[professordp]

After the start of what appeared to be a promising career, Russell "Baby Faced" Tague settled into the role of a primary gatekeeper for the featherweight and lighweight divisions during the mid to late 1950s. He was typically the guy you faced on your way up---or on your way down.

He sported an impressive resume that included names like Willie Pep, Davey Moore, Ike Chestnut, Battling Torres, Sonny Leon, Gil Cadilli, and Lulu Perez. Tague was always ready to fight and scored an occassional upset along the way.

Regardless of the outcome, he was a tough customer. In his second fight with an aging Willie Pep, it's alleged that Tague had broken fourteen of Willie's ribs in a losing effort.

The father of seven children, Baby Faced fought frequently and travelled to the far reaches of North America to pick up a purse. Fighting virtually every month (sometimes every other week) took its toll on Tague, and by the end of 1956 he was somewhat shopworn.

The following year he lost all five of his matches and appeared to call it a day. He returned to face Paul Jorgensen in April 1958 and suffered a tenth round TKO. A year later, he faced Battling Torres and was counted out in the third heat. At this point he retired for good, after securing a more stable means of feeding his family as an employee at the John Deere Plow and Planter Company.

Angelo Dundee noted of Tague, "Only tough guys fought him...And he had to go after them in their hometown."