Fight:360115

Buck Crouse lost to Jack Ortega by DQ in round 1 of 10

• Date: 1913-08-17
• Location: Panama City, Panama

The promoters of this fight and Jack Ortega were also arrested after the foul was called, and that the riot that ensued was a result of the strong suspicions of the crowd and the police that the fight was fixed and that Ortega had taken a dive to cover strong betting he and/or Crouse had made on the fight.

All ticket receipts were refunded, according to the article, "Crouse in Chain Gang in Panama", The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pg. 20, 20 August 1913. After Crouse was sentenced to a Chain Gang, the promoters of the fight were released, but Ortega may have served a bit longer. That law enforcement and the crowd suspected the fight of having been fixed is described in the article, "Buck Crouse in Bad", Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pennsylvania, pg. 6, 18 August 1913. Abe Hollandersky in his autobiography describes having been present at this fight and that the effects of it on Panamanian boxing fans reduced the house receipts for a period in Panamanian boxing.

Ortega was from San Jose, California originally, and had served around 10 years in San Quentin Prison for assaulting an 11 year old girl. He and several of his brothers had had repeated brushes with the law. After completing his sentence, he came to Panama City and won the Heavyweight championship. He had boxed for a few years before his arrest, and was known as a boxer prior to his prison term.