If you have any newspaper articles about Greb please e-mail me so we can talk about putting them into this section.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

1913-1919

In this section are rare newspaper articles about Harry Greb. Just click on the years you want.

1913-1919

1920-1922 ...1923-1925 ...1926

1927-1999 ....2000-present

 

1913

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April 5, 1913

Three Pittsburgh Amateur Boxers Win At Cleveland

Cleveland, O. April 5.- By winning four of the seven bouts of the inter city boxing tournament last night at the Cleveland Athletic Club, the Cleveland team defeated the Pittsburgh Septet, but won by a margin which was extremely small.

Several of the bouts were extremely close. On two occassions, the judges, John T. Taylor, amateur athletic union director of Pittsburgh and J. F. Shacleton, physical director of the C.A.C., were unable to render a decision and it was left to refereee Billy Evans to decide. All of the bouts went the limit of four rounds with the exception of the 135 pound match. In that bout Referee Evans stopped the milling in the middle of the fourth round, in order to save Victor Wright of Pittsburgh, who was badly outclassed by Dick Stosh.

Tourney Winners:

105 pound class - Joseph Westwood, Pittsburgh

115 pound class - Arthur Root, Cleveland

125 pound class - Vincent Perconi, Cleveland

135 pound class - Dick Stosh, Cleveland

145 pound class - Harry Greb, Pittsburgh

158 pound class - C.J. Segert, Cleveland

Heavyweight class - John Foley, Pittsburgh

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April 6, 1913

Local Amateur Boxers Who Competed At Cleveland Friday Night

Upper row, left to right - August Camp, 158 pounds; Victor Wright,135 pounds; W. Cumpston, 135 pounds

Lower row - Harry Greb, 145 pounds; William McCullough, 125 pounds; Harry Webb, 115 pounds; J. Westwood, 105 pounds.

John Foley, heavyweight, also made the trip (not pictured).

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May 31, 1913

Fistic Foibles

Harry Greb, latest debutante into pro ranks, is the son of a Millvale Ave. contractor. Harry was stung by a fight bug less than six months ago. His rise has been rapid. Pewter prizes satisfied him until the night Battery B boys held a smoker. Then Greb heard the jingle of coin and promptly proceeded to look for a manager. "Are you game?" queried a well known pilot when approached by Greb. "Well I guess yes. I fell off a three story house and lit on my head without being hurt" was the lad's rejoiner. The quip resulted in a pact to exploit the Millvale avenueite.

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November 2, 1913

Kid Smith Ready To Box Grayber

Tomorrow night in the market house on the southside, the southside club will stage another of it's high-class shows, Manager Johnny Jones having arranged four bouts, every one of which sizes up as an event contest. Twenety-four rounds of boxing is promised. (sentences skipped) Kid Smith, the southside middleweight, who has been coming along with rapid strides faces one of the best boys in this section in Al Grayber, of Sheriden. (sentences skipped)

"Kid Hackett is booked for six rounds with Harry Grebbs(sic), while Yound Brody meets Jack Carroll."

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November 3, 1913

Grayber and Smith To Battle Tonight

Al Grayber and "Kid" Smith, who are to meet in the windup bout tonight in the Southside markethouse, have trained faithfully and say they are prepared to step at top speed from the moment the first gong rings until the finish.

(sentences skipped)

In the third bout Harry Grebbs (sic) and "Kid" Hackett will meet. "Nish Callagher and "Kid" Brink will mix in another, while Young Boley faces Jack Carroll in the curtain raiser.

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November 29, 1913

Moha and M'Mahon to Clash

(the following was part of the last paragraph of the article)

In the semi-final Joe Chip, brother of George, gets into action against Harry Grebbs (sic), who recently won the amateur championship. This bout, between middleweights, should prove good, as it will give Grebbs (sic) the test needed to bring himaround to where the public will notice him.

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November 30, 1913

(the following was the last paragraph of the article)

Joe Chip appeared after a long absence mating up with Harry Greb of this city. Chip began like a wild man missing some leads by four feet. He bled Greb's lip but at the round's end Greb was going the best. The fight was going in Chip's favor in the second round when suddenly Chip landed an awful right clip on Greb's jaw. Greb fell with a bump his head testing the ring floor. He tried to get up in time but was unable to do so. Chip rushed to greb's corner and threatened to clean up James R. Mason, Greb's cheif second who had been commenting on Chip's ring antics. Bystanders prevented a flare up. The "kayo" was a thriller.

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1914

 

July 28, 1914

George Lewis Given Trouncing by Greb

Steubenville, O., July 28.-- In one of the best 10-round contests ever pulled off here, Harry Greb, of Pittsburgh, bested George Lewis last night before the Steubenville Athletic Club. From the first round until the tenth Greb carried the fighting to Lewis, and had him weary from the punishment handed out. In the second round he broke Lewis' nose with a hard right hand punch. After this round Greb did not use his right hand to speak of, and after the fight it was found to be fractured.

Only one round could be said to be even, and that was the tenth, when Lewis tried to make a rally for a few seconds, but Greb came back and finished it with an even break.

