1899-05-26 Terry McGovern W-KO5 Sammy Kelly [Broadway Athletic Club, Brooklyn, NY, USA]

1899-05-27 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page 6)

MC GOVERN IN FIVE ROUNDS.
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Knocks Out Sammy Kelly in an One-Sided Battle at the Broadway Athletic Club.
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It took Terry McGovern only twelve minutes and thirty-eight seconds at the Broadway Athletic Club, last night, to convince Sammy Kelly of New York that he could not fight as cleverly as he thought he could. Kelly had been a most interested spectator at Terry's previous contests and after careful study he concluded that McGovern was an easy proposition, but he was wrong.

The boys were matched to go twenty-five rounds at 120 pounds, the weight being a concession on McGovern's part. When they entered the ring both looked to be in the best of condition, but Kelly had an advantage in height and reach. When they came together however Kelly had no chance. Terry sailed right in with heavy blows to the body and Kelly commenced to hold for dear life. Terry fought himself loose and forced his opponent all over the ring, keeping him continually on the run.

By the end of the second round Sammy was severely punished. Kelly made his only showing in the fourth, when he fought Terry's head with both hands, but was unable to keep away from the Brooklyn boy's furious onslaughts.

When they came up for the fifth, Terry went right in and Kelly thinking that he was still after his body lowered his guard and like a flash Terry sent in his left to the chin and followed with his right to the jaw, and Kelly went down and out.

The fight was not interesting, but showed that Terry is a good boy for many others to keep away from. Little betting was done, McGovern being the favorite at 2½  to 1 and better than even money, that Kelly would not stay the limit.

In the preliminary Hugh McWinters stopped Ed Darrell in seven rounds.


1899-05-27 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 9)

McGOVERN KNOCKS OUT KELLY.
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Job Neatly Done in the Fifth Round at Broadway Athletic Club.

It took Terry McGovern of Brooklyn just four full rounds and thirty-two seconds of the fifth round to give Sammy Kelly his quietus at the Broadway Athletic Club last night. The boys were scheduled to go twenty-five rounds at 120 pounds, and a large crowd was on hand to see the battle.

McGovern's admirers were never in danger of losing their money, for the Brooklyn boy won from start to finish, and so badly punished Kelly in the first three rounds that it was evident the fight would not last the limit.

Kelly managed to land a couple of stiff left-hand punches on the head, but that was all. He came up fresh in the fifth round, feinted, and then led, but missed, and like a flash McGovern was in, first with a left hook to the stomach, then a right to the jaw, and Kelly staggered. McGovern planted another, then a hard right jolt on the jaw, and Kelly went down like a log. He made a feeble effort to rise, but was counted out.


1899-05-27 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 9)

M'GOVERN WINS IN FIVE ROUNDS.
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Sammy Kelly Put to Sleep in the Ring of the Broadway A. C.

In the fifth round of their twenty-five-round bout at the Broadway A. C. last night Terry McGovern of Brooklyn, who is fighting his way to the first rank of the featherweight class, knocked out Sammy Kelly of this city with a left-hand jolt on the jaw. Kelly didn't have a chance from the first tap of the bell. A body punch in the first round made him clinch and hold, tactics which he perused to the end. McGovern never let up in his vigorous attacks, and simply beat his man to a defeat. The house was crowded.

The betting was 100 to 50 on McGovern, with not many speculators on Kelly's chances. The latter's defeat some time ago at the hands of Oscar Gardner, when he was not only put to sleep but also had a rib broken, was remembered by the talent, who figured that McGovern would come near repeating the Omaha Kid's achievement. There was quite a lot of betting that Kelly would not stay the limit. Even money was offered at first on this proposition, then 25 to 20. Johnny Ritchie of Chicago, who is matched to meet McGovern on June 17, was present, prepared to size up the little Brooklynite. Kelly's seconds were Frank Peabody, Bob Dillon, Paddy Moran and Barney Knight. McGovern's handlers were Terry Lee, Charley Mayhood, Tim Kearns and Sam Harris. John White was the referee and George Considine timekeeper. The odds had lengthened to 2½ to 1 on McGovern when they shook hands. McGovern was compelled to take off the bandages he wore on his hands. The conditions were twenty-five rounds at 120 pounds. When the men were introduced Kelly got the greater welcome.

As they stood up for the first time it was noticed that Kelly was the taller. He did not possess McGovern's physique, but looked to be well trained. McGovern began a fierce attack without delay. He reached Kelly's side near the bad rib with his right and landed heavily on the jaw on the first breakaway. Kelly did some holding in a clinch, and was warned by the referee.

There was apparent ill feeling between the men, for they exchanged taunting remarks as they came up for the second. McGovern roughed his man repeatedly on the ropes until the crowd yelled "Foul!" Then he mixed it until Sammy retreated twice around the ring well out of range. McGovern's assault didn't give Kelly a chance to rest.

Kelly held with both hands in the third, McGovern losing his temper and literally fighting himself free. Kelly's body was raw from the smashes that Terry had put in, and he fought at long range during the last two minutes. He finally swung a left to McGovern's neck, but the latter rushed in as if he hadn't felt it. Kelly got another warning for holding while he was in his corner.

