Frank Craig (the "Harlem Coffee Cooler") BORN   April 1 1868; Columbus, Georgia (Earlier sources reported April 1 1870; New York, New York DIED January 1943; Chelsea, London, England HEIGHT 5-10 WEIGHT 153-169 lbs MANAGERS Denny Butler, Ned Holske, Himself

Craig was quick and clever; He fought as a middleweight and light heavyweight but tangled with a number of larger men; Craig won the Colored Middleweight Championship of the World during his career Craig defeated such men as Joe Butler, Billy McCarthy, Fred Woods, Fred Morris, Joe Ellingsworth, Bill Slavin, Tom Thomas, Ted Pritchard, George Chrisp, Charlie Knock, Charles Allum, Fred Drummond and Denis Haugh

Undated
       C.A.C. Smith                                                 L  2

1891
Apr  7 Seaman Fisher               Harlem, NY                      KO 10
          -Some sources report "Yeamans Fisher"
May  7 Grant Mack                  Long Island, NY                  W  6
Nov 28 George Broad                New York, NY                    KO  2
          -Some sources report 11/11/91
Nov 30 James Frazer                Stamford, Ct                    KO  1

1892
Jan  4 Bill Dunn                   Stamford, Ct                    LK  3
Feb  6 Bill Davis                  New York, NY                     W  4
          -Some sources report "W 6"
Mar 12 G.W. Coffey                 New York, NY                    KO  1
Mar 25 Robert Jackson              New York, NY                    TK  1
          -Some sources report 3/26/92
Apr  9 Bill Dunn                   New York, NY                     D  6
Apr 30 Bill Dunn                   New York, NY                     D  8
Aug 29 C.A.C. Smith                Brooklyn, NY                    EX  
Sep 12 C.A.C. Smith                New York, NY                    EX  
Oct  1 Fred Woods                  New York, NY                     W  5
Nov 26 Peter Burns                 New York, NY                     L  6
 
1893
Feb 11 Jack Van Houten             New York, NY                     W  6
Mar 12 Henry McGrath               New York, NY                    KO  1
Mar 18 Joe Butler                  Philadelphia, Pa                LT  2
          -Colored Middleweight Championship of the World
Apr 23 George Gannon               New York, NY                     W  6
Apr 29 Harry Newmier               New York, NY                     D  4
          -Some sources report 3/29/93
Jun 12 Billy McCarthy              Philadelphia, Pa                 L  4
Jun 17 Jack Langdon                Philadelphia, Pa                 ?  
          -This bout was held; The outcome is not known
Jun 19 Steve O'Donnell             Philadelphia, Pa                 L  4
          -Some sources report "ND 4"
Jul 20 Con Coughlin                Reading, Pa                      W  1
Aug 24 Nick Burley                 San Francisco, Ca               LK  2
Nov 25 Billy McCarthy              New York, NY                     W  6
Nov 29 Con Riordan                 New York, NY                   SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 30 Joe Ellingsworth            New York, NY                    KO  7
          -Some sources report "KO 6"

