Mike Farragher
Encyclopedia
Michael Joseph Farragher (January 2, 1871 – October 21, 1934) was a well-known welterweight
boxer from Youngstown, Ohio
. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Farragher faced opponents in venues such as New York City
; Wheeling, West Virginia
; Cleveland, Ohio
; and Homestead, Pennsylvania
.
Early in his career, journalists compared Farragher to legendary prizefighter James J. Corbett
, in terms of both his physical appearance and fighting style.
, on Youngstown's north side. The Farraghers were actively involved with St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, and at least two members of the family became well known athletes. Mike Farragher's younger brother, James Farragher
, gained recognition as a left tackle on the University of Notre Dame
's football team and is credited in official histories as an acting head coach of the "Fighting Irish".
He was unable to fight in his hometown throughout 1894, because "local ministers took a united stand against the sport", while "the Catholic Institute barred all persons who had taken part in prize fights". Farragher was evidently undeterred. That year, he defeated Eastern champion Abe Lloyd in a bout of 27 rounds held in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
.
One of his most anticipated matches of 1895 involved English-born fighter John Parry, a resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania
.". "At present there is no one in the ring whom Farragher would rather meet than the man Parry", the Youngstown Daily Vindicator
reported on June 3, 1895. "According to Farragher, the young Englishman acted unlike a gentleman at a recent meeting Farragher had with [rival fighter James] Callagher, and at which contest Parry was behind Callagher". The following week, the Vindicator noted that Farragher was training for the match at O'Brien's Westake Crossing Gymnasium in Youngstown. "He is reported to be in his usual good shape and says he will have no trouble in getting to weight at the appointed time", the paper added.
In early July, Farragher completed his preparatory training in Pittsburgh, where Parry was said to be "a big favorite" and "considerable money will be wagered". On July 10, 1895, the Vindicator reported that Farragher, "the game and scientific Youngstown light-weight pugilist", had "knocked out" Parry in the 13th round of a "savage" contest held the previous evening in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Vindicator reported that, at the beginning of the final round, "Parry was sent in to knock Farragher out, and it was supposed by Parry's admirers that he could do so". After several of Parry's swings "missed their aim", however, Farragher delivered a powerful right blow to Parry, "who fell like one dead, and amid cheers from the crowd was counted out".
An obituary indicates that Farragher's career peaked between 1902 and 1906. He retired after defeating opponent Phil Cassidy in a fight held in Youngstown, on February 12, 1912.
, who was described by the Vindicator as "an accomplished young lady, possessing a large number of friends". The Vindicator added that the secrecy surrounding the marriage ceremony had been purposeful. "It was the intention to keep the matter a secret, and how well they succeeded is fully demonstrated by the fact that until today nobody except the immediate relatives of the contracting parties and the witnesses were aware of it". The couple eventually had two daughters.
. At that point, Farragher became involved in real estate in the Youngstown and Detroit markets.
On the morning of October 21, 1934, Michael Joseph Farragher died at his daughter's south side home. An obituary notes he had suffered a debilitating stroke about 10 months earlier. Farragher was survived by his daughter, Mrs. Lawrence J. Moran, a son, Joseph Farragher of South America, and the following siblings: John and James Farragher, Mrs. John King, Miss Catherine Farragher, Mrs. John Barnes, and Mrs. Joseph Tobin. His wife, Rose, had died in 1924. His funeral service was held at St. Dominic's Church, and he was buried at Calvary
Cemetery, in Youngstown, Ohio. The passing of one of Youngstown's celebrated "old-time boxers" was duly noted in both of the city's daily newspapers.
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
boxer from Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Farragher faced opponents in venues such as New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
; Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
; Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
; and Homestead, Pennsylvania
Homestead, Pennsylvania
Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, in the "Mon Valley," southeast of downtown Pittsburgh and directly across the river from the city limit line. The borough is known for the Homestead Strike of 1892, an important event in the history of labor relations in the United...
.
Early in his career, journalists compared Farragher to legendary prizefighter James J. Corbett
James J. Corbett
James John "Gentleman Jim" Corbett was an Irish-American heavyweight boxing champion, best known as the man who defeated the great John L. Sullivan. He also coached boxing at the Olympic Club in San Francisco...
, in terms of both his physical appearance and fighting style.
Early years
He was born in the working-class district of Brier HillBrier Hill
Brier Hill is a neighborhood in Youngstown, Ohio, that was once viewed as the city's "Little Italy" district. The neighborhood, which was the site of the city's first Italian settlement, stretches along the western edge of Youngstown's lower north side and encircles St. Anthony's Church, an...
