Joe Chip

 

 

 

Joe Chip fought for the world middleweight championship title against Johnny Wilson on 5/25/1921. The site was at Roller Rink in Detroit Michigan. Both fighters weighed in at 158 lbs. The newspaper decisions gave the fight to Wilson.

Chip is also known for giving Harry Greb his first knockout lose. The fight took place in 1913 on the undercard of the Bob Moha-Tom "Bearcat" McMahon fight in Pittsburgh. Greb was still on his feet, but he was desperately hurt and Tom Bodkin, who promoted and refereed the fight, stopped it. Instead of offering (as most fighters would) the lame excuse that he would have turned the tables if he had been permitted to continue,Greb was grateful. When his head had cleared he told Bodkin, "One more hard punch might'a ruined me. I won't forget. Tanx, pal."

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"The night Greb was knocked out for the first and only time in his life, he was to have fought Hugh Madole in a preliminary bout. But George Chip's manager, Jimmy Dime, pressured the promoter to put younger brother Joe Chip on the card. George Chip was then middleweight champion of the world. Both Chips were punchers, albeit somewhat on the awkward side. Joe got lucky, caught up with greb's speed and belted him out. Greb later got revenge, slapping Joe around more than somewhat in a 12 rounder."

Boxing Illustrated June 1967. Written by Harry Cleveline.

 

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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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The Middleweight Fued Between Harry Greb, Al McCoy and the Chip Brothers, George and Joe - by Ed. Fritz, Sports editor, New Castle News. Pennsylvania.- Printed in the "Veteran Boxer" magazine. 1949 aprox.

"Buck" Crouse stopped Joe Chip, then joe Chip stopped Harry Greb, a stablemate of crouse. Joe boxed Al mcCoy recieved a chest injury, and his brother George substituted, and was knocked out by McCoy, to lose the Middleweight Crown. Joe then knocked out McCoy after he lost the crown to Mike O'Dowd.

Feuds between glove-warriors are common; at least, they were in ye olden days when boxing lacked some of the niceties of today, when one must return to a nuetral corner upon scoring a knock-down, instead of standing above his prey, ready to deliver a knock-out punch.

However, there was no fued more bitter than that between George Chip and Buck Crouse and Joe Chip and Harry Greb and George and Joe Chip and Al McCoy.

It appears that Joe, a younger brother of george, who went on to capture the middleweight crown, was stopped by Buck Crouse, a more experienced fighter, at Madison, Pa.

As a result, George and Buck fought several times, with the long-legged, classy Buck usually evading George's firm intention of knocking Buck into a nuetral corner, or through the ropes.

But, on the night of November 19, 1913, in Old City Hall, at Pittsburgh, the Chips paid off. Both Crouse, a stable-mate of Harry Greb, and Harry himself, because Joe Chip knocked out Greb in the second round.

It was actually the only knockout ever recorded against the Pittsburgh "Windmill", who might more appropriately be termed the "Wonder Boy" of Pugilism," because such he was.

Joe Chip and greb, both immature in boxing knowledge at the time, swung often and wide. however, some of their blows landed, and Reddy Mason, manager of Greb was not in the least bit worried when the second round opened.

However, dancing Harry, made one error. He failed to keep his guard up and within a moment Old City Hall crashed in upon him, and he was counted out amid riotous scenes.

Not being a big crime to attempt to save a fallen protege, Mason threw water upon prostrate Harry, where upon Joe Chip rushed to Mason's side of the ring and took a healthy kick at the red-haired manager.

Someone handed Mason a cane and he swung at Chip, but before contact between could be made, more cool-headed patrons of the Art of Legalized Brawling, interfered.

There were reports current that night, and some which still linger, that claim Buck Crouse, Greb's stablemate, made a valiant effort to reach the bell, which he wanted to sound before 10 seconds could be tolled over Greb.

The affray was finally determined: "Chip winner by a knockout."

Instead of bemoaning his fate, Greb went on to fistic greatness while Joe Chip advanced sufficiently well to fight champions.

One night, Joe Chip fought a 10 round draw with Al McCoy, in Brooklyn. The bout was disastrous for Joe, because it resulted in a fracture of a chest bone.

