Morrissey, John
Boxing, Horse Racing
b. Feb. 12, 1831, Templemore, Ireland
d. May 1, 1878
Morrissey's family emigrated to Canada in 1834 and moved to Troy, NY, shortly afterward. As a teen-ager, he went to New York City and joined a political gang as a "shoulder hitter," earning a reputation for his fighting ability.
He got the nickname "Old Smoke" after a youthful brawl in which his opponent pinned him on top of some hot coals that had spilled on the floor when a stove was overturned. The opponent and spectators expected Morrissey to surrender, but he kept fighting while his clothes smoldered.
The gold rush lured Morrissey to California in 1851 and he learned something about the casino business as a faro dealer in San Francisco. He also had his first professional fight, against George Thompson on August 31, 1852. The ring was surrounded by Morrissey's armed backers and Thompson deliberately lost on a foul in the 11th round.
Morrissey had another questionable victory in his next fight, against the English champion Yankee Sullivan on October 12, 1853. Sullivan was winning handily when a group of Morrissey supporters began rioting at ringside, threatening Sullivan. He left the ring and fought some of them, including Morrissey's second, and was disqualified for not returning when the next round was called.
Morrissey's third and last formal match was against John Heenan on October 20, 1858. Heenan broke his hand on a ring post early in bout and was forced to concede in the 11th round, but he claimed the American championship after Morrissey's retirement.
In 1860, Morrissey invested his ring earnings in a gambling house in New York City. Four years later he established a horse track at Saratoga, NY, and he opened a luxurious casino there in 1867, turning Saratoga from a stylish spa into a America's first gambling resort.
After serving as a U. S. congressman, Morrissey was elected to the State Senate in 1877, but he never took the seat because of illness brought on by his strenuous campaign.