Thomas O'Rourke (1856 - 1936)

Born 13 May 1856 in Charlestown, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Husband of Ann (Murtha) O'Rourke — married 31 Dec 1882 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 19 Jun 1936 at age 80 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, United States

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Biography

Tom O'Rourke is Notable.

Thomas O'Rourke became a boxing manager in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and in 1902 was the manager of Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Born May 13, 1856 in Charlestown, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, he was the son of Thomas O'Rourke and Mary Funcheon.

He married Ann Murtha on December 31, 1882 in Boston. He was 25 years old and his parents were Thomas and Mary O'Rourke. Ann was 19 years old and her parents were Patrick and Mary Murtha. Eventually, they were the parents of 2 daughters. ^[1]

A BOXER, manager, promoter, judge and inspector, Tom O'Rourke did it all in the sweet science. But he is best remembered for his ability as a manager. Among his prized pupils were bantamweight and featherweight champion George Dixon, welterweight titleholder Barbados Joe Walcott and heavyweight contenders Tom Sharkey and Al Palzer.

O'Rourke, who was born in Boston, operated in some of New York City's most well-known fight clubs -- including the National Sporting Club and the Coney Island Athletic Club. He also arranged the 1923 flyweight championship bout between Jimmy Wilde and Pancho Villa at the Polo Grounds.

Although he worked primarily in Boston, Connecticut and New York, O'Rourke was one of the first managers to take his fighters overseas for larger paydays.

O'Rourke also served as an inspector with the New York State Athletic Commission. ^[2]

Tom died at the age of 80 on June 19, 1936 in The Bronx, New York City, New York shortly after collapsing in Max Schmeling's dressing room at Yankee Stadium prior to Schmeling's historic bout with Joe Louis. Burial took place June 23rd in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York.^[3][4]

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NW5V-2R1 : 10 March 2021), Thomas O'Rourke and Ann Murtha, 31 Dec 1882; citing Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,432,996.
2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20070416224905/http://www.ibhof.com/orourke.htm
3. ↑ "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WG1-5MB : 3 June 2020), Thomas F. O'Rourke, 1936.
4. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #235449910

• "Massachusetts State Census, 1865", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQCX-15K : 22 February 2021), Thomas Orourke in entry for Thomas Orourke, 1865.

• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD3D-TT3 : 29 May 2021), Thomas O Rourke in entry for Thomas O Rourke, 1870.

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHXN-7G8 : 29 December 2021), Thomas Ororke in household of Thomas Ororke, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSKD-L7Y : accessed 31 December 2021), Thomas O'Rourke, Borough of Manhattan, Election District 25 New York City Ward 25, New York County, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 693, sheet 3B, family 48, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,112.

• "New York State Census, 1905," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPN4-4NB : 8 March 2021), Thomas F O'Rourke, Manhattan, A.D. 31, E.D. 21, New York, New York; citing p. 1, line 28, various county clerk offices, New York; FHL microfilm 1,433,113.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M53K-HYC : accessed 31 December 2021), Thomas O'Rourke, Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 689, sheet 17B, family 553, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1026; FHL microfilm 1,375,039.

• "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-KC56 : 16 March 2018), Thomas T O'Rourke, 1919; citing Passport Application, New York, United States, source certificate #90681, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 808, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJ1L-XFY : 2 February 2021), Thomas O'Rourke in entry for Charles E Miles, 1920.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4GY-K5X : accessed 31 December 2021), Thomas P O'Rourke, Manhattan (Districts 1001-1249), New York, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1033, sheet 4A, line 7, family 107, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1577; FHL microfilm 2,341,312.

SEE ALSO:

• Wikipedia:Tom_O'Rourke_(boxing_manager)
• http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/nonparticipant/orourke.html