American child actor who was also a local boxer in Culver City, CA and Venice CA. He shows off some of his boxing in Our Gang's "Olympic Games". A 1933 edition of the Evening Vanguard (Venice, California) advertises Buddy’s upcoming fight at the Culver City arena. He is described as the “hard pushing protégé of Bobby LaSalle.” Included is a photo of Buddy “when he portrayed a ‘tofe mug’ in Our Gang comedies several years back. Even then he showed a flair for fighting. Today he’s one of the best amateur prospects in these parts.”
Billy Naylor, another Our Gang supporting player (“Uncle Tom’s Uncle,” “The Fourth Alarm!”, “Telling Whoppers”) is also mentioned as an upcoming contender. The article continues: “Buddy McNeal, Culver City fistic pride, crosses mittens with Manual Reos in a main event slugfest tonight at the Culver City Amateur Athletic club stadium on Overland avenue. Buddy and Manuel will share top spot honors with Micky Morgan, light heavyweight champion, and Johnnie Haase, two ancient rivals of amateur circles, who should provide plenty of punching in three rounds. McNeal will face a ‘tough hombre’ in Manuel, who gave Eddie Hayden a real run for his money last week before dropping a decision. Buddy wants a victory over Reos to pave the way for a crack at Hayden, and eventually Morry Dragna, coast champion.”
November 3, 1933 issue of the Evening Vanguard: McNeal and Daley Battle at Culver Lightweights Top Card at Amateur Club Tonight; Heavies Also Meet “Buddy McNeal, sensational Culver City lightweight, and Sailor Jasper Daley, who has been ‘stealing the show’ of late at the Culver City Amateur Athletic club, will tangle tonight in the main event at the Overland avenue arena.”
An April 27, 1934 issue of the Evening Vanguard mentions that the previous week, Buddy won back his lightweight title from Gail Harrington, “who snatched the crown from him on a default.” Buddy was a spectator the previous night, but fans tried to coax him into fighting the winner of the Paul Garcia-Rocky Nelson match. The “Cyclone,” as he’s nicknamed here, “is bidding his time before going to the wars again.”
A 1934 issue of Venice News: “Fight fans are expected to turn out in force tomorrow evening at the Culver City Amateur Athletic club to welcome back Gail Harrington, popular lightweight scrapper, and to see whether a long layoff has so dimmed Gail’s punching prowess that he won’t be able to nose out Ace Hutchison, the Santa Monica “Wildcat.” The two punchers meet in the feature main event, over the five-round route, with Gail, despite his recent absence from the ring, rated a little edge over Hutchison. Ace showed a fighting heart last week in winning a decision over Buddy McNeal, and he should give Gail a bit of trouble. While there were rumors today that Buddy McNeal wasn’t particularly anxious to meet Eddie Hayden in the third ‘main event’ on the card, it appeared as though the fight would go through as per schedule.”
September 12, 1934 issue of the Evening Vanguard: “Buddy McNeal and Ace Hutchison are down for another top-notch brawl, with Buddy anxious to win and get a crack at Gail Harrington”. “Harrington has agreed to meet the winner in a main event tussle a week from Thursday Night. Hutchison, popular Santa Monican, would also like to meet the sharp-shooting blonde, and things he can pound Buddy in the mid-riff enough to weaken him and mayhap slap in a kayo punch.”
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