Tom Sharkey book

[JAB5239]

http://www.dundalk********.ie/dundal...?articlepage=1

[McGoorty]

http://www.dundalk********.ie/dundal...?articlepage=1

This is why I go to check out old threads. I find gems like these, I would love to read that. Have you a copy of it JAB ?.......... I can't seem to find out where to order it. Tom Sharkey was very good, probably better than his namesake, it took one of THE greatest HW's to stop Tom from winning the title...I can't believe that it's taken someone to make the first post on this...... I'm going to try to find some stuff on him, at least come up with a decent resume on his record and career highlights. When I do I'll post that on this thread....... Come on Boxing historians,.. Where are you hiding ?????

[Terry A]

I got a couple of funny stories about Tom Sharkey.

Most everybody knows how tough & rugged he was but like many people of his day, he was illiterate. He was also not the smartest man who ever boxed...

When he was in the Navy, he was ordered to line the men on his ship up alphabetically. So all the men with last names begining with "A" got in line, followed by the "B"'s & so on. Not content with how things were, Tom went over to one of his buddies named Phillips.....

"What's your name!" shouted Tom.

"You know what my name is! Phillips!"

"Then get your a$$ over among the "F"'s! bellowed Sharkey.


Another time, one of the fellas he was with pointed out to Tom that he had his pants on inside out. Sharkey replied "I must have had my legs crossed when I put them on."


Another time when he was in the Navy, an officer was getting married & Tom was ordered to go into town & buy a bunch of 2 lb bags of rice. When he came back with the rice, the instructions were to throw rice at the bride when she comes down the gangway. Tom obeyed. As the bride appeared, he ****ed his arm back & let fly a two pound bag of rice! The story goes that it indeed hit her in the head & knocked her down. The officer had not thought to tell Tom to 1st take the rice out of the bag.

Another time, Sharkey had an offer to fight in Australia. His manager said "I don't think we should accept it. It's thousands of miles away & there's nothing there but kangaroos."

Sharkey replied "I don't care about nationality! A kangaroos money is as good as anyone elses!"

Another time, after he had retired, Tom was in a Boston bar & the salon keeper was getting on him about not being able to read or write.

"Your illiterate". said the bar keeper.

"No I'm not" said Tom. "I can read!"

There was a mirror with a lot of dust on it so the bar keeper went over & wrote with his finger...."Thomas J. Sharkey"

He turned & said to Tom "Ok, read that for me."

"That's easy", said Sharkey. "It says NO SMOKING!"

[JAB5239]

I got a couple of funny stories about Tom Sharkey.

Most everybody knows how tough & rugged he was but like many people of his day, he was illiterate. He was also not the smartest man who ever boxed...

When he was in the Navy, he was ordered to line the men on his ship up alphabetically. So all the men with last names begining with "A" got in line, followed by the "B"'s & so on. Not content with how things were, Tom went over to one of his buddies named Phillips.....

"What's your name!" shouted Tom.

"You know what my name is! Phillips!"

"Then get your a$$ over among the "F"'s! bellowed Sharkey.


Another time, one of the fellas he was with pointed out to Tom that he had his pants on inside out. Sharkey replied "I must have had my legs crossed when I put them on."


Another time when he was in the Navy, an officer was getting married & Tom was ordered to go into town & buy a bunch of 2 lb bags of rice. When he came back with the rice, the instructions were to throw rice at the bride when she comes down the gangway. Tom obeyed. As the bride appeared, he ****ed his arm back & let fly a two pound bag of rice! The story goes that it indeed hit her in the head & knocked her down. The officer had not thought to tell Tom to 1st take the rice out of the bag.

Another time, Sharkey had an offer to fight in Australia. His manager said "I don't think we should accept it. It's thousands of miles away & there's nothing there but kangaroos."

Sharkey replied "I don't care about nationality! A kangaroos money is as good as anyone elses!"

Another time, after he had retired, Tom was in a Boston bar & the salon keeper was getting on him about not being able to read or write.

"Your illiterate". said the bar keeper.

"No I'm not" said Tom. "I can read!"

There was a mirror with a lot of dust on it so the bar keeper went over & wrote with his finger...."Thomas J. Sharkey"

He turned & said to Tom "Ok, read that for me."

"That's easy", said Sharkey. "It says NO SMOKING!"

Lol, Sharkey was certainly a character. I think Im going to get this book, it sounds very interesting.

[McGoorty]

I got a couple of funny stories about Tom Sharkey.

Most everybody knows how tough & rugged he was but like many people of his day, he was illiterate. He was also not the smartest man who ever boxed...

When he was in the Navy, he was ordered to line the men on his ship up alphabetically. So all the men with last names begining with "A" got in line, followed by the "B"'s & so on. Not content with how things were, Tom went over to one of his buddies named Phillips.....

"What's your name!" shouted Tom.

"You know what my name is! Phillips!"

"Then get your a$$ over among the "F"'s! bellowed Sharkey.


Another time, one of the fellas he was with pointed out to Tom that he had his pants on inside out. Sharkey replied "I must have had my legs crossed when I put them on."


Another time when he was in the Navy, an officer was getting married & Tom was ordered to go into town & buy a bunch of 2 lb bags of rice. When he came back with the rice, the instructions were to throw rice at the bride when she comes down the gangway. Tom obeyed. As the bride appeared, he ****ed his arm back & let fly a two pound bag of rice! The story goes that it indeed hit her in the head & knocked her down. The officer had not thought to tell Tom to 1st take the rice out of the bag.

Another time, Sharkey had an offer to fight in Australia. His manager said "I don't think we should accept it. It's thousands of miles away & there's nothing there but kangaroos."

Sharkey replied "I don't care about nationality! A kangaroos money is as good as anyone elses!"

Another time, after he had retired, Tom was in a Boston bar & the salon keeper was getting on him about not being able to read or write.

"Your illiterate". said the bar keeper.

"No I'm not" said Tom. "I can read!"

There was a mirror with a lot of dust on it so the bar keeper went over & wrote with his finger...."Thomas J. Sharkey"

He turned & said to Tom "Ok, read that for me."

"That's easy", said Sharkey. "It says NO SMOKING!"

That's great stuff, what a character. I didn't know I was Kangaroo.

[McGoorty]

Lol, Sharkey was certainly a character. I think Im going to get this book, it sounds very interesting.

WHAT ?????....... I thought you already had that book, hence the thread,... that reminds me, you told me you were having trouble getting hold of the Darcy Book,...... I'll send you a PM in a minute about that.

[McGoorty]

http://www.dundalk********.ie/dundal...?articlepage=1

Sorry JAB, I think it was Poet asking me about that instead,,,,, but I still thought you had the Sharkey book.