Kelly landed a few good lefts on the neck in the fourth, but McGovern continued his attack. It was 3 to 1 on McGovern when the fifth began. McGovern rushed at once and ripped in two hot body blows. He followed with swings and landed a left on the neck. This was quickly followed with a right to the side of the head and another left, which caught Kelly squarely on the point of the jaw. The last blow was a settler, as Sammy fell over backward, his head striking the floor. He was counted out, the time of the round being 38 seconds.

Hugh McWinters of this city and Ed Darrell of Australia, both colored, met in the preliminary of ten rounds at 138 pounds. Darrell was saved by the bell in the sixth round, and in the eighth he was practically knocked out. McWinters was pronounced the winner.


1899-05-27 The World (New York, NY) (page 3)

M'GOVERN WON IN FIVE ROUNDS.
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More than 4,500 persons saw Terry McGovern knock out Sammy Kelly in their bout at the New Broadway A. C. last evening. The fatal blow was landed after but eight seconds of fighting in the fifth round.

From the start it looked like McGovern. He was aggressive and confident, while Kelly was purely on the defensive and badly scared.


1899-06-17 The National Police Gazette (New York, NY) (page 11)

McGOVERN KNOCKS SAM KELLY OUT
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Little Champion More Than a Match for the Veteran.
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LASTED ONLY FIVE ROUNDS.
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Right and Left Hooks On the Jaw Ended the Agony.
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It proved to be an unequal match between "Sammy" Kelly and "Terry" McGovern, which was fought at the Broadway Athletic Club on May 26. From beginning to end Kelly never had a chance against the sturdy young Brooklynite, who again demonstrated his right to be looked upon as the best man at his weight this country has ever produced. He had the veteran tied up from the time the fight started until he finally dropped him in the fifth round with a succession of left and right-hand blows on the point of the jaw.

Kelly was handicapped in a measure by the rules. He expected to fight with clean breaks and no hitting in clinches, but McGovern insisted upon a strict interpretation of the Marquis of Queensberry rules, according to the articles signed, and Kelly had no other alternative than to fight that way. After receiving the first blow Kelly held continually at close quarters and was warned several times for so doing. The affair ended in the fifth round after the Brooklynite had landed three blows in rapid succession, the finishing punch was a left on the jaw that sent Kelly to the floor, his head striking the mat with sufficient force to knock him out. The attendance was large, fully 4,000 persons witnessing the bout.

McGovern took every advantage of the rules. The bout was scheduled to go twenty-five rounds, at 120 pounds. Both men at 6 o'clock weighed under the limit.

The first round opened with careful sparring on the part of both. When they finally came together in an exchange the breakaway resulted in "Mac" sending a number of blows on "Sammy's" head and kidneys. The latter looked at "Mac" in amazement, whose face took on a broad grin. They came to two clinches before the round ended, and in both of them "Mac" scored repeatedly before "Sammy" could get away.

In the second round Kelly broke away without any damage to himself, after an exchange and clinch, but they came together in the next attempt, and "Mac" played a tattoo on "Sammy's" ribs. Instead of attempting to break or inflict punishment "Sammy" looked in an appealing manner at Referee "Johnny" White, who finally separated them and again explained the rules, at the same time telling "Sammy" that "Mac" had thus far lived up to the rules and that the referee had no right to step between them.

Kelly opened the third round by pasting McGovern hard on the jaw. "Mac" only laughed and when "Sammy" got away from the clinch without being hit the grin broadened. Again "Sammy" got in with a right on the jaw, but this time he was not successful in avoiding punishment in the infighting.

"Mac" carried him to the eastern end of the ring, Kelly attempting in a futile manner to pinion his arms. After "Sammy" got away "Mac" followed him all over the ring. Kelly at this stage looked more frightened than hurt, and when the bell sounded they were again clinched. "Mac" stopped in his snakelike actions with his arms at the sound of the gong, and "Sammy" appeared to be utterly unable to get away without being punished.

The fourth round was a repetition of the preceding rounds, Kelly backing and "Mac" forcing him around the ring. No really long range blow was delivered during the round, but there was plenty of infighting, during which "Mac" landed hard and often on the ribs and over the heart. When they retired to their corners "Sammy's" sides over his kidneys were raw. "Mac" was cutting him every time he hit him.

The fifth round was hardly a minute old when they came to a clinch in the center of the ring. On breaking away "Mac" landed his right and left a number of times on "Sammy's" jaw and stomach, and the latter fell in a heap on the floor, finally settling on the flat of his back. His eyes were closed, but after Referee White had tolled off five seconds he raised on his elbows and attempted to rise. He sank back, only to make another effort, and before he could reach his feet the unwelcome "ten" was recorded. Referee White ordered McGovern to his corner, and when Kelly finally recovered his equilibrium he wobbled over to "Mac's" corner, beseeching him to continue and appealing to White with tears in his eyes. He was half assisted to his corner by his seconds as clearly beaten from the first tap of the gong as any man who ever donned a glove.

A great deal of money changed hands on the result, most of the bets being at even money that Kelly would not stay twenty rounds. After they had gone three rounds the same betting was offered that he would be knocked out before ten rounds. As good as 2½ to 1 was offered that McGovern would get the decision at the end of twenty-five rounds.