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1915

 

January 22, 1915

With the Boxers

Harry Greb put in four strenuous hours yesterday training for his bout Monday night, at the Duquesne Garden against Jack Blackburn, the negro boxing marvel from Altoona. He worked through the customary training stunts, went six rounds with relays of boxing partners, putting one heavyweight down for the count, then took a 10-mile run, and finished with setting up exercises and a rubdown. Word was recieved from Blackburn yesterday that he came through the Harry Baker fight at Philadelphia without the slightest injury, and that he will be at his best when he clashes with Greb.

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January 26, 1915

GLOVE-DODGING HIS SPECIALTY

Blackburn Just Shaded by Greb, Who Carries the Fighting to Him.

They call Mike Gibbons a ghost and they say that Johnny Kilbane is elusive, that Freddie Welsh fades away like a mist and that Jim Corbett was shifty, but for dodging gloves that are coming with the profusion of a charge of "Number Eights" from a 12-gauge shotgun, commend us to Jack Blackburn, the Eastern Pennsylvania negro, who opposed Harry Greb, the local middleweight, in the Duquesne Garden last night.

Greb launched about a million - more or less - punches at the dusky Jack, whose color alone precludes the possibility of calling him a whited spectre, but an infinitesimally small proportion of them connected with those portions of Jack's anatomy on which blows must land to count.

The shade that goes with aggression belongs to Greb. He was after Blackburn all the time, working his arms like piston-rods from every possible angle, but Blackburn blocked, side-stepped, slipped, rode and ducked punches as easily and as calmly as we are led to believe that an aeroplane outmaneuvers a Zeppelin. To tell the truth it looked as if the dusky Altoona man was under wraps.

From the first to the final bell, save for intermissions, Blackburn was the center of a cloud of gloves. But he was so elusive that not one punch in 10 that Greb started ever connected. Greb was on him all the time, however, and as Blackburn didn't start one-tenth the blows that Greb did, Greb must be accorded the decision. Blackburn stepped through the six rounds with the untroubled air of a Vernon Castle doing some difficult steps, while Greb was piling in all the time doing his best to reach his opponent. He succeeded at at times, too but couldn't inflict any considerable amount of punishment nor pile up a commanding lead.

BLACKBURN LANDS ON RIBS

Blackburn led frequently enough for a fight filled with less action, and hadn't much difficulty in scoring on Greb. Most of his punches were directed to Greb's middle, but they didn't have enough force to take the steam out of Greb. The fact that Greb wasn't going as fast in the closing rounds as he was in the early sessions is that he couldn't maintain the pace he cut out.

In the two opening rounds Blackburn scarcely led a punch. He was the storm center from the start, but very few landed on his body. In the first round he slipped and was helped to one knee by a spent blow from Greb. He countered several times as Greb came in, but not enough to rob Greb of the shade that the action gave him.

Greb fairly earned the third round. He managed to solve Blackburn's defense for a short time, and got home right and left to the face several times. Blackburn did little for the greater part of the round, but in the last 30 seconds he sent home a few body blows that checked Greb's rush. But Greb landed more and harder punches. He brought blood from Blackburn's nose.

In the fourth round Blackburn began to fight back a little bit, while Greb succeeded in landing more blows. Greb was shooting both hands in the direction of Blackburn's jaw, and although many of them missed, enough connected to even up for those Blackburn returned to his body and head. The round was about even.

Blackburn took the fifth round, as Greb slowed up just a bit for a flying start on the sixth. Blackburn played for the middle in this round and part of the distance actually forced the fighting. He scored enough clean punches to entitle him to the best of it.

Greb came out for a grand finish, and in the sixth did practically all the fighting. Blackburn was content to cover well and tie up Greb when he rushed in, occasionally countering. As Blackburn played strictly a defensive game, Greb didn't land as often as he did in the three preceding rounds, but he had the shade.

 

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Editor's Note: this fight (Greb vs. Harry KO Baker) was a benchmark fight for Greb because Baker was a rising star. People really started taking notice of Greb AFTER this fight as a real possible contender on his way up, not just a local club fighter.

February 10, 1915

Harry Greb Will Try to Climb Notch Higher Toward His Goal

The question as to wether Harry Greb is to continue his rise until he lands in the upper crust of middleweight society, or is to be forced to remain in the obscurity of the also rans, will be answered at Duquesne garden tonight, perhaps, when the Garfield boy sheds his bathrobe and toes the mark with Knockout Harry Baker of Philadelphia.

It will be a severe test for Greb, one calculated to bring out the very best that is in him, for Baker has been going like a tornado and his performances against Jack Blackburn, Joe Borrel, Jack McCarron and others stamp him as one of the most dangerous middles in the East. Apart from his strength, speed and hitting power, he is all the tougher as an opponent because he fights in the puzzling style of which New York Knockout Brown was the cheif exponent, boxing with his right arm extended instead of his left.

But Greb feels equal to the big job, and vows that he will wade into Baker at the start and give him no chance to slip over the hard wallop that floored Blackburn and others. It looks like a stormy mill, and the prospect of a slugfest promises to attract a large crowd to the garden this evening. Garfield fans will be out in force, as usual, to root for Greb.

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Feb 11, 1915

Harry Greb Scores Victory Over Baker in Vicious Bout

Harry Greb of Garfield fought like a combined human dynamo and enraged tiger against Knockout Harry Baker of Wilmington, Del., in the main bout at Duquesne Garden last night and was an easy winner at the end. He kept after his opponent throughout the six-rounds and never allowed Baker to get set. He was entitled to a clear shade in every round but the fifth, which was close. Baker probably earned an even break in this session.

