Pat O'Hanrahan

Pat O’Hanrahan was the son of a German-born London master baker, and was born with the surname of Zöller. He attended the Polytechnic Secondary School between 1911-14 and then Served in the 12th London Regiment. A member of the Polytechnic Boxing Club and Swimming Club he boxed under the name of Zöller until changing it in 1920 to his mother’s maiden name of O’Hanrahan.

As a 17-year-old, Zöller won the 1912 Polytechnic novices’ lightweight tournament, and that same year reached the semi-final of the German Gymnasium Society’s lightweight championship, losing to A. J. Roots. Zöller made his ABA championship début in 1913 and the following year reached the lightweight final before losing to R. Marriott. In 1920, now a welterweight, Zöller lost to Frederick Whitbread in the ABA final. That year, Zöller was selected as one of the two reserves, along with J. E. Mitchell, for the welterweight division at the Antwerpen Olympics.

After changing his name to O’Hanrahan, he reached his second successive ABA welterweight final in 1921 but this time lost to Alex Ireland. That elusive ABA title came his way in 1924, however, when he was one of four Polytechnic men to win a title, after beating W. Ward (United Scottish BC). In January 1925, O’Hanrahan was one of four Olympians to tour the United States as part of an ABA team, along with Harry Mitchell, Jack Elliott and George Gogay. Upon his return, O’Hanraran successfully defended his welterweight title by beating another Polytechnic boxer, Wally Marlow. O’Hanrahan lost his title in 1926 when defeated in the semi final by Denmark’s Harald Nielsen.

O’Hanrahan, who never turned professional, was elected vice-captain of the Polytechnic Boxing Club in 1922, a post he held until 1928 when he was elected Vice-President. His brother, Emanuel Zöller, was a keen cyclist, and competed in the Kinnaird Cup for the German Cycling Club