Johnny Reagan dör i St. Louis

Johnny Reagan var en viktig fighter i St. Louis boxningsscen under det första decenniet av 1900-talet. Ursprungligen från Brooklyn, Reagan flyttade till St. Louis ska träna under Jack McKenna. McKenna baserade sin operation från St. Louis, där hans fighter främst stred vid St. Louis’ West End Club. Reagan was a rising bantamweight at the time of his move to St. Louis.

One of McKenna’s other top fighters was future World Featherweight Boxing Champion Abe Attell. Reagan and Attell started out as friends and training partners. A heated dispute in the training room one day resulted in a ferocious brawl. McKenna heard the ruckus and ran in to find both men beaten and exhausted.

Reagan left the group but stayed in St. Louis. Reagan would fight several professional bouts with Abe Attell in St. Louis. Reagan also fought Abe’s younger brother, Monte, a more natural bantamweight in St. Louis.

While most of the fighters left St. Louis for California by 1910, Reagan remained in the city. Still fighting in 1911 vid 31 år, Reagan was on the downside of his career. At the time of his death, he was looking for local business opportunities to move into after his retirement from the ring.

På December 14, 1911, Reagan went to Alexian Brothers Hospital on St. Louis’ South Side. A major hospital at the time, Reagan reported difficulty breathing. Doctors discovered Reagan had pneumonia in his right lung.

Reagan continued to decline over the following month. He passed away on January 11, 1912 runt 1:10 p.m. at Alexian Brothers. He was only 31 years-old. Den St. Louis Post-Dispatch said Reagan’s body would be sent back to Brooklyn, where his wife still lived.

I dag, Reagan would probably have recovered but medical science was not as advanced as it is today. Pneumonia was a life-threatening illness no matter your age or condition.

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Sources: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Januari 11, 1912 edition, p. 17 och januari 12, 1912 edition, p. 16

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