Frederick Ernest Schaaf (September 27, 1908 – February 14, 1933) was a professional boxer who was a heavyweight contender in the 1930s but died after a bout.

Career Schaaf weighed in his prime which was typical for a heavyweight in that era (175 pounds and up). In the 1930s he went 2 wins, 1 loss with Tommy Loughran, easily outpointed two future heavyweight world champions in Max Baer in their first fight in 1930 and James J. Braddock in 1931. He also outpointed future title challengers Young Stribling and Tony Galento in 1932.

During a second fight with Baer, on 31 August 1932, Schaaf suffered a severe beating and knockout in the final round, hitting the mat two seconds before the final bell, which saved him from an official knockout – Baer won on points. It took several minutes for Schaaf to be revived. Schaaf complained of headaches thereafter, and some observers believe that he suffered brain damage.

Six months later, on 10 February 1933, Schaaf fought Heavyweight contender Primo Carnera, in a bout that would earn Carnera a heavyweight title shot if he won. Schaaf entered as a slight favorite. The bout was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Schaaf lost by KO in round 13. He left the ring unconscious and died four days later. An autopsy revealed that Schaaf had meningitis, a swelling of the brain, and was still recovering from a severe case of influenza which had briefly hospitalized him during his training camp.

Legacy The cause of Ernie Schaaf's death has been a point of contention for many years. Despite Carnera's knockout of Ernie Schaaf, and Schaaf's documented poor health before the bout, one narrative portrays Schaaf as never having recovered from a knockout by Max Baer six months earlier. A framing echoed in Cinderella Man (2005), “Max Baer's killed two men in the ring.” In The Harder They Fall (1956), Max Baer (essentially playing himself) is upset about not getting credit, and says, "Your joker tapped him. I did the work and he gets the glory. I don't like it."

In The Harder They Fall (1956) a character similar to Schaaf named 'Gus Dundee' is portrayed by boxer Pat Cominskey, who was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006.

Record Schaaf has an official record of 55–13–2 with 1 no contest and 4 no decisions, but the no-decision bouts are due to the scoring practices of the era. Newspaper reports indicate that he won 3 of those, and lost one.

Professional boxing record All information in this section is derived from BoxRec, unless otherwise stated.

