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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Old Timer

Frank "Clipper" Donohue
(F. Patrick Donohue)
(First name varies in reports; Sometimes given as Francis, Frank, or John)

BORN   circa, 1858; Resided in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Another article presents him as born in 1852
DIED April 14 1910
HEIGHT 5-11
WEIGHT 155-175 lbs
1885
Feb 14 Bill Gabig                   Philadelphia, Pa                 LK 30
          -Bare knuckles were used; Gabig was taller and heavier
Mar 27 John Ryan                    Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  5
Apr 13 Ben Bailey                   Philadelphia, Pa                  D  6
Apr 29 Bill Gabig                   Philadelphia, Pa                 KO  7
          -Donohue got into a fight with Gabig in a saloon;
           He reportedly knocked Gabig out in round seven;
           Some sources report the 8th round

1886
Apr 29 Bill Gabig                   Philadelphia, Pa                  D  4
Jun    -Donohue was in the Pennsylvania House of Corrections
Aug 13 -Donohue rushed into a house that was burning; Bill Gabig
           had gone in earlier to help put out the fire; It seemed
           that Gabig was trapped inside; But, he got out; Donohue
           inhaled lots of smoke but got over it gradually
Sep 14 Frank Burke                  Philadelphia, Pa                  L  4

1887
Jan  7 Tommy "Fatty" Langtry        Philadelphia, Pa                 LK  3
          -Philadelphia (Pa) Times reported that police intervened and arrested
           the men; So, it is questionable as to whether they actually fought
Feb 18 Dave Davenport               Philadelphia, Pa                 LK  3
Sep  5 -Donohue finished serving 30 days in jail

1889
Jan 28 Ed Scerling                  Reading, Pa                       L  3
          -Donohue strongly denied that he was knocked out by Scerling;
           Some sources report "LK 2"
Feb    "Sleepy" Joe Buster          Reading, Pa                      EX   
Feb 15 Bob Garrison                                                  LK  3
          -It is believed that this fight was held in Camden, New Jersey
Feb 18 -Donohue decided to withdraw permanently from the fistic arena
           (only to return later)
Mar 11 -Donohue was sent to jail for 20 days for drunkenness by Mayor Kenney
Apr  5 Ben Wilson                   Shamokin, Pa                     WF  5
          -Wilson (of Newark, NJ) was black; Weights: 175-155
Oct 28 -Donohue assaulted his wife and was arrested; He was also trying
           to start a fire in his home; He was acquitted but held in a hospital
           for a serious drinking problem; In January 1890, he was transferred
           from the hospital to the County Prison

1890
Jan 24 -Donohue was charged some time ago with assault and battery on his
           wife; He was also charged with arson. He was acquitted of the assault
           charges on the grounds of "insanity" due to alcoholism and sent to the 
           Norristown Hospital; He had recovered and was back in prison awaiting
           trial for the arson; It was committed on the same day as the assault
Jan 25 -Donohue was convicted of arson for trying to set his house on fire;
           Judge Arnold was seriously concerned about Clipper's mental condition
Mar  7 -Donohue was called an ex-pugilist who was convicted last January of
           arson, was transferred from the County Prison to the Insane Department
           of the Philadelphia Hospital

1891
Jan 23 -Donohue was refused admission to the Norristown Asylum and
           sent to the county prison

1892
Jan  1 -Jack Cassidy challenged Donohue to a fight
Feb  6 Paddy Sheehan                Allentown, Pa                    ND  4   
          -Sheehan fought as "Joe Gorman's Unknown";
           Some sources report that Donohue won by a first round knock out
Feb 22 Jack Reilly                  near Seidersville, Pa             L 14
Feb 27 Jack Reagan                  Allentown, Pa                   SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 30 Young Magic                  Philadelphia, Pa                SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

1895
May 27 -Donohue was arrested for being drunk and noisy in Camden, NJ

1900
Jan 11 -Donohue was released from the Philadelphia Hospital
Jan 26 -A benefit was scheduled for Donohue to be held at the U/I Club
           located at 1015 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia

1904
Aug 27 -Donohue was sent to prison for 5 days (disorderly conduct) by
           Magistrate Yates

1907
Aug  9 -Donohue was in court due to his stealing a mattress. He said he took it to sell
           in order to pay some debts he had, being out of money; He received a ten day
           sentence in jail

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

Undated
       John L. Sullivan                                               D  4
       Mike Boden                   Philadelphia, Pa                  D   
       John Madden                                                   ND   
       Harry Dobbs                  Philadelphia, Pa                 ND   
          -Perhaps, this man was Robert "Bobby" Dobbs

1883
       Frank Herald                                                  LK  2

1889
       Eddie Doyle                                                  SCH   
          -This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known

Compiled By Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization