At noon the next day, with a lit candle laced between his crossed fingers, his wife and mother beside him, Frankie Campbell was pronounced dead. Upon the surgeon's announcement of Campbell's death, Baer broke down and sobbed inconsolably. Brain specialist Dr. Tilton E. Tillman "declared death had been caused by a succession of blows on the jaw and not by any struck on the rear of the head." and that Campbell's brain had been "knocked completely loose from his skull."

The next day, local sportswriter Bob Shand reported that "Nobody feels sorrier over the tragic ending of the bout than Baer. The big kid is heartbroken and ready to quit the racket" and that "in one of his earlier bouts, Baer was reprimanded for not stepping in and finishing his man. He never forgot that advice." After Campbell's wife and his mother refused to press charges, the District Attorney charged Baer with manslaughter. Appearing before San Francisco Municipal Judge Albert J. Fritz, Fritz remarked to Baer, "You are in a difficult position." to which Baer replied, "Its not so bad for me your Honor, but it sure is tough for Mrs. Campbell." Referee Toby Irwin claimed that because it was well known that Frankie Campbell 'played possum' during fights so that his opponents, thinking he was hurt, would leave themselves open to attack, "waited until he was certain that Campbell had been knocked out for fear the audience would claim the fight was faked." Charges were later dropped and Baer received a one year suspension of his boxing privileges in California. According to his family members, Baer was in a deep depression and did not leave the family home for over 2 months, endlessly smoking, drinking and eating very little. Baer later said for weeks he was "unable to sleep for more than an hour a night" as visions of the fifth round replayed themselves over and over in his mind. Baer later held an exhibition fight which raised over $10,000 for Ellie Campbell. After the exhibition fight, when Ellie was asked whether she forgave Baer, she replied, "I have no resentment toward Mr. Baer. There's only room in my heart for sorrow."

Max Baer ducks under Ernie Schaaf's right during their 1st bout. This was Max's first fight after the death of Frankie Campbell and his first East coast bout. It was a dismal failure. New York City - Dec. 19, 1930

Ernie Schaaf: When Max Baer touched gloves with Ernie Schaaf on August 31, 1932, Schaaf's record included 56 wins to Baer's 37. Schaaf had in fact decisioned Baer the first time they met back in 1930, snapping off so many lefts, Baer's face was unrecognizable by the 8th round. Blow by blow newspaper reports of the rematch in 1932 however, indicate a rather lackluster affair for the first eight rounds. Referee Tommy Thomas warned both fighters before the start of the 6th to "become a little more warlike" as the crowd began to boo. According to the newspapers, Baer "took command of the bout in the ninth round, forcing Schaaf to the ropes and outclassing him with a heavy assault of punches." In the tenth and final round, "Baer beat Schaaf around the ring and into the ropes with a savage attack to the head and body." Just before the round ended Baer clipped Schaaf "with short numbing shots to the chin and jaw with both hands" and "down he went just as the final bell sounded. He pitched face first onto the canvas, and nearly five minutes of frantic work by his handlers' was necessary to bring him to."

In September of 1932, one month after his rematch with Baer, the National Boxing Association ranked Schaaf as 5th in the line of challengers likely to meet Max Schmeling for an elimination bout on Schmeling's attempt to win back the Heavyweight Championship of the World. In June, Schmeling had lost the title, in what some say was a questionable decision, "greeted by boos, catcalls and jeers from the crowd" to the "Boston Gob" Jack Sharkey. Schmeling's manager, Joe Jacobs uttered the famous words "we wuz robbed" after the 15 round fight in which Schmeling was reported to have "chased Sharkey around the ring the entire bout." On October 20, 1932, Schaaf met with Ed Winston. Though “Winston won the first round, from there on his rival drove ahead at a pace that earned him one of the most impressive victories he has registered in a local ring." On January 6, 1933, Schaaf met highly regarded Stanley Poreda who had previously decisioned him. Ernie knocked out Poreda in the 6th round after flooring him 3 times. The New York Times reported, “Schaaf Superior to Carnera – Anyone who saw last night’s bout can easily visualize Schaaf battering down the Italian man mountain if the former fights in the manner he did last night.”

On February 10, 1933, Ernie fought Primo Carnera. Ernie was the 7-5 odds on favorite to beat Carnera. In the ring however, Schaaf "seemed unusually sluggish." The Italian giant dominated the bout, round after round landing repeated blows to Schaaf's head. Schaaf spent so much of the fight holding or "defenseless with his arms hanging by his sides" that when Schaaf collapsed in the 13th round, "the crowd of 20,000 fans who jammed the Garden to capacity Friday night shouted repeatedly for 'action' and raised the constant cry of 'fake'," as Schaaf was carried unconscious out of the ring. Some critics even "thought he 'laid down' to Carnera so that his part-manager Champion Jack Sharkey, could have an outstanding title challenger in June." Three days after the fight, on February 14, 1933 "Schaaf died at 4:28 a.m., after an operation to relieve pressure of the brain." He was 24 years old.

An autopsy later revealed Schaaf had meningitis, a swelling of the brain, and was still recovering from a severe case of influenza when he touched gloves with Carnera. Schaaf's obituary stated that "just before his bout with Carnera, Schaaf went into reclusion in a religious retreat near Boston to recuperate from an attack of influenza" which produced the meningitis.

With the exception of syndicated sports columnist Grantland Rice, who wrote, "It is quite likely that earlier punching began softening up some cover for the brain. I saw Max Baer stagger the game Bostonian (Schaaf) some time ago [ed: over 5 months earlier] in Madison Square Garden with several smashing clouts which could have helped nobody's head," other newspapers of the day alluded to Rice's comments, but none ever declared that Max Baer's second bout with Ernie Schaaf was the cause of his death by a light tap of Carnera's glove, some five months later.

Other reports suggest that the claim arose in 1956 after the debut of the movie, "The Harder They Fall, the semi-biographical story of Primo Carnera and his reported connections to the mob. The Heavyweight Champion, Buddie Brannen, played by Max Baer, spoke according to the script: “You know I’m the guy who nailed Gus (Ernie Schaaf), murdered him for 15 rounds. Don’t know what held him up, but when Gus left the ring that night he was a dead man. All your joker did was tap him. I did all the work and they gave your guy all the glory,” your guy referring to Primo Carnera. Modern newspapers and movie reviewers picked up on those script lines and accused Baer of making a "confession."


Question: Was Max Baer insulting to women ?

Despite obtaining a Mexican divorce on Oct 2nd, Max Baer and Mrs. Max Baer, (Dorothy Dunbar), dine at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. One of several failed reconciliations for the Baers. Beverly Hills, CA - Oct 23, 1933

Answer: Max Baer treated his women like queens...while he pursued them. The United Press wrote that "Max Baer can take a punch on the chin, but he's a sucker for a beautiful woman". From the time he was 19, Max was surrounded by adventurous ladies who lured him into their beds, yet another sport he excelled in. The ladies simply couldn't help themselves. Max Baer not only had money, fame and flashy cars, he had charm, a warm personality, a dazzling smile, curly locks and a muscular physique that was magnificent to gaze upon. More women waited outside his hotel rooms, slipped him their phone numbers in crowds, paid to watch him spar at his training camps and sent him poems and love letters than any other athlete. Wealthy socialites and heiresses bid for his attention, regularly traveling to wherever his exhibition bouts were held.

His son, Max Baer Jr. explains, "He'd run around with every dame and say, 'Aw, she don't mean a thing to me.' Baer bought his conquests mink coats "not to keep'em warm, but to keep'em quiet !" Most of his bedroom athletics stayed quiet but several came with a price as his jilted ladies went to the courts and the press. The number of $10,000 to $250,000 breach of promise suits (failure to fulfill a promise of marriage, especially after engaging in sexual relations !) filed against the 20-something Baer during his heyday were numerous. But nowhere in any newspaper or court document can be found an indication that he was ever verbally or physically abusive to women.

The first breach of promise suit, filed by Olive Beck, a waitress at Mollie's Grill in Livermore, California occurred in 1929 when he was 19. Olive thought they would be walking down the aisle, until a newsreel at the local theater showed Max squiring another woman around. Olive would be the first of many women to sue Max for breach of promise, all of which he settled out of court. $250,000 suits were filed by chorus girl Shirley La Tell and Bee Starr, a circus aerialist. When told of Miss Starr's occupation Max's response was, "Can you imagine me going for a 'girl on the flying trapeze?"" When informed of Miss La Bell's suit he stated, "You know this breach of promise stuff may be funny to some folks, but not to me. It cost me over $10,000 last year for lawyers" and a reported $100,000 to settle the suits. More bothersome to Baer than the money women cost him was the fact that he felt it made him appear in a bad light publicly. "People who don't know me think that all I try to do is break some girl's heart and then forget all about her...I try to conduct myself well around them just like anyone else. I can't get over the fact that girls I've never seen start breach of promise suits against me."

In between suits, Baer publicly pursued, and caught, some of the most famous women of the era. While in Hollywood in 1933 to film "The Prizefighter and the Lady" with Myrna Loy, he could often be found enjoying the view on the MGM Studio lot. "Hello Baby !" he hailed Joan Crawford, who stalked off in a huff. Undaunted, Baer accosted Jean Harlow "Are you free tonight ?" he asked. Apparently she was and their affair began. But Baer soon tired of Harlow's intellect. "Too much brain work," griped Max. "I haven't had to think so hard since I left high school." Max Jr. states "He was excited because she was Jean Harlow," but "the person she was in the press and the movies wasn't her at all". He found her "boring" and began "ducking" her. "She'd sit in her car outside his house, so he'd slip out the back door and take off to Santa Barbara with Greta Garbo."


Question: Was Max Baer condesending toward his opponents ?
Answer: All fighters engaged in "ballyhoo" in the press before a big bout, and while Max Baer engaged in sharing taunts with his opponents prior to a fight and egging them on during a fight, it was when his deepest emotions were involved that he displayed particular kindness or cruelty.

During his bout with Jose Santa in November of 1931, described as "a slashing, bruising affair with both fighters forgoing science and throwing steady leather from gong to gong" Baer's third right to the jaw in the 10th round knocked Santa out cold, where he lay unconscious for a full 15 minutes. "Doctors, seconds and volunteer helpers worked over Santa while Baer, plainly worried, ran around the ring. 'Let me do something,' pleaded Baer. 'Can't I help ?' When Santa recovered, Max assisted him to his corner, then visited him in his dressing room. 'Gee I'm sorry' said Baer as he looked at the damage. 'You have a heart as big as a house and I really think you are the gamest man in the world.' and he threw his arms around Santa's neck.

Max Baer waits for Primo Carnera to rise as referee Arthur Donovan moves in to administer the count during the World Championship bout. Long Island City, NY - June 14, 1934

Hatred was the emotion that played a role in Max's animosity to his opponent just prior to "The Battles of the Maxes," Baer's bout against Max Schmeling of Germany in June of 1933. Adolph Hitler had come to power in Germany and often used its sports heroes for propaganda purposes. He proclaiming Schmeling a hero of Germany and a symbol of Aryan purity, especially so after Schmeling's defeat of Joe Louis in 1936. Actually Schmeling was quietly anti-Nazi and even hid two Jewish teenagers in his Berlin hotel room during Kristallnacht, Hitler's first widespread pogrom which involved destruction of Jewish homes and businesses and the round up of Jews to concentration camps. The press and Baer's own manager, Ancil Hoffman, soon had Baer and the public believing that a win over Schmeling was a win for America over Nazi Germany and a win for Jews worldwide.

Since Baer's father was fully Jewish, though non-practicing, Hoffman and the fight's promoter, Jack Dempsey thought up the idea of having Max wear the six pointed Star of David on his trunks for the fight, to both encourage anti-Nazi sentiments and to make Max more popular with New York's Jewish fans. As Max entered the ring the night of the fight, for the first time in a bout, on the left leg of his boxing trunks blazed the Star of David, and he would wear it ever after. Unconfirmed stories abounded that Hoffman taught Max to say "oy vey" and "mazel tov" and encouraged him to attend synagogue. Reporters, whom Max freely gave interviews to while showering, confirmed that, while Max may have Jewish blood in him, he was indeed circumcised, and reported Baer's actions with tongue in cheek.

Regardless of what type of blood flowed through Max's veins, by the night of the fight, Hoffman had Baer so brainwashed that when Max slipped through the ropes, for the first time upon entering a ring, he felt true hatred for his opponent. He positively despised Max Schmeling. Perhaps because of his hatred, Max Baer fought what was arguably the best fight of his career. In round 10, Baer hit Schmeling with a blistering right to the jaw. Schmeling gamely rose from the nine count, but Baer yelled theatrically, "This one's for Hitler !" and battered Schmeling with both fists. Amazingly, just moments later, when Schmeling was truly helpless and Baer could have knocked him out cold, he turned to his head to referee Arthur Donovan and said, "c'mon Arthur, call this !"

An extremely swelled head and an utter lack of respect came into play against his opponent, Primo Carnera, in the months leading up to his bout for the Heavyweight Championship in June of 1934. Carnera had a thick Italian accent and was quite shy, uncomfortable and not terribly quick witted around crowds. During filming of the 1933 movie, "The Prizefighter and the Lady", which both fighters appeared in, Max constantly played practical jokes on Carnera and would often condescendingly sneer "Hey champ !" whenever he saw Primo. During the weigh-in prior to the bout, as the fighters were stripped down to their underwear, Max placed a finger up to his lips to the press, then hopped up onto the table next to Primo and plucked one of his chest hairs out, saying "He loves me !" Before Primo could react Max plucked another hair and sighed "He loves me not !"

In the midst of the title bout however, Max again had a surprisingly touching moment. Between rounds, Max noticed his pal, Harry B. Smith, sport writer for the San Francisco Chronicle slumped over his typewriter. Harry was having a heart attack. Max yelled out to the busily typing press, "Don't worry about me ! Take care of Harry !" In between rounds Max asked after Harry. At the end of the bout, after Max's hand was raised in victory, declaring him the Heavyweight Champion of the World, his manager Ancil Hoffman kissed him on the cheek. Max's first words were, "How's Harry ?" Harry was fine.

A pair of Max Baer's boxing trunks. Max wore the 6-pointed Star of David for the first time when he fought Max Schmeling. - Photo courtesy of Damon Winter LAT.

Question: Was Max Baer Jewish or not ?
Answer: Max was half Jewish from his paternal line. However, because "Jewishness" is traced through the maternal line, Max isn't Jewish at all in the eyes of practicing Jews. Max's grandfather, the 6 foot plus, 200 pound plus Achille or Aschell Baer, was an Alsatian Jew from France. The Baer family home and the synagogue that Achille's mother would have gone to still exist in Alsace-Lorraine. The Jewish section of an area cemetery is full of Baer tombstones. Achille emigrated from France to Wyoming Territory about 1864. According to family history, Achille engaged the services of a marriage broker to find a wife. A photograph of Frances "Fanny" Fischl, a lovely 6 foot plus Jewess from Prague in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) caught his eye. The two met and were married, on August 7, 1869 in nearby Laramie, which was still part of the Dakota Territory. It is suspected by family members that the only way the couple could communicate would be in Yiddish, since both came from different countries with far different native tongues. Max's father, Jacob was born in 1875 in Michigan. Jacob married Dora Bales, an Iowa girl of Scots-Irish descent on Christmas Eve of 1904 in Nebraska. Jacob and Dora negligently raised their children in the Catholic faith, but allowed the children to practice whatever faith they chose.

Max Baer Jr. states "when I was around 10 years old and living in a Jewish neighborhood in Sacramento, I came across a boy wearing a yarmulke," he recalled. "So I went home and asked my mother why that kid was wearing a beanie without a propeller."

Prior to the Schmeling bout, the fight's promoter, Jack Dempsey, and Max's manager, Ancil Hoffman, thought that wearing the Star of David on his trunks would make Max more popular in New York. The press was soon rampant with "is he or isn't he Jewish ?" questions. Max's mother Dora reportedly snapped one day at the endless queries and stated that "You can tell those people in New York that Maxie has got a Jewish father and if that doesn't make him Jewish enough for them, I don't know what will."


Question: Just how many suits of clothing did Max Baer usually own at any given time ?
Answer: Max not only had the suits, he had all the accoutrements to go with them ! In an April 8, 1935 news story Max proudly told a reporter at that time he owned "nearly 80 suits, 20 pairs of shoes, 250 neckties of assorted colors, 6 golf outfits and 2 dozen hats." His collection appears to have grown two years later. Newspapers nationwide reported on January 28, 1937 that Max "lost around 100 suits of clothes when Manager Ancil Hoffman's Sacramento house burned down the other night, and while this is nothing to what a good fire could get at Maxie's own house, it must, as James Joy says, have cut into into the wardrobe quite a bit...starting with suits."

Jack Dempsey and Max Baer staged an exhibition bout at Max's NJ training camp. Baer would meet Max Schmeling in New York on June 8th, with Dempsey as promoter of the bout. Atlantic City, NJ - May 28. 1933

Question: How close was Max Baer to Jack Dempsey ?
Answer: Max was 14 when Dempsey floored Luis Firpo in 1923 and later said he was in awe of Dempsey from that moment on. By the time Max's manager, Ancil Hoffman, matched him to fight Frankie Campbell in 1930, Dempsey had already taken notice that Max was no ordinary boxer and had rated Max and Frankie the two best heavyweight fighters in the state. After Baer's loss to Tommy Loughran in 1931, where it was reported he was showing off for Dempsey, who refereed the bout, Max met Jack and sport writer Grantland Rice for lunch at the Warwick Hotel in New York City.

Baer complained that in his match with Loughran, "I've been looking at left jabs all night, lefts, lefts, lefts, that's all I've seen." To which Dempsey said, "you could have stopped that lefty in the first round." When Max asked how, Dempsey stood up and told him to take off his coat. By now all activity in the restaurant had come to a stand still. "Now lead with the left," said Jack and as Max shot out his left arm, Dempsey fired his right fist into Baer's left bicep. When Baer cried out "you broke my arm" Jack smiled and said "I'll show you another punch" and as they were dancing around as if in a clinch, Jack punched Max in the side. "That's illegal" said Max. "They'll only warn you the first time" grinned Jack and they sat back down to finish eating.

Max had a bad case of hero worship where Dempsey was concerned, having grown up listening to Dempsey's bouts on the radio. Dempsey in return, saw something promising in the brash young pugilist. Jack became Max's mentor, teaching him further tricks of the trade. Jack promoted the Baer-Schmeling and Baer-Carnera bouts and he was Max's second during his bout against Louis. Jack was always very vocal to the press when he thought Max wasn't training hard enough before a bout or had clowned too much during a fight, but they remained close friends both in and outside the ring. Dempsey and one of his many wives would often stay with Max and his wife at Max's home in Roseville, CA.


Question: Did Max Baer have anything to show for his big fight purses ?
Answer: An article appeared in several national papers on June 6th, 1959 stating that "Max credits his friend and manager, Ancil "Pop" Hoffman, now 75, with keeping his financial head above water. "I didn't know what compound interest was. I thought it was part of a car," Baer laughs in discussing the annuities in which Hoffman salted away his big boxing earnings. "Now I know." Baer said Hoffman invested more than $200,000 of his ring money in policies to start monthly payoffs at age 50." "It was after I beat Max Schmeling that Pop gave me $100 and the policies as my share." Max estimated "the monthly checks will be about $2,200 for the rest of his life." A tidy sum in the 1950s and 60s !


Question: Did Max Baer ever act in any movies ?
Answer: For someone who loved the limelight, Max Baer played mostly bit parts in mediocre movies, however some gems did emerge.

His first and most successful movie debuted in November 1933 and was titled "The Prizefighter and the Lady." The story line involves guy meets girl, guy cheats on girl, guy sees the error of his ways, in between punching his way to the top and fighting the Heavyweight Champion. Max's love interest in the film was Myrna Loy. His adversary was Primo Carnera. Jack Dempsey was their bout's referee.
Besides receiving $20,000 for six weeks of filming, one of Max's prime reasons for accepting the role was because it allowed him one on one interaction with Primo, thereby uncovering his weaknesses, prior to their real title bout. The fact that the World Champion would meet his challenger before the time set for the real fight was without precedent and aroused the interest of the sports world. Filming also allowed Max to engage in psychological torment of Primo on the set, playing practical jokes on him (as well as several other cast members) and simply talking to Primo in a demeaning manner to wear him down.

Primo Carnera and Max Baer in the "movie" ring with Myrna Loy on the set of "The Prizefighter and the Lady". 1933

Max turned out to be a natural on film, the camera loved him. The headlines screamed, "Another Clark Gable !" "A New Valentino !" Critics enthused that "Max Baer has a sunny magnificent presence; he is handsome in a very large way, with the fondest pair of shoulders ever displayed on stage or screen. The picture is amazingly worth seeing." and "Max Baer is the most dazzling figure... in his first movie picture he flashes across the screen with the force of a comet... has good looks, a fine physique... he has a clear, low-pitched voice that is pleasing... particularly to the feminine ear... he has poise and demonstrates his ability to act, sing and dance. He has everything that a young man needs to become a success in the movies..."

