George Coyle

George Coyle was born in Denny, Stirlingshire, Scotland. His family migrated to Yonkers in 1927 where George attended Sacred Heart Grammar School Saunders Trade and Technical High School. At Saunders he joined the boxing team, coached by Tom Queally, who had been intercollegiate featherweight boxing champion at Cornell University. It was Queally who taught him the techniques and rudiments of self-defense.

After a few exhibitions bouts George was entered in the Westchester County boxing championships where proceeded to knockout his opponent in the first round, only to be disqualified for striking a low-blow. It took him quite a while to overcome this disappointment but time healed the hurt and he returned in1933 to win the Westchester County title, scoring three knockouts and one decision. In 1934, at the age of 16, he entered the A.A.U. competition at Madison Square Garden, scoring three wins before losing in the finals to 20 year old Richard LiBrandi of the Politan AC. He immediately entered the N.Y. State Championships where he reached the finals only to be decisioned once again by LiBrandi.

In 1935 he entered the N.Y. Golden Gloves where he fought twice a night three times a week before he knocked out Jose Puig in the second round to win the coveted flyweight title. One month later in the Chicago champion, went on the to cop the international Championships at the Yankee Stadium, defeating Jackie Pottinger of Cardiff, Wales.

In 1936 he traveled to Canada to knock out, Desy Greene, the Candian titleholder, and then on to Soldiers Field, Chicago, to complete for the Catholics Youth Oragnization Championship. Here he out pointed Tony Carlucci, the national champion, and he was presented four-year scholarships to Manhattan College by Bishop Shields. He postponed his schooling to go to Cuba to defeat their champion, Victor Valee.

IN 1937 George lost the bantamweight championship to the great Petey Scalzo in Madison Square Garden. The next year, fighting as a feather-weight, he decicsioned the world champion, Johnnie Marsline, in Philadelphia.

At the point in his career George decided to continue with his studies, preparing to take advantage of his Manhattan College scholarship. However, lack of funds turned him back to the ring, and in 1940 he turned professional, fighting several of the outstanding pugilist in the world, Tony Barbetta and Frankie Rubino among others.

His professional career was on the ascendancy when he was inducted into the army at Camp Upton, Long Island. He was eventually shipped overseas in 1941, and he was transferred to the 8th U.S. Air Force as a tail gunner on B-17’s. IN 1945 he was transferred in army camps in Scotland, England, Wales, France and Italy. While on tour he won the U.S. Army lightweight championship at the Palais de Sport in Paris.

After the war he turned to England to marry Ruth Jackson who has presented him with four sons. At the present time George Coyle is recognized as one of the premier boxing referees operating under the sanction of the New York State Boxing Commission

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