The Old Tin Shed - Sydney Stadium: February 2011

Eddie McGoorty - The Oshkosh Terror

I will be writing more about Eddie McGoorty when I have cleaned up some of my old paper files. But for now, a brief introduction.

Eddie McGoorty, also known as the "Oshkosh Terror" was another favorite with Sydney Stadium crowds. Sadly, like Jimmy Clabby, Eddie's life was short and tragic dying at the age of 40

A more than capable middleweight he won 65 fights (44 on knockouts) and lost 18. In addition he notched up 22 "newspaper decisions" for only six losses.

Below is a report of his 1915 fight against Les Darcy - a fight he lost when the police stopped the fight in the 15th round after Eddie was knocked down four times. Click to enlarge.

Fred Kay

Fred Kay was a great boxer and a favorite with crowds at Sydney Stadium. He once advised fellow boxer, the great Jimmy Clabby, "son save your money for when you're old and grey". Rather prophetically, Jimmy replied, "I aint going to be old and grey"

Fred's record belies his ability, won 39 (KO 6) lost 20 (KO 6) with 3 draws, but he scored victories over some great boxers - including Jimmy Clabby and Fernand Quendreux

Fred was born in Melbourne in 1890 but I have no record of his passing.

Below is a photocopy of a report of his victory over Clabby. Click to enlarge

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The early days of boxing at the old Sydney Stadium in Rushcutters Bay, is a project I first started working on in 1994! This blog will evolve slowly, and articles will be added in no particular order - I like tothink of it as rummaging through old cardboard boxes in an antique shop, never knowing whay you may find.

Although much has been written about Sydney Stadium, a large proportion of the 1,000 plus pages of handwritten notes, (only pencil was allowed in the Manuscript room at the State Library!) and photocopies of old articles and recollections, are from long defunct newspapers and boxing devotees sadly no longer with us.

Perhaps my opening sentence is a bit misleading. My original idea was - and still is - not to focus on the actual fights, but rather the numerous wonderful and colorful characters involved. It is about people rather than actual blow by blow descriptions - about times gone by and the impact, "The Old Tin Shed" had on Sydney's social, corporate and political life.

Here you will read about people you probably not have heard of before - but they all had lives and often wonderful tales to tell. There is sadness, triumph and inspiration.

Boxing fans will probably already know a lot about the boxers and the stadium , but I think I can honestly say, there will also be much that is new to them.

Nor will I focus entirely on Australian boxers. Overseas boxers such as the Prince Lochinvar of boxing, Jimmy Clabby and many other American, French and British boxers, played a vital role in the history of a stadium that until 1970, was an integral part of Sydney and its people.

Mike Hitchen