This is the story of a storyteller. Born on Nov. 1, 1891 in Ohio, Illinois, Bernard (Buck) Faley was a “character”. His parents, James and Susan, owned a meat market and young Buck worked in the family store. Buck was raised and educated in small communities. He had many loves in his life. He loved boxing, family, and his countries, yes, his countries. Buck’s grandparents, John and Bridget, were born in Ireland and Buck was Irish to his core. He was also proud of his family’s new home, America. 

When war broke out Buck enlisted and fought with Company E of the 13th Infantry. His service to the country took Buck to France and placed him in several major battles. July 1918, and the Battle for Le Hamel, Somme was the first time that American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) went into a battle under the leadership of a non-American commander. With Australia in command American, Australian, and British forces reclaimed the village of Le Hamel. The battle was so well planned that it only lasted for 90 minutes, three minutes longer than had been planned. 20 AEF soldiers lost their lives as did 2,000 Germans with another 1,600 captured. August saw the Second Battle of Somme and Sept. 12-16 the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. Saint-Mihiel was the first major use of the U.S. Army Air Service and the first major use of George Patton and the tank corps under his command. The American Expeditionary Forces had been bloodied, tactics had been improved, Buck and his fellow warriors were ready for the “big one.” Sept. 26, 1918 began the Battle of Meuse-Argonne or Battle of the Argonne Forrest. Over the next 47 days 28,000 German, 26,277 American, and an unknown number of French troops perished. With Allied victory came the end of the war, Buck was headed home. 

Boxing was one of Buck Faley’s great loves. From age 18 Buck was drawn to the ring. As the story goes Buck saw Billie Papke (pro-boxer) receive $5,000 for a fight. That made him think boxing was where the money was to be made. “I remember when I won a fight and received $12 for it. A day’s pay then was $2. That was a lot of money,” stated Buck. The most he was paid for a fight was $100. “I then thought I was on the road to riches. It was $50 for the fight and $50 for the tickets I sold.” He was a boxing instructor in the Army, “I taught them boxing because the moves in boxing are the same as the bayonet moves. The right jab, the jab to the left are the same movements.” He claimed that he had fought 25 bouts and only lost three. Evidently those three losses were enough to send Buck on another path. 

It was in 1920 that Buck married Mabel Modler and they honeymooned in Chicago. After a few days in Chicago the Faley’s headed back home and made a quick stop in Rochelle to stretch their legs. In Buck’s words, “Driving through Rochelle I decided to stop and buy a paper. I came out of the store owning a grocery store.”  “Phone Faley for Food” opened at 411 Cherry Ave.  Buck bragged about both of his new ventures. Once when asked about his bride, Mabel, Buck puffed out his chest and asserted, “We’ve been married 58 years and have only had one fight.” When he was asked what the fight was about, he laughed and said, “I don’t remember but it’s been going on for 58 years.” Frequently when speaking of his 11 years in the grocery business Buck would simply say, “The store was in debt when he took it over and he left it the same way.” He never mentioned how often he sold his goods on credit to ensure that no one went hungry during the depression. A story is told of a local woman that called the store and asked Buck if he could deliver potatoes to her home. The delivery boy was out so Buck told the woman that the delivery would have to be after the delivery boy returned. The poor woman said that her husband was coming home soon and she needed the potatoes right away. Buck Faley told her to start the water boiling. A few minutes later Buck showed up with the potatoes, cleaned and peeled, and plopped them in the pan for her. 

The grocery store failed and Buck moved on to his next venture. In 1933 Buck opened “Buck Faley’s Tavern” at 417 Cherry Ave. The tavern became known throughout the area as a safe place to have a drink and swap a story. “In the 40  years in the tavern business I never had a fight. If they wanted to lick me I just let them out the back door,” Faley said. “They could pound on the door all they wanted. They could call me all the Irish names they wanted until they ran out.” Former Police Chief Frank Danekas said, “If all the tavern owners were like Faley there would be no trouble.” 

Buck Faley, with the American Legion Post 403, sponsored boxing events wherever he could find the room to set up a ring, St. Patrick School and Rochelle High School gymnasiums were common venues. In a pinch, smaller events could be held in the back room of almost any business. So many young pugilists like Sam Grube, George Smardo, William Smardo, Bill Hayes, Lester Keagy, Ross Miller, Bill Gaston, Bernard Stunkel, and so many more benefitted from his training. 

Bernard (Buck) Faley passed in 1979 at the age of 88. In his more than 50 years in Rochelle he had seen the town grow from 3,000 to 8,000 people and did his best to touch the lives of all of them. When once asked what he would like to see on his tomb stone Buck smiled and replied, “THAT PUNCH DRUNK, SHELL SHOCKED, BALD HEADED, CRAZY IRISHMAN BUCK FALEY”.

Tom McDermott is a Flagg Township Museum historian and Rochelle city councilman.