The Sport
June 1858
'Old Smoke’ Morrissey to Meet John Heenan in Fall Bout
John C. Heenan (l) and John ‘Old Smoke’ Morrissey (r)
New York -- John ‘Old Smoke’ Morrissey has agreed to fight John Heenan this fall for the championship of America. Morrissey is the reigning champion of America. He won his title in controversial fashion from “Yankee” Sullivan in 1853. Sullivan knocked out Morrissey and left the ring, thinking he’d won. However, Morrissey’s firsts were able to rouse him and get him back to scratch. With Sullivan gone, Morrissey was declared the winner.
Morrissey’s last fight was in 1854 against William “Bill the Butcher” Poole. There was a history of bad blood between Morrissey, an Irishman and Tammany Hall Democrat, and Poole, an enforcer for the Know-Nothing Party and a leader of the Bowery Boys. It began after the Sullivan fight when Poole, who had heavily wagered on Sullivan, disputed the result of the bout and insisted wagers shouldn’t be honored.
Poole beat Morrissey badly. According to the New York Daily Times, Morrissey
“presented a shocking spectacle, and scarcely could any of his friends recognize him. His eyes were closed and one of them was found to be gouged from one end of the socket, which injury will probably impair his sight for life. There were large bunches on all parts of his head. His face above and below the eyes is blackened by violent blows given on the bridge of his nose. There is a hole in his cheek, and his lips are chewed up in a frightful manner. He also sustained fearful injuries about his breast, arms, and back, where Poole kicked him with heavy cowhide boots after he helloed enough. So severe are Morrissey's injuries, that it is very doubtful whether he walks in the street for the next six months.”
Several months later, Lew Baker, a former NYPD officer and close friend of Morrissey, sought vengeance. He and two companions entered Stanwix Hall, a bar on Broadway that is a center of the city’s night life, where he confronted and shot Poole. Poole died two weeks later. Morrissey and Baker were indicted for murder, but the charges were dropped after three trials resulted in hung juries.
New York-born Heenan, known as ‘the Benicia Boy’, made a name for himself as a brawler in the California gold fields. Heenan’s manager and trainer, Englishman Jim Cusick, has been actively pursuing a title fight with Morrissey.
Sayers to Meet Paddock in June Bout
The long anticipated bout between Tom Sayers and Tom Paddock for the championship of England will take place at some point in June. The location of the fight is being kept close to the vest by organizers to prevent the police from disrupting the event. Although prizefighting in England is supported by members of the establishment from royal princes downwards, it is considered illegal under the terms of the Riot Act of 1715. Fights are typically held in warehouses, courtyards of inns, or in open fields away from the eyes of local authorities.
Philadelphia Defeats Young America
Camden, NJ – At the Cricket Grounds in Camden, the Philadelphia Cricket Club (106 and 104) downed Young America (59 and 67) by 84 runs. On the first day, Widdis and Newhall bowled masterfully for the Young Americans in the early going, retiring Howe, Wister and Johnson. Tom Facon finally showed some punch for the Philadelphians, collecting 16 runs. Later in the innings Barclay added 22 before being run out. Only Newhall showed any game at bat for the Young Americans, scoring 14 runs.
On the second day it was J.B. England who led the way for the Philadelphia batsmen with 23 runs. For Young America, Fisher produced a plucky 12 and was not out, but his mates showed little fight. W.S. Newhall was the only other Young American to score double digit runs, with 10.
Code:
BOXSCORE PHILADELPHIA CC VS. YOUNG AMERICA
PHILADELPHIA CC WINS THE MATCH BY 84 RUNS
-------------------------------------------
PHILADELPHIA CC FIRST INNINGS
T.M. Hall 0 caught Knox b Widdis
C.T. Howe 0 bowled G.M. Newhall
W.R. Wister 3 bowled G.M. Newhall
J.W. Johnson 10 bowled G.M. Newhall
T. Facon 16 caught Carpenter b Newhall
C.B. Sharratt 12 run out
J.H. Kuhn 5 bowled Widdis
A.C. Barclay 22 run out
Richardson 4 bowled G.M. Newhall
J.B. England 6 bowled Widdis
B.M. Dusenberry 6 not out
EXTRAS
NB: 1
WIDES: 12
LB: 2
BYES: 8
PHILADELPHIA CC ALL OUT FOR 106/10 IN 41 OVERS
YOUNG AMERICA BOWLING
O M R W
Widdis 20.0 5 43 3
W.S. Newhall 4.0 0 14 1
G.M. Newhall 17.0 4 28 4
--------------------------------------------
YOUNG AMERICA FIRST INNINGS
E. Fisher 0 bowled Barclay
G.M. Newhall 3 caught Hall b Johnson