In 1937, while Max was in London for his bouts with Tommy Farr and Ben Foord, he played the part of Silas Morner, a charming menace from California in the British musical-comedy film, "Over She Goes". In the film, Silas follows his ex-girlfriend to London as she attempts to re-kindle an acquaintance with an ex-vaudevillian, played by John Wood, who has just inherited the title of "lord". Wood finds it difficult to properly enter society, especially when threatened with blackmail by another woman from his past. Wood calls upon his old vaudeville cronies, played by veteran British stage clowns Laddie Cliff, Syd Walker and Stanley Lupino, to help him out of his jam. They quickly become the target of three gold-digging women with their eyes set on a rich marriage. Meanwhile, by the evening of his arrival, Silas is soon in bed with the blackmailer, and in between the screwball antics of Wood and his pals, he has some shining moments in the film.

Max appeared in the hit "Two Mugs From Brooklyn" in 1943. The story line involves two ambitious Brooklyn taxi drivers (William Bendix, Joe Sawyer) who start with one run-down cab and soon build a taxi empire. But when their business really takes off, they neglect their wives, who are soon being wooed at a fashionable health spa run by the dashing Professor Samson, played by Max Baer.

Max's second most memorable film, "The Harder They Fall", was made in 1956. He starred with Humphrey Bogart, in Bogart's last role before his death, Rod Steiger, and boxers Jersey Joe Walcott and Pat Comiskey. The film is a thinly based account of the life of Primo Carnera from a novel written by Budd Schulberg. The story line revolves around "jobless sportswriter Eddie Willis who is hired by corrupt fight promoter Nick Benko to promote his current protege, an unknown Argentinian named Toro Moreno. Although Moreno is a hulking giant, he possesses a powder-puff punch and a glass jaw. Benko relies on Willis' reputation and standing in the boxing community and a series of fixed fights to get the unsophisticated Moreno to the championship fight. The reigning champ, the sadistic Buddy Brannen (played by Max Baer), harbors resentment at the publicity Toro has been getting, and vows to viciously punish him in the ring." "The boxing sequences are among the most striking and violent ever committed to film." Modern movie reviewers flippantly claim that Max Baer simply portrays himself in the movie.


Question: Max Baer said one reason he lost to Jimmy Braddock was because he went into the fight with injured hands. True or False ?
Answer: A newspaper article dated May 16, 1935 stated Baer was "favoring his right hand" and "hesitates to bring it into action with his sparring mates." On May 22, he was reported to be "nursing a bad cold" and "still favoring his right hand," "throughout his sparring he used it only to the body and then with little force."

Max Baer boards a plane at Newark, NJ for Baltimore, MD to have the hand injured from the Braddock bout examined - June 23. 1935

Another article dated June 06, 1935, New York Boxing Commission Doctor William Walker "gave the champs hand's a thorough examination because of persistent reports that bone bruises might prevent him from meeting Braddock. Maxie injured his hands in an exhibition bout with Eddie Simms at Cleveland, just before starting training. They have not responded properly to treatment. The knuckles of the left hand were bruised badly and the bones in the back of the right hand were contused. Dr. Walker admitted the possibility that Maxie's hands may bother him in the Braddock bout, but he was confident they would be in shape for the fight. As Maxie ends his training tomorrow, they will have four days to rest."

After losing the championship to Braddock, Max sat down with reporters. "A cigarette in one hand, a bottle of beer in the other" Max was "all cheerfulness." 'I have no alibis to offer,' he explained, 'Jimmy won and no better fellow deserves a break. He didn't hurt me in the fight, but my trouble was that I couldn't hurt him.' "So saying, the ex-champ held up a right hand in the form of a fist, pressed the knuckles and demonstrated to observers how the metacarpal bones jumped out of position considerably." 'That hand, not too good to start with, went completely in the fifth round, and the left, though you may not believe it, went in the third."

"He visited Dr. Leo L. Michael early in the afternoon to have his hands examined and it was revealed that both weapons were broken. X-ray photographs indicated that there were two bones broken in the right hand and a chip fracture in the left. Despite the injuries, Baer strenuously objected to offering any alibis. 'I know I deserved to lose the decision,' he stated 'and I don't want to take anything away from Braddock. I thought my hands were strong enough when I went into the ring, and its my own fault I didn't knock Jim out early. Frankly I didn't expect the fight to go more than seven round.'"



Question: How many nicknames did Max Baer have ?
Answer: Surely more are out there hiding in newspaper archives, but even the number of "popular" nicknames were numerous. They include Madcap Maxie, The Livermore Larruper, The Livermore Butcher Boy, The Homicidal Hebrew, The Fistic Harlequin of Hollywood, The Clouting Clown, The Playboy of Pugilism, The Magnificent Screwball, The Pugilistic Poseur, The Merry Madcap, The Larruping Lothario, The Crown Prince of Clout, Max Addled-a-Bit Baer, The Performing Baer, The Dizzy Dean of the Prize Ring, The Bounding Baer, The Merry Mastadon, The Marvelous Maxwell, The American Adonis, The Butterfly Butcher Boy, The King Kong of Kauliflowerdom and the Pagliacci of Swing.


Question: I just watched the "Lucky Fella" dance clip on your site and can't get that song out of my head. What are the lyrics ?
Answer:
Lucky Fella, what a break, fortune's in my glove.
Lucky Fella, on the make, on the make for love.
In that corner, old kid trouble,
Watch me sock out a double knock out.
Lucky Fella, flying high, what a lucky guy !


