  2 Jim Coyle                   Chicago, Il                     KO  2
Aug 16 Jack Moffatt                Chicago, Il                     LK  4
Aug 20 George Washington           Chicago, Il                      W  4
Sep 13 Jack Moffatt                Chicago, Il                      D  5
Oct  2 Ed Seaman                   Chicago, Il                     EX  3
Oct 15 Ed Seaman                   Chicago, Il                     EX  3
Oct 16 Joe Frede                   Chicago, Il                      D  4
          -Some sources report "Fred Freda"
Oct 23 Arthur Schultz              Chicago, Il                      W  3
         -Police intervened; Reports vary - "W 4" - "TK 4"
Oct 30 Eugene Bezenah              Cincinnati, Oh                   W  4
Nov 15 Frank Fitzgerald            Chicago, Il                     TK  2
          -Police intervened
Nov 27 Jack Gibbons                Chicago, Il                     TK  2
          -Some sources report 11/28/97
Dec  9 Charley Higgins             Chicago, Il                     TK  3
          -Some sources report "W 3"
Dec 16 Tom Norton                  Chicago, Il                     KO  2
Dec 23 Mike Butler                 Chicago, Il                     WF  2
          -Some sources report "WF 3" vs "Joe Butler" on 12/22/97

1896-1898
       Charles "Rough House" Burns                                  D  4
          -Some sources report this bout held prior to Sep 1898

1898
Jan  1 George Ryan                 Milwaukee, Wi                   NC  2
          -Police intervened; Some sources report "W 2"; Some report "TK 2"
Jan 15 Jimmy Murphy                Chicago, Il                     WF  6
          -Some sources report "Tim Murphy"; Reports vary - "W 5" - "TW 6"
Jan 19 Con O'Leary                 Chicago, Il                     KO  4
Jan 29 Jim "Curley" McHale         Chicago, Il                     KO  1
Feb  7 Denny Murray                Toronto, Ont, Canada            TK  9
          -Some sources report "W 9"
Mar 17 Otto Sieloff                Chicago, Il                      D  6
Mar 31 Ed Lally                    St. Louis, Mo                    W  8
Apr  2 Chappie Jones               Chicago, Il                     LK  1
Apr 30 Chappie Jones               Chicago, Il                      W  6
May 14 Frank Bartley               Chicago, Il                      D  6
          -Some sources report 5/15/98
May 26 Chappie Jones               Chicago, Il                     TK  2
          -Some sources report "W 2"; Others report "W 6"
Sep  7 Walter Watson               Harrison, NJ                    KO  5
          -Some sources report "Newark, NJ"; Some sources report "W 3"
Sep 24 Jerome Quigley              Toronto, Ont, Canada             W 15
          -Some sources report 10/01/98
Oct 31 Frank Scott                 Chicago, Il                      L  6
          -Kerwin failed to knock Scott out; Scott lasted and claimed the win
Nov  5 Jack Bennett                Toronto, Ont, Canada             D 15
Nov 15 Jim Curran                  Chicago, Il                      W  6
Nov 26 Eddie Connolly              St. Louis, Mo                    D 20
Dec 14 Owen Ziegler                Chicago, Il                      L  6
Dec 24 William "Matty" Matthews    Toronto, Ont, Canada             L 20
Dec 30 Charles "Rough House" Burns Chicago, Il                      D  6

1899
Feb  7 John "Young" Mahoney        Chicago, Il                      L  6
Apr  3 William "Spike" Sullivan    Brooklyn, NY                    LK  7
Apr 22 Charles McKeever            Philadelphia, Pa                ND  6
May  9 Eddie Connolly              Buffalo, NY                     LT  4
May 30 Perry Queenan               Chicago, Il                      L  6
          -Some sources report 5/31/99
Aug 14 William "Matty" Matthews    Brooklyn, NY                    LT 16
          -Some sources report "L 16"
Aug 31 Jim Sellers                 Dubuque, Ia                     TK  7
Sep 11 Black Pearl                 Sioux City, Ia                  EX  3
Sep 11 Larry Gleason               Sioux City, Ia                  EX  3
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Sep 13 Pat Malloy                  Sioux City, Ia                  TK  4
Oct  4 Jim Sullivan                Chicago, Il                      W  6
          -Some sources report "Benton Harbor, Mi"
Oct  5 Frank O'Connor              Benton Harbor, Mi               KO  5
Oct  9 James "Squirrel" Finnerty   Toledo, Oh                      LK  3
            -Some sources report "L";
              Some sources report Finnerty fought "Kid Kerwin"
Oct 16 Eddie Kennedy               Millvale, Pa                     L 10
Oct 30 Mose LaFontise              Chicago, Il                     LK  2

1900
Jan 11 William "Matty" Matthews    Waterbury, Ct                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled but cancelled due to poor attendence
Mar 14 Booker Fox                  Des Moines, Ia                   D  6
Mar 17 Dal Hawkins                 Chicago, Il                     LT  2
          -Some sources report "L 3"

1904
Dec 14 Tom Foley                   Chicago, Il                     EX  5

*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***
*** Some Of These Bouts Are Possibly Amateur Bouts          ***

1896
       Jim Hennessey                                                W  6
       Jim Hennessey                                               TK  1
          -Some sources report "W 1"
       Jim Hennessey                                                W  3
       Al McCormick                                                 W  4
       William Sheedy                                              TK  2
          -Some sources report "W 2"
       William Sheedy                                               W  3
       Harry Lyons                 Chicago, Il                     TK  7
          -Some sources report "LK 7"
       Joe Matthews                                                 W  4
       Ted Foley                                                    W  3
       J. Helman                                                    W  3
       M. Slocum                                                    W  3
       J. Daniels                                                   W  3
       Pete Hanson                                                  W  4
          -Some sources report "Pete Danson"
       Otto Sieloff                Detroit, Mi                      W  4
       Joe Frede                   St. Louis, Mo                    W  4
       Joe Frede                   St. Louis, Mo                    W  4
       William Long                                                TK  2
          -Some sources report "W 2"
       Nick Marino                                                 TK  2
          -Some sources report "W 2"
       Tommy White                                                  L  4
       Otto Sieloff                Detroit, Mi                      W  4
       Otto Sieloff                Detroit, Mi                      D  4
       Mike Hayes                                                  KO  2

1897
Feb 20 Otto Sieloff                Chicago, Il                      W  3
          -Some sources report "D 6"

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

*** Assistance Provided By Seth Callis ***

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