Official record

All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column. ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes75Loss Primo CarneraKO13 (15), Feb 10, 193374Win53–12–2 Stanley PoredaTKO6 (10), Jan 6, 193373Win52–12–2 Edward "Unknown" WinstonKO6 (12), Dec 12, 193272Loss51–12–2 Edward "Unknown" WinstonSD10Oct 20, 193271Loss51–11–2 Max BaerMD10Aug 31, 193270Win51–10–2 Ted SandwinaPTS10Aug 1, 193269Win50–10–2 Paulino UzcudunPTS15Jul 25, 193268Win49–10–2 Salvatore RuggirelloTKO2 (10), Jul 7, 193267Loss48–10–2 Stanley PoredaPTS10Jun 24, 193266Win48–9–2 Tony GalentoPTS10Jun 7, 193265Win47–9–2 Edward "Unknown" WinstonKO5 (10)May 16, 193264Win46–9–2 Jack GrossPTS10May 13, 193263Win45–9–2 Ted SandwinaUD10Apr 25, 193262Win44–9–2 Young StriblingPTS10Feb 26, 193261Win43–9–2 Salvatore RuggirelloTKO4 (10), Feb 5, 193260Win42–9–2 Giacomo BergomasKO2 (10), Dec 16, 193159Win41–9–2 Frankie SimmsTKO3 (10)Dec 10, 193158Win40–9–2 Jack DorvalSD10Nov 19, 193157Win39–9–2 Tuffy GriffithsUD10Sep 23, 193156Win38–9–2 Roberto RobertiKO3 (10)Sep 10, 193155Win37–9–2 Victorio CampoloKO7 (12)Aug 31, 193154Win36–9–2 Angus SnyderTKO5 (10)Aug 11, 193153Win35–9–2 Jim MaloneyTKO3 (10)Jul 10, 193152Win34–9–2 Leo WilliamsKO2 (10), Jun 29, 193151Win33–9–2 Jack GagnonKO1 (10), Jun 15, 193150Win32–9–2 Jim MaloneyKO1 (10), May 26, 193149Win31–9–2 Paul PantaleoNWS10Mar 27, 193148Loss31–9–2 Tommy LoughranUD10Mar 13, 193147Win31–8–2 Dynamite JacksonPTS10Feb 24, 193146Win30–8–2 Dick DanielsKO1 (10)Feb 16, 193145Win29–8–2 Dick DanielsUD10Jan 26, 193144Win28–8–2 James J. BraddockSD10Jan 23, 193143Win27–8–2 Max BaerUD10Dec 19, 193042Loss26–8–2 Babe HuntPTS10Sep 2, 193041Win26–7–2 Tommy LoughranUD10Jun 11, 193040Win25–7–2 Tommy LoughranSD10Apr 28, 193039Draw24–7–2 Paul PantaleoPTS10Mar 14, 193038Win24–7–1 Meyer K.O. ChristnerPTS10Feb 21, 193037Win23–7–1 Al FriedmanPTS10Jan 10, 193036Loss22–7–1 Johnny RiskoPTS12Dec 9, 192935Loss22–6–1 Meyer K.O. ChristnerPTS10Oct 18, 192934Win22–5–1 Jack RenaultPTS10Sep 23, 192933Win21–5–1 Jack GagnonKO6 (10)Jul 15, 192932Win20–5–1 Murray GitlitzKO1 (10)Jul 6, 192931Loss19–5–1 Tommy LoughranPTS10May 24, 192930Win19–4–1 Al FriedmanPTS10Mar 22, 192929Loss18–4–1 Young Con O'KellyDQ6 (10)Feb 15, 192928Win18–3–1 Al FriedmanPTS10Feb 11, 192927Win17–3–1 Johnny RiskoUD10Dec 28, 192826Win16–3–1 Bud GormanPTS10Dec 12, 192825Win15–3–1 James Jay LawlessTKO7 (10)Nov 21, 192824Loss14–3–1 Tiger Jack PaynePTS10Oct 16, 192823Win14–2–1 Big Boy PetersonPTS10Sep 4, 192822Win13–2–1 Harold MaysPTS10Jul 31, 192821Win12–2–1 Pat McCarthyPTS10Jul 16, 192820Loss11–2–1 Big Boy PetersonUD10May 25, 192819Loss11–1–1 Harold MaysNWS10Apr 30, 192818Win11–1–1 Benny TouchstonePTS10Apr 2, 192817Win10–1–1 Benny TouchstonePTS10Jan 30, 192816Win9–1–1 Emilio SolomonPTS10Jan 9, 192815Win8–1–1 Yale OkunNWS10Jan 3, 192814Win8–1–1 Murray GitlitzNWS10Dec 8, 192713Win8–1–1 Yale OkunPTS10Oct 21, 192712Loss7–1–1 Yale OkunNWS10Sep 6, 192711Win7–1–1 Ray NeumanNWS10Aug 24, 192710Loss7–1–1 Yale OkunDQ1 (?)Aug 16, 19279Draw7–0–1 Benny TouchstonePTS6Jul 13, 19278Win7–0 Dan LieberKO3 (?)Jul 8, 19277Win6–0 Al FriedmanNWS10Jun 18, 19276Win6–0 Murray GitlitzPTS6May 20, 19275Win5–0 Sergeant Jack AdamsKO1 (?), Apr 28, 19274Win4–0 Jack GagnonKO2 (10)Apr 7, 19273Win3–0 Ad StoneKO4 (10)Apr 1, 19272Win2–0 Al FriedmanPTS6Mar 17, 19271Win1–0 Jack DarnellTKO2 (10)Mar 11, 1927