Greb set the pace in every round and carried the fight along at a rapid clip. He was exceedingly active with both hands all the time and his best bet was a straight left jab and right cross. He scored with this style of attack repeatedly and in the latter rounds almost at will.

Baker showed little more than a vicious left-hand punch, which he generally started too late to land with full force upon Greb. The latter frequently beat Baker to the punch when the visitor led with his left. In the latter rounds Baker tried a right-hand stab to the face, but Greb soon learned to gauge it effectively and Baker dropped it from his repertory.

In the last round Baker started out with a rush and spurt, which was short-lived. Greb forced the going faster and danced about his opponent, raining lefts and rights to the face, with an occasional shift to the body. He was on top of Baker nearly all the last half of the round and had Baker tired and covering. It was one of the fastest finishes witnessed here among big men this season.

GREB FORCES FIGHTING

When the first round opened Baker appeared to be feeling Greb out. The latter immediately assumed the offensive and rocked Baker's head several times with a left jab and right cross. Baker timed a left uppercut, but it missed it's mark and Greb rushed in with a volley of short punches to the head. Each put a left and right to the jaw. After this Baker had trouble leading. Greb, ever alert and on his toes, always had his left hand in Baker's face and worked an excellently timed one-two punch. Near the end of the round Greb stunned Baker with a hard left to the jaw and the latter retreated to a corner. Greb followed him and re-opened his attack as Baker covered, but the Wilmington entry suddenly fought back and sent Greb across the ring with a stinging left to the head at the bell.

Greb continued his rapid work in the second round. He led with his left to the head and brought over his right two times in every four or five leads. Baker was slow in comparison and timed most of his punches. He relied mainly upon his left hand but started the punches too high and was unable to land effectively. Toward the close of the round Baker shifted his attack from the head to the stomach and succeeded in landing several times with both fists. Greb's margin for the session was larger than in the first round.

BAKER TIRES EARLY

Baker tore out of his corner savagly in the third round. Greb sidestepped his rush and the visitor lost his balance and sprawled upon the floor of the ring. When he regained his feet, both fought hard to the head. After a flash in the first minute, Baker tired and Greb scored easily to the head during the remainder of the round. In the middle of the round he shifted from a left lead to a right and the change disconcerted Baker, who fights with right foot and arm extended. Baker remained on the defensive until near the end of the round, when he fought back through several mixes. It was Greb's biggest round so far and his many rooters from Garfield, who occupied a section of the gallery, howled with glee as he turned to his corner.

Baker started the fourth round better than any of the preceeding ones, scoring with a straight right to the head. In a mix at close quarters, he landed a hard right on the back of the neck. Both stood in the center of the ring and swung savagly with both hands. Baker began to penetrate Greb's outer defense and sent several smashing lefts to the stomach. Greb then took a hand in the scoring and backed Baker to the ropes with a series of sharp jabs to the mouth. Here he swung left and right several times to the body and put a left and right to the head before backing away. A left swing, followed by a left uppercut, took some of the speed out of Greb during the round, but he came back well and was on the long end by a small margin at the finish.

FIFTH ROUND EVEN

Baker again rushed out of his corner when the fifth round opened. He scored with a left poke to the face as Greb met him. They fought hard to the body with Baker having the advantage through his haevy left swings. Baker sent in his hardest punch of the fight, a left uppercut which landed under Greb's right arm. The punch probably would have finished the fight had it landed on a vital spot. Greb fought and jabbed from a distance and easily evened matters. Baker swung so hard with a left uppercut which missed the jaw that his feet were lifted several inches off the floor. Greb placed two left hooks and a right one to the head just before the close of the round, which was fairly even.

The sixth and final round was the hottest of the fight in the early stages. Baker rushed from his corner and was met with a left to the face. Greb scored to the face again and then tallied with a left and right to the head when Baker lost his balance coming in. Baker swung hard to the stiomach occassionaly, but failed to sap Greb's stamina. The latter rushed and had all the better of the milling during the last two minutes. Baker did little more than defend himself at the end.

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March 5, 1915

Greb Is Winner Over Wenzel In Hard-Fought Encounter

Fighting as if a chamionship depended upon the result- always tearing in and smashing with right or left as he went - Harry Greb of Garfield last night defeated Whitey Wenzel of the Northside in five of the six rounds of their bout before the largest crowd that ever attended a boxing show at the Highland club. The spectators filled the big hall to the limit and were made up mostly of followers of Greb and Wenzel.

So much feeling was evidenced by the rival partisans that two fights took place in the audience. Both were suppressed in short order.

To the Grebian clan, the victory of their champion was no less than they expected; to the well-wishers of Wenzel the defeat of the Northsider came as a complete suprise. Among the nonpartison spectators before the fight, the general opinion seemed to be that Wenzel's greater range of experience and ring generalship would far offset Greb's best. It is doubtful if a more divided and openly enthusiastic crowd ever attened a crucial bout between two local boxers of any weight

Greb took the lead at the very outset. Both attempted to force the fighting and several clinches resulted. Following this Greb suceeded several times in placing a left to the face and head. Wenzel tried his well known left uppercut often, but missed repaetedly

GREB'S RUSHES COUNT

Thereafter the contest narrowed down to the rushing of Greb, who generally started a right swing or uppercut with his rush and had no trouble landing it to the body. Wenzel seemed unable to solve the style and although he assumed a rushing offense himself on a number of occassions, he was unsuccessful with it. Greb was able to stop his rushes while Whitey failed to fathom Greb's.

