The New York herald., 1921-10-02
BANTAM CHAMPION
A PERFECT ATHLETE
Johnny Buff Title Holder at
Age When Most Boxers
Are Through.
WHERE HE DEVELOPED
Picturesque Career Started in
Fire House Near Home
in Jersey City.

Athleticaliy speaking, most men are
old at 81, Not only old. but through.
But behold that mosquito of the prize
ring--Johnny BUFF.
BY beating Pete Herman in fifteen
round bout In Madison Square Garden
on September 2s Johnny became the
worlds bantamweignt champion. He
was already fiyweight champion Of the
United States. Now he is Americas
only double champion Yet June IL last
was his thirty-first birthday. At stage
when the average boxer begins TO falter
Johnny Buff had just begun to fight He
never had an important fight until he
was 26 He was 80 when he won the
flyweight title. No quick turns for him;
he literally battered his way up. and the
battering process left him unscarred ex-
cept Tor slight corrugation Of the
left ear. which is not a blemlsh but the
badge Of honor Of pugilist Otherwise,
said doctor who examined him the
other day. he Is physically perfect
In Gammontown they tell you Johnny
Buff Is family man and stolid citi-
zen. Gammontown Is q tenement and
factory district Of lower Jersey City,
toeing New York Harbor. Buff is a
product OF Gammontown, and there he
GARSNsS W etdgs uG SCttl ne lives OAs
Warren street. would. IL extended, run
right into the Statue Of Liberty. AS you
stand in front Of his home and look down
the street the statue appears to rise
from the dead centre OF It, The day
after he licked Herman Johnny rowed
out to the statue and caught thirty-three
crabs. which he took home for supper.
That's his sport.
How He Earned Els Name.
Most OF his training has been done in
fire house around the corner In Morris
street. AS kid he hung around the
frehouse. His hobby was firemen and
fires. They call such persons buffs.
Johnny Lasl<y was a buff. He fought In
the navy under his own name. When he
turned professional he wanted q nom De
guerre. Naturally this new christening
became the privilege of his pals, the fire.
men of Engine Company No. in Morris
street. When he was youngster they
had called him Johnny Buff, and Johnny
Buff they now chose to be his fighting
name. and so it is.
Rumor has credited Johnny Buff with
three children. This was premature He
has been married only two years and
his only child, James Adams Lasky. is
eight months old. Some time ago q
photographer went over to get pictures
Of Johnny and his family. The idea that
there were three children was so firmly
fixed In his head that Johnny obligingly
borrowed a nephew and niece to add to
his own group. But there's only one
This reporter has II on the authority Of
Johnny and his wife and of the assem-
bled ftremen OF Engine Company No. 9, |
all of whom are. In a manner Of speak |
ing, goSfathers of James Adams Lasky, |
babe In arms.
In some ways Johnny Buff Is an ex-
traordinary being. 1t would appear from |
inspection OF photographs accompanying |
this story that he wears no jeweiry. |
This Is fact or was so at least when |
the man from THE NEw YORK HERALD |
talked with him. Did you ever before |
see prosperous fighter in his street !
clothes" who did not sport handful Of |
sparklers about his person? Not 50
Johnny; no scarfpiD, no ring of any |
kind; well fitted clothes, Jaunty hat. \
pls in dark tie. but nary n gimcrack. |
Every report makes him out a sober |
modest man who takes his profession |
seriously and. with the help Of his
banker-his wife--intcnds 20 save his
money and have competence laid by |
FOR the future.
He drinks no intoxicants at all. He
smokes no cigarettes. and, when not
training only an occasional cigar He
has no automobile. He goes to bed at
p M. His only diversions outside his
family life seem to be the aforemen-
toned passion for grabbing and addi-
ton to the card game rhum. His train
er Is a Jersey City fireman. Larry SUIT
ton. His sparring partner is a high
school boy. Sam Kaplan. who thus
earns money for an education whose
goal is the practice OF law
In Jersey City Johnny is about as
well known as his friend Mayor Frank |
Hague. but he lodges the mobs when
he can. Since winning the worlds cham
pionship he hos habitually returned to
bis home in the evening through dimly
lighted Gregory street rather than tho
bright Newark avenue.
Il don't want them TO be stopping
me and talking about the fight" he
says.