Tommy Gibbons Written by Rob Snell Thursday, 03 May 2007 Thomas J. Gibbons

Name: Career Record: click Nationality: US American Birthplace: St. Paul, MN Hometown: Saint Paul, MN Born: 1891-03-22 Died: 1960-11-19 Age at Death: 69 Stance: Orthodox Height: 6' 0? Reach: 74 inches

(born March 22, 1891 in St. Paul, , died November 19, 1960) was a boxer who lost the Championship to in 15 rounds. The brother of , Tommy started professionally in 1911 as a . Like his brother he was a master scientific boxer who chose to outbox his opponents. In time, he advanced to the Heavyweight class and developed a respectable punch.

His biggest fight came near the end of his career when he met heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey on July 4, 1923 in Shelby, . The local backers and the town of Shelby went broke putting on the fight. The great Dempsey battled through the full fifteen rounds before winning by decision. Dempsey was awarded $200,000, whereas Gibbons received expense money.

Tommy Gibbons record was 56-4-1 with 44 no decisions, and 1 no contest. He scored 48 , and was stopped only once by on June 5, 1925. The names dotting his record read like boxing's hall of fame. Tommy recorded wins over , Willie Meehan, , Chuck Wiggins, Jack Bloomfield, and . Tommy had no decision matches with George "K.O." Brown, Billy Miske, , , Bob Roper, Chuck Wiggins, , and others. Only Harry Greb, Billy Miske, Jack Dempsey, and Gene Tunney were able to score wins over Tommy Gibbons.

Following his retirement, Tommy Gibbons was elected four times as the Sheriff of Ramsey County. He became a member of the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1963, and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.

Occupations

He began work at the Great Northern rail yard for $1.10 a day, of which he was allowed to keep 10 cents. He gave the rest of the money to help his mother and father support the family. He accompanied his brother, Mike to some of his boxing matches. When their father saw that they could earn much more money boxing, than they could ever earn at the rail yard, he allowed them to go into boxing full time. After retiring from boxing at age 34, he sold insurance very successfully and was a member of the $100,000 Club in the 1920*s. His friends convinced him to run for Sheriff of Ramsey County in Minnesota, Which included the capital city of St. Paul. He won for six consecutive four year terms before retiring at the age of 68.

Fast Facts

* Owed the Gibbons Brother*s Gym with his boxing brother Mike Gibbons

* He started boxing professionally in 1911.

* Boxed 106 fights, losing only 4 and being stopped only once, by Gene Tunney. He retired after the fight.

* Was the first boxer to go the entire Fifteen rounds with Dempsey during the World Championship Fight in Shelby, Montana on July 4, 1923, where he lost the decision.

* Tommy and Helen donated $50,000 to build the Immaculate Conception Church in Osakis, Minnesota from his purse from the Tunney fight.

* Was King Boreas IX in 1946 for the Winter Carnival in St. Paul, Minnesota.

* Was Knighted twice by the Catholic Church for his work for the church. A Knight of St. Gregory and A Knight of St. George.

* Was elected, along with his brother Mike to the *Helms* Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954.

Quotes

"Nailing him was like trying to thread a needle in a high wind." - Jack Dempsey about Tommy Gibbons bout in 1923

"Dempsey could beat anybody he could hit. The only reason that he couldn't do anything with fellows like Tunney or Greb or myself was he couldn't hit us." - Tom Gibbons in a radio interview in 1949

"For the first and only time, I was more worried about getting hurt by the crowd than by the guy I was fighting. I got a pretty good blast when introduced. The crowd was hollering and raising hell. I looked around for my bodyguard, a colorful character named Wild Bill Lyons, who packed two pearl-handled pistols and used to talk a lot about his days in the West. Wild Bill was under the ring, hiding." - Jack Dempsey about being introduced to the crowd at the Dempsey/Gibbons fight in Shelby, Montana July 4, 1923

"I could have licked him in Shelby if I had been 30, but I was 32. I'll never forget that day. I never got so tired of man in my life." - Tommy Gibbons discussing his World Championship bout with Jack Dempsey.

