Ray Schauer

Name: Ray Schauer
Birth Name: Raymond James Schauer
Hometown: Niles, Ohio, USA
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 1974-07-17 (Age:74)
Pro Boxer: Record

Biography from wikitree.com[1]

Raymond James Schauer was born June 22, 1900, in Pittsburgh, PA, the third son of Thaddeus Edward and Minnie Layng Graham Schauer.

In 1917 Ray began boxing as an amateur in Pittsburgh. He was also a wrestler (105 lbs.). His employment at the time he competed his 1918 military registration card was as an electrical helper for the B&O Railroad in Pittsburgh, PA. From 1920 to 1927 Ray fought professionally as a flyweight and bantamweight from coast to coast and internationally, once claiming the Pacific Coast Flyweight Championship.

Ray fought all-out non-stop in every bout. Ringside reporters often deemed his action packed fights as the best of all bouts that night. There are news accounts of fans showering the ring with money after some fights. Even in his final seven pro bouts when he suffered beatings, referees stopped the fights even though Ray was still on his feet.

There are unexplained gaps of inactivity on his boxing record. He surely had more bouts as he criss-crossed the country that didn't become part of his official record. At times he rode the rails. Sometimes he and his manager, Russ Campbell, drove. Few roads were paved. Some gaps were caused by his scrapes with the law. He was hot headed and had a penchant for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, being jailed more than once.

He manifested classic symptoms of being punch drunk after his career ended and a feature article on page 7 of the Sunday, February 28, 1937, Pittsburgh Press about " Joe Cauliflower," was in fact about Ray. In the late 20's and early 30's Ray worked as a wiper in ship boiler rooms (several round trips New York to Havana). In the late 1930's Ray at times clerked at the family grocery store at 215 East 10th Street in Erie, PA. His generous spirit got him into trouble because sob stories caused him to extend credit. Not being able to collect these due bills was one of the reasons the store went out of business.

In the late 40's Ray lived in a trailer beside an orange grove in Mira Loma. In a second trailer he kept his boxing memorabilia and trophies from his amateur career. Before vanishing one night gypsies living and working in the orange grove looted the second trailer. Nothing was ever recovered. In California in the 40's and 50's Ray was known as a conscientious restaurant kitchen employee; i.e., Santa Catalina restaurants, Derby House in Colton, and as a waiter, dishwasher, and dormitory attendant at Kaiser Mines Eagle Mountain.

At age 53 in 1954 he married Verna Berry from Erie, PA, the widowed (since 1944) mother of one of Jimmy and Lauretta Ray's Colton neighbors. Their wedding took place on May 29, 1954 in San Bernardino, CA. During their thirteen years of marriage they lived in Mira Loma and Eagle Mountain. Near the end of her life, Verna suffered from dementia and had a lengthy stay at San Bernardino Medical Center. Ray lived in an apartment in the neighborhood and visited her daily until she passed away on November 28, 1967. Ray testified he was a born again Christian during his final years. He passed away on July 17, 1974 at a convalescent center in Colton. Both are interred at Hermosa Cemetery in Colton, CA.