Timothy Joseph O'Connor (1892–1961) was an American boxing referee and government official for the city of Boston who served as traffic commissioner and commissioner of the

Boston Fire Department The Boston Fire Department provides fire services and first responder emergency medical services to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It also responds to such incidents as motor vehicle accidents, dangerous goods, hazardous material spills, util ...

Early life

O'Connor was born on March 30, 1892, in Charlestown. He was the youngest of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Andrew O'Connor of Crookston,

County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. He graduated from the Mechanical Arts High School in 1907 and served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Boxing

O'Connor became interested in boxing during his time in the Army. He made his professional debut as a referee for Frank Ducey, the matchmaker for the Casino Athletic Club of

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest List of municipalities in Massachusetts, municipality in Massachusetts, United States, and the largest city in Essex County, Massachusetts, Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line ...

. In 1920 he refereed the first ever bout regulated by the Massachusetts Boxing Commission - a fight between welterweights Nate Siegal and Paddy Flynn. On December 21, 1920, O'Connor refereed a bout between

Harry Greb Harry Greb (June 6, 1894 – October 22, 1926) was a professional boxer. Nicknamed "The Pittsburgh Windmill", "The Smoke City Wildcat", and "The Pittsburgh Bearcat", he is ranked by BoxRec as the fourth greatest boxer of all time, pound for poun ...

and Bob Roper. During the sixth round, Greb hit O'Connor in the mouth, which caused him to bleed profusely. O'Connor grabbed Greb around the waist and planted him on his stool. Greb eventually won the 10 round fight by decision. In 1922 O'Connor officiated a bout between light-heavyweight champion

Gene Tunney James Joseph Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1923 ...

and Chuck Wiggins at Mechanics Hall. In 1924, Lawrence J. Sweeney of ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...

'' questioned O'Connor's decision to declare Quntion Romero-Rojas victorious over Jack Renault. Sweeney felt that O'Connor had penalized Renault for "carrying" Romero-Rojas. The following year, O'Connor refereed a bout in which

Jack Sharkey Jack Sharkey (born Joseph Paul Zukauskas, , October 26, 1902 – August 17, 1994) was a Lithuanian-American boxer who held the NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles from 1932 to 1933. Boxing career He took his ring name from his ...

was given a 2 to 1 decision over George Cook. Sweeney wrote that Cook was entitled to the victory and that the officials who gave Sharkey the victory "have outlived their usefulness". He proclaimed that the decision would "just about ruin the sport in the Bay State". On February 7, 1927, O'Connor disqualified

Al Mello Alfons Mello Tavares (January 31, 1906 – October 31, 1993) was an American Olympic and professional boxer who was a contender for the world middleweight title in 1929-30. He held the New England Welterweight title during his career. Early ye ...

in the first round of his fight with George Kid Lee. It was one of Mello's four career disqualifications for low punches and one of Lee's three victories over Mello. On April 2, 1928, O'Connor declared Roberto Roberti victorious over Ted Sandwina as a result of a foul in the third round of their fight at Mechanics' Hall. The Massachusetts Boxing Commission suspended Sandwina for three months for the foul. On May 17, 1929, O'Connor disqualified Jim Maloney for hitting his opponent,

Riccardo Bertazzolo Riccardo Bertazzolo (4 July 1903 – 5 March 1975) was an Italian boxer who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics. He was born in Venice. In 1924 he was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the heavyweight class after losing to the upcoming gold ...

, after the bell. On December 13, 1929, O'Connor stopped a fight between welterweight champion

Jackie Fields Jackie Fields (Jacob Finkelstein, February 9, 1908 – June 3, 1987) was an American professional boxer who won the Undisputed Welterweight Championship twice. Statistical boxing website BoxRec lists Fields as the #19 ranked welterweight of all ...

and

Gorilla Jones William Landon Jones (1906–1982) known as "Gorilla" Jones, was an American boxer who held the NBA Middleweight Boxing Championship of the World. Although he was nicknamed "Gorilla" for his exceptional reach, Jones is to be distinguished from th ...

in the seventh round. O'Connor believed that both men were performing below their usual standards and declared the fight a no contest. On November 10, 1931, O'Connor declared a fight between Joe Sekyra and Paul Swiderski a no contest early in the eight round. David F. Egan of ''The Boston Globe'' described the fight as a "farcical exhibition" where the fighters "meant no harm to each other" Egan praised O'Connor for exercising "excellent self-restraint in allowing them to meander as long as they did". O'Connor warned both fighters four times before ending the bout. On September 17, 1937, O'Connor refereed a bout between the undefeated Ralph Zannelli of

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

, and

Peter Jackson Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand filmmaker. He is best known as the director, writer, and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy (2012–2014), both of which ar ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Although nonpartisan scoring favored Jackson, the fight was ruled to be a no-contest in what was seen as a "home-town decision". O'Connor favored Jackson while Judges Jim Shaughnessy and Eddie Curley voted for a split verdict. Other notable bouts officiated by O'Connor include Joe Tiplitz vs. Johnnie Downs,

Tommy Gibbons Thomas Joseph Gibbons (March 22, 1891 – November 19, 1960) was an American professional heavyweight boxer. Life and career He was born on March 22, 1891, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Thomas John Gibbons and Mary ( Burke) Gibbons. He had a br ...

vs. Pat McCarthy, Hambone Kelly vs. George Robinson,

Jack Britton Jack Britton (October 14, 1885 – March 27, 1962) was an American boxer who was the first three-time world welterweight boxing champion. Born William J. Breslin in Clinton, New York, his professional career lasted for 25 years beginning i ...

vs. Frankie Schoell,

Sully Montgomery James Ralph "Sully" Montgomery (January 12, 1901 – September 5, 1970) was an American professional football player and boxer. Montgomery played college football for the Centre Praying Colonels of Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. He ca ...

vs. Battling McCreary, Red Chapman vs.

