John "Jack"
Files
| BORN |
c.
1855; (Fought out of New York and Chicago, Illinois) |
| HEIGHT |
5-7
(Some sources report 5-9) |
| WEIGHT |
130-144
lbs |
|
|
Files had
a lithe, sinewy frame but was tough and could take punishment;
He had a "bad" ear that bled often
During his career, he battled such men as Tommy Chandler, Johnny
Reagan
and Pete McCoy |
1882
Feb 25 William Sanders Chicago, Il EX
Apr 7 Owen McManus near Chicago, Il WF 3
-Some sources report "Oscar McManus";
Some sources declare McManus the winner;
He scored three knockdowns;
There was disagreement since McManus struck Files when he was down;
Some sources report "WF 2"
Dec 10 Tommy Chandler Chicago, Il W 4
1883
Jan Mike Mullery New York, NY EX
Jun 30 -Files was scheduled to spar in Logansport, In
Jul 29 Paddy Norton Chicago, Il D 11
-Files was better; Some sources report 7/30/83
Aug 24 -Files claimed to have Paddy Ryan "in custody" and that Ryan
had not injured himself in a drunken fit
Sep 13 Denny Costigan New York, NY ND 3
Sep 27 Joe "Young" Nixey New York, NY ND 3
Oct 25 Gus Lambert New York, NY EX
1884
Jan 7 -Files was scheduled to spar in Revere, Ma
Feb 26 -Files seconded Eddie Connors vs Tug Ryan in Hoboken, NJ
Mar 6 Denny Costigan New York, NY EX
-Some sources report 3/16/84
Apr 2 "New York" Tom Allen Brooklyn, NY EX 3
Jun 26 "New York" Tom Allen New York, NY EX
Jun 30 "New York" Tom Allen New York, NY EX
Jul 28 "New York" Tom Allen New York, NY EX
Aug 26 Tommy Chandler Chicago, Il LK 3
-Reports vary - "L 5" - "LK 4"
1885
Dec 7 Tommy Ferguson Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 9 Tommy Ferguson Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 11 Tommy Ferguson Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 31 Jimmy Murray Brooklyn, NY EX
1886
Feb 12 -Files refereed the Denny Kelliher-Jack Fallon bout in Philadelphia, Pa
Feb 26 -Files refereed the Jack Fallon-Jack Dougherty bout in Philadelphia, Pa
Feb 27 -Files refereed the John Loughlin-Ned Pluckefeller bout in Philadelphia, Pa
Nov 3 "Brooklyn" Jimmy Carroll Philadelphia, Pa SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
1887
Jan 27 -Files was called to court regarding the boxing charges against him,
Pete McCoy and Patrick "Reddy" Gallagher; He pleaded guilty and
was fined $50 plus 30 days in jail; While out on bail, McCoy and
Files skipped town
Apr 22 -Files attended the Benefit for Paddy Smith in Brooklyn, NY
May 29 Johnny Reagan near New York, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled but did not take place;
Delays in boating schedules, locations, times, etc.,
led to confusion; Files was in Yonkers, NY but could
not be found later on
Jun 2 Johnny Reagan near New York, NY (2:56:00) LK 44
-Welterweight Championship of America;
Some sources report 1886;
Some sources report 6/01/87
Jul 10 -Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle reported that Files recently defeated Reagan
Jul 18 Johnny Reagan Brooklyn, NY EX 4
Sep 12 Johnny Reagan Brooklyn, NY EX
Nov 12 -Files seconded Patrick Curtin vs Paddy Smith in Jersey City, NJ
Nov 14 Billy Dacey Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Nov 30 George LaBlanche New York, NY EX 4
Dec 12 Tom Henry Brooklyn, NY EX
Dec 22 "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey Williamsburg, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
1888
Jan 14 Johnny Reagan Brooklyn, NY EX
Jan 27 Pete McCoy Bridgeport, Ct EX
Feb 25 Mike Gillespie Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Feb 25 Tom Green Brooklyn, NY EX 3
Mar 6 Johnny Reagan Boston, Ma EX
Mar 12 Johnny Reagan Brooklyn, NY SCH
-Files and Reagan were scheduled to spar several
times during the week of 3/12/88
May 4 -Files seconded Mike Burns vs Pat Sutton in Bridgeport, Ct
Dec 17 -Files attended the Jack McAuliffe-Sam Collyer bout in Brooklyn, NY
Dec 26 Tom Green Brooklyn, NY EX
-Green looked like George LaBlanche physically and
he could deliver "trip hammer blows" like lightning
1889
Jan 13 -Philadelphia (Pa) Item reported that Files and Tom Green,
boxers, appeared in a play "Jack the Ripper" in Brooklyn
last week
Jan 28 Tom Green Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Mar 9 Pete McCoy New York, NY L 4
-Some sources report 3/08/89
Apr 24 Pete McCoy Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May -Files was scheduled to spar at Brooklyn, NY several times
1890
Feb 7 Tom Green Newark, NJ ND
Feb 8 Jack Fallon Hoboken, NJ ND 3
-Some sources report "Flatbush, NY"
Mar 4 Jimmy Lynch Brooklyn, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Apr 14 Johnny Green Brooklyn, NY ND 3
Apr Martin "Fiddler" Neary SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Aug 25 -Files attended the Benefit for "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey in Brooklyn, NY
Sep 24 Pete McCoy Sag Harbor, NY SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Dec 9 -Files attended the funeral of Joe Coburn
1891
Apr Patsy Kerrigan Hot Springs, Ar SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
May 1 -Files' apartment (#45) on the top floor of the Rochester Hotel,
112 Bleecker Street, New York, caught fire; Files and others
escaped except for Mary Tieg, in apartment #44, next to Files';
She was carried out by firemen but died; Files was said to have
been drinking
Nov 24 Tom Green Brooklyn, NY EX
Nov 27 Pete McCoy New York, NY EX
*** The Following Bout Is Reported But Not Confirmed ***
1885
Apr "Nonpareil" Jack Dempsey Chicago, Il SCH
-This bout was scheduled; The outcome is not known
Review courtesy of
Tracy Callis,
Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
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