Fryer 0 bowled Barclay
H.L. Newhall 7 bowled Johnson
W.S. Newhall 14 caught and b Barclay
F. Wister 5 lbw Johnson
Carpenter 6 caught Kuhn b Johnson
McIntyre 3 not out
Knox 1 run out
J.D. Rodney 2 bowled Barclay
Widdis 3 caught and b Johnson
EXTRAS
NB: 1
WIDES: 12
LB: 1
BYES: 2
YOUNG AMERICA ALL OUT FOR 59/10 IN 26.3 OVERS
PHILADELPHIA CC BOWLING
O M R W
Barclay 13.0 4 24 4
J.W. Johnson 13.3 2 19 5
-------------------------------------------
PHILADELPHIA CC SECOND INNINGS
T.M. Hall 5 bowled G.M. Newhall
C.T. Howe 7 caught Wister b G.M. Newhall
W.R. Wister 2 run out
J.W. Johnson 2 bowled Fisher
T. Facon 10 caught W.S. Newhall b Fisher
C.B. Sharratt 12 caught Rodney b Fisher
J.H. Kuhn 11 bowled Wister
A.C. Barclay 4 retired hurt
Richardson 5 bowled G.M. Newhall
J.B. England 23 not out
B.M. Dusenberry 0 caught W.S. Newhall b G.M. Newhall
EXTRAS
NB: 9
WIDES: 15
LB: 2
BYES: 6
PHILADELPHIA CC ALL OUT FOR 104/10 IN 46.4 OVERS
YOUNG AMERICA BOWLING
O M R W
G.M. Newhall 14.0 2 34 4
Widdis 6.0 3 11 0
Fisher 18.4 10 18 3
Wister 7.0 1 9 1
--------------------------------------------
YOUNG AMERICA CC SECOND INNINGS
E. Fisher 12 not out
G.M. Newhall 3 run out
Fryer 7 run out
H.L. Newhall 3 bowled Johnson
W.S. Newhall 10 bowled Howe
F. Wister 3 run out
Carpenter 4 caught Howe b Johnson
McIntyre 0 bowled Howe
Knox 5 caught Facon b Howe
J.D. Rodney 0 lbw Dusenberry
Widdis 3 bowled Dusenberry
EXTRAS
NB: 16
WIDES: 15
LB: 2
BYES: 0
YOUNG AMERICA ALL OUT FOR 67/10 IN 25 OVERS
PHILADELPHIA CC BOWLING
O M R W
Howe 12.0 2 19 3
Dusenberry 6.0 2 10 2
J.W. Johnson 6.0 1 18 2
Wister 1.0 0 4 0
May Cricket Match Results in England
Cambridge University Defeats Gentlemen of Cambridgeshire by 6 Wickets
06 May, FP Fenner's Ground, Cambridge -- The Cambridge University men (149 and 89/4) defeated the Gentlemen of Cambridgeshire (117 and 113) by 6 wickets. Only the Gentlemen's Frederick Bell showed any pluck with the bat during the first innings, producing 69 runs of Cambridgeshire's 117 and was not out. G.E. Cotterill and F.H. Norman were the top batsmen for Cambridge, scoring 38 and 29 for Cambridge. The University men tallied 149 in their first innings. Bell led the way again in Cambridgeshire's second innings, scoring 57, not out, and the Gentleman finished the second innings with 113. Chasing 88, the University men saw good production from Bayford (20), Royds (22) and Cotterill (19), winning the match midway through the order.
Cambridge University routs Cambridge Town Club
13, 14 May, FP Fenner's Ground, Cambridge -- F.H. Norman and W.H. Benthall both had centuries as the University men tallied 312, all out, in their first innings. Cambridge Town Club batted first and scored 151, all out, in their side of the innings, which was less than half of the University men's total. The Cambridge Town Club conceded the match following the University men's first innings.
All England Eleven Defeats Oxford University
17, 18, 19, 20 May, Magdalen Ground, Oxford -- In a four day affair, the All England Eleven (82 and 121) cricketers defeated Oxford University (77 and 103) by 23 runs.
Other Match Results
01 May -- Peripatetics defeated Westminster by 103 runs at Vincent Square, Westminster (1-day match)
06 May -- Match drawn between Windsor Garrison and I Zingari at Windsor Calvary Barracks, Windsor (1-day match)
10 May -- Match drawn between Earl of Winterton's XI and FTA Hervey-Bathurst's XI at Lord's Cricket Ground, St. John's Wood (1-day match)
13 May -- Match drawn between Oxford and Oxfordshire at Magdalen Ground, Oxford (1-day match)
14 May -- Cheltenham College defeated Marlborough College by 6 wickets at College Ground, Cheltenham (2-day match)
15 May -- Match drawn between Maidenhead and Peripatetics at Maidenhead (1-day match)
17 May -- Ireland defeated Marylebone Cricket Club by an innings and 10 runs at Lord's Cricket Ground, St. John's Wood (2-day match)
22 May -- Match drawn between Eton College and I Zingari at Agar's Plough, Eton College (1 day match)
25 May -- Match drawn between Eton College and Windsor Garrison at Agar's Plough, Eton College (1 day match)
27 May -- Harrow School defeated Household Brigade by an innings and 46 runs at Harrow School Cricket Ground, Harrow-on-the-Hill (1-day match)
28 May -- Bradford defeated Broughton by an innings and 14 runs at Broughton Cricket Club Ground, Salford (2-day match)
29 May -- Match drawn between Bullingdon and I Zingari at Bullingdon Green, Oxford (1-day match)
31 May -- Match drawn between Earl of Winterton's XI and JG Boothby's XI at Lord's Cricket Ground, St. John's Wood (1-day match)