Boxing - Max Baer vs. Max Schmeling

CAMDEN COURIER-POST - June 9, 1933

Schmeling Beaten By Baer in Tenth; Slaughter Halted
Californian Scores Surprise With Technical Knockout
GERMAN STAR "OUT ON FEET'
Victor 'Goes Wild' and Gives Maxie Terrible Lacing

By HENRY McLEMORE
United Press Staff Correspondent

New York, June 8.-Guile and finesse bowed to power and fury in the Yankee Stadium tonight when Max Baer, at California, scored a technical knockout over Max Schmeling, of Germany, in the middle of the tenth round of a scheduled 15-round fight.

A crowd of more than 60,000 persons watched Baer develop from a playful cub in the early rounds, into a blood-maddened grizzly out to kill. The kill came one minute and 51 seconds after the stolid German ambled out of his corner for the tenth round.
It happened like this:

Baer Goes 'Berserk'

They were sparring in the center of the ring with only an occasional derisive boo to mark their efforts. Suddenly Baer went mad. The mocking smile that he had worn while Schmeling was trying to penetrate his guard, changed to one of fury. Every muscle in his magnificent body drew taut and his right arm flexed like a steel bow.

Then he let it fly, like an ancient bowman, and the bolt struck its mark, squarely on the bulls-eye that was the German's black stubbled chin. Schmeling never knew what hit him. His eyes glazed arid he looked painfully puzzled. For one moment he swayed. Then he folded up like a puppet whose strings had been severed.

Somehow he managed to gain his feet at the count of nine, and reeled drunkenly to the yellow ropes .If a neutral corner. His hands Hopped helplessly, by his sides, and his face was an expressionless wooden mask.

Then Baer, dropped his longbow and picked up a machine gun. There was a succession of bangs- one, two, three, tour, five, six- each one a blow gone home. The crowd rolled out a thunderous, rhymetic chorus - seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven each ode timed as though by clockwork.

Referee Ends Slaughter

The crowd counted up until 21 but Schmeling, under the force, of the blows, slithered across the ropes, trying mechanically to find shelter from the merciless barrage.
Schmeling backers were howling frantically to "hang on, Maxie, hang on!" But by that time Maxie had nothing to hang on to nor with.

As he stood there, a fixed target, Referee Arthur Donovan thrust himself between the men and denied Baer the joy of a clean kill.

A minute later and Baer, a boyish grin on his face and wiping a thin trickle of blood from his nose with' a pudgy thumb, stood beneath the yellow flood lights and found his arm upraised by the hoarsely eloquent and elderly Joseph Humphries.

His was a cheer that rolled down from the packed steel tiers and broke upon the billboards upon which Babe Ruth sets his sights. He deserved it. A 14 to 5 under dog in the betting and faced by the coolest, craftiest sharpshooter in the business, he went out there and threw punches until something dropped.

The fight was not a particularly inspiring one until the tenth round.

Baer Scores First

Baer took the first two rounds cleanly, doing all the leading and scoring repeatedly with solid rights. Schmeling seemed sluggish and the counter punching for which he is tamed was strangely absent.

Baer continued to set the pace in the third, but a right swing to the rough cost him the round.

He also took a very dull fourth round, principally because of his jolting slants in close. Twice in this round he forced the German to break ground in exchanges.

Baer adopted Schmeling's tactics in the fifth round, allowing the German, to come to him. Schmeling got across several straight rights to the jaw and Baer laughed. He seemed to relish them.

The sixth was, even because both boys did nothing In a large way. In fact, the ringside of the crowd deserted the fight momentarily to watch a much more spirited encounter between two well-oiled citizens of New Jersey in the sixth row, section A.

The seventh was Sel1meling's best round. Four times he shook the Californian with short, jolting rights. This flurry was brief-lived however, for Baer took charge in the eighth. Schmeling spent most of his time this round yanking at his slipping trunks.

Baer continued his long range hammering in the ninth, and in the middle of the heat landed a looping drive, that shook Schmeling to his heels.

The tenth has been described.

Charley Massera, of Pittsburgh, 178, won an eight-round decision over Abie Feldman, of New York, 178.

In the semi-final Tony Galento, of Cleveland, 220, knocked out Donald (Red) Barry, of Washington, 196, in 2.23 of the first round.

Just after the principals were introduced the long awaited tribute for the late Muldoon was begun.

The American flag was brought into the ring and followed by four national guardsmen who fired three volleys. A bugler blew taps and the crowd arose.

