K.O. Sweeney

The name was coined by Sweeney's manager, Leo P. Flynn, who was known for assigning colorful nicknames to his fighters, including Tommy Bergin (the Lewiston Bear Cat), Andy Parker (Skull Cracker), Johnny Alberts (Jack the Jawbreaker) and Bert Stanley (the Oshkosh Assassin).

Sweeney's career got underway in February 1911, when he fought Harry Edwards at New York's West Side Athletic Club.

Sweeney as the "fighting Irishman of the East Side...having never lost a decision from the time he started boxing three years ago...a New York product..."[3] On May 18, 1914, the New Castle Herald reported that "Knockout Sweeney...one of the best lightweights ever turned out of New York..." would fight "Battling Terry" at the New Castle Opera House.

"[6] On July 10, 1916, Sweeney lost a ten-round bout with Paul Dixon, after which The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that, "K.O.

[8] In July 1917, Sweeney enlisted in the army, one of many athletes who, according to The Pittsburgh Press "...responded in large and enthusiastic numbers to the call to colors without waiting for the draft."

"[9] By January 1918, Sweeney was serving with the 314th Infantry, stationed at Camp Meade, Maryland, where he fought and won an exhibition match with Mike Coughlin.

His main claim to fame was to have fought and lost in six rounds to 52-year-old heavyweight Bob Fitzsimmons at the Athletic Club, Williamsport, Pennsylvania on January 29, 1914.

However, boxing films had been made at least 17 years earlier (for example, Fitzsimmons' 1897 fight against Jim Corbett), proving the claim to be fallacious.

According to his obituary, Kraynak was a veteran of World War 1, serving as a corporal in the 311th Machine Gun Battery, 79th Division, AEF, and saw considerable action in the Meuse-Argonne Forest, Monifausion, Grant Montague, and Troy Battle Areas.

Jack Sweeney of Plains" fought "Kid Williams of Plymouth" at the Majestic Theater in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

[28] In September 1960, Thomas F. Sweeney, age 68, of Racine, Wisconsin was arraigned for manslaughter after his wife died from a blow to the head.

In October 1919, a newspaper reported that "Sanders has been a boxer and wrestler for four years and was in the service at Camp Grant where he instructed soldiers in boxing and wrestling.

"[30] In November 1919, the newspapers reported that "Frank Sanders of Oshkosh...was no match for Sailor Bill Perknis of Rhinelander who showed the fans a good time.

[32] In 1933, his boxing career behind him, Sweeney pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Felix Zelul, who died from a blow to the face and whose body police found lying on Highway 38.

In October 1960, he was declared legally insane, the result of brain damage from boxing and chronic alcoholism, and confined to a mental hospital.