Pat Killen (December 24, 1861 – October 21, 1891) was an American boxer. He died at 29, in Chicago while hiding from Minnesota authorities.

Pat Killen
Born
Patrick J. Killen

(1859-12-24)December 24, 1859
Haddington, Pennsylvania
Died(1891-10-21)October 21, 1891 (age 29)
NationalityAmerican
Other namesThe Cyclone of the Northwest
Statistics
Weight(s)Heavyweight
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights60
Wins54
Wins by KO52
Losses2
Draws3
No contests1

Early life

edit

Killen was born in Haddington, Pennsylvania. He later moved to Minnesota, where he made his home for the majority of his life and career (notwithstanding the final five months of his life).

Boxing career

edit

Standing 6'1" (1.85 m) and weighing around 195 pounds (88 kg), he was large for a heavyweight of his era. This benefited him tremendously as he was nearly three inches (8 cm) taller than most of his opponents. He was a patient fighter who usually waited for his opponent to make the first move, while setting up his punch. He was known as the best counter-punching heavyweight of his era, but known even more for his devastating one-punch power, winning most often by knockout. Some at the time felt he may have had greater one-punch power than even boxers John L. Sullivan or Peter Maher. However, he was less tough, durable, and was not as aggressive or tenacious as Sullivan, the reigning champion at that time.

Killen's first fight was against John Howard, whom he managed to knock out in the second round. Twenty-one more wins followed (all by knockout) before he lost on a foul against Mervine Thompson. Killen had knocked down the highly regarded Thompson four times, but the referee allegedly kept giving Thompson all the time he needed to recover each time, prompting the crowd to grow angry and storm the ring, as well as Killen taking off his gloves in disgust. All of this caused him to lose via disqualification.

Death

edit

Contrary to historical reports, Killen was not murdered. He died of Erysipelas in Chicago, while on the run from the authorities from his home state of Minnesota, where he had been arrested for assault and battery of two different people, both within two days; both during drunken stupors. He made bail and fled the state to Winnipeg and then later Chicago. He was 29 when he died.

Legacy

edit

He was rated as the seventh all-time greatest Minnesota heavyweight by boxing historian George Blair. His current (incomplete) record is 55 wins (52 by knockout), two losses, three draws and one no-contest.

