Jacob Henry “Buddy” Baer (1915-1986)

Professional Boxer. Born in Denver, Colorado. Standing at 6' 6½", Buddy fought from 1934 to 1942 and was one of the best punchers of his time. The highlight of his boxing career occurred in his unsuccessful attempts to win the heavyweight boxing championship from Joe Louis. In their first fight, Buddy did manage to catch Louis with a left hook that knocked Louis out of the ring completely. Louis managed to get back into the ring before the ten count and Louis went on to win the match. Buddy is the younger brother of boxing heavyweight champion Max Baer, and the uncle of Max Baer, Jr., best known as "Jethro" on the 1960s sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies." Buddy fought 55 professional fights during the 1930s and 1940s. He had 58 fights, 51 wins, 47 KO's, and 7 losses. Buddy retired after the Louis bout and joined the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. After the war, Buddy appeared in movies and television. In 1949, he landed a bit role in the Abbott and Costello romp, "Africa Screams." He appeared in 19 films and 18 television series.

Bio by: Shock