1894
Feb  7 Dan Creedon                 New York, NY                     L  4
          -Some sources report "D 4";
           Some sources report another bout on 2/14/94
Feb 17 Dick Baker                  New York, NY                    TK  1
          -Some sources report "W 2"
Feb 19 Joe Butler                  Philadelphia, Pa                TK  1
          -Colored Middleweight Championship of the World;
           Some sources report 2/20/94
Feb 24 Jim Foley                   New York, NY                    EX  
Mar  1 Frank Thompson              New York, NY                    KO  2
Mar 16 Fred Morris                 Long Island, NY                 TK 18
          -This was a "private" fight;
           Some sources report "TK 19"
Apr 10 Bill Dunn                   New York, NY                    KO  1
Apr 25 Peter Burns                 New York, NY                    KO  1
          -Some sources report 4/26/94
Jun 11 Bill Slavin                 Minneapolis, Mn                 KO  2
Jun 25 Peter McGlone               Brooklyn, NY                     W  4
Jul 16 Peter Maher                 Boston, Ma                      LK  2
Oct  8 Johnny O'Brien              London, England                 KO  2
Oct 16 Tom Montgomery              London, England                 KO  1
Oct 23 Jim Tully                   London, England                 KO  2
Oct 30 Denny Butler                London, England                 EX  3
Nov  2 Tom Montgomery              London, England                 KO  2
Nov  4 Joe Donohue                 London, England                 KO  1
Nov  6 Tom Burgess                 London, England                SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Nov  7 Dan Cleary                  London, England                 KO  1
Nov  8 Jim Ward                    London, England                SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Nov  9 Denny Butler                London, England                 EX  3
Nov  9 Ted Cain                    London, England                 EX  4
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Nov 10 Bill Cheese                 London, England                 KO  1
          -Some sources report 11/11/94
Nov 12 Denny Butler                London, England                 EX  3
Nov 12 Denny Butler                London, England                 EX  
Nov 12 Tom Thomas                  London, England                 KO  1
          -The 11/12/94 date is doubted by many historians;
           The previous 3 bouts were held the same date
Nov 13 Ted Cain                    London, England                 EX  3
Nov 13 Bill O'Leary                London, England                 EX  3
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Nov 14 Denny McCarthy              London, England                SCH  
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Nov 15 Arthur Morris               London, England                 EX  3
Nov 16 Horace King                 London, England                 EX  4
          -King became Amateur Heavyweight Champion of England in 1894
Nov 17 Joe Steers                  London, England                 EX  3
          -Steers was Amateur Middleweight Champion of England
          from 1891-1893; He was Amateur Heavyweight Champion
          of England in 1890 and 1892-1893; Some sources report
          "EX 4" on 11/18/94
Nov 18 Jack Bogan                  London, England                 KO  3
          -Some sources report 11/19/94
Nov 19 Bill Miles                  London, England                 EX  3
Nov 20 Bill Miles                  London, England                 EX  3
Nov 20 Bill O'Leary                London, England                 KO  2
Nov 20 Jack Gorman                 London, England                 EX  3
Nov 20 John Daly                   London, England                  W  2
          -The previous 4 bouts were held the same date
Nov 21 Alf Phillips                London, England                 KO  2
          -Some sources report "W 4"
Nov 22 Alf Bannister               London, England                  W  4
          -Some sources report "EX 4"
Nov 23 Alf Mitchell                London, England                 KO  2
Nov 29 Bill Miles                  London, England                 EX  4
Dec 17 Ted Pritchard               London, England                 KO  1
          -158 lbs Championship of England; Some sources
           report Heavyweight Championship of England

1895
Feb  4 Felix Scott                 London, England                 ND  4
          -Scott lasted and claimed "Win"
Mar 11 Frank "Paddy" Slavin        London, England                 LK  1
Apr 13 Jack O'Brien                London, England                 KO  1
Oct 14 Dan Creedon                 London, England                  L 20
          -Middleweight Championship of England

1896
May 11 Tom Duggan                  London, England                  W 12

1897
Mar 17 Dick O'Brien                Birmingham, England             LK  2
          -Some sources report 10/23/97
 
1898
Oct 17 "Australian" Billy Edwards  London, England                 KO 12
Nov 24 George Chrisp               Newcastle, England              KO 13
          -This bout was promoted as the Heavyweight Championship of Britain;
          Some sources report 11/25/98; Some sources report "W 12"

1899
Sep 18 Tommy Ryan                  Coney Island, NY                LT 10
          -Middleweight Championship of the World
Oct  3 Jack Root                   Chicago, Il                      L  6
Oct 15 Jack Root                   Chicago, Il                      L  6
Nov 24 Tommy West                  Brooklyn, NY                    LT 14
          -Some sources report "L 14";
          Some sources report "New York, NY"

1900
Sep 10 George Gardner              London, England                 LF  4
          -Some sources report "LK 4"

1901
Nov 18 "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien London, England                 LF  7
 
1902
Aug 16 "Denver" Ed Martin          Newcastle, England               L  3
          -Some sources report "LT 3"
Aug 30 "Denver" Ed Martin          Newcastle, England              LK  4
          -Some sources report 8/20/02

1903
Jun 15 Harry "Slounch" Dixon       London, England                  D 12
Jul 27 Jack Palmer                 Newcastle, England              LF  2
          -Some sources report "L 12"
 
1905
Apr 25 Kid Davies                  Neath, England                   W 10
Jul 22 Harry "Slounch" Dixon       London, England                  W  6
Aug 12 "Private" L. Casling        London, England                 KO  2
Aug 26 Charlie Knock               London, England                 KO  5
Sep 22 Mike Crawley                London, England                  L  6
          -Some sources report 9/23/05
Oct 19 C. St. Clair                Liverpool, England              KO  9