All through the bout Whitey depended to a certain extent upon landing his uppercut, but generally fell far short. Sometimes his attempts to score with this punch bordered upon the ridiculous; other times he missed by the narrowest of margins. He did not place his uppercut solidly more than three or four times in the six rounds and was unable to stop Greb when he did.

As the fight progressed Greb became even more vicious than at the beginning and in the third round tore in with a wild abandon that made Wenzel back away before him as Whitey has not done before any other boxer since he attained the windup stage. Wenzel held his own in the first half of this round, but succumbed in the latter portion and Greb scored almost at will for the remaining part of the round.

FINAL ROUND EVEN

In the fifth round while he was sending Whitey to cover with jabs interspersed with not infrequent mad rushes which virtually took the light-haired one off his feet, Greb fell to the floor for the only drop of the fight. He was not knocked down. He had just landed one of his cleanest blows, a stinging left to the side of the head, and was thrown back by the rebound of the punch.

Wenzel came up for the sixth round biting his lips in determination. He swung hard several times with uppercuts, evidently with the idea of ending the bout with a single punch. Failing to land effectively in this manner, he fought his way close and traded short punches to the head and body. They seperated several times only to rush desperatly at each other again.

The finish was most sensational and the crowd was on its feet to the end. Wenzel's showing in this round earned him an even break. The other rounds went to Greb.

For Wenzelit must be said that he is one of the toughest and gamest middleweights in this section. He took Greb's hardest punches with little outward show of distress. He was ever quick to recuperate, was always ready to mix and never faltered about assuming the offensive after being driven back by Greb's rushes.

BEATEN AT OWN STYLE

Wenzel did quite a little scoring himself, but most of his punching lay in jabs, occasional straight lefts to the head and face and uppercuts, only a few of which landed. He also did a little work inside, but in no department did he measure up to Greb's standard. There is no doubting the fact that Greb's terriffic swings to the stomach as he rushed in, sapped a goodly part of Wenzel's speed and stamina. Greb counted best with this style.

Strange, to say the last. Wenzel was beaten by an opponent who employed exactly the same methods used by Whitey in all his previous bouts. The right swing and hook to the body, accompanied by the additional momentum of a speedy rush, always has been one of Wenzel's best assets. Forced to combat the same style, he was unable to utilize it himself.

This situation is accounted for in the fact that Greb was the faster of the two, was quicker in getting started and met Wenzel more than half way when both led. On the whole, the bout was one of the merriest of the season in local circles, and for action easily exceeded the recent Greb-K.O. Harry Baker affair.

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March 26, 1915

Greb Duplicates Victory Over K.O. Harry Baker

 

Harry Greb of Garfield last night duplicated his recent victory over K.O. Harry Baker of Wilmington, Delaware., in Duquesne Garden. The fight was hot throughout, but was not quite as fast as the initial meeting of the men, nor was Greb returned the victor by as large a margin. He was entitled to a big advantage in the second and third rounds, the last was fairly even and he won by a narrow shade in the first, fourth and fifth.

As was true in their previous encounter, Greb forced the fighting throughout. He was ever jumping and rushing, and appeared like a human jumping jack in action. Baker depended mainly upon his left hand uppercut, which he succeeded in planting solidly to the stomach a number of times. Many of these punches evidently carried considerable force, but Greb evinced no outward sign of this fact when they landed.

Only once, his next to the last blow of the fight, did Baker really start an uppercut for the jaw and land it. His sense of direction wasn't most of the time and many of his punches went wild. Greb also was wild to a minor degree, but this fault was not as glaring in his work as in his opponent's.

All through the six rounds the bout was a matter of Greb starting his punches first and landing most of them by this virtue. It might be added that he also started three punches to Baker's one. To offset this, however, very few of his blows carried the steam of those delivered by the visitor.

FIGHT FAST THROUGHOUT

While Greb had little difficulty outpointing Baker, he knew he had been in a tough fight at the conclusion of hostilities. He was faster than Baker and was made to look more aggressive, but he did not outgame or outfight Baker. It was a good bout and one that pleased the spectators.

At the outset, it appeared as if Baker had profited by his former bout with the Garfield mixer, and had changed his tactics accordingly. Instead of swinging at random from a distance, he stood close and brought his left up near the body. As long as he did this, Greb was unable to do much scoring. Had he proceeded along these lines for a longer period he might have shown better. However, he abandoned this plan of battle before the opening round was half finished.

Many women witnessed the bouts, among them being Greb's best girl. Fireman Jim Flynn, heavyweight boxer of Pueblo, was introduced from the ring and the announcement made that he may meet Jack Dillon at the Garden in the near future.