CAMDEN COURIER-POST - June 9, 1933

Blow by Blow Between Maxes

Round One

They came out cautiously. Neither struck a blow for five seconds. Baer rushed him to the ropes slugging him with rights and lefts to the head and body. Schmeling backed away from another flurry of blows. They clinched. Baer pushed Schmeling into a corner and pummeled him in the body. Baer was cautioned when he seized Schmeling with his left hand around the neck and pummeled him with terrific rights to the ribs. Schmeling sent a left jab to Baer's nose. Baer countered with a right to the jaw. Schmeling laid in a beautiful right cross to Baer's nose. This shook the Californian to his heels. A trickle of blood came from Baer's nose. Baer danced around as he waited for another opening, At the bell both men were slugging and the crowd was in an uproar.

Baer's round.

Round Two

Baer jabbed Schmeling twice in the face.
Schmeling danced around and sent two left jabs into Baer's face. Baer crowded Schmeling to the ropes and pounded the back of his head. Baer caught Schmeling with a hard left to the chin. He backed Schmeling up against the ropes again and shot hard rights and lefts into the German's face. Schmeling seemed worried. Baer landed a blow in the stomach, which Schmeling thought was low. Schmeling turned to Referee Donovan but the referee motioned him to continue the fight. Schmeling sent a hard right cross to Baer's jaw but the latter came back with a resounding left hook to the German's' jaw. Schmeling clinched and held. They were broken by Donovan and Baer almost put Schmeling down with half a dozen lefts and rights to the head just before the bell. Schmeling was bleeding slightly from the mouth, and in some distress when he went to his corner.

Baer's round. -

Round Three

Schmeling came out cautiously. Baer let go one that looked a little low to Donovan and he cautioned the Californian. They danced around. Schmeling came in close and pounded the Californian's body. Baer missed a long right by a foot and the crowd laughed. Baer, however, followed this miss right up with a hard right to the pit of the stomach. Schmeling shoved Baer into a corner and landed a right to the heart. They milled about in close, both pounding the body. Baer stepped out of a clinch and chopped a hard left and right to the chin. Schmeling seemed durable and took them without backing up. They were slugging in the middle of the ring at the bell.

Baer's round,

Round Four

Baer popped a left into the German's face, Schmeling danced around cautiously, circling to Baer's left. Baer threw in four or five lefts and rights to the face and body. Baer almost pushed Schmeling off his balance and made a gesture of shaking hands in apology. Schmeling poked two lefts to the face followed by a right cross. Baer took them without any seeming annoyance. Schmeling drove a hard right to the jaw. Baer missed a right to the chin. They clinched. They exchanged light lefts to the head. Schmeling buried his head on Baer's shoulders and pounded his opponent's body. They were fighting toe to toe at the bell,

Round even.

Round Five

They rushed into a clinch. They exchanged left jabs to the face, Schmeling pushed his opponent against the ropes and pounded the body with rights. Baer seemed to be taking it easy at this stage. Suddenly Baer opened up and landed two good lefts and a right to the head. Schmeling threw two hard rights which landed on Baer's left ear. The Californian grinned. Baer sank a hard left to the stomach and followed it with three rights to the head. Schmeling caught Baer with a sharp left to the chin. He backed Baer up against the rope and pounded his body. Baer threw a hard right against the German's chin, but Schmeling kept boring in. Schmeling put his head on Baer's neck and pushed his opponent's body. At the bell Baer landed a hard left to the chin.

Schmeling's Round

Round Six

Schmeling landed a light left to the face. Baer countered with three straight lefts, none of the three hurting Schmeling. Schmeling drove Baer into a corner and they pummeled each other in the body. Baer landed a left and then another left to Schmeling's jaw without a return. They clinched. Coming out of the clinch, Baer landed a right to the jaw which sent Schmeling against the ropes. As the German rebounded Baer caught him with a terrific right which shook Schmeling to his heels. Baer poked Schmeling in the face with several lefts. Baer landed a blow in the pit of the stomach which looked low to Referee Donovan. The crowd booed Donovan when he warned Baer. They were in a clinch at the bell.

Baer's round.

Round Seven

They came out cautiously. Both landed hard rights to the head. Baer poked a long left into the German's face. Schmeling pushed Baer against the ropes and belabored his body. Baer sank a hard right into the stomach. They circled around the ring. Schmeling backed Baer into a corner again and shot several hard rights to the heart. Baer backed away as Schmeling threw several authoritative lefts to the body. Schmeling landed a left and right to the head. Baer missed a hard right to the head, almost swinging himself off his feet.

Schmeling's round.

Round Eight

Baer threw a left into the stomach. Baer held his left shoulder high as Schmeling swung several rights to the jaw. Baer landed a solid left hook to the body. They clinched. They pounded each other in close. Baer got Schmeling on the ropes and clouted him with two rights to the head, They clinched. Coming out of the clinch, Schmeling landed a left hook to Baer's chin. Baer grazed Schmeling's chin with a right which he threw from the floor. Baer held out his long left teasingly and smiled as he poked Schmeling several times. The swarthy Teuton however did not return the smile, but kept plugging away. 'They roughed each other about a bit at the bell and the crowd booed.

Round even.