Question: Is it true Max Baer made racist remarks after losing to Joe Louis ?
Answer: A United Press story appeared the day after the fight on September 25, 1935. Questions posed by a group of reporters and Max's answers are as follows:

"Max Baer paused in the act of knotting a red silk necktie today, turned his slightly blackened eyes on a questioner and through lips puffed by the sledge-hammer blows of Joe Louis, settled once and for all the question of why he failed to get up off one knee in the fourth round at Yankee Stadium last night.

"I could hear the count all right." he said, "but my legs were numb. There were so many Joe Louises in front of me it looked like all Harlem had jumped into the ring. There were so many dark clouds there this little ray of sunshine just couldn't get through."

The necktie problem settled to his satisfaction, Baer hastened to rave, "Give that guy all the credit that is coming to him. He's a good boy. " he said, "He's a helluva good boy. But Schmeling hits harder."

Louis, he added, would never be champion, and he waved aside Louis Klein, his trainer, when Klein tried to explain that Baer had had trouble with his hands, neccessitating an injection before the fight.

"That's no alibi," said the former champion. "I was through. Louis is married, and I wish him a lot of happiness. I hope he is as happy as I am."

He reiterated that his retirement from the ring was definite this time, although it was pointed out he said the same thing after James J. Braddock removed his title.

"I'll bet 3 to 1 I never fight again." Baer snapped. "I never was cut out to be a fighter and I'm damned glad I'm through. I'm only 26, and I'll never be on no bread line. They thought I was crazy but I sunk my dough where I can't get at it myself. I got a ranch out in California about 200 miles from Los Angeles and I'm going to put my dough in white faced cattle."

While camp members relax with a card game, Max, ever the joker, lights up a 'hot foot' on an unsuspecting guest. - Ashbury Park, NJ - June 1934

Question: I've heard Max Baer was a real practical joker. What kind of stunts did he pull ?
Answer: Reports are that Max had the "hot foot" down to a fine art. Giving a hot foot consisted of Max crawling on the floor up to an unsuspecting victim, tucking a book of matches under their shoe, lighting the matches and then waiting for the yelling to commence.

Evidently, April Fool's Day was never allowed to pass by without an elaborate joke played on the victim of his choice. An article by Cecil P. Dodge in his "Sports Shots" column appeared in the April 3, 1934 Massachusetts newspaper, The Lowell Sun with the following story:

"Max Baer couldn't allow April 1st to pass without his little joke. For that matter the first, the last and the in-between of any month are liable to find Max playing a practical prank on somebody. There is no closed season on frolicking with the curly headed westerner!

Mike Cantwell is the Baer trainer. Mike has a ready sense of humor also, providing a joke on himself wasn't too pronounced a point. Max went pranking on Mike Sunday! The heavyweight challenger rigged some sort of hoodingus and attached it to Cantwell 's door Saturday night after the trainer retired. I don't know the mechanical details of the April Fool toy but the idea was simple. When Mike issued through his door on Easter morn a sapling leaped out and slapped him across the pan! And it smacked him plenty hard!

Baer was standing a few paces in front of the door where he could catch an eyeful of the fun. He threw back his head and roared when the trap was sprung and the switch snapped across Mike's features. But a moment later Max found himself on the floor with a Mad Irishman astraddle his middle! The big fellow's mirth changed rapidly to surprise and (then concern for Mike was thoroughly in earnest). The trainer was the maddest man in seven states and he didn't care who or what the guy was who had organized that whipping invention. So Max gathered him into his arms and hugged him close, in an attempt to escape further punishment, while he tried to calm the ruffled feelings of his trainer. Max is sporting several visible tokens of Mike's rough-and-tumble ability but still claims the joke was a great idea


Question: I've heard Max Baer adopted some unusual training methods for the Carnera bout ?
Answer: Sportswriter Harry Grayson reported the following on May 9, 1934 as Max trained to fight Primo Carnera for the Heavyweight title.

Baer Trains Seriously

"Baer labors like a galley slave once he gets around to it. He trained like a fighter of the old school in preparing for Schmeling, working too hard, if anything. He relishes boxing with capbable partners.

I'll never forget Mike Cantwell, the old-timer who passes for his trainer, standing over him as he lay flat on his back, and firing a heavy medicine ball at his midriff. That went on for days over the protests of numerous well wishers who realized that the practice could result in nothing more than tearing the curly-haired Californian apart.

But Baer has his own ideas in regard to training. When he first entered the Garden four years ago to meet the late Ernie Schaaf, he was found bumping his noggin against a stem pipe in the dressing room.

"How's Schaaf going to hurt me after this ?" he beamed.

And because Carnera stepped on Tommy Loughran's feet, he's been having his younger brother Buddy, who is as huge as the champion, step on his.

Baer isn't taking any chance. He's going in there trained from the top of his head to the soles of his feet."


Question: I recall a limerick about "a young scrapper named Baer" written in the 1930s. Do you know what the words are ?
Answer:
There was a young scrapper named Baer
Who had the most beautiful hair
He could flirt, he could fight
He could dance all the night
That fantastic fast puncher, Max Baer !

That frivolous fighter named Baer
Had the ladies all up in the air
He would love'em and leave'em
And blithely deceive'em
That bewitching young biffer, Max Baer !


