Now we just need to know where "Shaughnessey's Old Homestead Tavern." oh and permission to detect
Here is an article from 1968 that gives the exact location (from what I can tell the fight site was between the west side of Under Mountain Road and the railroad tracks
Meet Boston Corners
Last week, it being a nice day and while on vacation I took a ride
to Boston Corners.
Boston Corners is located on Route 22, in the state of New York
but only a mile or so from Massachusetts and Connecticut, where;
the three states converse.
It was once»known as "The Horse Thief Capital of the East.""
Because it was a sort of no man's land, owned at one period by none
of the states, permitting lawlessness to prevail.
Boston Corners—to refresh your memory-was also the site of the
first heavyweight boxing championship, between Yankee Sullivan
and John Morrissey, back in the 1850's, in a vacant field.
• • •
ON ROUTE 22, there is a large green and white sign, which
proclaims: "Boston Corners." with an arrow pointing to the left.
A couple of hundred yards after making the left turn, I came
across an ancient wooden building with a large neon sign,
heralding: "Shaughnessey's Old Homestead Tavern."
A little further down the village's only street are a couple of
mobile homes; an abandoned gas station and a couple of ancient
dwellings.
I WENT BACK to the Old Homestead. Inside the rather dimly lit
bar were several men idly drinking beer.
After ordering a drink myself, I casually asked: "Isn't this the
place where they once had the big fight?"
The proprietor nodded and said: "There's a clipping about Boston i
Corners on the wall over there." '
I studied the faded framed newspaper clipping, telling about
Boston Corners, relating about the fight between Morrissey and
Sullivan, which drew a crowd of over 10,000, mostly coming up from
New York City on an excursion, which was wrecked by the
passengers.
"The field where they fought is in back of the bar and the railroad
tracks still run by here," one of the patrons volunteered.
"The trains don't stop here anymore like they used to when there
was a roundhouse," another customer said sadly.
.. . • i
I INQUIRED as to the approximate present population of Boston
Corners.
"It's about 15 and a couple of dogs/' remarked another customer.
I mentioned that I was especially interested in the place because
Morrissey was the founder of horse racing at Saratoga.
NO ONE IT developed, was aware of this fact, although they all
knew about Saratoga racing and at one time or another had all been
here, both to the flat and harness track.
"I bet a horse at Saratoga last summer and he's still running,"
volunteered one of the patrons.
The proprietor handed me a clipping of a recent article in a
Capital district paper, which told of how horse thiefs used to steal
some of Saratoga's nost valuable thoroughbreds and then sold them
to a farrier who resided just outside of Boston Corners. The article
claimed that while Saratoga wasn't the only track, they stole from,
it was the main one.
I GAZED OUT through the window towards the field where the
Morrissey-Sullivan fight took place. In the distance I could hear the
mournful wail of a freight train whistle. In my mind's eye I could
hear the uproar of the crowd, when Morrissey got the decision as
Sullivan was busy taking on some spectators who had been heckling
him.
In a nearly unprecedented burst of generosity I decided to buy
everyone in the bar a drink, especially since they were all drinking
beer.
no, he bought the place from Shaugnessey, who had operated it for Games.
21 years, last June. "I'm not from Boston Corners. I come from
seven miles from here," he said.
Maybe, you could build Boston Corners into a tourist attraction, I
suggested.
"It's got possibilities," he admitted.
