"Young" Herman Miller

---The following is taken from the "New York Dispatch" Newspaper-Sept 12,1961. - Title of article is "Herman Miller Fought Greb- Was Dempsey Sparring Mate"

A well-known former York middleweight boxer, who fought the best of them in the early part of the century before retiring in 1923, dropped into the Dispatch office for a visit recently to reminisce about old times.

He is Samuel (Herman) Miller, now 65, who numbers among his outstanding fistic achievements the fact that he was a sparring partner for Jack Dempsey while the great ex-heavyweight king was training for his title bouts with Jess Willard in Toledo in 1919 and with Georges Carpentier in Jesey City in 1921.

Miller, still a very alert gent, vividly recalls most of his many fights, which included a five round test with the great Harry Greb in Johnstown in 1917. Greb kayoed Miller in that one in five rounds.

One of Miller's most notable victories came against the renowned Jack Blackburn, who later went on to become the manager of Joe Louis. By beating Blackburn, Miller gained some measure of revenge because Blackburn had years previously knocked out one Herman Miller, young Herman's father.

"In fact," Miller recalls with proud recollection, "I am probably the only guy in the world who beat three fighters who licked my father. I beat Terry Martin in Philadelphia and Kid Whitman in Baltimore..."

Born in Baltimore, Miller matriculated to York around 1915 and was well-known as a brawler.

Some of the top-notchers Miller boxed in addition to those mentioned included York's Johnny Gill, Jeff Smith and Panama Joe Gans.

His grandfather, Sam Miller, was also a boxer and later a manager and his greatest claim to fame was that he was the manager of the illustrious Philadelphia Jack O'brien, one of the greatest light-heavyweight champions of all-time.

A fourth generation Miller, young Herman's son, William, finally broke the string of boxers. The youngest Miller played football for F. and M. several seasons back and also had a tryout with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Miller recalls his first three fights in the York area were with Charley Collins of Columbia. He lived in the city from 1915 until about 1951 and retired from boxing in 1923.

Miller moved to Baltimore when he left York and was a member of the Maryland State Atheltic Commision for six years. He was also a well-known referee following his retirement from the squared circle.

 

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---The following is taken from the "New Era" Lancaster,PA. Newspaper-Oct 22,1964. - Title of article is "Son Got Revenge For His Father"

Dad failed, son didn't....Ever hear of a father losing a couple bouts in the ring and then years later have the son gain revenge by beating the same two men who beat his dad?

Sounds unusual and so far as is known it happened only once in the annals of professional boxing.

It's enough to start the fistic buffs buzzing , but to make it doubly interesting locally the son who gained this measure of revenge for his father will be here in a month or so.

Herman Miller, who now resides in Baltimore, was one of the great middleweights of his day, and as such it was only natural that he should be invited to be a guest at the annual Oldtime Boxers banquet, slated for the Arcadia on November 11.

In accepting the invitation and in a conversation with Johnny Hauck, of the Oldtimers, Herman told his unusual story.

---HE FOUGHT THE GREATS OF HIS DAY---

First of all, it may be better to present Herman's qualifications. As a middleweight fighter back in the teens, Miller fought such great boxers as Jeff Smith, Jack McCarron, Panama Joe Gans, Jackie Clark, KO Brennan, Harry Greb, KO Baker, Jack Blackburn and the well known locals such as Leo Houck, Johnny Gill and Charlie Collins.

His fight with Blackburn, who later became famous for his training duties with the great Joe Louis, is one that old timers in and around Philadelphia still recall as one of the greatest. They slugged it out in Philly's Cambria AC on the night of Dec. 7, 1917 and traded so many punches that at the finish the judges decided it was a draw.

In those days you didn't hold a fighter such as Jack Blackburn to a draw unless you knew how to box and punch, and so this fight, alone, qualifies Mr. Millerin the upper echelon of fistiana.

---WATCHED AS HIS DAD LOST 2 FIGHTS---

But on to his story. Herman was just 12 years old when his father fought Kid Whetman and took a beating. Naturally, it had an effect on the youngster, who stood in his dad's corner. Still later the elder Miller fell victim in one Terry Martin.

This, it appears, was just too much for the youngster to take.

"Don't worry, Dad," he told his father after the second fight, "I'll beat 'em both for you when i grow up."

Chances are his father thought this was just one way a youngster of 12 chose to console him.

But Herman never forgot and, strangly enough, when he took up the professional side of the sport, he got his chances, and made good on both counts by beating the two men who had beaten his father years before.

---HE'LL BE HERE FOR OLDTIMERS DINNER---

According to Hauck, whose memories of fights and whose library on bouts is inexhaustable, it was the first and only time it ever happened.

"I checked the records," Johnny related, "and they bear out Herman's great feat."

He'll be in our town on the night of November 11 so if you're at the Oldtimers banquet...(and you can be for the price of a ticket)...you'll get a chance to hear Herman tell about it in person.

Admiitedly, it's quite an unusual story.

 

 

 

 selected bouts

1915
Jan 15	1915	Willie KO Brown		Maryl.		KO'd by 4
Apr 4	1915	Arthur (Dummy) Classen	unknown	Draw
Sep 14	1915	Leo    Houck		Pennsl.		KO 6	

1916
Jan 1	1916	Jackie  Clark		unknown		ND 10
Mar 18	1916	Al   Grayber		Pitts.		ND 6
Apr 7	1916	Leo    Houck		Penns.		L 6
May 5	1916	Willie KO Brennan	Buffalo		KO'd by 5
Jun 22	1916	Leo    Houck		Virgini		L 10
Nov ?	1916	Jeff   Smith		Balti.		KO'd by 3

1917
Mar 23	1917	Harry   Greb		Penns.		KO'd by 5
Sep 18	1917	Leo    Houck		Penns.		L 6
Nov 23	1917	Billy Kramer		Penns.		Loss (rounds unknown)		
Dec 7	1917	Jack Blackburn		Penns.		ND 6

1918
Feb 11	1918	Johnny  Gill		Maryl.		Draw

1921
Feb 11	1918	Johnny  Gill		Balti.		Draw 
Oct 24	1921	Panama Joe Gans		Penns.		L 10

1922
Feb 14	1922	Jack McCarron		Penns.		ND 10 (loss) (In a "very close" bout, McCarron "had but a shade" over Miller. (Gettysburg Times)
May 1	1922	Leo    Houck		Penns.		L 8
May 29	1922	Ad     Stone		Penns.		KO'd by 4
Jun 8	1922	Fay   Keiser		Conn.		L 12
Nov 11	1922	Jeff   Smith		Maryl.		KO'd by 3

unknown years
unknown	19??	Harry KO Baker		unknown		unknown
unknown	19??	Charlie Collins		unknown		unknown
unknown	19??	Kid   Whetman		unknown		Win
unknown	19??	Terry  Martin		unknown		Win
.
.

IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON YOUNG HERMAN MILLER
PLEASE E-MAIL ME
- Pictured above is Herman Miller around 1930 refereeing a 
Bantamweight Championship fight between Little Jeff and 
Benny Swartz held at the Royalty Theatre in Baltimore.

www.harrygreb.com