Meyer (K.O.) Christner
Name: KO Christner
Alias: Meyers Wilson Christner
Birth Name: Meyer Wilson Christner
Hometown: Akron, Ohio, USA
Birthplace: Garrett, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 1979-10-29 (Age:82)
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 182cm
Pro Boxer: Record
Manager: Tom E. Lennon
According to the Tacoma Times (Tacoma, WA, USA) newspaper, Dec. 22, 1928, Meyer Christner did not start his professional boxing career until January 1, 1928, which is incorrect as he actually started around 1926. The paper likely printed the wrong year, as it says he was 29-years-old when he started his pro boxing career (which would make it circa 1925/26).
Per that newspaper article, Christner had been a classmate of the soon-to-become legendary baseball player Babe Ruth at St. Mary's Industrial School in Baltimore, Maryland. In fact, Christner was a baseball catcher while Ruth played ball there.
By age 29, Christner was working at the Firestone Tire Plant in Akron, Ohio. During one incident at the plant, he got into an argument with a "foreigner" who tried to bully him. Christner slugged him, broke his jaw and knocked him out, thus earning his nickname. His friends at the plant suggested that he enter an amateur boxing show, which he did.
Again, according to that Dec. 1928 newspaper article, his first pro bout occurred Jan. 1, 1928, for which he was paid $75.00. (Other reports indicate his debut was against Pete Rogers in Feb 1926.) His manager at the time was Tom E. Lennon, the former Chairman of the Canton Municipal Boxing Commission. His record, as of Dec. 22, 1928, per that article, was 28 KOs and two losses (to Bud Gorman and Joe Sekyra)(45 total bouts).
Prior to boxing, he had played professional football with the Akron, Ohio, Indians team. He also played semi-professional baseball, as a catcher, around the Akron area.
He served in the United States Army during World War I, stationed at Texas training camps. By December 1928, he was married, and had a son (age 9) and a daughter (age 6). His wife inherited a 1,800 acre ranch outside of San Antonio, Texas.
- "K.O. Christner: He Played Catcher to Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth" by Pete Ehrmann: [1]
Undated fights reported in record books, newspapers, or magazines: '''1926''': --- George Adams --- KO 4 --- Charles Mills (Miller) --- KO 2 --- Frank Beckman --- KO 4 --- Firpo Walsh --- [win] prior to 4/29/27 --- Johnny Hughes --- [win] prior to 4/29/27 '''1927''': --- Johnnie Wolker --- KO 2 Jimmy Walker --- Ray Carroll --- KO 2 --- Harry Campbell --- KO 1 --- Young Samuel --- KO 6 --- Bumbo Myers --- KO 7 --- Jack Beam --- KO 2 --- George Goodman --- KO 3 --- Frank Baker --- KO 4 --- Luke Andrews --- KO 6 --- Bill Halliman --- KO 4 Bill Haltman --- John Luekowski --- KO 1 John Lukovick