Question: My father says he remembers a San Francisco Bay Area bronc riding horse in the 1930s named after Max Baer. Do you have any information on the horse or its owner ?
Answer: The horse's name was Max Baer Jr. He was a maverick brought into California from either Nevada or New Mexico by Harry Rowell of Hayward. Harry was a dear friend of Max's from Max's farming days. Harry was a former area boxer himself. The boxing gloves from Max's Reno Nevada bout with Paolino Uzcudun hung on Harry's wall for decades. Harry Rowell is credited with being "The Rodeo King of the West" and was instrumental in making the sport of Rodeo what it is today. Harry started the Grand National Rodeo, still held every year at the San Francisco Cow Palace. Even today, Bay Area locals are familiar with Rowell Ranch, and the Rowell Ranch Rodeo (formerly the Hayward Rodeo) is still held annually on Harry's former ranch land.

The horse, Max Baer Jr. got his name because he proved to be "such a ferocious cuss he was immediately named after the pride and joy of Livermore." A letter sent to the Oakland Tribune by a fellow promoting the Hayward Rodeo opined that "Max Baer Jr. is the toughest, wildest, ridin'est hoss that ever knocked a rider through the ropes for a full count. They don't saddle Maxie Baer Jr. No, suh. When they ride him they has to lash a wooden platform on his back with cables. An' a cowpunch wears wooden pants so as he can be BOLTED to the platform. An' kick ! He dotes on kickin'. He kicked a cowpoke loose from the bolt 'bout hayin' time last year, an' the feller flew over the skyline like he was shot from a gun. He ain't never been found. Good hand he was, too, with a hoss. And weren't Maxie Baer Sr. and Maxie Baer Jr. introduced—but at a distance—and the four legged Maxie gave the other a dirty look from a red, narrowed eye and seemed to say: "So you're the champ, huh? Say, I could throw you lots easier than I did the rest!"


Question: Supposedly Max Baer and Mae West had an interesting first meeting. Do you know anything about that ?
Answer: Though the story is at Mae West's expense, evidently she loved telling it and even did so in her autobiography. In 1933, Max was in Hollywood filming "The Prizefighter and the Lady". On one of his days off from filming, Max drove on over to Mae's and was soon calling to her from the street outside her L.A. apartment. West invite him to come up and see her sometime-sometime like right now. Sure enough, the couple ended up in bed. As Mae reclined after their lovemaking, Max rose and went to the window of her bedroom. Pulling up the window shade, he began to wave, standing up and still completely naked, to someone down in the street. Max was waving to his agent, who had just lost a $500 bet they had made that Max could bed West on the spot.


Question: Who won the fight in the movie "The Prizefighter and the Lady"?
Answer: The script originally called for Max's character, Steve Morgan, to win the fight. Primo Carnera, then heavyweight champion, agreed to appear as himself in the film and, incredibly, to lose the fight by knockout. Carnera's handlers eventually came to their senses and decided they couldn't allow Primo to get knocked out. In real life at the time, Max was the number one contender for Primo's crown. Its a wonder Carnera or his handlers ever agreed to allow Baer to "get a measure of his man" in the first place. For an additional $20,000 Carnera agreed to allow Baer to knock him down a couple times, for Carnera to knock Baer down a few times, but for the bout to end undecided.


Question: Where can I buy Max Baer movies ?
Answer: I have purchased several of Max's movies from http://www.nostalgiafamilyvideos.com and from sellers on iOffer.com. I am not in any way affiliated with any entities selling Max Baer movies. The movie "The Prizefighter and the Lady" has not been released on video, however every year on Boxing Day {December 26th}, Turner Classic Movies {TCM} airs it as part of a group of several excellent boxing-themed movies.


Question: How tall was Max Baer ?
Answer: Max's height appeared to vary, though 6" 2 1/2" seems to be the average. However, sports writers and boxing magazine stats, on average, typically listed his height from 6' 1 1/2" to 6' 3". The lower height can be explained by the fact that Max was still a growing boy early in his career. From the time he left for his debuts in New York City in December 1930, until he returned home in April 1931, he had literally gained almost an inch in height. After the Schmeling bout his height grew along with his popularity and he was occasionally listed as tall as 6' 4". Just to further muddy the waters, when Max enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1942, the height on his enlistment records states he was 73" tall, or 6' 1".

Max Baer leads the Max Baer Orchestra in a U.S. dance club - 1936

Question: My Grandpa claims he watched Max Baer lead a band in Red Bluff, California back in the mid-30s. Any truth to that ?
Answer: As Max awaited a good offer for his fistic services, leading a band was an idea that appealed to his own love of dancing and his self-professed claim that he had rhythm. In April of 1936, Max announced he'd been in rehearsal for several months as orchestra leader to the Max Baer Orchestra, a 14-member Los Angeles dance band, and that the band was ready to go on the road. The band was booked several months in advance to packed audiences. The band typically played popular tunes of the day for several hours at ballrooms across the country. In between baton-twirling, Max and his brother Buddy also engaged in several exhibition bouts during their travels. An all expenses paid offer to fight Britian's leading heavyweights in 1937 signaled the break up of the band.


Question: I read that as he trained to fight Primo Carnera, Max received thousands of love letters. Did Max respond to them or did someone else ?
Answer: While Max was a prolific letter writer to family and friends, as a young bachelor he had a personal secretary, Joan Brewster, a young graduate from the University of Michigan, who initially responded to the love letters. Ms. Brewster soon became so disgusted by the often obscene nature of the letters sent to Max that she eventually refused to respond to them. As a joke, Max suggested to his trainer, Mike Cantwell, that he respond to a few. To everyone's surprise, beneath the Irishman's gruff exterior lurked the heart of a true poet. It was said that "some of his literary achievements in the name of Baer, are honeys that have left fair maidens from coast to coast trembling like burgeoning blossoms beneath the pulse and sweep of his persuasive rhetoric."

