Bill Brennan

Who was Bill Brennan?

Bill Brennan was an American boxer who fought and lost to World Heavy Weight Champion Jack Dempsey twice. He first began fighting under the name Bill Shanks and knocked out 11 of his first 12 opponents.

On June 15, 1924 Brennan was shot to death by two "street thugs" in New York According to Jack Dempsey, Brennan had opened a speakeasy, and some men informed Brennan that he was buying the wrong mob's beer. Brennan is said to have forcibly ejected these men. But on the night of June 15, he was summoned outside by another man he did not know where a gunman was waiting who then pulled his gun and shot Brennan.

He was survived by a wife and one child.