64 Facts About Tod Morgan

Albert Morgan Pilkington, better known as Tod Morgan, was an American boxer who took the Undisputed World Super Featherweight Championship in 1925 in Los Angeles and held it for an impressive four years.

Tod Morgan's managers were his stepfather Frank Morgan, and later Frank Churchill, who trained Mike Ballerino, a former Jr.

Tod Morgan's stepfather, Fred, put Tod Morgan in boxing as a means of getting some strength into his body.

On May 24,1922, Tod Morgan defeated California boxer Ad Rubidoux at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California in a ten-round points decision.

Tod Morgan first took the Pacific Coast Title on August 22,1923, against Bud Ridley in a six-round decision in Seattle.

Tod Morgan landed far more punches than Ridley, who showed gameness, but was clearly outmatched.

On January 22,1924, Tod Morgan knocked out accomplished boxer Frankie Britt in the third round at Crystal Pool in Seattle, Washington, retaining the Pacific Coast Featherweight Title.

Tod Morgan's first meeting with Joe Gorman on February 26,1924, ended in a six-round draw.

Some ringside felt Tod Morgan had the edge in the bout.

On December 30,1924, Tod Morgan defeated Doc Snell at the Crystal Pool in Seattle, Washington in a six-round points decision.

Tod Morgan had drawn with Snell two weeks earlier in Tacoma.

Tod Morgan had formerly held the North Central Washington Featherweight Title.

Tod Morgan floored Snell twice in the fourth round, once for a count of five.

Tod Morgan dropped Morgan again briefly in that round and then continued in the fifth and sixth with a decided advantage as Morgan still appeared groggy.

Tod Morgan was down for a nine count in the third round, outpunched badly against the ropes in the sixth, and had the crowd shouting to end the bout by the ninth and tenth rounds.

The Associated Press wrote that Ballerino's seconds had his manager Frank Churchill throw in the towel, though they already knew Tod Morgan had clinched the bout on points.

On June 3,1926, Tod Morgan fought Steve "Kid" Sullivan, a former World Junior Lightweight Champion, at the Brooklyn National League Baseball Park in front of 40,000 enthralled boxing fans.

Tod Morgan convincingly beat Sullivan in a sixth round Technical Knockout.

On September 30,1926, Tod Morgan defeated Jewish boxer Joe Glick in a fifteen-round Jr.

On October 19,1926, Tod Morgan defeated Johnny Dundee before 14,0000 spectators in a World Jr.

Tod Morgan was considered to have taken six of the ten rounds against the veteran Dundee.

On November 19,1926, Tod Morgan defeated Carl Duane in a close match at Madison Square Garden in New York that drew 14,260 fans.

Tod Morgan was injured by hooks to his face most notably in the thirteenth and fourteenth rounds, but Tod Morgan scored frequently with blows to the head of Duane throughout the bout, and his defense seemed somewhat more effective.

Tod Morgan had taken six months off from active boxing prior to the bout, but was well matched with Foley, who gave him no major trouble in the bout.

Tod Morgan was hurt by loops to the head, often to the jaw, and digs to the body at several points in the bout.

In May and July 1928, Tod Morgan defeated talented "Cannonball" Eddie Martin, former World Bantamweight Champion, in two World Jr.

Tod Morgan won both bouts in two fifteen round points decisions, but the fighting was fierce, particularly in their second bout.

Tod Morgan received a gash from a head butt in the first round, while Tod Morgan cut Martin's right cheek in the third.

Tod Morgan had a large knot above his right eye, a bloodly nose, and a cut behind his right ear.

Tod Morgan fought a ten-round draw with Panamanian Santiago Zorrilla on December 3,1928, before 15,000, at the State Armory in San Francisco.

Tod Morgan scored frequently with rights to the face of his opponent, and in the tenth briefly sent Zorrilla to the mat, but he received a badly swollen eye in the ninth.

Tod Morgan was able to defend adequately against the more frequent blows of Zorilla.

Lightweight Title Match, Tod Morgan won a ten-round points decision against Zorrilla before a capacity crowd at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Tod Morgan fought Zorrilla twice more in 1930, receiving a win and another draw.

On May 12,1931, Tod Morgan lost to Cecil Payne at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Tod Morgan was down briefly for a count of one in the seventh from a staggering left to the chin, but the boxing was close in some respects through the bout.

Lightweight Title match, on May 20,1929, Tod Morgan defeated "Baby" Sal Sorio at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles in a ten-round points decision.

Tod Morgan was down briefly in the third, and in the eighth punished Tod Morgan with three of his signature short right jabs.

Tod Morgan, however used his superior ring experience and longer reach to gain the victory.

On June 14,1932, Tod Morgan decisively defeated Carter in a seventh-round technical knockout at the Arcade Auditorium in Vancouver, Canada.

Tod Morgan won the bout on points by a comfortable margin.

On September 3,1931, Tod Morgan defeated Cecil Payne in a ten-round points decision in Sacramento, California.

Tod Morgan appeared to be the aggressor through all but three rounds, though Payne was effective in the third round.

Tod Morgan fought Sorio on two other occasions, on February 17,1932, winning in a ten-round points decision in Sorio's home turf of San Bernardino and on August 19,1932, at Legion Stadium in Hollywood, winning in an eighth round disqualification.

Tod Morgan effectively countered the left hook of Sorio to the body, which was an important blow in Sorio's offensive strategy.

Tod Morgan lost the belt on December 20,1929, when he was KO'd by Benny Bass in the second of fifteen rounds at Madison Square Garden.

Tod Morgan was up only to have Bass follow him around the ring aggressively and land two more strong rights to the jaw which landed Tod Morgan on the mat again.

Tod Morgan attempted, but was unable to rise fully before sinking again to the mat.

On July 23,1930, Tod Morgan defeated Don Fraser at Natatorium Park before a crowd of 6,000 in a six-round points decision in Spokane, Washington.

Lightweight Title, Tod Morgan had lost to Mack in a ten-round points decision.

On March 24,1931, Tod Morgan defeated black boxer Goldie Hess at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, in a ten-round points decision taking the USA California State Lightweight Championship.

Tod Morgan was the aggressor, scoring points in every round effectively utilizing both rights and lefts.

Tod Morgan was awarded the State Championship belt by actress Joan Blondell.

On July 8,1932, Tod Morgan defeated 1926 World Lightweight Champion Sammy Mandell at Legion Stadium in Hollywood California.

Mandell was making a comeback and Tod Morgan reportedly won the decision without trouble, though the bout was slow and deliberate.

Tod Morgan had the best of the match in the second and seventh, and concentrated on Mandell's body.

In 1933, Tod Morgan moved to Australia, where he lived and boxed until his retirement from boxing in 1942.

On December 10,1935, Tod Morgan fought Kid Moro in Honolulu in a bout that was billed as the Welterweight Championship of Hawaii.

Tod Morgan won the bout in a ten-round points decision.

On March 12,1938, Tod Morgan first took the Australian Lightweight Title in a fourth-round knockout against Jimmy Dundee at Newcastle Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

Tod Morgan impressively held the title until July 3,1941, losing in a fifteen-round points decision against Vic Patrick that was quite unpopular with the crowd.

Tod Morgan worked as a boxing instructor at American Army camps in Australia.

On his return from Australia in the 1940s, Tod Morgan worked as a bellboy and boxing referee in Seattle.

Tod Morgan was survived by his wife, Grace, her son, Bill, whom he had adopted, and his mother.