Unofficial record

Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column. ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes75Loss Primo CarneraKO13 (15), Feb 10, 193374Win58–14–2 Stanley PoredaTKO6 (10), Jan 6, 193373Win57–14–2 Edward "Unknown" WinstonKO6 (12), Dec 12, 193272Loss56–14–2 Edward "Unknown" WinstonSD10Oct 20, 193271Loss56–13–2 Max BaerMD10Aug 31, 193270Win56–12–2 Ted SandwinaPTS10Aug 1, 193269Win55–12–2 Paulino UzcudunPTS15Jul 25, 193268Win54–12–2 Salvatore RuggirelloTKO2 (10), Jul 7, 193267Loss53–12–2 Stanley PoredaPTS10Jun 24, 193266Win53–11–2 Tony GalentoPTS10Jun 7, 193265Win52–11–2 Edward "Unknown" WinstonKO5 (10)May 16, 193264Win51–11–2 Jack GrossPTS10May 13, 193263Win50–11–2 Ted SandwinaUD10Apr 25, 193262Win49–11–2 Young StriblingPTS10Feb 26, 193261Win48–11–2 Salvatore RuggirelloTKO4 (10), Feb 5, 193260Win47–11–2 Giacomo BergomasKO2 (10), Dec 16, 193159Win46–11–2 Frankie SimmsTKO3 (10)Dec 10, 193158Win45–11–2 Jack DorvalSD10Nov 19, 193157Win44–11–2 Tuffy GriffithsUD10Sep 23, 193156Win43–11–2 Roberto RobertiKO3 (10)Sep 10, 193155Win42–11–2 Victorio CampoloKO7 (12)Aug 31, 193154Win41–11–2 Angus SnyderTKO5 (10)Aug 11, 193153Win40–11–2 Jim MaloneyTKO3 (10)Jul 10, 193152Win39–11–2 Leo WilliamsKO2 (10), Jun 29, 193151Win38–11–2 Jack GagnonKO1 (10), Jun 15, 193150Win37–11–2 Jim MaloneyKO1 (10), May 26, 193149Win36–11–2 Paul PantaleoNWS10Mar 27, 193148Loss35–11–2 Tommy LoughranUD10Mar 13, 193147Win35–10–2 Dynamite JacksonPTS10Feb 24, 193146Win34–10–2 Dick DanielsKO1 (10)Feb 16, 193145Win33–10–2 Dick DanielsUD10Jan 26, 193144Win32–10–2 James J. BraddockSD10Jan 23, 193143Win31–10–2 Max BaerUD10Dec 19, 193042Loss30–10–2 Babe HuntPTS10Sep 2, 193041Win30–9–2 Tommy LoughranUD10Jun 11, 193040Win29–9–2 Tommy LoughranSD10Apr 28, 193039Draw28–9–2 Paul PantaleoPTS10Mar 14, 193038Win28–9–1 Meyer K.O. ChristnerPTS10Feb 21, 193037Win27–9–1 Al FriedmanPTS10Jan 10, 193036Loss26–9–1 Johnny RiskoPTS12Dec 9, 192935Loss26–8–1 Meyer K.O. ChristnerPTS10Oct 18, 192934Win26–7–1 Jack RenaultPTS10Sep 23, 192933Win25–7–1 Jack GagnonKO6 (10)Jul 15, 192932Win24–7–1 Murray GitlitzKO1 (10)Jul 6, 192931Loss23–7–1 Tommy LoughranPTS10May 24, 192930Win23–6–1 Al FriedmanPTS10Mar 22, 192929Loss22–6–1 Young Con O'KellyDQ6 (10)Feb 15, 192928Win22–5–1 Al FriedmanPTS10Feb 11, 192927Win21–5–1 Johnny RiskoUD10Dec 28, 192826Win20–5–1 Bud GormanPTS10Dec 12, 192825Win19–5–1 James Jay LawlessTKO7 (10)Nov 21, 192824Loss18–5–1 Tiger Jack PaynePTS10Oct 16, 192823Win18–4–1 Big Boy PetersonPTS10Sep 4, 192822Win17–4–1 Harold MaysPTS10Jul 31, 192821Win16–4–1 Pat McCarthyPTS10Jul 16, 192820Loss15–4–1 Big Boy PetersonUD10May 25, 192819Loss15–3–1 Harold MaysNWS10Apr 30, 192818Win15–2–1 Benny TouchstonePTS10Apr 2, 192817Win14–2–1 Benny TouchstonePTS10Jan 30, 192816Win13–2–1 Emilio SolomonPTS10Jan 9, 192815Win12–2–1 Yale OkunNWS10Jan 3, 192814Win11–2–1 Murray GitlitzNWS10Dec 8, 192713Win10–2–1 Yale OkunPTS10Oct 21, 192712Loss9–2–1 Yale OkunNWS10Sep 6, 192711Win9–1–1 Ray NeumanNWS10Aug 24, 192710Loss8–1–1 Yale OkunDQ1 (?)Aug 16, 19279Draw8–0–1 Benny TouchstonePTS6Jul 13, 19278Win8–0 Dan LieberKO3 (?)Jul 8, 19277Win7–0 Al FriedmanNWS10Jun 18, 19276Win6–0 Murray GitlitzPTS6May 20, 19275Win5–0 Sergeant Jack AdamsKO1 (?), Apr 28, 19274Win4–0 Jack GagnonKO2 (10)Apr 7, 19273Win3–0 Ad StoneKO4 (10)Apr 1, 19272Win2–0 Al FriedmanPTS6Mar 17, 19271Win1–0 Jack DarnellTKO2 (10)Mar 11, 1927

Bibliography

References

External links

Fallen & Forgotten: The Ernie Schaaf Story Massachusetts Memento Mori: Jack Sharkey and Ernie Schaaf