Thomas McKay- Boxing Coach

Thomas McKay still has passion for the game. In this photograph, Coach Tom McKay is holding the punch mitts for his student, hard hitting Luis Ramirez. Thomas W. McKay was born in Balmorhea, Texas, into a population of about four hundred on October 2, 1934, the fourth of seven siblings. His great grandmother, Annie Riggs, was a famous frontier settler who lived a colorful and exciting life on the West Texas prairie. Her brother, Bud Frazer, was a fast gun and sheriff in Pecos, Texas. He was shot in the back by outlaw; Jim Miller in Toyah, Texas while playing cards. Annie’s second husband, Barney Riggs, was also a gunman with a wide reputation who went to prison in Yuma, Arizona for a killing and was pardoned from Yuma Territorial Prison for helping save the warden during an attempted prison break. Years later, Barney was gunned down by Annie’s son-in-law, Buck Chadbourne, who was protecting Annie from Barney after she filed for divorce. Tom knew little of the family history as a child and spent most of his formative years in El Paso, Texas. Thomas McKay the president of the El Paso Boxing - karate Hall of Fame. http://www.convictedartist.com/thomas_mckay.html

Area: Mission Valley / Hacienda Heights

Source: Thomas Mckay

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History