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By knocking out Max Schmeling for the first time since he came to the U. S. in 1928 and made himself heavyweight champion after six fights, Max Baer made certain of opposing the winner of the Sharkey v. Camera fight June 29 for the world's championship. Baer's performance last week certainly showed him to be something prizefighting has needed for a long time—a fisticuffer as reckless and daring in the ring as he is eccentric and amiable elsewhere. Now 24, he left Livermore High School after one year to herd cattle on his father's ranch. Timid and bashful, he had the first fight of his life one evening when a girl resented a remark by another cowhand, insisted that Baer do something about it. Exuberant when he knocked the cowhand down, Baer ordered himself a punching bag from Sears, Roebuck, practiced for four months, won his first professional bout against an Indian named Chief Caribou by a knockout in the second round.
Since then his arrogance has increased even more rapidly than his earnings and prestige. He now has a secretary, a chauffeur, two 6-cylinder cars which he uses as long as his money holds out after each fight. Like Schmeling, for whose marriage to Film Actress Anny Ondra banns were this week posted in Charlottenburg, Germany, Max Baer is interested in an actress —June Knight, who last week left the cast of Take a Chance to go to Hollywood. Unlike Schmeling, Baer is financially imprudent. Since losing his last fight, to Paulino Uzcudun in 1931, he has made about $100,000 of which before last week's fight he had none left. Said he: "I have more suits than the Prince of Wales. My wife is suing me for divorce, a waitress is suing me for $250,000 for breach of promise, my first manager is trying to cut in for a percentage and I owe about $30,000. . . . Let 'em sue. Getting money out of me is like giving the ocean a drink of water. . . ."
Adequate as a boxer, Baer's principal weapon in the ring is a long roundabout right hand punch, effective because of its speed. Prizefighter Ernie Schaaf, who died last winter after a fight with Primo Carnera, was unconscious for three hours after his second fight with Baer. Said Max Schmeling last week: "Things might have resulted seriously if Donovan hadn't intervened."
The first really ambitious victory of Fisticuffer Baer was additionally notable last week because it was also the first important promotion of onetime Champion Dempsey. To build up interest in the fight, Promoter Dempsey visited both fighters in their training camps, sparred with each, warily refused to pick the winner. His share of the $240,000 gate receipts was about 10%. Unless Camera, under contract to Madison Square Garden Corp., beats Sharkey, Promoter Dempsey is likely to have a hand in organizing the next championship fight.