"People couldn*t seem to understand how I could take so much from Dempsey. They said I was as Iron Man (a name I always wanted to avoid), when really all I did was slip this way and that as the occasion required. Brother Mike was a past master at that. I never saw anyone to equal him at all. He taught it to me." - Tommy Gibbons from Punches I Have Taken

Links http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/gibbons-t.html http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/tg3/tmgps.html http://www.genetunney.com/magazine109.html

Dempsey v Gibbons

Statement by Jack Kearns

"Well, we won didn't we? Gibbons Is a tough boy but Jack gave him an awful beating. It was a great fight but the champion would rather have stopped Gibbons. The champion will keep right after all the other boys and if there is any demand for another Dempsey and Gibbons match we are ready

Statement By Eddie Kane

"I think that Gibbons made a great fight and will sure take Dempsey if they ever meet again. The 'champion roughed it all the way and did as he pleased In the clinches without any interruption from the referee" Gibbons fought clean He can beat Dempsey and the latter knows it We want another chance."

Jack Dempsey retained the world's championship today after one of the greatest heavyweight battles in history while feathered Indians. Kilted Scots, cowboys and the sports of America cheered his defeated foe. For fifteen rounds Tom Gibbons, the St Paul battler took everything- that could be handed to him and although he was groggy, hanging on, and trying desperately to last through the finish he was the hero of Shelby's great day

The fight, which was preceded by so much scandal and failure was from the fighting standpoint great enough to justify everything The twenty thousand maddened fans who sat through glaring heat and stewed m the intense heat of a. blazing afternoon witnessed a struggle worthy of greater things and Shelby's day, after all, proved a tremendous success

The pro-Gibbons crowd, going wild when at frequent intervals the St Paul boxer carried the fight to the champion and rocked him with repeated lefts Had Gibbons possessed the punching power of Dempsey tonight would have seen the crowning of,, a. new champion for it was not until the final round, when Dempsey's murderous body blows finally sapped the strength of Thunder Chief did he pile up and great advantage

The fifth, the eleventh and possibly the thirteenth rounds belonged to Gibbons The second and fourth were so even no man could decide and in every other round Dempsey was the winner In spite of the fact that he drove his terrific right and left to Gibbons body with murderous force the St Paul boy was not hurt and Dempsey found out that he was facing, not a great lighter, but one of the most magnificent boxers in the ring

Gibbons' elbow.- shed a thousand drives that were meant to destroy him and the darting speed of his head enabled him to avoid the blow. Dempsey never before missed as many hard drives. Eight times he drove the left -with Intent to kill and each time he missed Seven times during that desperate struggle he hurled that killing right at Tommy's jaw and missed, sometimes by a foot. But Dempsey won. Decisively and beyond doubt He was -on strong and his methods elicited Jeers and howls from the great crowd.

Gibbons was holding down the punches and striving desperately to protect his body from the vicious short arm drives and frequently he pushed down Dempsey's blows so that his punch seemed to land too low several times, fortunately –without hurting the challenger or there would have been a riot.

The crowd while fair to Dempsey when be made his appearance, was partisan and as Gibbons carried "the champion round after round, and in frequent rallies out boxed him, the spirit of the crowd rose.

It was plain almost from the start. that Gibbons did not have power enough to hurt Dempsey seriously In the second round he out boxed him decisively and landed two sharp left hooks to the champion's head and a straight left that opened an old cut over his eye. But not one of those punches landing where they –would have wrecked another man, seemed to hurt Dempsey He came back fiercely in the third and beat Gibbons all over the ring but so great was the armor of elbows and shoulders and so clever the head and foot work of the challenger that Dempsey could not get him In the fourth Gibbons made his last dangerous rally. He out boxed Dempsey decisively And twice snapped his left hook to Dempsey's jaw, only making him slack His pace.

From that to the finish, save for a minute flash in the eleventh Gibbons was not dangerous Dempsey had punched him in the stomach, and kidneys until his blows lacked sting More and more the strength and power of Dempsey wore him down. More and more it became a question of whether Gibbons, by his cleverness and boxing could stave of defeat He clung desperately to Dempsey's arm and , glove, broke into clinches and held on while Referee Jimmy Dougherty fought and wrestled with the boxers to tear them apart. In the final round Dempsey stung by the jeers of the crowd and the howls of the colorful, motley crowd, went out to finish Gibbons and a vicious right drive under the St Paul boy's heart almost finished the battle.

