Gus Ruhlin
(the "Akron Giant")
BORN January 8 1872; Canton, Ohio (fought out of Akron, Ohio) DIED 1912; New York, New York HEIGHT 6-1 3/4 WEIGHT 180-200 lbs RACE White; Irish-American MANAGER Billy Madden TRAINER Henry "Pop" Blanken
Ruhlin was a talented fighter but erratic - an early day "Jack Sharkey"; When he was good, he was very good but when he was bad, he was awful
He came along at the wrong time - when heavyweights such as Jim Jeffries, Bob Fitzsimmons, and Tom Sharkey were in their prime; At any other period in boxing history, he might have received greater respect
Jeffries-Ruhlin #2 1901 Video Clip (Better Version) Jeffries-Ruhlin #2 1901 Video Clip (Blurry at first; Keep watching) (Press thebutton at the top of the screen to return)
1894 Aug 14 Con Tobin Akron, Oh TK 5 -Some sources report "Barberton, Oh" 1895 Doss Payne W 4 -This man may have been "James 'Doc' Payne" Peter Maher Akron, Oh L 3 Jun 17 Yank Kenny North Baltimore, Md LK 16 Tony Gelder TK 2 1896 Jim Wood Akron, Oh W 4 -This bout may been held during 1893 Dominick Kane Cleveland, Oh W 4 Steve O'Donnell Akron, Oh W 20 1897 May 10 Steve O'Donnell Akron, Oh W 10 Jul 17 Jim Jeffries San Francisco, Ca D 20 -Some sources report 7/16/97 Dec 1 James "Tut" Ryan New Orleans, La W 10 Dec 17 "Texas" Bill Smith Hot Springs, Ar TK 2 Dec 30 O.J. McGibboney St. Louis, Mo KO 21898 Jan 24 Wolf Bendoff Baltimore, Oh TK 2 Feb Charles Goff Cincinnati, Oh EX Feb 3 Billy Madden Cincinnati, Oh EX Feb 3 Jimmy Ryan Cincinnati, Oh EX -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Feb 17 Jim Daly Akron, Oh EX May 20 Charles "Kid" McCoy Syracuse, NY L 20 -Some sources report "New York, NY" Jun 29 Tom Sharkey Coney Island, NY LK 1 Jul 16 Jim "Jack" McCormick Brooklyn, NY TK 8 Sep 19 Ed Dunkhorst Coney Island, NY TK 22 -Some sources report "Syracuse, NY" Oct 14 Joe Goddard Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 4 Joe Choynski Philadelphia, Pa ND 61899 Mar 7 Joe Goddard New York, NY TK 5 -Some sources report "WF 5" May 2 Peter Maher New York, NY D 20 Jun 23 Joe Kennedy San Francisco, Ca L 20 Jul 27 George Lawlor Denver, Co KO 9 Sep 18 Jack Stelzner Denver, Co TK 7 -Stelzner was down twice in both the sixth and seventh rounds; The referee stopped the bout; Some sources report "W 7" Oct 24 Jim Jeffords Brooklyn, NY TK 5 Dec 2 Jim "Jack" McCormick Chicago, Il W 6 Dec 19 Tom "Stockings" Conroy Brooklyn, NY TK 7 1900 Jan 23 Fred Kapps Troy, NY KO 1 Jan 31 Jack Finnegan Utica, NY TK 4 Feb 22 Jim Corbett New York, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Mar 30 Yank Kenny Hartford, Ct W 6 Apr Jim Corbett EX -Ruhlin sparred with Corbett during Mar-Apr 1900 in preparation for Corbett's bout with Jim Jeffries Jun 26 Tom Sharkey Coney Island, NY KO 15 Aug 10 Bob Fitzsimmons New York, NY LK 6 Dec 17 Peter Maher Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 1901 Feb 15 Jim Jeffries Cincinnati, Oh SCH -Heavyweight Championship of the World; This bout was scheduled but not held; Governor Nash of Ohio prevented the bout May "Denver" Ed Martin Grand Rapids, Mi EX Jul 2 Bob Fitzsimmons New York, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled but postponed Jul 9 Bob Fitzsimmons New York, NY (15:00) EX -This was a wrestling match; Ruhlin won; Falls: 2-0 Sep 16 "Denver" Ed Martin San Francisco, Ca EX Oct 5 Ben Tremble Los Angeles, Ca EX 4 Oct 5 Jim Tremble Los Angeles, Ca EX 4 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Oct 12 Tim Hegarty San Francisco, Ca EX 3 Oct 29 "Denver" Ed Martin San Francisco, Ca EX Nov 15 Jim Jeffries San Francisco, Ca LT 6 -Heavyweight Championship of the World; Nov 25 Jim Burns Salt Lake City, Ut EX 6 1902 Mar 21 Peter Maher Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 Jun 25 Tom Sharkey London, Eng TK 11 1903 Mar 9 "Mexican" Pete Everett Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 May 4 Gustav Sanders New York, NY W -This was a wrestling match; Falls: 2-1 May 26 John "Sandy" Ferguson Boston, Ma D 15 Sep 7 Kid Carter Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Sep 28 Kid Carter Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Nov 19 Con Riley Findlay, Oh SCH -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known Dec 17 Charlie Green Akron, Oh KO 4 1904 Mar 12 Jim Jeffords Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Mar 21 Marvin Hart Philadelphia, Pa SCH -This bout was scheduled but not held; Hart failed to appear Apr 6 Jim Jeffords Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 Apr 20 Marvin Hart Philadelphia, Pa ND 6 May 20 Marvin Hart Baltimore, Md D 12 1905 Aug 11 Jim "Jack" McCormick Colma, Ca KO 18 1906 Apr 11 Pat O'Rourke New York, NY KO 1 May 28 John "Sandy" Ferguson New York, NY ND 4 -Some sources report "ND 6" 1910 Jul Colin Bell in Australia LK 3
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
