***** Amateur Bouts *****
1884
Harry Bartlett New York, NY W 12
1885-1888
George Brown New York, NY W 3
Matt McCormick New York, NY KO 2
Jim Haggerty New York, NY KO 4
Walter Delaney New York, NY KO 1
Tom Mitchell New York, NY W 6
Billy Farley New York, NY KO 2
H. McAllister New York, NY W
Sam Kellerman New York, NY W
John Roche New York, NY W
Mike Mulroy New York, NY W 3
Jack Collins New York, NY W
Mike Leonard New York, NY W
Joe Gallagher New York, NY W 7
Bill Murphy New York, NY W 5
Jimmy O'Brien New York, NY W 5
Frank Chenovick New York, NY W 4
Frank Naegel New York, NY W 3
-Some sources report "Frank Neiger"
an unnamed opponent Newburgh, NY W
an unnamed opponent Newburgh, NY W
an unnamed opponent Newburgh, NY W
-Skelly won the New York Amateur Bantamweight Championship
by defeating the previous three men
Frank Naegel New York, NY KO 2
-Some sources report "Frank Neiger"
1888
Apr 3 Joe Ryan Brooklyn, NY EX 3
1889
Mar 3 Matt Seaman Brooklyn, NY EX
Apr 3 Frank Naegel New York, NY W
Apr 3 Sam Freeth New York, NY L 4
-The previous 2 bouts were part of an amateur featherweight tournament
Tom McCarthy New York, NY W
Eddie Burns New York, NY W
Dick Rafferty New York, NY W
-Skelly won the International Amateur Bantamweight Championship
of America
Johnny Gorman New York, NY L 3
Oct 10 -Skelly participated in a boxing tournament of the National AC,
at the Labor Lyceum, 11 Cedar Street; The AC was first
organized on February 8, 1888
Nov -Skelly won the National AAU Featherweight Championship
1890
Mar 3 J. McCarthy Brooklyn, NY W
Mar 15 Frank Naegel Brooklyn, NY TK 2
Mar 27 Tom Dempsey Brooklyn, NY EX
Mar 31 George Soder Brooklyn, NY EX
Jul 6 -Philadelphia (Pa) Item reported that Skelly challenged any
120 lbs man and Dave O'Leary to a bout
Jul 31 John McTiernan Brooklyn, NY TK 10
-Police intervened
Sep 26 -Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle reported Skelly was barred from
amateur events due to his participating in illegal amateur activities
Oct 11 Charles Burns Brooklyn, NY EX
Oct 18 -Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle reported Skelly in connection with an
amateur tournament which indicates that he was not barred from
all amateur activities
Dec 6 Danny McVeigh New York, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
1891
Jan 18 -Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle reported that Skelly was an ex-amateur
so he must have been barred from competing as an amateur
Feb 17 -Skelly was entered in the 120 lbs competition in the Brooklyn, NY
Feb 28 Frederick Bird Brooklyn, NY EX
1892
Mar 1 -Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle reported that Skelly was scheduled to fight
Johnny Gorman
Apr 19 John Mahan Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jun 27 -Skelly attended the George Dixon-Fred Johnson bout in Brooklyn, NY
Aug Jack McAuliffe Bay St. Louis, Ms EX
Aug 31 Johnny T. Griffin Bay St. Louis, Ms EX 6
-Some sources report "W 6" at "New Orleans, La"
***** Professional Bouts *****
1892
Sep 6 George Dixon New Orleans, La LK 8
-Featherweight Championship of the World;
Weights: 116 1/2-118; In this title bout,
Dixon was an overwhelming favorite at 3-to-1
odds against a boxer who was having his
professional debut and was referred to as
the “Brooklyn Amateur;” Despite the fact
Skelly was aggressive, Dixon won easily enough;
Skelly was down once in the third round, twice
in the seventh, and once in the eighth; Note -
There was a large crowd; There were black
“sports” in the gallery
Sep 30 -Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle reported that the
Brooklyn (NY) Arcadia AC would hire Skelly
as its Sparring Instructor
Oct 3 George Dixon Brooklyn, NY EX
Nov 4 John Mulligan Brooklyn, NY EX 3
Nov 18 George Pink Brooklyn, NY EX 4
Dec George Dixon Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled to be held during Dec 6-9;
The outcome is not known
Dec 8 -Skelly seconded Maxie Haugh vs. Tom Creed in Buffalo, NY
Dec 16 Mike Brophy Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
1893
Jan 29 -Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle reported that Skelly
would meet all-comers this week at a Brooklyn, NY
(Williamsburg) Theatre
Feb 25 Jim Daron Brooklyn, NY KO 1
Mar 6 Jim Daron Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Mar 13 George Siddons Coney Island, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known;
Some sources reported 3/20/93
Mar 13 George Dixon New York, NY EX
Aug 10 George Siddons New York, NY W 4
George Siddons Brooklyn, NY KO 2
Oct an unnamed opponent Saratoga, NY EX
Oct 24 -Skelly and nine members of his troupe were arrested
for leaving and not paying their bills at the Noonan
House in Saratoga, NY
Dec 18 -Skelly's troupe was scheduled to appear at the People's
Theatre this week; Authorities would not permit the
sparring
Dec 29 -Skelly offered to participate in any sparring exhibition
for the benefit of the poor
1894