Through these three minutes Gibbons held on hugging and holding to his arm while Referee Dougherty fought harder than they did to tear them apart. Each time Dempsey measured his man. Tommy, weary but alert, ducked inside the blow." took a shower of short body blows and clung blindly waiting the bell

The bell, drowned in the uproar of The big crowd. left them. Dempsey trying to tear himself free to strike the finishing: blow and Gibbons' eyes half closed, face distorted, heard it through a cloud and realizing that it was over, smiling through battered sweat stained countenance and shook hands.

Dempsey, weary, bat strong,. Seemed disappointed even when Dougherty raised his glove In the air as a signal of victory. Then. smiling he Grabbed Gibbons hand and shook It. Shelby's great day was over— and the crowd which for a month has waited, has been angry and threatening rushed the ring, poured over the barricade of reporters and stormed the ring cheering both victor and vanquished. And the cheers when Gibbons left the rang, rose higher and higher-and his progress seemed more of a triumphal procession than a march homeward to tell the wife and kiddies he had lost—and lost without receiving a cent for his work.

There was a great deal of howling and kicking against the work of Referee Dougherty -who had one of the toughest jobs in boxing history. The clinging and the close in fighting With his arms and the wrestling methods gave Dempsey considerable advantage, for under the rules hitting on the break was permitted, and Dougherty, dodging low between the fighters to avoid, punches gave Dempsey every opportunity to crash with right and left, in spite of the constant yelling- against low hitting by Dempsey Gibbons' only complaint was made when Dougherty ducked between them and Dempsey hitting over the referee cracked him sharply.

He was not well pleased either on another occasion when he went half through the ropes and Dempsey hit him while he was half outside .Dempsey was hit low once by accident And Gibbons apologized. Whether Dempsey has gone back or not is a problem. My opinion is that he met a. master boxer. So Shelby’s great day ended well—save financially. A great fight, no trouble—and a crowd was at least happy.

13 March 1922 Gibbons v Greb

Greb outpoints Gibbons In New York

Harry Greb, the Pittsburg was adjudged the winner over Tommy Gibbons at the end of the fifteenth round of their bout at Madison Square garden Monday night, while one of the biggest and most notable gatherings of boxing fans ever assembled in the famous arena looked on.

The bout was hold under the auspices of the New York milk fund and the charitable aspect of the occasion had its part in attracting large numbers of persons prominent in society, finance and politics as well us the regulars at all the big fistic events.

Greb had a clear margin on points'. Gibbons, a 2 to 1 favorite in the batting, was a disappointment to his followers. He won only three of the fifteen rounds. The blows of both men lacked knockout power, but Greb landed the often and more cleanly. Gibbons won the second, tenth and eleventh rounds, but Greb outpointed him 2 to 1 in the rest of the contest.

The estimated attendance at the bout was estimated at 14,000, but the paid admissions were announced to be 13,400 and the total gate receipts were $117,600.

By Rounds

FIRST ROUND

Both men came dancing out and rushed into a clinch, Greb landing several left hand punches to Tom's head. Greb uppercut Gibbons with two punches to the mouth and Gibbon’s retaliated with a stiff right to Harry's mouth before another clinch. Gibbon’s hooked two short lefts to Greb's ear. There was another clinch. Both men were working fast. Greb showered Tom with a series of right uppercuts and then hooked a right to Tom's wind. Gibbons mouth was bleeding. Greb landed a right to Gibbons' head, then hooked two right hand uppercuts under Gibbons' heart. Greb was doing all the forcing and landed two blows to one delivered by Gibbons.

SECOND ROUND

Greb landed a light left to Gibbons' mouth. Gibbons landed a hard left to Greb's jaw and the latter rushed into a clinch. Gibbons sent a right to Greb's heart. Tom sent right to left to Greb's wind and followed up with another left to Harry's stomach. Tom landed a-light left on Harry's face. Tom hooked a light left to Greb's mouth and the latter slipped to the knees. Harry rapped with a right to the ear. Tom showered Greb with several stinging lefts to the stomach. Greb was wild and missed left and right tries for the head. Gibbons was now forcing the issue. His blows apparently carried more steam than those of the Smoke town boy. Gibbon’s had Greb backing away at the bell.

