Steve Casey

Title History

• NWA Heavyweight Title defeating Lou Thesz (February 11, 1938);
• AWA (Boston) Heavyweight Title defeating Lou Thesz (February 11, 1938);
• AWA (Boston) Heavyweight Title defeating Gus Sonnenberg (March 29, 1939);
• AWA (Boston) Heavyweight Title defeating Ed Don George (November 3, 1939);
• AWA (Boston) Heavyweight Title defeating The French Angel (May 14, 1942);
• AWA (Boston) Heavyweight Title defeating The French Angel (August 15, 1942);
• AWA (Boston) Heavyweight Title defeating Frank Sexton (June 6, 1945);

Career Highlights

• 1923: Steve Casey (Aged 15) rowed in the Sneem senior crew with his father and the O’Connor Brothers..
• 1932: Tug-O-War Munster Champions (Sneem/Casey Team)
• 1930-33: Salter Challenge Cup with brothers
• 1935-36: Steve & Paddy Casey were members of the British Amateur Wrestling Team
• 1936: All-England Rowing Champs with the Ace Rowing Club along with brothers Paddy, Tom and Mick
• 1936: The Caseys qualified for the Olympics in rowing but were disqualified for Steve and Paddy being professional wrestlers
• March 3, 1936: Steve Casey defeated Paul Duveen (Irish Canadian Heavyweight Champion)..
• March 17, 1936: Steve Casey vs. Rex Steele at Embassy Ring, Catford (Billed as 2 Submissions, 2 falls, 2 k.o.)..
• October 1936: Steve Casey is brought to America by promoter Paul Bowser.
• December 14, 1936: Steve Casey defeated Mike Mazurki in New York City in front of 3,500.
• July 26, 1937: Steve Casey vs. Marvin Westenberg at the Municipal Stadium in Syracuse, New York.
• February 11, 1938: Steve “Crusher” Casey defeated Lou Thesz to win the NWA World title and the AWA Boston World title..
• August 26, 1938: Steve Casey drew Danno O’Mahoney in Milltown Dublin after ten 5 minute rounds in the European style.
• September 1938: The NWA title was stripped from Steve Casey due to his being out of the country..
• ~~~Some view that Steve Casey held the NWA title until his retirement in 1947 but that is untrue.
• September 18 1938: Steve Casey defeated Danno O’Mahoney in Munster in a finish match in 18 rounds and 97 minutes..
• ~~~Reports say it was a thrilling match which turned in Casey’s favor when O’Mahoney fell on his head to the floor..
• March 2, 1939: Marvin Westenberg defeated Steve Casey for the AWA Heavyweight Title in Boston, Massachusetts.
• March 29, 1939: Steve Casey defeated Gus Sonnenberg for the AWA World Heavyweight Title in Boston, Massachusetts.
• April 18, 1939: Ed Don George defeated Steve Casey for the AWA Heavyweight Title in Albany, New York.
• May 18, 1939: Steve Casey defeated John Katon (2-1) in Toronto drawing 3,500 (Casey was billed as a world title claimant)
• October 19, 1939: Steve Casey vs Everett Marshall was a 60:00 draw in Toronto, Ontario, Canada drawing 4,500.
• November 23, 1939: Steve Casey defeated Wild Bill Longson (2-1) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada drawing 4,000.
• November 29, 1939: Steve Casey defeated Ed Don George for the AWA World Heavyweight Title in Buffalo, New York.
• May 13, 1940: The French Angel defeated Steve Casey for the AWA Heavyweight Title in Boston Massachusetts.
• 1940: Steve Casey won the Governor’s Cup for beating Richard Codman in Cambridge, Massachusetts
• 1940: Steve Casey defeated U.S. boxing champion Tiger Warrenton and challenged Joe Louis. Louis refused a fight.
• November 12, 1941: Steve Casey vs. Earl McCready was ruled a No Contest in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• January 20, 1942: Steve Casey vs Earl McCready ended in a draw in Toronto, Ontario, Canada..
• May 1, 1942: Earl McCready defeated Steve Casey in Buffalo, New York..
• May 14, 1942: Steve Casey vs Earl McCready ended in a draw in Toronto, Ontario, Canada..
• May 14, 1942: Steve Casey defeated The French Angel for the AWA Heavyweight Title in Boston, Massachusetts.
• August 1, 1942: The French Angel defeated Steve Casey for the AWA Heavyweight Title in Boston, Massachusetts.
• August 15, 1942: Steve Casey defeated The French Angel for the AWA Heavyweight Title in San Francisco, California.
• August 1, 1944: Maurice Tillet aka The French Angel defeated Steve Casey for the AWA World Heavyweight title..
• June 6, 1945: Steve Casey defeated Frank Sexton for the AWA World Heavyweight Title in Boston, Massachusetts.
• 1982: Irish Hall of Fame Award presented by 1956 Olympic gold medalist Ronnie Delaney
• 1983: The Casey family organized a family reunion in Sneem, Ireland.
• ~~~Five of the seven brothers rowed the same boat they had used to win so many championships..
• January 10, 1987: Steve Casey died at the age of 78
• Special thanks to Justin Boulka for supplying the content for this profile — really great work!..
  

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  Justin Boulka wrote: Steve’s father, Mike, was a renowned bare-knuckle boxer and was a sparring partner for John L. Sullivan and Martin “Farmer” Burns. His mother, Bridget was a champion oarswoman. Bridget’s father was a local strongman known as Johnny Mountain. Steve Casey’s daughter, Margaret, became a distinguished oarswoman while attending Harvard University. Rumor has it that Steve Casey’s hands were 15 from the point of the thumb to the point of the little finger. There is a life-sized statue of Steve Casey on the left as you leave Sneem on the Killarney road. Steve Casey was a member of the US Army around 1942.