1906
Aug 25 Mike Crawley                London, England                 KO  4
Sep  8 Charles Allum               London, England                 KO  5
Dec  1 "Private" L. Casling        Westminster, England             W  6
Dec  6 Mike Crawley                Westminster, England             D  6
Dec 10 Peter Brown                 Woolwich, England                D  6
 
1907
Jan 19 Harry Shearing              London, England                  L 11
Jan 29 Jack Scales                 London, England                  W  6
Feb  4 Fred Drummond               London, England                  L  6
Mar  9 Seaman Kelly                Portsmouth, England              W  6
Apr 29 Jack Scales                 London, England                  W  6
May 18 Harry "Slounch" Dixon       London, England                  W  6
          -Some sources report "W 3"
Jun  6 Harry Shearing              Warley B'ks, England             W  6
Jul 13 Jack Scales                 London, England                  L  6
       Sam McVea                   Paris, France                   LK  3

1908
Mar 16 William "Iron" Hague        Sheffield, England              LK  4
          -Some sources report "L 4"
Apr 23 Joe White                   Liverpool, England               L 20
Sep  7 Tom Lancaster               Newcastle, England               L 20
Nov 14 Bob Brown                   Dublin, Ireland                 KO  4
Dec 21 Tom Lancaster               Newcastle, England               L 20
 
1909
Jan  4 Tom Lancaster               Glasgow, Scotland                L 10
Feb 13 Pat Mulcahy                 Curragh, Ireland                 W  7
Apr 12 Tom Spring                  Dublin, Ireland                 KO  1
May 20 Sam Langford                London, England                 EX  3
          -This was a sparring session; Craig was hired by
          William "Iron" Hague's camp to scout Langford;
          Langford learned of the scam and gave Craig a
          good drubbing

          -Craig became involved in trouble with the
          authorities in London over a case where
          a woman was killed; He was released
Nov  8 Fred Drummond               Sheffield, Eng                  LK  8

1910
Jan  1 Fred Drummond               London, England                  W  6
Jan  8 "Gunner" Joe Mills          London, England                  W  6
Jan 17 Fred Drummond               London, England                  D  6
          -Some sources report 1/15/10
Jan 24 Seaman Broadbent            London, England                 KO  1
Jan 27 George West                 Islington, England               L  6
Jan 29 Denis Haugh                 London, England                  W  6
Feb 14 Charlie Webster             London, England                  W  1
Mar  3 Dido Plumb                  Hackney, England                 D  6
Mar 30 "Private" L. Casling        Hackney, England                 W  6
Apr 30 Bill Thake                  London, England                 KO  4
May 16 Fred Drummond               Southampton, England             L  6
Jun 23 Bill Cockayne               London, England                  W  6
Oct  3 Tom Edwards                 London, England                  D  6
Oct 19 Pat Kelly                   Oxford, England                 KO  3
Oct 24 "Bandsman" Dick Rice        London, England                 LF  7

1911
Aug 12 Fred Drummond               London, England                 LT  7
          -Some sources report 8/14/11;
          Some sources report "L 7"
Sep  7 Fred Drummond               Rugby, England                   W  6
Sep 11 Charlie Bradley             London, England                  W  6
Nov 13 E. Thompson                 Leicester, England               W 10

1912
Feb 21 Pat Carroll                 Leicester, England               W  1
May 20 E. Thompson                 Loughborough, England           KO 13
Jul 11 Gunner Ellie                London, England                 LK  3
          -Some sources report "Alberta, ---, SAfrica"

1922
Aug  5 Jim Rideout                 London, England                  L  3

1937
Oct 16 -It was known that Craig was still alive


*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1893
May 27 Fred Morris                 Philadelphia, Pa                ND  4
       Joe Butler                                                  LK  1

1894
Feb 14 Dan Creedon                 New York, NY                     L  4
Feb    Johnny Gorman               New York, NY                     W  2
Mar 10 Fred Morris                 New York, NY                     W  4

1896
       Starlight (Edward Rollins)  London, England                  L 20
          -Middleweight Championship of Europe

1909
       George Proctor                                               D  6
       Dan Kelly                                                    D  6
       Pat Kennedy                                                  L  3
Nov  8 Fred Drummond               Sheffield, England              LK  8

1908-1910
       Jem Roche                   Dublin, Ireland                 LK  1

Review courtesy of Tracy Callis and Kevin Smith, Historians,  International Boxing Research Organization [Return to Top] [Boxing News] [Tracy Callis Archive] [Return to Cyber] [CBZ Message Board] [Mike Casey Archive]