 

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April 16, 1915

Wenzel Has Slight Shade On Garfield Middleweight In Terrific Encounter

For the past eight months or so the Red Cross has been doing a land office business on the battlefields of Europe, and is likely to continue for some time, but right here we want to inform those heroic women who are doing humane duty in the old country that they had better send a delegation, including an accommodating and popular undertaker, to the scene of the next fight between Harry Greb and Whitey Wenzel. For, as sure as fate, one or the other, probably both, is going to be killed, mangled beyond all recognition.

Greb and Wenzel are not like any other fighters we know and are not likely to ever become a champion, for, unlike Freddie Welsh, Mike Gibbons and others who insist upon counting the paid admissions before entering the ring, Whitey and Icky really fight because --well, because they want to, we suppose.

As Bull Brown, who insists he is an umpire, and is going to work at his trade this season, so aptly put it: "There ain't nothing clever about these two, but they sure do kick the tar out of each other, and that's why I like to see them fight."

Two amiable wildcats fighting over a hunk of raw meat couldn't have given a better exhibition of the mauling game than did Whitey and Greb last night in their little six-round setto before the Hiland Club in the East End. It was one grand battle, and the crowd, which by the way, numbered close to 1,200, almost went crazy over the mill. It is a pretty difficult question to decide just who had the better of the fuss, but after summing up all six rounds we are inclined to give Wenzel a slight --very slight--shade.

GREB SLOWS UP

Greb fought himself out after three and one half rounds and the Northside Dutchman, apparently as fresh as when he began, tore in and earned a slight advantage. Fight? You never saw anything that resembled it.

Had the kaiser an army corp of Whitey Wenzels when he started that little European fuss last summer he would, as he said at the time, have eaten his Christmas dinner in dear Paree and could have gone right over and partaken of his New Year's meal in London. In fact, he could have made Cousin George go down to Whitechapel and be satisfied with a plate of beans. From this you can guess that the East street Dutchman, Wenzel by name, fought "some fight".

Don't however, overlook the fact that Greb was in the running. In fact, Jimmy Mason's young protege started out as if he intended to clean up all of the East End, and as a result he wore himself out before the finish of the fourth round, allowing Whitey to come back and gain what we believe to have been a very small margin.

Yes, sir, it was one fine scrap. Irvin Cobb, John T. McCutcheon and others managed to get within hailing distance of the European argument, but we are willing to lay a jitney that we saw more real battling inside that 24 foot ring at the Hiland Club last night than they witnessed all of last winter. The main bout was only one of the features, for the three preliminaries were almost as good, one especially holding his own with the windup.

GREB"S WHIRLWIND START

Greb started off like a sure winner. He brought up his 42-centimeters and without ever waiting to lay a concrete foundation commenced to shell Whitey in the vicinity of the heart.

Icky threw enough right handers into Whitey's body to put an ordinary fighter down and out, but as we said above, Whitey (and Greb for that matter) is not an ordinary fighter, and instead of breaking ground, the Northsider just came back for more and incidently handed out a few slams himself. The first three rounds, however, were Greb's; there is not any doubt as to that, but after about two minutes of the fourth, Wenzel commenced to show to a little better advantage and by the time the fifth was finished he had Greb on the defense.

Greb's mouth and nose was bleeding when he went to his corner at the conclusion of the fifth, and this continued during the final session. Whitey realized that he had the Garfield boy on the run and this fact only made him fight harder than ever, if such a thing was possible.

When the bell rang for the final round, the two were in the midle of the ring doing everything to each other but commit murder, but it was noticed that Greb was the more tired of the pair.

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April 20, 1915

Greb Pulls a New One; Will Wear Club's Colors In Fight With Borrell

We've heard of a lot of funny stunts being pulled by boxers, baseball players, umpires, millionaires, plumbers and other things - or persons - but it was up to Harry Greb of Garfield, who is more or less well known around these parts as a ring fighter, to spring a new one on us. Our telephone bell rang last night and a voice said:

"Hello, this is Harry Greb."

"Yes," sez we.

"I've got a story for you," sez he.

"Shoot," sez we.

"Well, you see, it's this way," sez Greb, warming up to the object of his call. "We've got a club out this way, I mean out Garfield way. It's called the Garfield A.C. and I'm secretary of it. We held a meeting tonight and the boys all voted for blue and white colors to represent the club, and then they passed a motion to attend in a body my fight with Joe Borrell in Duquesne Garden Thursday night. Well, to make a long story short - you're not busy, are you?"

"Oh no, not at all," sez we, anxious like. We only had about 4,000,000 things to do within the short space of a half minute. "Go ahead, we're listening."

"Well, to make a long story short, they asked me to wear blue and white tights when I fight Borrell and they'll all wear blue and white ribbons or badges or blue and white somethings. I always wear green tights, but I had to promise to wear blue and white ones this time. If I get licked I'm going back to the green ones, but if I win I'm going to stick to the new boys. What do you think of the idea?"

"It listens all right," sez we, "and it sounds like a pretty good story."

"You bet your life it does," sez Greb, just like that. "It don't sound like a press agent story, does it?"

"Well, not so much," we agreed.

MASON'S LITTLE JOKE

"Guess I'll say goodby," sez Greb. "Don't forget to put a piece in the paper about it tomorrow. All the boys will be looking for it. Guess I'll say goodby."

