OBIT: Meyers "K.O." CHRISTNER, 1979, native of Garrett, Somerset County, PA

  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Meyersdale Library
  Transcribed by Kerry L. Miller.

  Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/
  _______________________________________________ 

  MEYERS CHRISTNER
  
    Meyers "K.O." Christner, 84, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a native of
  Garrett, died Monday at his home.
    Christner moved to the Akron, Ohio area after World War I service with
  the 37th Infantry Division in which he was a first sergeant in Company K. 
  He had also served with the unit during the Mexican border war against
  Pancho Villa in 1916.
    Christner had nearly 250 pro fights during a boxing career that spanned
  the 1920's and 1930's, including 45 matches in one year.  He fought such
  boxing greats as Max Baer and Jack Dempsey, and his most famous fight came
  on Dec. 4, 1928, when he knocked out "the fighting Dane," Knute Hansen in
  the eighth round of the Christmas Fund feature in Cleveland Public Hall.
    He had been Babe Ruth's catcher when they were 12year-old members of the
  Third Dormitory team at St. Mary's Industrial School in Baltimore, where he
  had been sent because of chronic absenteeism from the public school in
  Garrett.
    After his retirement from the ring, he opened a bowling alley in
  Cumberland, Md., and he operated it until he retired in 1967.  He then
  returned to the Akron, Ohio area.
    He leaves his wife of 62 years, Elizabeth; son, Milton of Cuyahoga Falls,
  Ohio; daughter, Betty Force, of Tallmadge, Ohio; brother, Tom, of Hyndman;
  sisters, Gertrude Ritchey, of Hyndman and Irene Waggle of Akron, Ohio, four
  grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
    Services were held at the Redmon Funeral Home in Stow, Ohio.
  
  The Republic, November 1, 1979
  
  [C0409]