John "Honey" Foley
---John Foley was a Pittsburgh boxer, and wrestler, who boxed Harry Greb twice. The following newspaper article is from the April 6, 1913 issue. The photo shown above accompanied the article:
"John Foley is the amateur 185-pound champion wrestler and boxer of this section. He is aged 21 and has been in the game but two years. In the recent Lawrenceville tourney, Foley defeated George Hook, the policeman, March 10, beat Hook the following night and on March 12, wrestled with Emil Marshall. Foley has a heavy wallop in either hand and uses splendid footwork in the ring. It took him but three rounds to defeat Hook, while he put Cook to sleep in one minute and 30 seconds. He competed in the amateur tourney held in Cleveland last week."
John Foley fought out of "Schenley A.C." as an amateur.
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---The following is an article from the June 16, 1914. Pittsburgh Post:
JOHN FOLEY WINS FROM AL GRAYBER
Big John Foley of Lawrenceville sprang one of the suprises of the early boxing season at Waldemier Hall last night when he won from Al Grayber in the feature bout of the show. It was a case of a veteran ringer against a comparatively inexperienced man and the veteran was forced to be content with the short end of the finish.
The fight was a hot one throughout and it was the hard left hand punch of Foley that won him the decision. Grayber was the shiftier of the two and started out as if to win. However, he came into full contact with several heavy blows that made him wary and he refused to take the initiative in the latter rounds.
Foley fought better than he ever did before and was ontop of his opponent at all times. He was ever leading with his left or countering to meet the advances of Grayber. Both wasted many blows and both landed a number of hard ones. Foley caught Grayber off his balance several times and drove in stinging left-handers to the jaw, which he seldum failed to follow up.
Grayber also worked well, but Foley's intermittent rallies, during which he inflicted telling damage, had the result of keeping him on the defensive much of the time. Little body punching was done, both playing for the jaw or face. On several occasions both men slugged in the clinche. A stiff left cut Foley's right eye badly in the first round, and it bothered him considerably.
---The following is an article from the July 21, 1914 issue of the Pittsburgh Press, page 20:
FOLEY IS MARK FOR HIS FOE - by Jim Jab
Fate played unfair with "Hun" Foley, slow-foot slugger of Lawrenceville, last night. Ray Parks and Fay Keiser flunked on swapping swats with Harry Greb. Foley came forward at the eleventh hour and subbed for the derelicts. Thus saving the show, Foley deserved something better than he recieved, namely, a lambasting and a crimp into his fighting prowess so deep that it can hardly be rubbed out.
Greb, though 30 pounds lighter, fought rings around "Hun". Greb wasn't forked lightning for speed and distance judging, Foley was so slow that Garfield's boy executed tangos, maxixes, etc., around him without risking his upper or underpinnings. Foley once in awhile got a move on and shot a straight left at Greb, rocking him, but so often were these blows phoned that Harry evaded the majority. Several puffed his mug at that. Greb carried the gags 99 per cent of the route, and was clearly entitled to the award on this forte as well as others.
Foley's left peeper, so badly muddled by Keiser last week, was again decorated with a play of colors. John's smeller also got a rubbing up, much to the giant's discomfiture. Some of these fine days when Foley is in a godd humor, a true friend having his welfare at heart should broach the subject gently and kindly inform "Hun" that he had better abandon his ambitions to become a fighter and go back to the mat sport. The counsel would save the feelings of many bugs, for no seasoned supporter of slamdom admires Mike Simon speed in the fistic arena.
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---The following is an article from the Sept 1, 1914 issue of the Pittsburgh Press, page 20:
FOLEY VICTIM OF 'WORST EVER' RING BEATING - by Jim Jab
Ring up one for Hun Fo, Lawrenceville's big glover. Johnny took a record last night, beating Walter Monoghan's famous high mark of the worst-ever licking. Harry Greb was ring master in both instances. Of course, there may be dissenters to this decree, particularly from Hatfield lads who want to protect "Mon's" rank during his absence in far-off Wyoming. However, fairness compels an award to Foley. Some of "Hun's" pals had to give him a second look at the finish to see that they had not been bamboozled by a sub. It was a real John Foley, no imposter. Hardly much use in recounting the tides of the battle.
So long as Hun remembered that he had a left mawley , so long did he show some form. He stung Greb in the initial minute of the opening spasm more than Harry wished for. However, when Greb began to alough him from the five points of the compass, rocking his head, muffing his peepers and mussing his mug, then the ex-strong man scarcly knew he had a whip on either side . Bewildered by a shower of bombs that burst when they struck, John was fairly non-plussed. For three chapters it was all Greb, out in the fifth a committee of citizens in the hall - selfappointed, of course, gave 10-second reminders viz: "Use your left, Hun."
