Buddy Baer (June 11, 1915 - July 18, 1986), born Jacob Henry Baer, was an American boxer, and the brother of heavyweight champion Max Baer. He boxed 57 professional fights, won 50 with 44 knockouts, and was defeated 7 times. Baer was chosen for the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Boxing career

Standing 6'6½ inches tall, Baer fought from 1934 to 1942 and was one of the best punchers of his time.

He knocked out colorful contender Tony Galento (Galento quit in the 7th round claiming to have broken his left hand).

The highlight of his boxing career occurred in his unsuccessful attempts to win the heavyweight boxing championship from Joe Louis. In their first fight, Baer caught Louis with a big left hook in the first round and knocked the champion out of the ring. Louis, however, climbed back in before the count of ten, and eventually won the fight on a disqualification. Baer claimed that he had been hit, and knocked down, after the bell in the seventh round, and refused to come out for the next round. The referee therefore disqualified him. In their rematch, Louis knocked Baer out in the first. Baer later remarked "The only way I could have beaten Louis that night was with a baseball bat."

After Boxing

Buddy retired after the Louis bout and joined the US-Armed Forces, as did his brother Max. After the war Buddy appeared in movies and TV, owned a bar and worked as a Marshal at the California State Legislature.

Buddy appeared in several films. In 1949, Baer had a bit role in the Abbott and Costello romp, Africa Screams. He also appeared in Flame of Araby, Quo Vadis, Jack and the Beanstalk (another Abbott & Costello film), The Big Sky, Slightly Scarlet, Giant from the Unknown, and Snow White and the Three Stooges.

His television credits include guest roles in: Adventures of Superman, Captain Midnight, Cheyenne, Circus Boy, Climax!, Gunsmoke, Have Gun, Will Travel, Peter Gunn, Rawhide, Sky King, and Toast of the Town.

Buddy and Maxi were known as the "professional good guys" or "the genial giants". The Sacramento sports reporter Billy Conlin wrote: "When they died, the "sweet science" lost two of the sweetest!" Buddy is buried in East Lawn Sierra Hills Memorial Park, Sacramento.

External links

• Buddy Baer at the Internet Movie Database
• Baer Stops Galento in Seventh, Tony Claiming Broken Left Hand
• Louis Wins in Seventh Round When Buddy Baer Is Disqualified by Referee
• Louis Scores First-Round Knockout Over Buddy Baer in Charily Encounter; Louis Pounds Beer to Canvas Twice for 9-Counts Before Finishing Him in 2:56