Paul (Red) Carr
Manager
1920's - 1930's

Paul (Red) Carr is considered to be the greatest boxing manager ever in Buffalo. He was born June 20, 1894 and raised on Buffalo's West side. Red grew up with his brother, Luke, who was a fine boxer and a noted boxing referee. Red hung around Buffalo's old boxing clubs that staged weekly shows. He worked at Allie Smith's Gym on S. Division St. as a second in the corners. Red dreamed of becoming a fighter himself when he first laced up the gloves for money against a guy named Patsy Klein. Red said, "I got a broken nose for a dollar and a half. You know they passed the hat", he laughed.

Red fought locally but before he could pursue his career, World War I broke out and he was shipped over to France with the 108th Army Engineers. While serving in France, he boxed in the American Expeditionary Forces shows, including a bout at the famed resort in Biarritz near the Spanish border. When peace was declared, he was in charge of boxing programs at the embarkation camp in Marseilles. His service earned him a citation award signed by Gen. John J. Pershing and President Woodrow Wilson.

After returning home in 1919, Red opened a newsstand at the corner of N. Division and Main St.. He continued his boxing career until 1920. After being overmatched against opponents, he became wise to the game. "There is nobody braver than a hungry manager; outside the ring you don't get punched," Red would often say. He soon began managing fighters and his first two clients were good ones - Johnny Paske and Jimmy Goodrich. Paske was a tough middleweight who could hit like a mule. Red steered Goodrich toward the vacant lightweight title left by Benny Leonard on Jan. 15, 1925. Jimmy Goodrich won the lightweight title on July 13, 1925 by knocking-out Stan Loayza in two rounds held in Long Island. Red Carr became a well-known boxing manager, managing many notable fighters over the years, such as Willie Lavin, Paul Mahoney, Willie Cunningham, Harry Cook, Joe Hall, Benny Ross, and "Big Boy" Brackey.

His most remarkable achievement was managing a South Buffalo lad named Jimmy Slattery. Although he was still managing champion Jimmy Goodrich at this time, he was able to give Slattery his first title shot against Light-heavyweight Champion, Paul Berlenbach on Sept. 11, 1925. Slattery lost by a knockout in the eleventh round. It took Red two years to get him back to a championship fight as he had to face big boys like Harry Greb, Tommy Burns, Young Stribling, Johnny Risko, and none other than Maxie Rosenbloom (who Slattery already beat twice before). Slattery went on to beat Rosenbloom in ten rounds for the NBA title on Aug.30, 1927. He held it for almost four months before losing to Tommy Loughran on Dec. 12, 1927 in fifteen rounds. Red Can had Jimmy fighting for the next two years. Eighteen fights later, he would regain the championship again in an elimination bout (to fill the vacancy left from Tommy Loughran moving up to the heavyweight division). On Feb. 10, 1930, Slattery fought Lou Scozza, another tough contender from Buffalo's West side, in what turned out to be one of the biggest fights ever held in Buffalo. They were both hungry to be champion. They fought for fifteen rounds, pounding leather at each other. Although Slattery was staggered in the thirteenth round by Scozza's vicious punches, he gained a fifteen round decision to capture the championship once again. To this day, that fight remains as one of the greatest fights ever held in Buffalo. Hopefully, it will never be forgotten. As Red Carr masterfully managed two world champions at almost the same time, he brought fame and pride to Buffalo and Western New York for well over a quarter of a century.

In 1933, Red worked for the city of Buffalo Water Department, where he spent thirty-three years before his retirement in 1966. Paul married the former Margaret Nagel in 1921 and is the proud father of Delores, June, Paul Jr., and Marjorie, the grandfather of six and great-grandfather of five. He was known as Red to all his friends and "Ra" to all his grandchildren. Red was named Buffalonian of the year in Oct. 1993 and was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

Red passed away on May 15, 1996, a month shy of 102 beautiful years. Tonight, we are very proud to posthumously honor Paul (Red) Carr for his achievements and contributions to the sport of boxing by inducting him into Ring #44's Boxing Hall of Fame.