Although Carnera was vilified as a "man killer", it was obvious he had died as a result of damage inflicted during his bout with Baer.Īlthough outwardly Baer seemed indestructible and remained a devastating force in the ring, the death of Campbell and the accusations he received over Ernie Schaff's demise profoundly affected Baer according to his son, actor/director Max Baer, Jr., he cried and had nightmares over the Campbell incident for decades afterwards. Six months after the Baer fight, he died in the ring after he took a pathetic jab from the behemoth Primo Carnera. He complained frequently of headaches and his ring performance lagged immensely in succeeding bouts. Schaff was never quite the same after that bout. Several minutes passed before Ernie Schaff was revived and able to stand under his own power. Schaff was saved by the bell, though he ended up losing the bout by way of decision. At the close of the 10th round, Baer nailed Schaff square in the temple with what some witnesses claimed to be the hardest right hand that ever connected in boxing. This publicity was further sensationalized by Baer's return bout with Ernie Schaff, who had bested Baer in a decision a few years earlier. He fared better when Jack Dempsey took him under his wing, and although it is a little known fact, Baer put Campbell's children through college. He gave purses from succeeding bouts to Campbell's family, but lost four of his next six fights. Although he was eventually acquitted of all charges, the California State Boxing Commission still banned him from any in-ring activity within their state for the next year. In the case of Frankie Campbell, he was charged with manslaughter. The death was used for promotional purposes to make Baer seem deadly, and dangerous. An autopsy revealed that Baer's devastating blows had knocked Campbell's entire brain loose from the connective tissue holding it in place within his cranium.Īlthough he has never been documented as boasting of the death of Campbell, it launched him into an infamous status of being a killer in the ring. Campbell never regained consciousness.Īfter lying on the canvas for nearly an hour, Campbell was finally transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he eventually died of extensive brain hemorrhages. A ring tragedy little more than a year later almost caused him to drop out of boxing for good.īaer fought Frankie Campbell (brother of Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer Dolph Camilli) on Augin San Francisco and in only 2 hits, knocked him out. He participated in boxing tournaments and He turned pro in 1929, progressing steadily through the ranks. He often credited working as a butcher boy and carrying heavy carcasses of meat for developing his powerful shoulders. In 1921, when Maxie was twelve, they moved to Livermore, California, to engage in cattle ranching. The family moved to Colorado before Bernice and Buddy were born. His older sister was Fanny Baer (1905-1991), and his younger sister and brother were Bernice Baer (1911-1987) and boxer-turned actor Jacob Henry Baer, better known as Buddy Baer (1915-1986). He was born Maximilian Adelbert Baer in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of German immigrant Jacob Baer (1875-1938), who had a Jewish father and a Lutheran mother, Dora Bales (1877-1938).
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