Harry Greb. This title will certainly say nothing to outdated and new boxing followers, for the reason that character in reference is a part of a really distant era of gladiators positioned on the finish of the primary decade and starting of the second decade of the 20 th century, nearly a century in the past, which in fact leads us to presume that there are only a few (solely these avid readers of boxing historical past, like the author of this text) who would possibly know who was the person nicknamed “Pittsburgh Windmill” in boxing.
What we are able to say, earlier than going any additional, is that Greb was a kind of boxers who solely seems every so often… However it might be higher for those who learn on to study somewhat extra concerning the character and what he was like within the ring, within the incomplete micro biography about him within the following strains:
Harry Greb, plain and easy, Edward Henry Greb by delivery (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 06/1894- Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey, 22/10 1926), as we famous earlier than referred to as “The Pittsburgh Windmill” was an distinctive middleweight boxer who outdated chroniclers of ring historical past at all times positioned of their historic notes within the lists of probably the most prestigious exponents of the traditional sport.
A MEMORABLE RIVALRY
It could be sufficient to say simply one in all his fights to grant a privileged place in historical past to the person who has been within the Worldwide Boxing Corridor of Fame in Canastota since 1990 (in 1954 he had already entered the Nat Fleischer Museum, now disappeared or changed by the present one in New York).
That memorable battle with gloves was staged in “The Large Apple” on Might 23, 1922, wherein Greb confronted the legendary Gene Tunney, U.S. nationwide champion of the Mild Heavyweight. It’s price noting that 4 years later Tunney would dethrone the “Manassa Killer” Jack Dempsey, heavyweight champion, and defeated him once more within the rematch within the historic battle referred to as the “Lengthy Rely” 96 years in the past, precisely on September 22, 1927, at Troopers Discipline in Chicago, Illinois, earlier than greater than 100,000 spectators and which now we have referred to on different events.
Within the bout towards Greb, the defending champion, Tunney, got here up with 174 kilos, 12 greater than Greb. He had by no means been defeated in 53 fights, whereas his opponent exceeded 200 fights. On the time, Greb was affected by failing eyesight as a result of a indifferent retina, an damage sustained in a battle the earlier yr. Allegedly (that is what is understood about it) to even out his bodily disadvantages, Greb appealed to illicit sources in a number of components of the battle.
Within the first spherical he headbutted the champion and broke his nasal septum. He lastly received by factors in what was the one frustration within the good profession of the previous Marine (he left the ring with 65-1-1 -47 knockouts, a former U.S. Military officer in World Battle I, in addition to an indefatigable reader and lover of classical music), snatched the sunshine heavyweight belt of the nation.
In February of the next yr, Tunney (at 175 kilos, 10 greater than Greb, took revenge and regained the belt in 15 rounds. In March of ’25, Tunney (181 kilos, together with his fierce rival at 167) prevailed once more. GT would say, in retirement, that Greb had been the hardest opponent in his total profession and that he didn’t understand how he may have ended up on his ft within the first confrontation.
The blistering, lightning-fast, slick fighter, who moved across the ring incessantly and unusually courageously, dominated the middleweight lot from 1923 to 1926. He received the world title by resolution towards Johnny Wilson (08/31/23) and defended it 6 instances favorably-all by decision-against Bryan Downey (12/3/23, in 10); Johnny Wilson (01/18/24, in 15); Fay Kaiser (03/24/24, in 12); Ted Moore (06/26/24, in 15); Mickey Walker /07/02/25, in 15) and Tony Marullo (11/13/25, in 15).
On 02/26/26, in NY one other luminary of the period and in addition together with his title inscribed within the Corridor, Thedore (Tiger) Flowers, the primary black 160-pound world champion (72, 5574 kg) knocked him down in 15 and took the throne. Flowers beat him once more on August 19 of that yr in New York, a frustration that pressured Greb, already removed from the nice fighter he had been, to say goodbye to the ring for good.
HIS STYLE, MERITS AND FINAL DAYS
In 12 years, between 1913-1926, he left behind him some 290 fights, though different statistics give him 305, of which 46 have been knockouts, 64 on factors, 1 by foul, 3 attracts, 5 defeats on the scorecards and solely 2 knockouts towards. Different 168 seem as No Choice or with out official outcomes, plus a no contest.
He distinguished himself for his aggressive manner of preventing with out stopping throwing punches in every spherical, an actual machine gun with gloves that, though with out nice knockout energy, overwhelmed his opponents with a relentless rain of punches from all angles, in fixed mobility from one aspect of the ring to the opposite.
Greb counts amongst his deserves, which endorse his greatness, with totally different recognitions from connoisseurs and specialised organizations. Amongst these stand out, for instance, being the fifth and 4th of all time, respectively, by the historian Bert Sugar and the commentator Max Kellerman; the 2nd best of all eras for The Ring within the final 90 years; the fifth best of all time by Field Rec and the primary middleweight, third gentle heavyweight and second Pound-for-Pound of historical past for the Worldwide Boxing Analysis Group.
Nearly blind since 5 years earlier than his farewell to the ring, he died, nonetheless in his prime, when he was solely 32 years outdated in Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey, after present process surgical procedure for a broken eye damage, on October 22, 1926. Sixty-five (65) days after his final climb to the ring.
An outdated American historian mentioned of Greb that “he mixed the pace of Robinson, the consistency of James J. Jeffries, the vitality of Hank Armstrong and the murderous aggressiveness of Stanley Ketchel, moreover having a will to win the ultimate in historical past”. For his half Jack Dempsey, who reigned among the many heavyweights from 1919-26 mentioned of “Pittsburgh Windmill” that he was “the quickest boxer I ever noticed in my life, quicker even than a light-weight.”