, on Youngstown's north side. The Farraghers were actively involved with St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, and at least two members of the family became well known athletes. Mike Farragher's younger brother, James Farragher
James Farragher
-Sources:* Sperber, Murray . Shake Down the Thunder: The Creation of Notre Dame Football. New York: Henry Holt and Company.-External links:...
, gained recognition as a left tackle on the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
's football team and is credited in official histories as an acting head coach of the "Fighting Irish".
Boxing career
Farragher "weighed in" at between 122 and 135 pounds and participated in almost 40 fights, with five "knock-outs" to his credit. In a career that lasted from 1891 to 1912, he defeated early champions such as Jim Gallagher, Jeff Powers, Tommy Broderick, Jimmy Reeder, and Stanton Abbott.He was unable to fight in his hometown throughout 1894, because "local ministers took a united stand against the sport", while "the Catholic Institute barred all persons who had taken part in prize fights". Farragher was evidently undeterred. That year, he defeated Eastern champion Abe Lloyd in a bout of 27 rounds held in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough in Beaver and Lawrence counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Ellwood City is 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and some 8 miles south by southeast of New Castle...
.
One of his most anticipated matches of 1895 involved English-born fighter John Parry, a resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania
Homestead, Pennsylvania
Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, in the "Mon Valley," southeast of downtown Pittsburgh and directly across the river from the city limit line. The borough is known for the Homestead Strike of 1892, an important event in the history of labor relations in the United...
.". "At present there is no one in the ring whom Farragher would rather meet than the man Parry", the Youngstown Daily Vindicator
The Vindicator
The Vindicator, also known at times as The Youngstown Vindicator, is a daily newspaper serving Youngstown, Ohio and the Mahoning County Region as well as southern Trumbull County and northern Columbiana County. Founded in 1869, the newspaper currently has a circulation of 62,100 daily and 87,000...
reported on June 3, 1895. "According to Farragher, the young Englishman acted unlike a gentleman at a recent meeting Farragher had with [rival fighter James] Callagher, and at which contest Parry was behind Callagher". The following week, the Vindicator noted that Farragher was training for the match at O'Brien's Westake Crossing Gymnasium in Youngstown. "He is reported to be in his usual good shape and says he will have no trouble in getting to weight at the appointed time", the paper added.
In early July, Farragher completed his preparatory training in Pittsburgh, where Parry was said to be "a big favorite" and "considerable money will be wagered". On July 10, 1895, the Vindicator reported that Farragher, "the game and scientific Youngstown light-weight pugilist", had "knocked out" Parry in the 13th round of a "savage" contest held the previous evening in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Vindicator reported that, at the beginning of the final round, "Parry was sent in to knock Farragher out, and it was supposed by Parry's admirers that he could do so". After several of Parry's swings "missed their aim", however, Farragher delivered a powerful right blow to Parry, "who fell like one dead, and amid cheers from the crowd was counted out".
An obituary indicates that Farragher's career peaked between 1902 and 1906. He retired after defeating opponent Phil Cassidy in a fight held in Youngstown, on February 12, 1912.
Personal life
Farragher was married on November 10, 1894, though this fact was not widely publicized until August of 1895. His bride was the former Rose Daley, a native of neighboring Warren, OhioWarren, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,832 people, 19,288 households and 12,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,912.4 people per square mile . There were 21,279 housing units at an average density of 1,322.9 per square mile...
, who was described by the Vindicator as "an accomplished young lady, possessing a large number of friends". The Vindicator added that the secrecy surrounding the marriage ceremony had been purposeful. "It was the intention to keep the matter a secret, and how well they succeeded is fully demonstrated by the fact that until today nobody except the immediate relatives of the contracting parties and the witnesses were aware of it". The couple eventually had two daughters.
Later years
After leaving the ring, Farragher established a "popular" tavern on Commerce Street, in downtown Youngstown. The business remained in operation until the enforcement of ProhibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
. At that point, Farragher became involved in real estate in the Youngstown and Detroit markets.
On the morning of October 21, 1934, Michael Joseph Farragher died at his daughter's south side home. An obituary notes he had suffered a debilitating stroke about 10 months earlier. Farragher was survived by his daughter, Mrs. Lawrence J. Moran, a son, Joseph Farragher of South America, and the following siblings: John and James Farragher, Mrs. John King, Miss Catherine Farragher, Mrs. John Barnes, and Mrs. Joseph Tobin. His wife, Rose, had died in 1924. His funeral service was held at St. Dominic's Church, and he was buried at Calvary
Calvary
Calvary or Golgotha was the site, outside of ancient Jerusalem’s early first century walls, at which the crucifixion of Jesus is said to have occurred. Calvary and Golgotha are the English names for the site used in Western Christianity...
Cemetery, in Youngstown, Ohio. The passing of one of Youngstown's celebrated "old-time boxers" was duly noted in both of the city's daily newspapers.