Ogden Daily Standard | 1918-03-25 | Page 12 | Mike Donovan Called by Death

MIKE DONOVAN CALLEDBY DEATH NEW YORK, March 24. Mike Donovan, Dono-van, former middleweight champion pugilist, and widely known as boxing Instructor of Theodore Roosevelt when tho colonel was president of the United Unit-ed States, died of pneumonia at a hospital hos-pital hero early today. "Professor" Donovan, as ho was called by Colonel Roosevelt and those under his instruction during the thirty thir-ty years he supervised boxing at the New York Athletic club, held the friendship of many of the most prominent promi-nent men of the country. He retired recently, but 'was serving as physical instructor with a New York field artillery ar-tillery regiment when taken ill. The former 'champion was born in Chicago 71 years ago. Ho served with the Seventy-first Illinois volunteers throughout the Civil war. It was in 1S66 that he won his first ring victory over Bill Crowley at Pittsburg in a bare knuckle battle. Later Donovan claimed the middleweight middle-weight championship of the world and successfully defended the title, until his retirement. Although he never weighed more than 15G pounds during his ring career, Donovan twice met John L. Sullivan and other heavyweights.