The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-22
Buck Grouse, Smoky City
 Middleweight, 23 Today

Buck Grouse, the Pittsburgh mid- dIeweight is a native of the Smoky City, were he was born twenty three years ago today. Buck has never set the world affre with admiration of his pugilastic prowess, and probably never will, but at that he is a, strong rugged and willing fighter. Since he entered the ring in Pittsburgh more than. six years ago, he has taken part in considerable more than a hundred bouts, and he has never permitted his opponent that he was there fighting.
 Bucks last important engagement was with Young Ahearn in Philade1- phia. The clever sf1ifty Dancing Master put it all over the slower Grouse. Ahearn was marvel of speed. and by his showing against Grouse partially Justified the glowing accounts of, the London sporting writ CTS, who, just before the outbreak of the war, were predicting that Ahearn was destined to become a worlds champion Ahearn's blocking was so perfect that Buck couldn't get over a single telling blow. The Pittsburgh slugger occasionally grazed Ahearn's jaw, however. and proved that that part Of the Dancing Masters anatomy is as fragile as ever. for Ahearn. near- Iy collapsed. Buck would have need ed only one solid one to win, judging
 
 connect.
 George Chip was one of Crouse,s early opponents. They fought three times in 1910, Grouse whining once by 8 knockout. while in the other en- gagements honors were about equal. Since then Grouse has been fighting regularly in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Altoona, Lancaster, Erie, and other Pennsylvanfa cities, with occasional trips to New York, Buffalo, Youngs- town, Panama, St. Louis and other places and has made a fair showing g against some of the best of the mid d1eweights. Grouse is Irish by descent name is Albert Grouse.
 
 This is the forty-second anniversary of the birth of one of the great est featnerweights of the modern ring. Johnny LaVack. Johnny was born in Dec. 22, 1872. He fought his first ring battle in Saginaw, Mich; in 1890, defeating a boxer named McNally in 19 rounds. Just year before anoth- CT famous French George Lavigne, afterward lightweight cham pion of the world, had made his ring debut in Saginaw by fighting George seven rounds to a draw. LaVack's s next fight was in Peoria. where he whipped Pat Shea in thirteen rounds. In 1893 he defeated Harry O'Connor in Columbus, King Kelly in Toledo. and Jim Atella in Pittsburgh. For a year or two thereafter he fought principally in Cleveland, winning all of his bouts with the exception of a twelve round draw with George Sid dons and a twenty-five round draw with Mike Garagher. In 1898 he fought two draws with Solly Smith the Los Angeles fighter who soon af- 1 terward became featherweight cham pion by whipping George Dixon Johnny also defeated Fred Green in Toledo and fought a twenty-round draw with Australian Billy Murphy the ex-champion. in Lexington, Ky | In 1897 the little Frenchman fought draws with Tommy Dixon in Ro. chester, Eddie Barry in Toledo. and Joe Bernstein in Cleveland. His last bout was with Joe Leonard, whom he fought twenty-five rounds to draw in 1900 Although two or three de- cisi ons were given against him during his career, Johnny was never really outc1assed and defeated He was never entitled to anything worse than a draw, nor, against good men, to any thing better. He lacked the punch that wins victories. but he was clever enough to keep others from decisive 1 1y beating him.