Tom Allen Wins, Kind Of
During the 19th century, both prizefighters and duelists took advantage of the sandbar islands in the Mississippi River, around St. Louis, Missouri, to hold prizefights or duels. Authorities have frowned on duels to the death in any location. However, both Illinois and Missouri also outlawed prizefighting.
Bloody Island in the middle of the Mississippi River just north of Downtown St. Louis enjoys more notoriety due to famous St. Louisans fighting four duels on the island prior to the Civil War. The lesser-known Foster Island down river a few miles below Sulphur Springs, Missouri evolved into a popular prizefighting site.
Picture of Tom Allen During His Prizefighting Days from the Public Domain
Almost thirty miles south of St. Louis in the river between southeastern Jefferson County and undeveloped Illinois counties, prizefighters feared the small Sheriff’s departments much less than the St. Louis Police.
Considered an ideal spot for a prizefight, Tom Allen fought Charley Gallagher. It was the second fight between the men.
The supporters of the men took them down river to Foster Island. An argument over the referee threatened to derail the bout. Eventually, both camps settled on Larry Wessels. Allen threw his hat into the ring first. Gallagher threw his hat in next.
Gallagher surprised everyone when he knocked Allen out in February 1869. Allen called the bout a fluke. In top shape for the rematch, Allen wager Gallagher $100 that Allen would knock Gallagher out. Gallagher declined the wager.
The men toed the scratch at 2:35 p.m. on Tuesday, August 17, 1869. Both men sparred cautiously to start the fight. Allen struck Gallagher in the ribs. Otherwise, both men hit mostly arms. Finally, Gallagher hit Allen on the left ear causing blood to pour out of Allen’s ear. Gallagher took first blood and the first round at seven minutes.
Allen fared better in the second round hitting Gallagher on both cheeks and the ribs. Gallagher hit Allen a solid blow dropping Allen to the turf. Gallagher scored the first knock down.
The men resumed sparring in the third round. Gallagher landed a punch to Allen’s nose which caused Allen’s nose to bleed. Suddenly, an unknown spectator threw a club into the ring. The club hit Allen in the head and chest.
Allen picked up the club, dared the coward to enter the ring and fight him before putting the club in Allen’s corner. No one dared answer Allen’s challenge. The referee signaled the end of the round due to the foul.
Allen started to take over in the fourth round. Allen struck Gallagher on the nose causing Gallagher’s nose to bleed. Gallagher staggered to the ground ending the fourth round.
Allen continued to dominate the fight. In the seventh round, Allen pounded Gallagher down to the turf in Gallagher’s own corner. Gallagher’s second Tom Kelly had to help Gallagher back to his feet.
To start the ninth, tenth, and eleventh rounds, Allen knocked Gallagher to the turf as soon as the bell rang to start the round. After the eleventh round, Tom Kelly threw in the sponge conceding the fight to Allen.
Allen walked over to shake Gallagher’s hand, but Gallagher threw a weak punch at Allen. Allen waived to the crowd, stepped over the rope, and headed back to the boats.
Larry Wessels said he did not see who threw the sponge in so he would declare the bout a draw. Tom Kelly corrected Wessels saying Kelly threw in the sponge to concede the fight to Allen. Wessels insisted the fight was a draw, which became the official decision.
Luckily for Wessels, the fans did not learn the official decision until they returned to St. Louis and read coverage of the fight. Everyone acknowledged Wessels robbed Allen. Prizefighting was still a dirty game.
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Sources: The St. Louis Globe-Democrat (St. Louis, MO), August 18, 1869, p. 4
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