HEINE BAKER IS
KILLED BY TRAIN.
WAS ONCE A WELL KNOWN
HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHTER.
Made a Great Chicago Record, Then
Jeffries Whipped Him -- His
Head Cut Off by
Wheels.
The headless body of Harry Baker, better known as Heine Baker, one of the best known heavyweight boxers in the world in his time, was found yesterday afternoon n the tracks at the Gooseneck at the foot of Broadway. It is thought that he was run over by a Burlington passenger engine.
Baker was born in Chicago about 42 years ago and received his early training for the battles of life among the foundries of that city. At a very early age he entered the ring and began earning money by the edification of the Chicago fight fans.
"I have seen him," said Dave Porteous last night, "fight a negro in a cellar where the boundaries and the floor of the ring were of rock. He could knock a man out with either fist, and he never held back, but went after a man from the start. There were some cleverer men than Heine in the ring, but few gamer and none squarer. Strange as it may be to be said of a prize fighter, eh never owed a man a dollar that he did not pay. He was one of the squarest sports that ever pulled off a shirt."
At other times Baker fought negroes in a ring where the "ropes" were iron pipes. He got to be called the "iron man" and had a reputation of being unbeatable. Starting in at the weight of about 165 pounds, with each succeeding training he became heavier and in his prime he weighed 185. He soon became too good to stay in the Chicago foundry district, so he got a fight with Dick Moore in Milwaukee. He won one fight with Moore and was once beaten by him.
Several other fights with good men around Milwaukee gave him a reputation and he became known as a trial horse for the big fighters. In May, 1896, he got a match with James J. Jeffries. The battle was pulled off in San Francisco. Baker wanted a twenty-four-foot ring, but the champion insisted on an eighteen-foot ring. This was a considerable handicap to Baker, who, although he held on gamely for nine rounds, was terribly beaten. He got three ribs broken, besides being knocked out. He never fought so well afterwards.
After that he went down. He came to this city ten years ago to get a match with Tommy Ryan, but the match was interfered with and Baker stuck here. He got a job as watchman on an excursion steamboat, which he held for many years. Since Tom Pendergast went into office as street commissioner he had been working for the street department. In the fall of 1903 he tried to enter the ring again and went on in a bout with a negro named Bob Long at Vineyard hall and was beaten. He roomed at 1320 St. Louis avenue. Two sisters and a brother live in Milwaukee. The body is at Eylar's undertaking rooms.
