This is a splendid oral history of a time between World War I and
World War II when Jewish athletes were the dominant ethnic group in
professional boxing in the United States. The author draws on his
own personal experience in New York City's fight arenas, and
incorporates interviews with more than thirty former boxers,
trainers, managers, promoters, and boxing judges to report on this
overlooked aspect of sports history. Bodner explores the stories of
the Jewish boxers both inside and outside the ring, and also
examines their lives as they left the ring to pursue their careers
which ranged from fire chiefs to boxing judges to hospital
presidents. Boxing was a means many second generation urban
immigrants—including Jews—used to get ahead in the early 20th
century. The Jewish boxers interviewed reported that they took up
fighting to earn money, not to defend their race or negate
stereotypes that Jews were weak. These boxers were proud of their
heritage and displayed Stars of David on their robes and trunks
until religious symbols were banned in the 1940s. During the 1920s
nearly one-third of all professional boxers were Jewish, and by
1928, they were the dominant ethnic group in the sport earning 30
World Championship titles between 1910-1940. Bodner's interest in
the subject was kindled by his father who was an amateur boxer and
professional manager during this period.
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