Eventually however, Cantwell was driven to the ultimate limit of his vocabulary in search of perfumed phrases, so that "half the time the harried trainer didn't know whether he was kneading Max's muscles or composing an ode to deathless beauty." The boys paced back and forth, exhorting but finding fault with each new expression. Suddenly, they recalled that they'd been passing a lot of books downstairs on their way to the billiards room every day. Was it possible they'd find inspiration there ? Mike pawed through books by Keats and Shelley and finally read a passage aloud to Max. "Gad." said Baer, looking at Mike with admiring eyes. "Save a copy of that and we'll use it on all of'em."

Max Baer Jr. strikes the pose - 1959

Question: Did Max Baer Jr. ever want to be a boxer ?
Answer: In a book titled "My Dad and Me" by Larry King, Max Baer Jr. told this story about his short lived aspirations to be a boxer. Evidently the outcome of his "first bout" didn't stick, as you will see in the second article that follows:

"When I was seventeen, I was fairly tough and I thought I knew everything-including that 'anybody' over thirty years old should be in the 'old folk's home.'

In the summer of 1955, my Dad said to me, 'You're not tough enough until you can take me !' He was in his mid-40s and weighed 240 pounds. I weighed 200 pounds. So I said, 'Okay !'

With 16 ounce gloves, we started to box in the backyard. I was pretty fast and hit my Dad with a good body punch. He grinned, lowered his head, and started to stalk me.

My Mother yelled from the upstairs bedroom, 'Max ! Don't hurt him !' I said, 'I won't,' thinking she was talking to me ! 

Just then, my Dad barely touched me with a left jab. I felt nothing-like the touch of a feather. The next thing I remember was my Mother's voice coming from far, far away, screaming, 'You've killed him ! You've killed him !'

I was on my back on the cool grass. My eyes were open, but I couldn't see anything until my Dad's face came clearly into focus.

'Are you okay, Son ?' he asked.

I don't remember what I said exactly, but my Dad helped me to my feet. My legs felt like spaghetti, but I stayed upright. What happened ? My Dad hit me with a right-hand punch-I never saw it coming ! What's funny is that there was no pain ! I was just knocked out."


In a February 11, 1959 Stars & Stripes newspaper appeared the following article:

BAER'S SON TKO'D IN BOXING DEBUT

"Santa Clara, CA (AP) - Max Baer Jr. has proven there's not much to heredity in boxing. The Santa Clara University senior fought his first college fight in a Stanford-Santa Clare meet. It lasted one round.

The 6 foot, 5 inch son of the former world's heavyweight champ was plenty game as he waded into Steve Grimm, but he forgot about defense.

Grimm, 6 foot 1 and 188 pounds hit his 201 pound opponent with a right to the chin and followed with another right to the cheek shortly before the round ended. Referee Jack Silver called it a first-round TKO.

Baer Sr. missed the fight.


Question: I've heard that after Max's bout with Tommy Loughran he visited Tommy in his dressing room, where he asked to be taught how to throw a left jab. True or False ?
Answer: Absolutely true and it was a shocker given huge coverage by the press. On February 15, 1931, Frank G. Menke of the Lincoln Star wrote the following:

"Max Adelbert Baer of Livermore, CA met up with Mr. Thomas Loughran of the Philadelphia Loughrans in a punching bee in New York recently, and during the course of the evening, Mr. Thomas hit Mr. Max no less than 3,000,000 left-handed jabs. Mr. Thomas knocked Mr. Max off balance so often and made Max look so silly that the affair gave the customers more laughs than they have had in several social seasons. The matter ended, the officials awarded to Mr. Thomas, and Mr. Thomas hustles to his dressing room. Hardly had he arrived when there was a bit of arguifying outside and suddenly the burly six feet three inches of Mr. Max busted right into the privacy of Mr. Thomas' place. Mr. Thomas looked surprised: so did his handlers. What was this all about, anyway ? How come this Baer intrusion."

"Hey, Tommy," yelled Baer, making a couple of leaps so as to get right smart close to Loughran, "learn me how to do this" and then Mr. Max waggled a crude left jab in imitation of Loughran's flashing portside stab. Mr. Thomas eyed Mr. Max carefully. What was this ? Nothing like it had ever happened before. A beaten enemy bursting into his room and asking that he be shown how to punch with a left hand. Was there a trick in this or what ? But Mr. Max, the exuberant good natured and strange young man from California, with a wild eagerness to become champion of the world wore no false mustache. He was there merely in the role of a pupil seeking instructions from a master. "It ruined me-this," exclaimed Max, again waggling an awkward left. "Never bumped into anything like it before. Why Tommy, you made a sucker out of me. Now I've got to learn that punch so I can make suckers out of the other guys."

"Okay." said Tommy, "Tomorrow or Monday I'll work out with you for an hour or so and give you some coaching." Tommy did. For more than an hour the veteran from Philadelphia showed the young gent from the Golden Gate how to jab and also how to get away from one.




MUCH MUCH MORE TO COME ... OR ASK A QUESTION AND I'LL TRY TO FIND AN ANSWER !

Copyright 2006, 2007 Catherine Johnson. All rights reserved.