"Goodby," sez we, and hung up the reciever. A few minutes later Jimmy Mason, Greb's manager, blew into the office and we told him about it. He came back with:

"Blue and white's not such a bad combination at that; all he'll need is to spill a little blood and he'll look like the American flag." He explained his little joke by informing us gently that the colors of the flag of the nation are red, white and blue.

Greb's garfield rooters, by the way, are the most rabid that ever broke loose. Whenever Greb fights they always are strongly represented and make enough noise to raise the well-known roof. They believe Greb is the best boxer of his weight in the world and will shy a brick at the first person who dares mutter or even think otherwise.

And Greb swears by them.

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April 23, 1915

Harry Greb Held to Draw In Bout With Joe Borrell

Harry Greb, Garfield's middleweight champion, met a tartar in Joe Borrell of Philadelphia in Duquesne Graden last night and was held to a draw in the tamest bout he has participated in this season. Greb was outweighed by about 15 pounds and was compelled to take the short end of the work in the clinches on this account.

The Garfield battler started out well and obtained a lead in the first three rounds, but recieved no better than an even break in the fourth and was decidedly worsted in the fifth and sixth sessions. In the final round he was kept on the defensive most of the time and held tightly to Borrell in the clinches.

Borrell was slow in getting started and showed very poorly in the first two rounds. He appeared inclined to fight himself free from the clinches and was warned several times for hitting on the breakaway. Unable to fight after his own fashion, he was more or less at sea until the fourth round. Thereafter he gained his bearings and proceeded to make up lost ground.

GREB TAKES LEAD

Borrell did little actual fighting in the first round and was driven around the ring by the force of Greb's rushes. However, he covered often and well and Greb was unable to send in any damaging blows. Greb contended himself with stabbing his left to the fact at long range and smashing to the stomach while in close. The second round was almost a repetition of the first and the crowd yelled for Borrell to fight.

Taunted by the derisive remarks of the spectators, Borrell began to open up in the third round and showed more fight in this inning than in the first two combined. Despite this, he was unable to slow up Greb, and the latter continued to force the fighting and do most of the leading. The honors, which were very slight, went to Greb at the end of the round.

Borrell worked himself to close quarters when the fourth round opened and drove several smashes to the stomach, pried away Greb's defense with his elbows and sent left and right to the head. Greb evened matters by dancing in and out and jabbing with his left and occasionally sending in a right to the face. Late in the round he shifted to a right lead with a left cross and was fairly successful with this method of attack.

EVEN IN FOURTH

Borrell succeeded in getting in close several times and on each occasion sent Greb's defense up and landed with left and right to the head. Greb depended on long-range jabs and swings for his scoring. Several of his rushes were met with hard punches to the body by Borrell. Both worked hard and fast in the round, although Greb's rapid footwork made him appear the quicker. Greb had the better of the early part of the round, with Borrell evening up in the last half.

Borrell assumed the aggressive in the fifth round and carried the fighting to Greb. The latter refused to back up, and while he met Borrell coming in several times, recieved the worst of many exchanges to the body. Borrell's most telling blows in the round were right and left smashes to the stomach while leaning upon Greb. Greb was unable to keep him at a distance and was somewhat disconcerted when Borrell continued to bore in. It was Borrell's round.

The sixth round opened with Borrell stillon the short end with considerable lost ground to make up. Several clinches followed in rapid succession and in each Borrell worked his arms free and sent both hands to the head. He kept after Greb all through the round. The latter was able to jab only a few times and rushed once or twice, but he could not withstand Borrell's terrific body punching at close quarters and held hard following each such encounter. Borrell's showing in this round easily earned a draw for him. Had he started earlier he might have copped the verdict.

BORRELL HEAVY

Considering disadvantage in weight and the wider range of experience of his opponent, Greb did very well last night. All through the bout he seemed to hold Borrell in great respect and was far from being as lively as has been his wont in previous bouts here. Greb fought Borrell in Philadelphia last winter and made a good showing after taking the bout on a moments notice.

For Borrell, It must be said that he did not make the showing expected of him, even in the latter rounds. He has a reputation as a tearing-in fighter but he failed to make good on this end last night. After the third round he showed a little real class in the way he ripped up Greb's defense every time he got in close and then shot both hands to the head. However, his real work was done at close quarters, his smashes to the body slowing up Greb considerably and allowing the Philadelphian to creep up until he was on even terms at the final bell.

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June 7, 1915

Among the Boxers

Manager Mason of Harry Greb answers the proposition of Harry Shekels, Wenzel's manager, for a 15-round decision bout in Ohio with a side bet of $1,000 by declaring that he will be ready to talk terms when he recieves a balance due from a weight forfeit which he avers Wenzel lost in one of their bouts. He says Wenzel came in 10 pounds overweight for this encounter. He is also anxious to know where 15 and 20-round decision bouts can be staged in Ohio.

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July 13, 1915

Harry Greb Victor Over Tom Gavigan In Six-Round Bout

Maniacal mauling. That's the only name for "Ickie" Greb's ring stunts. No other comes close. Garfield's goblin-eyed youth was at his old tricks last night and thus scored a fine triumph over Tommy Gavigan, Cleveland's middleweight. Like all ringsters who haven't tested "Ickie's" strength and stamina, Gavigan was disposed to smirk at the early wild man rushes and slams of the local lad. Every round after the forst Gavy's smile became more ghastly until in the fifth and sixth it had dissipated in the entirety. Tommy had neither time nor inclination to chirp over the situation. He was too leg weary and his main efforts were directed toward staving off the demon like dashes of the fiery Greb.

