Harry "KO" Baker

Harry "KO" Baker was a top light heavyweight contender who fought the likes of Harry Greb, Jack Blackburn, George Chip, Jack Dillon, and Joe Borrel. He carried a knockout punch in his left hand.

Here's a description of the fight when Baker fought Greb for the first time. It's from the Pittsburgh Post, Feb 11, 1915, page 11:

___________________________________________

Feb 11, 1915

Harry Greb Scores Victory Over Baker in Vicious Bout

Newspaper Article Info Newspaper Name: The Pittsburgh Post Date Printed: Feb 11, 1915 Page 11 Written by: Harry Keck

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.

___________________________________________

Tale Of The Tape Born: unknown Weight: Light-Heavyweight Hometown: Wilkes-Barre, PA. Height: unknown

_______________________________________________

 selected bouts

1913
Feb 28	1913	Joe  Borrell		Phila.		ND 6
Oct 7	1913	Young Loughrey		Phila.		ND 6  (L news)
Nov 25	1913	Eddie Revoire		Phila.		ND 6  (L news)
Dec 9	1913	Eddie Revoire		Phila.  	ND 6  (L news)

1914
Jan 30	1914	Jack  Dillon		Indiana		KO'd by 1
Mar 16	1914	Jack McCarron		Philad.		ND 6 (loss)
May 26	1914	Johnny Howard		NewYork		ND 10  (L news)
Jun 22	1914	Eddie Revoire		Phila.		ND 6  (L news)
Aug 12	1914	Eddie Revoire		Phila.		ND 6  (L news)
Sep 26	1914	Jack McCarron		Philad.		ND 6 (loss)
Oct 22	1914	Jack McCarron		Penns.		ND 10 (loss)

1915
Jan 01	1915	Howard Truesdale	Phila.		ND 6  (L news)
Jan 19	1915	Jack Blackburn		Phila.		ND 6
Feb 10	1915	Harry   Greb 		Pitts.		ND 6  (L news)
Feb 12	1915	Al    Rogers		Pitts		ND 6
Mar 25	1915	Harry   Greb		Pitts.		ND 6  (L news)
May 10	1915	Charles Sailor Grande	Phila.		ND 6  (L news)
May 31	1915	Charles Sailor Grande	Phila.		ND 6  (L news)
Jul 9	1915	Charles Sailor Grande	Phila.		ND 6  (Loss)
Dec 16	1915	George  Chip		Penns.		KO'd by 3	

1916
Mar 17	1916	Ralph   Erne		Phila.		ND 6  (Win)
Apr 28	1916	Johnny Howard		Penns.		ND 6  (Draw)
Oct 21	1916	Harry   Greb		Pitts.		ND 6  (L news)	

1917
Jan 19	1917	Young Tommy Coleman	Phila.		ND 6  (Draw)
Feb 1	1917	Jack Blackburn		Phila.		ND 6  (Draw)
Mar 29	1917	Jack Blackburn		Phila.		ND 6
May 9	1917	Harry   Greb		Pennsl.		ND 10 (KO'd by 5)

1918
Nov 22	1918	Jack Blackburn		NewJer		ND 8

1921
Mar 15	1921	Eddie Revoire		Philad.		ND 8  (loss)

IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON HARRY "KO" BAKER
PLEASE E-MAIL ME

www.harrygreb.com