THIRD ROUND

The men rushed Into clinch. Tommy missed two hard swings to Greb's head and another clinch resulted. Greb landed two hard rights to Tom's mouth and then sent a long left to Gibbons ear. but the St. Paul man plunged in on the aggressive. Gibbons lands a left clip to Harry's wind in neutral corner. Gibbons rushes Harry around but the latter fell into a clinch. In a clinch Gibbons landed several right hand punches to the wind. Gibbons was bleeding quite freely from the mouth but continued on the aggressive. The Pittsburgher landed a short left to Tom's mouth. Greb hooked a light left to Tom's mid section . Gibbons uppercut with a right to the heart Just at the bell.

FOURTH ROUND

Tom sunk a right hand punch to the stomach after a clinch. Harry sent over a right to Tom's ear. Gibbons was wild with a left hand try for the head. Harry landed a left to Toms mouth and then sent two more lefts to Tom's face. Gibbons missed with a vicious right swing to the Jaw. Harry In return hooked two lefts to Tom's mouth and then brought a right to Tom's ear. Gibbons continued to chase Greb, but the latter peppered Gibbons with rights and lefts as Tom tore In.Tom sent in a left Harry's face, but the latter retaliated with a shower of lefts and rights to Tom's face.

FIFTH ROUND

Harry soaked Tom with a looping right hand to the Jaw, and in a clinch sent two rights to, Tom's ear. They were continually dashing Into clinches. Greb hooked a left to Tom's ear and repeated the dose a moment later. Greb again sent a left to Gibbons mouth, while the latter sent a right upper cut to Gibbon's heart. Harry sent a swooping right back of Tom's ear. Tom hooked a left to Greb's chin, but the latter was back with two rights to Tom's face. In the clinch Greb had the better of two exchanges. Gibbons sunk two hard lefts to Greb's wind and then shut the Pittsburgher up with a short chop to the chin.

SIXTH ROUND

Harry whipped a right to Gibbons' jaw. In a clinch Tom brought a left up to the Pittsburgher’s ear. Both got home some good blows In a clinch which followed . Coming out of the clinch Harry ripped a left to Tom's ear. Greb swung a right to Gibbons heart. Gibbons rushed Harry to the ropes but received two rights to the face for his trouble. Once more Harry hooked a left to the stomach and then brought his right to Gibbons' jaw. Greb rushed In. assailing Gibbons with a series of right punches to the mouth and then hooked a short right to the wind Gibbons was very wild and missed try’s to the face.Greb peppered Gibbon’s again with rights to the face without a return. Harry stepped In once more and nailed Gibbons with a round right arm swing to the face as the bell rung.

SEVENTH ROUND

They dashed Into a clinch. Greb landed a right on Tom's chin, but there apparently was no steam to the Pittsburgher's punches, although he was working fast and landing many more blows than the St. Paul boxer. Greb feinted Gibbons Into an opening and landed a stiff left to Tom's mouth. Gibbous put a fierce left upper cut to Greb's midsection. Gibbons hooked a left to Harry's head, sending the latter back on his heels. In a clinch which followed Greb had all the bettor of it, rapping Tom often with rights and lefts to face and body. Harry landed a right to the point of Gibbons' chin. This made the latter wince. Greb stepped in once more landing a right to Tom's mouth. A fierce rally followed, In which Gibbons landed a stiff left punch to Greb's stomach, and followed it with a right punch to the jaw. The were locked at the bell with Gibbons making a great rally.

EIGHTH ROUND

Gibbons stabbed Harry with a left to the jaw and when they ran into a clinch Harry worked two short upper cuts to Tom's chin. Gibbons missed with a left hook to the Pittsburgher's face. Tom sent a light left to Greb's chin. Greb smashed Tom twice with rights to the ear and then hooked a left to the wind. Greb landed a sweeping right hand punch to Gibbons' ear and then staggered Gibbons with two lefts to the chin. Gibbons was very wild trying to nail Greb with a right swing. Harry hooked a left to the wind and Tom retaliated with a right upper cut to the chin. Greb drove a straight right hand punch to Gibbons mouth which sent Tom to his heels. Greb had Gibbons holding at theBell

NINTH ROUND

They dashed into a clinch, both getting In right body blows. Greb hooked two lefts to Tom's head. He then shot two lefts to the ear and followed with two more rights to the face. Gibbons was bleeding freely from the mouth and had a slight cut under the ear. Tommy got in two short rights to Harry's chin. When he missed a right for Greb's jaw, the latter peppered him with a shower of rights and lefts to the face. Greb had all the better of the exchanges. Greb staggered Tom with a right to the our and followed with several lofts to the wind. Gibbons landed a hard left on Harry's mouth, but Greb was back fast with two right hand punches to Tom's mouth.