Once in the fifth inning Gavigan sent home his best bet, something he had been laying for, viz a terrific drive to the paunch. The blow caught "Ickie" full bent on election, and the thump was heard over the hall. Did it slow up Garfield's goer? Naw. It only made him fight more furiously. He cut loose with arms, hands and feet in a more determined effort to floor the man who dared hand him a soaker.

"Ickie's" never-say-die tactics were the feature of the fuss. Barring the first round when Gavigan carried the gage of combat and steamed in his long left and right swing Greb seemed to be on top. Gavigan later on erred in waiting on the tiger from Garfield. He didn't lead. Greb's rushes had to be met. Tommy essayed a doubling of these assaults by a lock and a block. These tugging teas sapped the Ohio veteran's stamina and he finally was unable to stand up and try to shoot his blows through the openings Greb was bound to make in his savage attacks.

Gavigan was tired to the limit as the fifth belled an end. He actually staggered to his corner. The final fray was a repetition of the fifth. Greb though bleeding freely from a severe cut lip, waded in, whaled right and left, forcing his foe to cringe, cower and cover to avoid a rain of slaps and snaps. Ickie may be short on science but he is all there on the fight part of the sport. He never sets for a punch but is ever shooting his mawleys forward hoping that they find some mark and they generally do. These thrusts may only sting but they wear and tear likewise. Greb carried the most visible punishment but the sweltering shirt sleeve brigade at the show acclaimed him a victor and "Ickie" didn't mind his souvenirs.

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July 14, 1915

Greb Shades Gavigan

PITTSBURGH, July 12.- Harry Greb of Pittsburgh had a shade the better of Tommy Gavigan of Cleveland in a six-round bout here tonight.

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Editor's Note: this fight (Greb vs. George Chip) was a benchmark fight for Greb because it was a major step up in class compared to previous fights. George Chip had held the Middleweight Championship belt just a year earlier in 1914.

Oct 9, 1915

Chip and Greb to Box in Pittsburgh

George Chip has an idea that he can fight his way back to the middleweight championship, and plans his way to take the first step in that direction when he meets Harry Greb of Garfield at Duquesne Garden one week from Monday.

Some of Chip's followers have never ceased to consider him the real titleholder, contending that the knockout scored against him by Al McCoy was only an accident and that it is a joke to rate the Brooklyn man as the champion, but the fact remains that McCoy put Chip away for the count and that before George can rightfully pose as the leader of his class again he must win back the honors in the ring.

This the famous slugger says he is determined to do, and he will make the Greb match his starting point. He realizes that before going after higher honors he must first prove that he is still the best middleweight in this part of the country, and as Greb is the only obstacle between him and that distinction he figures that by beating the Garfield boy he will demonstrate he is as good as he ever was and still the boss middleweight of these diggings.

The overthrow of Greb, however, is apt to prove a tough contract. There is not a middleweight in the game who has come to the front faster than Harry during the past year, and as he has gained in class and confidence with each succeeding battle he is right now a worthy foemen for the best of them.

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Oct 10, 1915

Harry Greb Will Box George Chip

Scarcely two years ago a gawky lad, out for the third time, made the mistake of opposing himself to Joe Chip, whom some credit with an even stiffer punch than his brother, George, afterwards winner and loser of the middleweight championship. Though possesing gameness, this type, Harry Greb of Garfield, was knocked out in the fifth round, the only time he has ever been forced to take a referee's count.

But that mistake worked to Greb's advantage. He set about learning the rudiments of the boxing game, and since that day two years ago, has progressed wondefully, overtaking and passing his successful opponent until now he is matched for a battle with Joe's brother, George.

Greb has nourished one ambition, and that is to be avenged upon the Chip family. All he has wanted is a chance at one of the Chip's, preferably George, for he believes that he can hurt Joe worse by licking "Big Brother" than he could by trouncing Joe himself.

"Icky's" mentor has given the word and made the match, and Greb and George Chip will lock horn's in Duquesne Graden, Monday, Oct 18.

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Dec 17, 1915

Last Nights Bouts

PITTSBURGH, Dec 16.- The bout between Harry Greb of this city and Kid Graves of Cleveland was stopped in the second round when Greb broke his left arm on Graves's head.

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Dec 19, 1915

The Mike O'Dowd-Harry Greb fight, scheduled at St. Paul next Tuesday night, has been called off. Greb broke his hand in a bout at Pittsburgh Thursday night.

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1917

 

Sept 4, 1917

Harry Greb Injured

Pittsburgh, Pa., Sept 3 -- The ten-round bout scheduled between Battling Levinsky and Harry Greb has been postponed until Thursday night. Greb having sprained his ankle in training.

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Sept 15, 1917

Greb Gains The Honors

No Glory, However, Attached to Knockout Over Jack London --

Harry Greb, the Pittsburgh light-heavyweight, signalized his introduction to New York's boxing public last night at the St. Nicholas A.C. by scoring a technical knockout victory over Jack London, a comparatively unknown boxer of Harlem, who was substituted at the last minute for the Zulu Kid of Brooklyn.

