TIMOTHY JOSEPH ‘TIM’ TRACY

April 20, 1874 – July 1, 1953

If ever there was a man who personified the spirit of the ‘fighting Irish’, it would be Tim Tracy.

Tim was a native of county Clare, Ireland and he was born 20^th April in 1874, the son of boot-maker Michael Treacey and Bridget Clearey, who emigrated to New Zealand with Tim and his older sister when Tim was a mere 2 years old.

One day on the street in Wellington, where the family lived and where Michael had his boot making business in Willis St, Tim was bullied by a couple of young larrikins, and as a result, his father took young Tim along to boxing classes run by an American by the name of Charlie ‘Darky’ Richardson, who had earlier made quite a name for himself in the prize ring.

 Tim took to boxing like a duck to water, and on learning the finer points of the game, decided it was time to try his luck in the professional ranks of the sport.

Tim’s first ‘straightener’ was with the American ball puncher Kid Parker in Lambton Quay in 1904, whom Tim dispatched via KO in the fourth round.

This particular fight is often credited with reviving professional boxing in the capital city.

Tim went on to put together a good string of wins against the likes of Jack Griffen, Billy Murphy, Rudy Unholz, Alf Gault, Denny Murphy, Alan Maxwell (also a NZBHOF inductee) and Bob Rollo – all considered top lightweights of the day.

In 1907 he became lightweight champion of New Zealand when he won a tournament organised by the fledgling NZ Boxing Association Association and he is considered our first official professional lightweight champion.

 Tim eventually retired in 1912 due to an arm injury, although did come back for one more fight in 1915.

On retiring, Tim maintained his boot-making business in Willis street that he had taken over from his father in 1899 on completing his family apprenticeship.

At the back of the boot shop, Tim ran his legendary boxing gym, which was really just a small room with a ring enclosed by three concrete walls with a roped off entrance.

Dick Dunn remembers that it was case of having no choice but to fight your way out to survive—many young fellows took a hiding and never returned. However, over the course of at 4 least decades, Tim churned out many fine young champions at both amateur and professional level, and is credited with being at the forefront of the sport during it’s golden years between 1920-1940.

He also refereed hundreds of bouts at inter club amateur tournaments all over the country.

At the National Amateur Championships in 1912,Tim was honoured by the Wellington Boxing Association with a framed illuminated address which hung pride of place for many years on the living room walls of the Tracy home.

Mrs Tracy was presented with a diamond encrusted ring. In retirement, Tim taught the noble art at many well known Wellington institutions, such as the YMCA and Victoria University.

He was president of the NZ Boxing Instructors and Trainers Federation, as well as President of the Wellington and Hutt Valley Boxing Trainers Association right up until shortly before his passing in July of 1953, aged 79.

 Orion Foote (2022)

(PHOTO: Tim Tracy is at the rear center-in a suit-in this photograph featuring a Wellington team. Archie Leckie is shown front, right)

For more information on Tim Tracy’s roots see the Tracy Clan website.