Jan 18 Charles Gehring SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 9 -Jack McGrath challenged Skelly and Johnny T. Griffin to a bout
Feb 17 Jimmy Nelson Brooklyn, NY EX 3
Feb 24 George Dixon New York, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Tom Haley Albany, NY KO 3
Tom Creed W 7
Aug 30 -Skelly was challenged to meet Fred Johnson in London, England
Sep 17 Johnny Gorman Coney Island, NY W 6
-Some sources report "W 8"; Apparently, the bout was
stopped by authorities; Gorman wrote a letter to the
Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle contending that he had the
better of the bout and should, at least, have gotten
a "draw"
Oct 17 -Skelly attended a bout at in Newton with a friend,
the bar tender at Brown's Saloon; Following the contest,
Jack, the bartender, Tommy Creed, and George Maloney,
lightweight fighters, stopped off at Brown's Saloon;
After a few drinks, they got into a squabble and a
fight ensued; After going outside, Skelly was stabbed
in the back of the neck with a fork by Creed; They
wrestled and Maloney jumped on Jack, driving the fork
deeper into his neck
Nov 27 -Skelly trained Oscar Gardner vs Solly Smith in Buffalo, NY
1895
Jan 29 -Skelly was manager of a trio of boxers who toured and
gave exhibitions; He also instructed boxing at the
Melrose Hotel, opposite Prospect Park in Flatbush
Mar 11 -Skelly refereed the Jimmy Gorman vs George Ross bout in Paterson, NJ
Mar 16 -Skelly trained Maxie Haugh vs Jack Wrenn in Brooklyn, NY
Mar 15 -Skelly challenged any 118 pound man to a bout
Mar 26 -Skelly was scheduled to spar in New York, NY
Apr 8 -Skelly was training for his bout vs Johnny Gorman
at Sutter's Hotel in Flatbush; Jimmy Nelson and
Christie McManus were his trainers
Apr 9 -Skelly started to train for his bout with Johnny Gorman
at Lyon's Hotel, on the boulevard, at Parkville
Apr Tom Gaffney New London, Ct SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Apr 22 Johnny Gorman Brooklyn, NY D 8
Jun 8 Johnny Young New York, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug 26 Frank Erne Maspeth, NY LK 7
Sep 1 -Skelly was scheduled to spar at Bath Beach (Amusement Park)
Sep 22 Johnny Gorman Brooklyn, NY D 8
Oct 4 Frank Erne New York, NY LK 9
Nov 30 Eddie Sweeney Brooklyn, NY W 8
Dec 28 Sam Bolan Brooklyn, NY W 6
1896
Jan 2 -Skelly was challenged by Jack Downey to a bout
Jan 20 Jack Grace Maspeth, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan 23 Tommy Dixon Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Jan 28 Eddie Loeber Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 7 -Skelly was engaged as boxing instructor at the Long Island (NY) AC
Mar 7 Martin Flaherty New York, NY D 6
Mar 16 William "Kid" McPartland Long Island City, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Mar 12 Jack Downey New York, NY ND 4
-Some sources report 3/12/95
Mar 21 Danny McBride Brooklyn, NY D 6
-The bout was originally set for ten rounds;
McBride refused to fight under those conditions;
It was then set for six rounds and it was to be
called a "draw" if both men were standing at the end;
During the fight, referee Johnny Eckhardt sent both
men to their corners in the middle of round five;
He said they were faking; McBride claimed an injured
hand; Skelly said he was scientific and not a heavy
hitter; Then, they continued
Apr 11 Jack Burge Brooklyn, NY W 6
-Some sources report "D"
Apr 25 Tommy Creed Long Island, NY D 6
-The bout was scheduled for eight rounds but only
six were fought; It was for blood; Mike Martin was
the referee; Skelly was cleverer; Creed fought foul
all the way; At the end of round six, Creed struck
Skelly twice (apparently foul blows); The referee
called the bout a "draw"; Skelly refused to shake
hands with Creed
May 4 -Skelly was scheduled to perform with his boxing company
at Maspeth, NY (Empire Theatre) in "O'Grady's First Lesson"
during the week; It was a comedy play
May 4 Charley Barnett Maspeth, NY EX 3
-This bout was part of the play, "O'Grady's First Lesson"
Jul 6 Charley Barnett Brooklyn, NY EX 3
Nov 23 Elwood McCloskey Philadelphia, Pa W 6
-Some sources report 1895
Dec 9 Charley Barnett New York, NY EX
1897
Jan 23 Tommy White New York, NY LK 5
Feb 13 Danny Shields Philadelphia, Pa L 4
Jul 27 -Skelly wasappointed manager and matchmaker of the Brooklyn (NY)
Greenpoint Sporting Club at 144 Greenpoint Avenue
Oct 19 Tommy Dixon Brooklyn, NY EX 4
Dec 28 -Skelly appeared at the Ewen Street Police Court on
charges that he assaulted Clarence Gillespie on
December 20; Skelly pleaded not guilty; Justice
Lemon dismissed the case
Dec 29 -Skelly terminated his position at the Greenpoint
Sporting Club; The club was not satisfied with
bouts Skelly had been promoting
1898
Jan 12 -Skelly was manager of the Trenton (NJ) Palace Sporting Club
1903
-Skelly went into the saloon business in Yonkers, NY (with Dick Moore)
*** Assistance Was Provided By Kat McGrath, great granddaughter ***
Review courtesy of
Tracy Callis,
Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
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