Paul Berlenbach By Rob Snell

[Mofo2]

Oakland Tribune

27 March 1961

From Cabbie To Champ

The years and fate have been kind to Paul Berlenbach, one-time light heavyweight champion of the world.

A New Yorker since his birth, the 61-year-old former champion is visiting Oakland for the first time since 1927 after he lost his title to Jack Delaney, the French-Canadian.

During his ring career, which stretched over 10 years from 1923 through 1933, Berlenbach scored 30 knockouts. He was knocked out three times, twice by his nemesis. Delaney, and by Mike McTigue, the Irish light heavyweight champion.

Berlenbach isn't like most old timers who belittle modern day fighters. He only modestly suggests they came just a bit tougher in his day.

Berlenbach won the title from Mike McTigue in New York in 1925. Mike had gained the title from Battling Siki. the Senegalese who had the temerity to put his crown on the line in Dublin, Ireland on St Patricks Day. 1923.

Berlenbach risked his title against Delaney in a bout which opened Madison Square Garden in New York City. Dec 11, 1925 He beat Delaney in 15 rounds, the only time he accomplished the feat.

Asked why he had never met Jack Dempsey in the ring. Berlenbach smiled wryly and said:

"We talked often of a match with Dempsey. I wanted the bout in New York. Dempsey didn't want to fight me in New York where he couldn't stand over a man after knocking him down, but would have to go to a neutral corner.

"Jack didn't want to go 15 rounds either, and he would have been forced to agree to those terms in a New York title fight. We couldn't get together and so I didn't get a chance at the heavyweight title. "But. don't get me wrong," Berlenbach continued. "Dempsey was a whale of a fighter. Why, in his prime he could have licked 10 Gene Tunneys in the same

night."

The ex-champion said he made money in the fight game and put it away in what he thought was a safe investment.

"I invested all my earnings in municipal bonds." Paul explained. "When the 1929 depression hit. the bonds defaulted. I could have held on. But I didn't want my wife and I to become a public charge so I sold them at a great loss bit by bit."

"However I'm not complaining I have enjoyed fine health all these years and have been happy for 20 years in a job with the Jacob Ruppert Brewery in New York I have fared well."

Berlenbach hasn't strayed far from home base He still lives in Gramercy Park. Manhattan.He weighs but 178 pounds, just three over his fighting weight of years ago.

It isn't too strange that Berlenbach got into the fight game through driving a cab .In his youth he won the 1920 Olympic Heavyweight Wrestling championship in Antwerp. He found his wrestling skills were no match for some of the tough fares he picked up around Gramercy Park.

Tired of losing money and decisions he went to Dan Hickey head trainer of the New York Athletic Club. Hickey took him in hand and when he showed ability it wasn't long before he was fighting in amateurs.

He won the National AAC heavyweight championship in 1922. When he turned pro in the light heavy ranks, Dan Hickey stayed with him as manager.

The pair remained fast friends through his career and shared success as Berlenbach climbed the fistic ladder.

Berlenbach fought them all. Johnny Risko, the Rubber Man, Young Stribling, Mickey Walker, Jimmy Darcy, Battling Siki and a host of other former greats of the ring. His fondest recollection is of his father William, a product of the old country in the Rhineland and proud as punch of his fighting boy.

“I would give him a ticket , in the gallery, because he always created too much fuss at ringside," Berlenbach recalled. "But when he arrived at the arena he would demand a ringside seat or threaten to pull me out of the bout. There he would be when I came in, yelling at everyone and offering to fight the crowd for both of us."

After a visit of two weeks here with his brother Joseph, a retired brewmaster, he will return to New York and his job.

End