Frankie Campbell

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Statistics
Frankie Campbell

Real name	Francisco Camilli
Nickname(s)	Frankie Campbell
Rated at	Light Heavyweight/Heavyweight
Height	5' 10"
Nationality	American
Birth date	April or May 1904
Birth place	Hibbings, MN
Death date	August 25, 1930
Death place	San Francisco, CA
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	40
Wins	33
Wins by KO	26
Losses	4
Draws	2
No contests	1

Frankie Campbell (died August 25, 1930) was a heavyweight boxer. During fights, he was known for feigning injury during bouts to incite sloppy offense from his opponents, thereby leaving sufficient opening for a knockout victory. His birth name was Francisco Camilli and he was the brother of professional baseball player Dolph Camilli.

Frankie Campbell fought his last fight against Max Baer on August 25, 1930, in San Francisco, California.

Max Baer was knocked down in the 2nd round, which enraged him, and right after he rose from the canvas, he put all his power behind a solid right-hand (punch) that hit Campbell flush in the chin. Campell eventually died from the punch and the later beating he received in the 5th.

An alternate take on this second round exchange is offered in the San Francisco Examiner from August 26, 1930. The article reads:

“	Irwin [the referee] ruled that Baer had slipped and had not been dropped. He motioned Baer to his feet. In the meantime Campbell had walked the far side of the ring, turning his back... Baer rushed across the ring and socked Campbell with three stiff rights to the head... The blows dazed Campbell and he was pretty well spent as he made his way back to his corner. 'Something feels as though it broke in my head,' Campbell told Chief Second Tommy Maloney during the rest interval between the second and third round."	”
—San Francisco Examiner, August 26, 1930

Onlookers claimed that Baer slugged Campbell "unmercifully" in the 5th round after he was already unconscious but had held onto his feet by the ropes. Had the referee not intervened, Campbell would have been killed outright.

(UP) Doctors worked over Campbell in the open-air ring at the baseball park for half an hour and, failing to revive him, took him to a local hospital where other physicians and nurses worked over him for several hours. Campbell died from a severe concussion of the brain. Doctors later discovered that his brain had been knocked loose from the connective tissue inside his head.

Brain specialist Dr. Tilton E. Tillman "declared death had been caused by a succession of blows on the jaw and not by any struck on the rear of the head," and that Campbell's brain had been "knocked completely loose from his skull." [Oakland Tribune - September 26,1930]

The California State Boxing Commission soon suspended Referee Irwin for his failure to stop the fight, J. Hamilton Lorimer (Baer's manager), Carol E. Working and Tom Maloney (Campbell's managers), and seconds Tillie "Kid" Herman, Ray Carlin, Frankie Burns, and Larry Morrison.

Campbell's professional record was 33-4-2 with 26 knockouts wins.