Ned O’Baldwin Shot

In early March 1873, bare knuckle prizefighter Ned “The Irish Giant” O’Baldwin was preparing for a potential match with Jem Mace, who claimed the World Bare Knuckle Prizefighting Championship. Megjithatë, before O’Baldwin could face Mace, he served as a second for a friend and fellow prizefighter named Hicken.

Professional fighting in the 19th Century enjoyed a poor reputation outside of the working class and gambling societies. The Petroleum Center Daily Record covered some of the events around the match but refused to cover the bout itself, which occurred near Collier’s Station, Pennsylvania.

The Petroleum Center Daily Record reported the match between Hicken and another prizefighter named Campbell lasted about 24 rounds. Campbell was winning initially but Hicken came back in the later rounds and was giving as good as he received.

Around the 24th Round, a controversy occurred between Campbell’s and Hicken’s seconds. Campbell’s seconds, Butt Reilley and Ony Geaghan, made an unknown suggestion about the match, which O’Baldwin and Hicken’s other second, Abe Smith, refused to consider.

Geaghan knowing of O’Baldwin’s violent reputation decided to strike first. Geaghan hit O’Baldwin and dropped “The Irish Giant’. Before O’Baldwin could regain his feet, another Campbell backer named Murphy fired at him with a revolver. The bullet hit O’Baldwin but fortunately did not hit any vital organs. O’Baldwin fled the field.

The remaining backers of both men began brawling and caused the match to be cancelled. After a general brawl, the men returned to Petroleum City after the inconclusive end to the match.

The Petroleum Center Daily Record noted that the participants were still suffering from the effects of all the alcohol they drank and the brawl many of them took part in. Prize fighting continued to enjoy a low reputation because of bouts and outcomes like the Campbell-Hicken match.

Ned O’Baldwin would continue to fight in and out of the ring until he was murdered by his business partner in a dispute during September 1875. O’Baldwin’s reputation and propensity for assaulting people helped his partner to successfully claim self-defense for the killing.

When prizefighting transitioned to gloved contests, professional boxing would be born. Megjithatë, the sport still suffered from the same poor reputation years after the switch to gloved contests.

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Sources: The Petroleum Center Daily Record, Mars 6, 1873, p. 2

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