When Jimmie Dime offered to send on champion George, to substitute in a return bout. Johnny Weismantle, promoter of the Broadway A. C., was ticklish beyond feathers, and the house saw Chip take his bow as champion.

The fight didn't last long. McCoy swung, landed on the jaw, and down went Chip, his pugilistic world having crashed, and thus began a feud between Joe Chip and Al McCoy. George Chip fought McCoy in a second, no decision fight, but Joe was not satisfied with this, and in Youngstown, April 19, 1919, he met McCoy the second time and suprised the talent by stopping Al in six rounds. Thus the McCoy - Chip feud had been settled.

However, Harry Greb's thoughts as he made his way upward, always returned to Joe Chip, so, when Youngstown promoters offered him a chance to fight Joe a second time, he accepted. The fight, scheduled for 10 rounds, came off July 24, 1919, and Harry was in all his greatness. Joe never had a chance, and the Pittsburgh "WindMill" gave him a polishing for the entire distance.

Joe Chip continued to fight the good ones, which included Knockout (Greek) Brown, whom he beat at Detroit then dropped a 10 rounder to Jimmy Dunn's Bryan Downey, at Canton, January 19, 1920.

He defeated Tommy Robson twice in detroit and Tommy Ferguson, at scranton, and April 24, 1920 dropped another decision to Bryan Downey, at Columbus, ohio.

Chip met Allentown's Jackie Clark and drew with him in Detroit, after which he got a chance to win the middleweight championship, which had been won by Johnny Wilson.

Wilson and joe boxed before a record-breaking gate ina pittsburgh ring, and according to Joe's record, he got a draw, and the same thing occured when he boxed Wilson again in May, 1920 at detroit, again netting a draw.

By the time the grind of training was beginning to tell on Joe, who fought for the money rather than because of his liking for boxing. Twelve years of it and he wanted to retire from the game.

However, before he hung up the gloves, jimmie Dime matched him to box Happy Littleton, a good one, of New Orleans, and on July 22, 1921, they weighed in. Littleton was pounds and pounds heavier than Joe at 158, but nevertheless his manager agreed the fight should go on, and, being handicapped by weight, Chip proved a knockout victim of Littleton in nine rounds.

He returned to new Castle, pa. and kept his decision to say finis to himself as a fighter. He steadfastly kept his words, and despite pleas to continue on, his only reply was always "No."

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Here is a March 19, 1915 Pittsburgh Post article written by Harry Keck.

JOE CHIP IS SHADE WINNER OVER RODGERS

Latter Makes New Castle Boxer Extend Himself to Limit Throughout

MARGIN IS VERY SLIGHT

Joe Chip of New castle shaded Al Rogers of Buffalo by a very narrow margin in the windup bout at the Highland club last night. The fight was the best of the season in this city for real action and pleased the large turnout of fans immensly. It was a slugfest from the first bell to the last, both principals fighting viciuosly all the way. The men may be rematched for the next show of the Highland club, to be held one week from next Thursday night.

Rogers started out in fine fashion, carrying the fight to Chip and having a comfortable advantage at the end of the first round. Rogers was on top of Chip all through the session and prevented the latter from getting set. Chip repeatedly allowed Rogers to lead and land and then swung to the head and body. Roger's right eye was closed and a cut on his left ear opened in this round.

CHIP TRIES FOR K.O.

The second round was closer than the opening one, with Chip having a little the better of the mixing. Rogers continued his rushing tactivs, but confined most of his attack to the body. In the last half of the round, Chip began to try for a knockout with long and hard right swings to the jaw. Both fought savagely.

The third round was Chip's also, with his lead for the session being larger than in the preceeding one. He displayed a stiff left jab and a hard right swing, which landed cleanly to the jaw a number of times. Rogers forced Chip to the ropes on several occasions and smashed left and right to the stomach with considerable force.

In the middle of the round Chip jabbed sharply to the face with his left three times without a return and then brought his right up hard in an uppercut. Rogers slowed up following this, but struck his stride again shortly and fought back well, landing damaging blows to the stomach. Chip tried hard to stop the advances of Rogers toward the close by crossing right and left to the jaw almost at will, but Al took the punishment with good grace and fought harder every time he was stung. Chip's cleaner blows earned him the round easily.