Round Nine

Baer poked two lefts to the face. Schmeling did the same thing. Baer missed a right which he telegraphed. He tried again and this time landed right on the button. Schmeling did not like it. Baer rushed Schmeling to the ropes and smacked him several hard rights to the head. Joe Jacob's, Schmeling's manager, began to yell from his corner. Schmeling stopped and turned around. This caused Jacobs to cry, "watch him." Schmeling went into a clinch. Baer pushed the German away and sank a left to the body and followed it with two lefts and two rights to the head. Schmeling crossed a right to Baer's chin but the Californian did not seem to mind it. Baer pushed Schmeling against the ropes again and landed several rights to the head as the bell rang. Baer delivered a backhanded slap just as the bell rang and Schmeling countered with a vicious right. They threw several more punches after the bell rang and the crowd went wild.

Baer's round

Round Ten

Baer rushed out like a madman and threw lefts and rights to the German's head. Schmeling held. They circled about. Schmeling sent a vicious left to Baer's nose which drew blood. Baer threw five successive rights to Schmeling's head and had him groggy against the ropes. Baer floored Schmeling coming out of a clinch Baer floored Schmeling with a right to the chin. Schmeling down. Schmeling came up after a count of seven and Baer rushed out slugging with lefts and rights. The German was out on his feet and Referee Arthur Donovan stopped the fight, awarding the fight to the Californian, Max Baer.

CAMDEN COURIER-POST - June 9, 1933

BAER IS A PUNCHER, SAYS JACK SHARKEY
Packs Wicked Wallop With Schmeling Showing Plenty of Courage

By JACK SHARKEY
Heavyweight Champion of the World
(Copyright 1933. Universal Service. Inc,)

New York, June 9.-Whew! That fellow Max Baer can punch. He gave everybody at the Yankee Stadium a real thrill when he came from behind and knocked out Max Schmeling in the tenth round of their battle at Jack Dempsey's show last night.

There wasn't anything phony about the Baer knockout. It was as clean as a whistle.

Schmeling, had been forcing the issue. Baer, was taking things easy as he tried to pick openings for his shots.

As Schmeling, came in, Baer let drive with a high, sweeping right drive. It landed flush on Schmeling's jaw. Those persons close to the ring could see instantly that Baer had his man. Schmeling's eyes became glassy, while his legs sagged.

Baer was quick to take advantage of the situation. He blazed away with, a series of swinging lefts and rights to the head. The German displayed rare courage, and tried to defend himself. He was unable to do so.

Schmeling Goes Down

Baer set his right hand and let it fly with everything he had behind it. It crashed to the jaw, and Schmeling went down to the canvas. It was then all over but the shouting. Schmeling managed to regain his feet at the count of nine, but was hopelessly beaten.

The eager Baer was set for the kill. He shook Schmeling up with short left and right-hand smashes to the head, then blazed his right for the jaw. The blow landed with terrific effect and turned Schmeling half-way around.

The German was out on his feet, his arm dropped to his side, and he looked out at the crowd. Baer rushed forward ready to release his right hand again. Referee Arthur Donovan acted wisely when he stopped the bout at this point. Another blow by Baer might have had disastrous effect on the helpless Schmeling.

Schmeling proved by far the better boxer. He was leading by a comfortable margin on points when the end came. Baer, however, was dangerous at all times. His careless, awkward style and ability to punch with either hand had the German upset on numerous occasions.

I thought Baer carried the first two rounds. He also had a margin in the ninth round, while he was well out in the lead in the tenth chapter when he left his terrific right breeze.

I was secretly rooting for a Baer victory, as I believe the public likes a puncher. I saw Baer box Ernie Schaaf in New York, while Johnny Buckley, my manager, was behind Schaaf in Chicago the night he was stopped by Baer. After that bout Buckley told me Baer was a cinch to stop Schmeling.

To Give Baer Chance

Baer is a swinging puncher, and is always dangerous. I shall give him a crack at my title next year In the event I win over Primo Carnera on June 29. And I believe I shall upset Carnera. I like to meet swinging punchers like Baer. They give me an opportunity to use my skill as a boxer. I feel I will be successful in defending my title against Baer. The latter is blessed with a terrific wallop, but he will experience trouble scoring it against me.

Although defeated, Schmeling made a creditable showing. He displayed good boxing ability, while he landed numerous healthy punches. I think he underrated Baer, especially after he made the Californian look foolish during tests of boxing.

It was a hard, grueling battle, and should help boxing. The huge crowd was a tribute to the drawing powers of Schmeling and Baer and to the splendid ability of, Jack Dempsey as a promoter.

I made enough mental notes about Baer's boxing and punching to beat him when we meet next year. Meanwhile, I'll get back to Gus Wilson's camp at Orangeburg and resume training for Carnera. I do not want Primo to bounce a kayo off my chin on the night of June 29.