gerhardtsteffen

Billy Gibson, H.Y. Steffen, Theo. Hardeen, Leonard Hicks, Willie Ritchie, Emil Thiry (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• pennylrichardsca (now at ipernity) said:

  Is that Theodore Hardeen the brother of Houdini? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Hardeen Similar face, chin dimple: www.akahoudini.org/htdocs/content.php?aSecID=3&aSubID=74

• Ryan (LOC P&P) said:

  Yes, I think that you're right, pennylrichardsca. The man on the top right in this photograph is Houdini's brouther, Hardeen. Any idea what might have brought these chaps together?

• Art Siegel said:

  This is from the same photo session as
  
  Notes to that picture suggest it is in connection with Willie Ritchie's World Lightweight Boxing Championship bout in London in 1914. That photo appears to be dated 6/14.
  
  Emil Thiery *note misspelling* was Ritchie's manager at the time. See short bio of Ritchie, born Gerhardt (sometimes reported as Geary) Steffen in San Francisco, at books.google.com/books?id=aA2LO_DGdu4C&pg=PA206&l...
  
  This newspaper account of June 30, 1914 announces the coming bout in London. "Ritchie, who has his brother, Henry Steffen [*note H'y abbreviation in Bain caption], and Emil Thiery his manager, as constant companions, is training in a northern suburb of London."
  news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19140630&i...
  
  Still a mystery why Hardeen is in the party, but he must have been connected to the event in some way. It seems likely that this photo session was before Ritchie left the U.S. for London, as he is seen accepting the bout.