Under this sort of spurring Foley awakened from his trance and again became a dangerous mauler, Greb had him, however, and kept pilling on punches that decorated Foley's face worse than shell fire did some of Liege's defenders. Greb got a few face puffs from Foley, but they didn't seem to slow him up any and when the affair ended even "Hun's" best pals were satisfied that he had fought a good fight, but was a loser. Chances are that we have witnessed the final pairing of the duo, for the box office was easily counted and that bespaeks no repeat. Thanks awfully.
---The following is an article from the Nov 4, 1914 issue of the Pittsburgh Post page 13:
FOLEY BEATS HAUSER AGAIN IN HARD BOUT
JOHN FOLEY OF LAWRENCEVILLE REPEATED HIS RECENT VICTORY OVER GEORGE HAUSER AT THE OPENING SHOW OF THE HIGHLAND CLUB IN THE EAST END LAST NIGHT. HAUSER STARTED OUT WELL AND EARNED THE HONORS IN THE FIRST ROUND. HE HELD FOLEY EVEN IN THE SECOND; BUT WAS UNABLE TO DEFEND HIMSELF AGAINST HIS OPPONENTS STRAIGHT LEFT TO THE FACE AND RIGHT UPPERCUT IN THE CLINCHES DURING THE REMAINING ROUNDS.
Hauser was badly cut up at the finish. While the bout was fast, it was not as good as had been anticipated. Hauser failed to make the showing expected of him. He went into the fifth round with the intention of boxing, but Foley also adopted these tactics and a ludictous dancing exhibition collaborated in by both, was the result.
---The following is an article from the Nov 27, 1914 issue of the Pittsburgh Post:
FOLEY AND GRAYBER FIGHT DRAW - by Harry Keck
Al Grayber, Sheraden's stellar scrapper, and John Foley, the Lawrenceville luminary, lightheavyweights, fought a good six-round draw in the main mill of the all-star boxing show at Duquesne Graden last night. The fight was even at all stages and always interesting.
Grayber seemed wary of his heavier opponent throughout, and never abandoned his long distance tactics. He showed his respect for Foley's short arm swings and straight blows to the face by leading lightly and stepping back during the major part of the early rounds. At times, however, when forced, he would open up and trade blow for blow with Foley.
The latter was full of flight but was unable to fathom Al's style. As a result, much of his aggresiveness was wasted. Both landed hard and to the mark frequently, but not enough to inflict telling damage. Several of Foley's vicious short-arm uppercuts and straight pokes flush upon the face might have ended the fight inside the limit had they landed. Grayber prevented such an outcome by fighting a cool, clever battle and stepping around the ring continously. He used every inch of the canvas to advantage.
Clinches were frequent, but both broke clean. There was little infighting. Most of the body blows struck were aimed as the two men came in or as they met toe to toe. At no time did they remain close more than a few moments.
Tale Of The Tape Hometown: Pittsburgh Born: 1892 (aprox) Weight: 185 lbs. (as amateur)
selected bouts
AMATEURS 1911 Started boxing as an amateur in 1911 Oct 5 1911 Al Grayber Pitts. ND 6 (win) 1913 Jan ?? 1913 George Hook Pitts. W3 (Newspaper said "Hook Surrenders Middle Atlantic Amateur Heavyweight Laurels") Mar 10 1913 George Hook Pitts. W 3 Mar 11 1913 Harry Cook Pitts. KO 1 (win) Foley won the gold medal for this bought in the tournament. Mar 12 1913 Emil Marshall Pitts. (this was a wrestling match, Foley won) PROFESSIONAL 1914 Jun 15 1914 Al Grayber Pitts. ND 6 (Win) Jun 20 1914 Harry Greb Pitts. ND 6 (loss) Aug 31 1914 Harry Greb Pitts. ND 6 (loss) Nov 2 1914 Al Grayber Penns. ND 6 (loss) Nov 3 1914 George Hauser Pitts. ND 6 (win) Nov 26 1914 Al Grayber Pitts. ND 6 (draw) 1915 Jan 7 1915 Whitey Wenzel Pitts. ND 6 (loss) Jan 14 1915 George Hauser Pitts. ND 6 (win) This was the third time Foley fought Hauser. 1921 Jan 31 1921 Al Grayber Pitts. ND 6 (draw) IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON JOHN FOLEY PLEASE E-MAIL ME www.harrygreb.com