Professional boxing record

edit
60 fights 54 wins 2 losses
By knockout 51 1
By decision 2 0
By disqualification 1 1
Draws 3
No contests 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
60 Win 54–2–3 (1) Bob Ferguson KO 6 (?) Oct 11, 1891 Picnic Grove, Richardson, Illinois, US Retained Northwestern heavyweight title
59 Win 53–2–3 (1) Joe Sheehy DQ 2 (15) Dec 19, 1890 Jackson Street Rink, Saint Paul, Minnesota, US Retained Northwestern heavyweight title;
Sheehy DQ'd for throwing Killen to ground four times, stomping on him,
and biting him in both the chest, the leg, and the stomach
58 Loss 52–2–3 (1) Joe McAuliffe KO 7 (?) Sep 11, 1889 Golden State A.C., San Francisco, California, US Killen reportedly entered the fight drunk and missed so wildly on his punches,
that he fell and dislocated his right shoulder in the 2nd round
57 Win 52–1–3 (1) Jack Welch KO 3 (?) Aug 14, 1889 Astoria, Oregon, US
56 Win 51–1–3 (1) Jack Fraser KO 3 (?) Jul 22, 1889 Spokane Falls, Washington, US
55 Win 50–1–3 (1) Jack Smith KO 2 (?) Jul 16, 1889 Tacoma, Washington, US Exact date unknown
54 Win 49–1–3 (1) Corporal Toomey KO 1 (?) Jul 11, 1889 Miles City, Montana, US
53 Win 48–1–3 (1) Patsy Cardiff KO 4 (15) Jun 26, 1888 Washington Roller Rink, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US Won Northwestern heavyweight title
52 Win 47–1–3 (1) Jack Cooper KO 1 (?) Jan 1, 1888 Theatre Comique, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US Exact date unknown
51 Win 46–1–3 (1) Lem McGregor PTS 6 Dec 16, 1887 Cominique Theater, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
50 Win 45–1–3 (1) Frank Cook KO 2 (?) Nov 25, 1887 Duluth, Minnesota, US
49 Win 44–1–3 (1) O.H. Smith KO 2 (?) Nov 17, 1887 Rochester, New York, US
48 Win 43–1–3 (1) Frank Lewis KO 1 (?) Oct 12, 1887 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
47 Win 42–1–3 (1) Henry Dows KO 1 (?) Sep 7, 1887 Covington, Kentucky, US
46 Win 41–1–3 (1) James Smith KO 1 (?) Sep 5, 1887 Covington, Kentucky, US
45 Draw 40–1–3 (1) Patsy Cardiff PTS 10 Aug 5, 1887 Duluth Theatre, Duluth, Minnesota, US For Northwest heavyweight title
44 Win 40–1–2 (1) O.H. Smith KO 1 (?) May 2, 1887 Duluth Theatre, Duluth, Minnesota, US
43 Win 39–1–2 (1) Jack Cook KO 1 (?) Apr 1, 1887 Duluth, Minnesota, US
42 Win 38–1–2 (1) Duncan McDonald KO 1 (10), 2:46 Mar 4, 1887 Washington Roller Rink, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
41 Win 37–1–2 (1) Paddy McDonald KO 7 (10) Jan 17, 1887 Duluth, Minnesota, US
40 Win 36–1–2 (1) O.H. Smith KO 2 (5) Jan 4, 1887 Jackson Theater, Duluth, Minnesota, US
39 Win 35–1–2 (1) Ed McKeown KO 5 (?) Dec 28, 1886 Location unknown
38 Draw 34–1–2 (1) Bill Bradburn PTS 5 Dec 23, 1886 Exposition Rink, Saint Paul, Minnesota, US Bradburn refused to fight, because there was not enough money,
and only agreed to spar five rounds with large gloves
37 Win 34–1–1 (1) John Cusick PTS 6 Nov 12, 1886 Theatre Comique, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
36 Win 33–1–1 (1) Tug Wilson KO 4 (?) Oct 24, 1886 Duluth, Minnesota, US Exact date unknown
35 Win 32–1–1 (1) Luke Dempsey KO 1 (4) Oct 16, 1886 Exposition Rink, Saint Paul, Minnesota, US
34 Win 31–1–1 (1) Mike Haley KO 4 (?) Sep 15, 1886 Omaha, Nebraska, US
33 Win 30–1–1 (1) Dan Stalker KO 2 (?) Aug 15, 1886 Eau Claire, Wisconsin, US
32 Draw 29–1–1 (1) Paddy McDonald PTS 4 Aug 7, 1886 Duluth, Minnesota, US Pr-arranged draw in case of a decision
31 Win 29–1 (1) Jim Brady KO 1 (?) Aug 2, 1886 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
30 Win 28–1 (1) Tom Donnelly KO 2 (?) Jul 2, 1886 Saint Paul, Minnesota, US
29 Win 27–1 (1) Captain Jim Daly KO 3 (6) Jul 2, 1886 Theatre Comique, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
28 Win 26–1 (1) Dan Stalker KO 2 (5) Jun 19, 1886 Olympic Theater, Saint Paul, Minnesota, US
27 Win 25–1 (1) John Morris KO 2 (?) Jun 7, 1886 Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
26 Win 24–1 (1) Captain James Dalton KO 3 (?) Jun 1, 1886 Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
25 Win 23–1 (1) Patsy Mellen KO 2 (?) May 2, 1886 Theatre Comique, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
24 Loss 22–1 (1) Mervine Thompson DQ 4 (?) Apr 20, 1886 Cleveland Crib Club, Cleveland, Ohio, US After scoring 4 knockdowns, Killen was
inexplicably DQ'd when the fans rushed into the ring
23 Win 22–0 (1) Bill Jordan KO 3 (?) Apr 8, 1886 Vine Street Opera House, Cincinnati, Ohio, US
22 Win 21–0 (1) Mike Smith KO 1 (?) Apr 7, 1886 Vine Street Opera House, Cincinnati, Ohio, US
21 Win 20–0 (1) John Hughes KO 3 (?) Apr 6, 1886 Cincinnati, Ohio, US
20 Win 19–0 (1) Mike Haley KO 2 (?) Apr 5, 1886 People's Theater, Omaha, Nebraska, US
19 Win 18–0 (1) Dan Stalker KO 1 (?), 0:21 Apr 2, 1886 Criterion Rink, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, US
18 Win 17–0 (1) Jim Brady KO 1 (5), 2:40 Mar 28, 1886 South Side Palace Rink, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
17 Win 16–0 (1) John Hughes TKO 1 (4) Mar 18, 1886 Vine Street Opera House, Cincinnati, Ohio, US
16 NC 15–0 (1) Pat McHugh NC 6 (?) Mar 6, 1886 Park Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, US Fight stopped for dirty tactics by both fighters
15 Win 15–0 George Gray KO 2 (?) Feb 26, 1886 Louisville, Kentucky, US
14 Win 14–0 Martin McComiskey KO 4 (?) Feb 15, 1886 Covington, Kentucky, US
13 Win 13–0 Dick Burke KO 1 (?) Feb 5, 1886 Park Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, US
12 Win 12–0 Pat McHugh KO 4 (?) Jan 6, 1886 Chicago, Illinois, US
11 Win 11–0 George Gray KO 3 (5) Dec 21, 1885 Liederkrauz Hall, Louisville, Kentucky, US
10 Win 10–0 Joe Lannon KO 9 Nov 8, 1885 Silk's Grove, Saint Paul, Minnesota, US A finish fight
9 Win 9–0 Jack Morris KO 2 (?) Sep 3, 1885 Park Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, US
8 Win 8–0 John Lynch KO 3 (?) Aug 2, 1885 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
7 Win 7–0 Dan Ring KO 1 (?) Aug 1, 1885 Binghamton, New York, US Exact date uncertain
6 Win 6–0 Denny Kelliher KO 4 (?) May 3, 1885 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
5 Win 5–0 Mike Devine KO 1 (?) Nov 2, 1884 Comique Theatre, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
4 Win 4–0 Tom Boylan KO 5 (?) Apr 2, 1884 Location unknown
3 Win 3–0 Lew Creamer KO 2 (?) Nov 1, 1883 Location unknown Exact date uncertain
2 Win 2–0 Hial Stoddard KO 1 (?) Sep 8, 1883 Club Theater, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
1 Win 1–0 John Howard KO 2 (?) Jul 6, 1883 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
edit