It was announced that the latter was refused permission to go on with the bout. Greb's victory came in the ninth round, with the session one minute more to go, when referee Billy Roche waved London to his corner after it had been made apparent that he was in danger of a knockout.

The victory, however, carries little of glory with it for Greb. He showed that he was a willing mixer and could strike a heavy blow, but he lacks coolness, judgement of distance, and experience. In fact, if London had been better fortified with the last named quality he would have made a much better showing. As it was, the Harlem boxer lost many golden opportunities to accomplish something. In the ninth session one of Greb's heavy right hand blows landed on London's jaw and sent him down. The Harlem boxer just managed to get up before "ten", but he was still groggy and Greb soon had him too helpless to protect himself. Then the bout was stopped.

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Sept 25, 1917

Greb To Box In Brooklyn

Pittsburgh Middleweight Will Meet Howard Tonight --

Brooklyn boxing fans will get their first look at Harry Greb, the Pittsburgh boxer, tonight, when he faces Johnny Howard, the Bayonne, N.J. middleweight, in the main ten-round bout at the broadway S.C. This will be Greb's second metropolitan appearance. While his first performance was not impressive, it is expected that he will show better form against Howard.

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Oct 15, 1917

Music Helps Boxer Win

Gave Him Inspiration and Infused Energy Into His Muscles --

-from the Pitsburgh Gazette-Times---

The world of sport has just had a thrill of suprise. The music world, too, is just recovering from a distinctly unwonted sensation. The cause of the disturbance in the rotation of both spheres is the same, namely, one Harry Greb, of middleweight fistic renown in Pittsburgh, has publicly stated that he invoked the aid of music in preparing for the higher honors of the New York Prize Ring.

Mr. Greb had a piano installed in his training quarters, and at the piano a dexterous and tireless performer of popular music. Harry declares the music gave him inspiration and infused energy into his muscles.

At any rate, he is to be congratulated for discovering the dynamic power of music. And it is a pleasure to record that he won his bout at Madison Square Garden, forcing his opponent to take the the count after nine rounds. Thus it appears that music is "doing it's bit" in every field of endeavor.

The world of music will no doubt soon forget this particular event, what with the opera and concert season coming on and municipal and other orchestras to worry about. But the world of sport may never be the same again. Already several other aspirants to pugilistic laurels have determined to see what music can do for them. And what is to prevent marathon runners, college oarsmen and the whole athletic brotherhood from also seeing the light?

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1918

 

April 14, 1918

Harry Greb Seriously ill

Pittsburgh, Pa., April 13 -- Harry Greb, the middleweight boxer, is seriously ill at Mercy hospital here as a result of having a boil on his forehead lanced at Muncie, Indiana, Monday night. The hospital authorities say that blood poisoning was threatened as well as pneumonia.

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May 9, 1918

Harry Greb Enlists, Then Trains For Bout

New York, May 8 -- Harry Greb, middleweight pugilist, has enrolled in the naval reserve force here. After being sworn in he left for Pittsburgh to train for his bout with "Soldier" Bartfield in that city Friday.

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Dec 13, 1918

Here is a newspaper article from the Daily Northwestern in Wisconsin on December 13, 1918:

"There was one big suprise and that was the defeat of Harry Greb of the United States Navy. Greb, although a middleweight, engaged in bouts in the light heavyweight division. While he managed to win his first bout, when he knocked out Baker of South Africa in one round, he met a more formidibale foe in Wring of the British army, who was awarded the decision at the end of four exciting rounds.

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1919

 

June 24, 1919

Greb Outpoints Gibbons

Wins popular Verdict in Fast Ten Round Bout --

Pittsburgh,June 23,--Harry Greb of Pittsburgh, was given the newspaper decision over Mike Gibbons of St. Paul in their 10-round bout here tonight at Forbes Field. A record crowd witnessed the bout which was full of action from the starting bell until the finish.

Greb won six rounds on points, one was even, and Gibbons took the others.

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August 24, 1919

Greb Outpoints Brennan Easily

Pittsburgh, Penn.,Aug 23,--Bill Brennan of Chicago was outpointed by Harry Greb of Pittsburgh in a ten-round bout at the National League Baseball Park here this afternoon. According to local newspaper writers, Greb outfought Brennan in every round.

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Oct 17, 1919

Chip To Take Greb's Place in Bout

--George Chip, former middleweight champion of the world, who lost his title on a "fluke" punch to Al McCoy, was signed last night to take Harry Greb's place against Tommy Robson of Boston at the Arena in Jersey City on Monday night. Chip has been training in the expectations of a match with Mike Gibbons, and is reported to be ready for a bout at a moments notice. Greb hurt his hand while training.

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Dec 16, 1919

Greb Outpoints Kramer

Pittsburgh,Pa., Dec 15--Harry Greb of Pittsburgh, won the newspaper decision here tonight in his ten-round bout with Billy Kramer, Philadelphia. Both men are middleweights.

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Dec 29, 1919

Greb Taken ill; Fight Cancelled

Pittsburgh, Pa., Dec 29 -- Harry Greb, Pittsburgh middleweight boxer, has cancelled his bout with Augie Ratner at Jersey City tonight because of an attack of ptomaine poisoning.

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