Johnny Dundee Johnny "The Scotch Wop" Dundee (November 19, 1893 – April 22, 1965) was an American featherweight and the first world junior lightweight champion boxer who fought from 1910 until 1932. He was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame in ...

, George Cook vs. Bob Lawson,

Tommy Loughran Thomas Patrick Loughran (November 29, 1902 – July 7, 1982) was an American professional boxer and the former World Light Heavyweight Champion. Statistical boxing website BoxRec lists Loughran as the #7 ranked light heavyweight of all tim ...

vs. Johnny Risko,

Young Stribling William Lawrence Stribling Jr. (December 26, 1904 – October 3, 1933), known as Young Stribling, was an American professional boxer who fought from Featherweight to Heavyweight. His 1931 fight against Max Schmelling for Schmeling's world heavy ...

vs.

Maxie Rosenbloom Max Everitt Rosenbloom (November 6, 1906 – March 6, 1976) was an American professional boxer, actor, and television personality. Nicknamed "Slapsy Maxie", he was inducted into '' The Ring's'' Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972, the International Je ...

Tiger Flowers Theodore "Tiger" Flowers (February 14, 1895 – November 16, 1927) was an American professional boxer. Nicknamed "The Georgia Deacon", he rose to prominence in the early 20th century, becoming the first African-American World Middleweight Box ...

vs. Eddie Huffman, Al Mello vs. Johnny Mendelsohn,

Jack Delaney Jack Delaney (March 19, 1900 – November 27, 1948) was a world light heavyweight boxing champion and contender for the heavyweight crown. One of the most popular fighters of the 1920s, the French Canadian was born Ovila Chapdelaine in Saint-F ...

vs. Jack Humbeck,

Ernie Schaaf Frederick Ernest Schaaf (September 27, 1908 – February 14, 1933) was a professional boxer who was a heavyweight contender in the 1930s but died after a bout. Career Schaaf weighed in his prime which was average in that era. In the 1930s he w ...

vs. "Big Boy" Peterson, Jim Maloney vs.

Tom Heeney Thomas Heeney (18 May 1898 – 15 June 1984) was a professional heavyweight boxing, boxer from New Zealand, best known for unsuccessfully challenging champion Gene Tunney for the heavyweight championship of the world in New York City on 26 July ...

Johnny Indrisano Johnny Indrisano (November 1, 1905 — July 6, 1968) was an American welterweight boxer whose career spanned the period from 1923 to 1934. He later became a film stunt performer and a film and TV actor. Career Indrisano was born in Boston. ...

vs.

Vince Dundee Vince Dundee (October 22, 1907 – July 27, 1949), born Vincenzo Lazzara in Sicily, became the New York State Athletic Commission world middleweight champion when he defeated reigning champion Lou Brouillard on October 30, 1933. His title was a ...

, Johnny Indrisano vs.

Lou Brouillard Lucien Pierre Brouillard, better known as Lou Brouillard, (May 23, 1911 – September 14, 1984), was a Canadians, Canadian professional boxing, boxer who held the list of undisputed world boxing champions#Welterweight, Undisputed World Welterweig ...

, Lou Brouillard vs. Sammy Slaughter, Lou Brouillard vs. Tony Shucco, Jack Sharkey vs. Phil Brubaker, and

Tiger Jack Fox John Linwood Fox (April 2, 1907 – April 6, 1954), better known as Tiger Jack Fox was an American light heavyweight boxer, who fought from 1928 to 1950. Boxing career Fox claimed he got his start in boxing when he was picked up while hitchhik ...

vs. Lou Brouillard.

Government

In 1911, O'Connor joined the survey and design section of the Boston public works department's highway division as a rodman. In 1929 he was promoted to junior civil engineer and transferred to the new Boston traffic commission. He was made chief traffic engineer in 1954 and promoted to traffic commissioner in 1957. In 1959 he was named fire commissioner. He retired on January 1, 1960. O'Connor died on October 31, 1961, at

St. Elizabeth's Hospital St. Elizabeths Hospital is a psychiatric hospital in Southeast Washington, D.C. operated by the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health. The hospital opened in 1855 under the name Government Hospital for the Insane, the first federal ...

. Mayor

John F. Collins John Frederick Collins (July 20, 1919 – November 23, 1995) was an American lawyer who served as the mayor of Boston from 1960 to 1968. Collins was a lawyer who served in the Massachusetts Legislature from 1947 to 1955. He and his children caug ...

ordered all municipal flags at half-staff in respect for O'Connor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:O'Connor, Joe 1892 births 1961 deaths United States Army personnel of World War I American boxing referees Commissioners of the Boston Fire Department People from Charlestown, Boston People from West Roxbury, Boston