http://www.cooganresearchgroup.com/crg/index.htm

14 October 2012

COOGAN story appearing in "History of the City of Evansville and
Vanderburg County, Indiana" (F. M. Gilbert, 1910) [PAGE 111-112]:

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[THOMAS COOGAN]

***other stories - boxing***

For some little time Jim held the limelight until finally his 
heart was broken and, as a great many had been reading Jeff's "My
Story of My Life," I fail to see why something of this kind might
not be of interest to the people of Evansville, as it brings in
Tommy Coogan, who is still alive and doing well at the ripe age of 
sixty-two. Coogan came here from Liverpool, a quiet Englishman and 
a little fellow, and by chance happened to get down into what is 
called Whisky Row, where the redoubtable Mulligan was making one 
of his regular speeches about being able to whip his weight in 
wildcats, etc. Some one approached Coogan, asked him where he was 
from and he replied, "From Liverpool, England."  The conversation
went on as follows:

"They have a great many fighters over there, don't they?"

"Yes," said Thomas, "they fight over there for fun."

"Have you ever fought any?"

"Yes, I have had quite a few fights."

"How do you fight over there?"

"Why, the old England prize fighters use their fists."

"Do you think you could lick that Irishman who is making all that
talk at the end of the bar?"

"Yes, I think I can lick him.  He doesn't look bad to me."

So the windup of the matter was that they matched Tommy to fight
Mulligan in two or three days, not giving him any time to train
before the time, though they always thought he kept in pretty good
condition.  The party of the knowing ones took the barge and went
up to a point just above the city and anchored and the contestants
shook hands and began.  Mulligan was simply a child in Coogan's
hands.  Coogan was an expert boxer and before the end of the first
round had Mulligan's eyes all out of shape and his face battered
up and he then proceeded to polish him off at his leisure and 
whipped him with hardly a scratch to himself. Of course Evansville
felt proud over its new-found champion and Louisville decided to
send down its champion, who came and his career was about as long
as that of Mr. Mulligan, but after this second victory Coogan
gave it out very decidedly that he was not a professional prize
fighter and did not propose to fight anybody, and stopped then and
there.  But the fight with Coogan broke Mulligan's heart and he
left this city never to return.

***other stories - boxing***

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