Jack O'Keefe by Rob Snell

[Mofo2]

Name: Jack O'Keefe

Born: 1884-06-13

Birthplace: Braidwood, Illinois, USA

Nationality: US American

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Boxing Record: click

Height: 5′ 8″ / 173cm

By 1924, Jack O'Keefe had become a pocket billiard hall owner in Chicago.

Anaconda standard 10 March 1903

BRITT LOSES TO JACK O'KEEFE

IN THE SIXTH ROUND ON FOUL

Contest for Lightweight Championship Is Fast and Furious While It Lasts,

but Crowd Repeatedly Charges Britt With Fouling—O'Keefe Is

Knocked Out in Sixth Round but Is Given Decision.

Portland, Ore., March 9

Jack O'Keefe of Chicago was given the decision on a foul to-night in the sixth round of a contest with Jimmy Britt of San Francisco at the Pastime club. Referee Jack Grant claimed that Britt hit O'Keefe below the belt with his left in a mix-up, and accordingly sent Britt to his corner, awarding the contest to O'Keefe. From beginning to end Britt had the fight well in hand, and in the sixth round had O'Keefe going.

It was clearly apparent that O'Keefe, who was bleeding profusely from the nose and was very groggy, could not last another round. O'Keefe went to his knees twice in the sixth from Britt's terrific lefts in the stomach and rights on the face.

Britt assumed his customary crouching attitude in the ring, while O'Keefe stood straight. In the first round Britt assumed the aggressive, and before a dozen blows were struck O'Keefe's nose was bleeding freely. In the next four rounds O'Keefe used his right frequently on Britt's body and face. In the beginning of the sixth round the referee warned Britt not to commit a

foul. O'Keefe was apparently strong when the round opened, and they started in to mix it up. Britt who is much the quicker, used his left effectively on O'Keefe's stomach, and his right on his face. O'Keefe was clearly in distress, and then came the blow which lost the fight for Britt.

When Referee Grant awarded the fight to O'Keefe the crowd swarmed into the ring and it took a dozen policemen to prevent a riot, Britt threw up his hands and protested against the decision, stating that he had committed no foul.

Most of the money on the light was placed at odds of 2 to 1 with Britt the favorite, and 5,000 people witnessed the fight.

Dr. J. D. Fenton was called to examine O'Keefe. He stated that after an examination be found that O'Keefe had been injured by a blow struck some distance below the belt. William Britt, brother of the principal, after the light said: "We came here and accepted Mr. Grant one of the managers of the Pastime club, as referee. "We agreed at the time if there was a question of a foul he would call a doctor before he rendered a decision.

As soon as the blow was struck Mr. Grant forgot and sent my brother to his corner and gave the decision to O'Keefe. I jumped into the ring and reminded him of his promise, but got no satisfaction. The blow which did the business was a left hand blow in the short ribs. "When the decision was given half the people in the house did not know the ground on which the decision was made." Referee Grant said: "The foul was a palpable one and under the rules I could render no other decision."

Round 1

O'Keefe leads left and left again blocked by Britt on the defense: Britt lands a left to the wind and a double to the face. Britt playing for the heart. Mixing up. Britt lands to the ribs and O'Keefe gets in a jab to the face and in return gets a left to the nose, bleeding badly. Britt leads right and left to the face and left to the wind.

Round 2

Britt lands a straight left to the face and in return gets a left to the jaw. Britt on the aggressive. O'Keefe makes a right swing and Britt Slips, but comes at O'Keefe like a lion with right and left swings to the jaw. O'Keefe on the defensive and Britt finds an opening to O'Keefe's ribs.

O’Keefe gets in a left uppercut and clinches. O'Keefe makes a left swing over Britt's head and clinches. O'Keefe clinch. O'Keefe jabs right and left. Clinch. O'Keefe lands stiff right and left uppercut in the clinch. Britt's shoulder covered with blood from O'Keefe's nose.

Round 3

At the sound of the gong both men jumped to the center of the ring and were fighting in an instant. O'Keefe lands right and left to Britt's face. O'Keefe lands left to jaw. O'Keefe lands two straight left jabs to the face and Britt crosses his left over O'Keefe's nose and the steam behind the blow sends the Chicagoan's head back. Britt sends his right to O'Keefe's jaw.

O'Keefe lands a straight left to Britt's jaw and is trying hard to bring Britt from his crouching position. Britt sends a left swing to the face and right to the wind. Britt tries right for the head and receives a vicious left uppercut that sends him back. Britt jabs left to O'Keefe's sore nose. O'Keefe tries to feint Brill into an opening and the Californian receives a stiff left punch on the ear. Britt studs left to O'Keefe's jaw shaking up the Chicagoan. Britt again uses his left with telling effect and lands several hard blows on O'Keefe's head just as the gong sounds.

Round 4

Britt lands on O'Keefe with his left and they spar and jab right and left and clinch. Britt leads left to the wind. O'Keefe tried to land a right swing to the head, but is ducked. They clinch. O'Keefe sends a straight right to the face and gets a left on the jaw. They clinch. Britt makes left swing and gets in right and left jabs. Lands left swing to the jaw and clinch. O'Keefe gets right to jaw and clinch.

Round 5

O'Keefe leads with left weak. They clinch. Britt jabs his left, but blocked. O'Keefe makes pass at Britt's face, but fails short; clinch. Britt reaches O'Keefe's ribs and clinch. Britt uppercuts with left in clinch. Britt makes several jabs, falls short and finally reaches the face and returns right on the nose and they clinch. O'Keefe lands left on face and gets right in the ribs. Britt seems to be hitting in clinch more than allowed. O'Keefe reaches Britt's face with right and uppercuts with left: clinch. Britt comes at O'Keefe with right and left swing but is stopped.

Round 6

O'Keefe leads right and left blocked and they clinch. Britt reaches O'Keefe's face and wind with right. Fighting hard Britt aggressive. Britt throws O'Keefe down on his knee and the crowd cried foul. Fight right and left swings and clinch. Britt leads to wind with left and gets one in wind in return. O'Keefe makes left swing: goes over head. Brill jabs in the wind and leads left to face. Crowd crying foul at Britt in clinch. Panic crowd crying foul. O'Keefe knocked out in the sixth. Claims foul. Police in the ring. Looks like a free fight. O'Keefe laying in corner with his seconds trying to bring him to his feet. Crowd crying foul. Seconds carrying O'Keefe out of ring. O'Keefe got the decision on foul in sixth.