Tom Sullivan (boxer)

Thomas was known in the neighborhood as a "tough puncher" who later went to work as a longshoreman in Boston, Massachusetts and lived with his mother on East Fifth Street.

Even after his boxing career finished he remained physically fit from working as a longshoreman on the Boston waterfront and sparred at a gym to stay in shape.

After his murder not far from the front steps of his house on East Fifth Street, Mary was overcome with emotional distress and shock and confined herself to her bed.

She was too grief-stricken and emotionally distraught to attend his funeral at Gates of Heaven Parish located at 615 East Fourth Street.

He fought with an orthodox stance and boxed 143 rounds over the span of his short career winning twenty of them with fourteen knock outs and two losses.

Thomas was considered by many to be one of the more successful boxers that came out of Boston during that time period, more than Edward G. Connors, Anthony Veranis, Rocco DiSiglio and Americo Sacramone.

Two weeks before he was murdered, he made the mistake of getting into a vicious bar room brawl with Edward McLaughlin.

What is less certain is the claim that he lifted up one end of the car and propped one of the wheels up on the curb allowing him access to McLaughlin.

Sullivan's bar-brawling foe Edward McLaughlin was shot dead at a bus stop in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, in October 1965.

See "On the Boston Waterfront" (Springs Toledo, City Journal, Winter 2016) for the story of Tommy Sullivan.