Rogers took the fourth round, which was considerably slower than any of the earlier ones. The fifth round was fairly even. Both slugged hard and often, Chip to the head and Rogers to the body. Both fought hard when the final round opened with Chip having a temporary advantage.

Chip won through landing the cleaner punches. He was every bit as aggresive as Rogers, although he did not do as much rushing, and his blows on the jaw and to the head were more effective than those landed to the head and body by Rogers. Not a few of the punches directed to the body by the latter slipped around Chip's waist and were lost.

ROGERS DESERVES CREDIT

The bout was close all the way and Rogers deserves unstinted praise for standing up to and forcing the fighting with a slugger of Chip's type. He would not have required very much to earn an even break for himself or cop the verdict. At the finish, Chip was well aware that he had been in a battle.

 

 selected bouts

1909
unknown	1909	Albert"Buck"Crouse		Pitts.		KO by 4

1911
Feb 28	1911	Eddie  Ramsey			Pitts.		TKO 2 (win)

1913
Jul 1	1913	Eddie Mullaney			Ohio		TKO 2 (win)
Oct 20	1913	Eddie Mullaney			Ohio		KO 3 (win)
Nov 29	1913	Harry    Greb			Pitts.		ND 6 (KO 2)

1914
Feb 28	1914	Al      McCoy			NewYork		ND 10
May 26	1914	Mexican Kid Carter		Calif.		TKO 7 (win)
Jun 26	1914	Al     Rogers			Calif.		Draw 4
Oct 30	1914	Tommy Nickola			Calif.		Draw 4
Dec 7	1914	Leo      Bens			Montana		Draw 12

1915
unknown	1915	Fay   Keiser			unknown		L 6
Mar 18	1915	Al     Rogers			Pitt.		ND 6
Jul 10	1915	KO    Sweeney			Brooklyn	ND 10 (loss)
Oct 22	1915	Jack   Skelly			Ohio		KO 6 (win)

1916
Jan 22	1916	Frankie Notter			NewYork		ND 10 (win)
Feb 12	1916	Johnny Kid Alberts		NewYork		ND 10
Feb 25	1916	Knockout Sweeney		NewYork		KO 10
Apr 24	1916	Frank Loughrey			RI			W 12
Jun 2	1916	Knockout Sweeney		NewYork		KO 10
Oct 14	1916	Dave   Smith			Sydney		L 20  (australia)
Nov 11	1916	Fritz Holland			Sydney		L 20
Dec 2	1916	Fred     Kay			Melbourne	L 20

1917
Feb 16	1917	Jack McCarron			Ohio		L 15
Oct 1	1917	Chuck Wiggins			Ohio		L 12

19??
unknown	19??	Al   Grayber			unknown		unknown

1919
unknown	1919	Tommy Robson			unknown		L 10
Apr 19	1919	Al      McCoy			Youngs.		KO 6
unknown	1919	Frankie Kick			unknown		KO'd 4
Jul 24	1919	Harry    Greb			Ohio		L 12
unknown	1919	K.O.  Brown				Detroit		Win
unknown	1919	Tommy Robson			unknown		ND 8 (Win News)

1920
Jan 7	1920	George KO Brown			Detroit		W 10
Jan 19	1920	William Downey			Canton		ND 10
Feb 16	1920	Tommy Robson			Detroit		W 10
Mar 10	1920	Tommy Robson			Detroit		L 10
unknown	1920	Tommy Ferguson			Scrant.		Win
May 1	1920	Jackie  Clarke			Detroit		ND 10
May 24	1920	William Downey			Columb.		L 12
Jun 9	1920	Jackie  Clarke			Detroit		ND 10 (Draw News)

1921
Jan 17	1921	Johnny Wilson			Pitts.		L 10
May 25	1921	Johnny Wilson			Detroit		ND 10 (Draw and loss News)
July 22	1921	Happy Littleton			NewOrl.		KO'd by 9 (this was Joe's last fight)
Oct 10	1921	George Weyman			Penns.		Draw 8



photos of joe chip were supplied by Soren Woller
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