TENTH ROUND

Gibbons socked Greb with a left to the pit of the stomach. Gibbons crowded Greb to the ropes. apparently anxious to land a haymaker, but the elusive Pittsburgher was too smart and punched Gibbons away from him with lefts and rights. Tom hooked a left to Harry's ear and then ripped two hard punches to Greb's stomach. Harry came back with two lefts to Tom's wind as they went Into a clinch. Greb rapped Gibbons with a hard right to the ear; Greb rapped Tom over the kidneys with a right smash and repeated the dose a moment later. In a clinch Tom shot two lefts to the body. Gibbons rushed Greb Into his own corner and managed to get in two light body blows.

ELEVENTH ROUND

Tom ripped a left to Harry's face. Harry drove a right to Tom's mouth. Tom bent a right to Harry's chin.. Greb landed a right punch to the kidneys and a straight left to his chin. Tom hooked a fierce left to the pit of Greb's stomach and the latter fell into a clinch. Gibbons landed a light left to the nose. Gibbons landed a hard right to Harry's face, but it was, too high, although It had plenty of steam behind it and made Greb break ground. Tom forced the Pittsburgher around the ring, landing several left hooks to the wind Tom sunk a fierce right under Greb's heart as he rushes him to the ropes. At this point Gibbons appeared the stronger of the two. Greb had tired from the fierce pace he had set.

TWELFTH ROUND

Greb misseda hard try for Gibbons' head, while the latter stopped In and hooked Harry with a short left to the wind. Tom hooked a hard right to Harry's face and then ripped a left to Harry's stomach. Greb managed to land a right to Tom's face coming out of another clinch. Harry missed a right try for the face. Tom ripped a hard right under Harry's heart. Tom hooked once more to Harry's heart and Harry came back gamely with two light lefts to Tom's face. Tom ripped a hard right to Harry's stomach. Gibbons shot Harry with a hard right to the ear. He was now forcing the Issue. Harry rapped Tom with three short rights to the face as the bell rang.

THIRTEENTH ROUND

Tom was short with two left tries to the face. Harry rapped Gibbons with a right to the heart and then landed several rights and lefts to the face. Gibbons hooked two stinging punches to Greb's stomach. Gibbons landed a straight left to Harry's mouth. Gibbons sunk a left to Greb's midsection and then missed a vicious swing for Greb’s jaw. Greb landed an uppercut right Greb to the ropes, landing several body blows. Greb landed a right chop to Tom's face and a clinch followed. Harry shot Tom with a right hand blow to the nose and then brought his left to Tom's ear. Greb landed several more body blows and mixed the assortment with a left hook to Tom's wind. Greb was the aggressor in the most of the round but there was no sting to his blows.

FOURTEENTH ROUND

Harry landed a right blow below the heart and Tom brought up a left to his mouth. Greb landed a right to Tom's ear and forced him to the ropes. Greb landed a fierce punch under Tom's heart and then brought his left up fast to Gibbons' mouth. As Tom plunged in, Greb landed a Left clip to the stomach. Gibbons landed a right to the wind, but Harry came back as usual, tossing Punches from every direction. Tom hooked a sharp left to Harry's wind. Grab then missed a hard right to the body, and on the next try he put his right to Tom's ear. In a clinch both lauded right blows to the face.

FIFTEENTH ROUND

Tom rapped Harry with a right to the ear and the Pittsburgher countered with a right to the stomach. The men clinched with Greb having the better of the infighting. Tom missed a left swing for Harry's face. Greb smashed Gibbons with rights and lefts to the body, while the crowd roared for him to knockout the St. Paul boy. Greb landed several right uppercuts to the face as they rushed into a clinch. Gibbons sunk a left hook to Harry's wind and tried to force the Pittsburgher around, but the latter shot a dozen blows at the St. Paul boxer. Harry landed one good right on Tom's chin and followed with a stiff punch to Tom's kidneys. Gibbons was desperate and tried to nail the Pittsburgher, but the latter was too busy. Greb had all the better of the last exchange in the middle of the ring and won the decision.

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