The "Battle" of Navy Island

Dennis Gallagher

  A premise to this story for those who are not familiar with the name Dennis Gallagher of Buffalo. He was the world champion wrestler in 1888 and never relinquished his title. The First Ward Irishman, was a magic name in the 1880's and '90's throughout the world, famous in Paris as well as London. “Any Style, Any Place, Anybody” was his mantra. This is one of his stories taken from his personal scrapbook. More to come.

One of Dennis Gallagher's most vivid recollections of Buffalo's old sporting days was the boxing match between Mervine Thompson, strong man of Warsaw, and Billy Baker of the "Bloody Eighth” ward. The contest took place on Navy Island in the Niagara River, way back in the summer of 1882, when Dennis was wrestling champion of Western New York and soon to become champion of the world. 

   The fans, nearly 500 strong, made the trip to Navy Island by canal boat towed by a tug chartered for the occasion and Dennis went along as one of Mervine's seconds. Duncan C. Ross, the world's famous all-around athlete was Mervine's other second. In Baker's corner was no less a person than William J. Connors with Jack Whitney as Baker's trainer. Jack Seward of Cleveland was the referee. 

  "Bloody Eighth" On Deck - This goodly congregation of sports hailed mostly from the "Bloody Eighth," but the Hydraulics, First Ward and other sections of Buffalo also sent delegates.  It was a Baker crowd, anxious to see their favorite win against the giant Thompson who had the reputation of being able to out pull two horses. Thompson afterward challenged John L. Sullivan but the latter declined the contest.  

Mervine Thompson

  Among the other sporting bloods of local recognition who graced the occasion and paid $5 for a ring side seat were: John Humphery, manager of the Alhambra Theatre, Dean Wilson, Ned Higgins, Jim McDonald. Big George Fix, Jack Davie, Jim McCue,, Pat Lyons, Jack Kilcourse, Pete Forestell, brother of Police Captain Forestell, Jimmie Brady, Dennis Sullivan, and Emil Inderbitzen, brother of Rudy Inderbitzen.  

   Thompson said, "the audience was made up of a few of my supporters and the rest lake sailors and stevedores.  The latter put all their money on Baker. When the fight started, they swarmed into the ring and chased out all the seconds. My second was Duncan C. Ross, one of the world's greatest athletes at the time.  He was chased out. Those tough guys from the lakes told me to quit in the sixth---and I did. Not that I was a coward, but I didn't want to get thrown into the lake." At the time, the fighter with the toughest mob was always on top.

  The battle went several rounds with Baker holding his own against the formidable Thompson amid the shouting of Baker's friends and arguments between Gallagher and “Fingy” Conners as to the right of either of them to get into the ring. But before long the whole crowd was in the ring yelling, making it impossible for the principals to go on with the fight and the referee was obliged to end the contest, calling it a draw. 

    On the return trip, the battle was re-waged in words and it looked for awhile as though the affair would end in a general melee and the canal boat with its cargo of sports would take a trip over the Falls. The animosity of the crowd seemed to be directed mostly against Ross who with Gallagher thought it safer to take refuge on the tug. In the early hours of the morning the party landed at the foot of Amherst street, and thus ended in a fiasco what first promised to be one of the biggest local sporting events of the 8o's.

See:  Dennis Gallagher "Any Style, Any Place, Anybody"

 WWE Monday Night RAW - 3/03/25  Buffalo N.Y.