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John Morrissey (1831-1878) was a bare-knuckle boxing champion, a gambler, and a U.S. Congressman from New York. He defeated Yankee Sullivan to win the heavyweight title in 1853 and later became a rival of Tammany Hall.
Feb 5, 2021 · Learn about the remarkable life of John Morrissey, who rose from poverty and violence in Ireland to become a boxing champion, a congressman, and the creator of Saratoga Race Course. Discover how he overcame obstacles, influenced racing history, and left a lasting legacy.
- He Was A Bare-Knuckle Boxing Champion
- He Was Always Looking Out For His Fellow Irish Americans
- He Stood Up to Bill The Butcher
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The Morrisseys settled in Troy, New York, and John worked in a mill from a young age. He eventually became an iron worker due to his physical size and tolerance for hard work. As a poor youth, he fell in quickly with a rough-and-tumble crowd, becoming a fierce fighter. He began participating in professional bare-knuckle boxing matches as a young ma...
John Morrissey worked for Tammany Hall as an emigrant runner. He would meet Irish immigrants at the docks and help them get acclimated to New York City – he would help them gain citizenship, get jobs and find a place to live. All he asked for in exchange was the family’s support of Tammany Hall-backed political candidates. Because of his large size...
The infamous and bloodthirsty gang leader, William Poole – also known as Bill the Butcher – was a constant terror to Irish Americans. He and his gang acted on behalf of nativist movements like the Know Nothings – in 1854, his gang viciously attacked Morrissey and his friends when they were defending the ballot boxes in favor of Tammany Hall mayoral...
Learn about John Morrissey, a Tipperary-born fighter who became a US Congressman and a rival of Bill the Butcher. Find out his boxing career, his role in Tammany Hall and his legacy in Saratoga Springs.
- Frederick Wertz
John Morrissey was an Irish enforcer for Tammany Hall who challenged Bill Poole, a boxer and leader of the Know-Nothing gang, to a fight in 1855. The fight turned into a bloody brawl that ended with Poole's death and Morrissey's escape.
Feb 12, 2021 · This fight made John Morrissey the most well-known sports figure in the world. His political career began in opposition to Tammany ward bosses in the Fifth Ward of New York in the mid-1850s.
Sep 10, 2013 · As Saratoga Springs celebrates 150 years of thoroughbred racing, Liz O’Connell tells the tale of John Morrissey, an Irish immigrant who organized, operated and had the vision to develop what is now one of the world’s greatest racecourses.
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Feb 21, 2018 · A fighting spirit will get you a long way in politics, as John Morrissey’s life shows. He was born in 1831 in Co Tipperary, the family emigrating shortly afterwards to settle in Troy, New York.
