Max Fenner

Name: Max Fenner
Alias: Terrible Swede
Hometown: San Francisco, California, USA
Birthplace: Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
Died: 1906-04-18 (Age:38)
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 178cm
Pro Boxer: Record

Originally known as "Frank Allen's Novice".

Said to have beaten M. Quilligan, a heavyweight. (San Francisco Call Sep 20, 1891)

On August 21, 1891 in San Francisco, Fenner was knocked out in the eighteenth round by Con Riordon, an Australian heavyweight who would later sustain fatal injuries in an exhibition bout with Bob Fitzsimmons.

On August 15, 1892 in San Francisco, Fenner was knocked out in the fourth round by Billy Allen. Fenner almost died from the injuries that he sustained in the latter bout, but would later recover.

Was a member of the German Team in the international tug-of-war tournament held on Oct 24, 1891 at San Francisco.

On Jan 22, 1892, he beat William Melody of Ireland (2 falls) in an international catch-as-catch-can wrestling bout.

On April 18, 1906, during the San Francisco Earthquake, Patrolman Fenner was decapitated shortly after saving a young woman fleeing the Essex apartment house. Fenner was killed by a cornice of a building located on Mason Street and near Ellis Street. He left a wife and two children. He was buried at Cypress Lawn Cemetry. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65645294/max-fenner His son, age 22, was killed in the sinking of the S.S. Roanoake in 1916.

According to an article by Julian Guthrie in the April 16, 2006 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, Max Fenner was the only San Francisco policeman who died in the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906. His descendants were scheduled to accept the Purple Heart Medal was awarded to Fenner posthumously by Chief of Police Heather Fong at the ceremony at Lotta's Fountain marking the 100th anniversary of the San Francisco Earthquake.