Barney Ross

HitHard · Posted: April 30 2007, 14:31 PM Post subject: Barney Ross

One of the true pugilistic greats that has ever graced the square circle is a man called Beryl; yes, that indeed was his birth name. His determination and true grit was witnessed inside and outside of the ring. This is my piece on an extraordinary man.

Born Beryl David Rasofsky on 23 December, 1909 in New YorkÆs lower East Side, BarneyÆs parents, with another mouth to feed, upped sticks and moved to Chicago. BarneyÆs uncle had a small grocery store for sale in ChicagoÆs Maxwell Street ghetto, so at the age of two, Chicago became home. Despite his fatherÆs vehement disapproval, Beryl, who was chronically under-nourished heard the calling from the criminal world. He began a secret life of gambling and petty crime, engaging in hand-to-hand wars being fought by most kids in the neighbourhood. Whenever he came home with evidence of his battles his father would inflict more for good measure. His father was an orthodox jew and had high hopes for Beryl to become a Rabbi, of course, Beryl had other ideas.

Ten days before his fourteenth birthday, Beryl heard a gunshot from the grocery store and fought his way to the front of a forming crowd to find his father unconscious on the floor. Thirty-six hours later he died. As a result his mother suffered a mental breakdown and Beryl went to live with his fatherÆs cousin whilst the other children were sent to an orphanage.

Now hardened on the streets of Chicago, Beryl, now in his teenage years, ran errands for non other than Al Capone himself. Capone, not wanting Ross to follow in his footsteps, passed him $20 and told him to get out of the gangster lifestyle. Ross later claimed that he had no intention of becoming a budding gangster, although all through his life he openly associated himself with men closely tied to the Chicago rackets. Indeed, a life long friend of Barney, was non other than Jack Ruby, who infamously went on to kill Lee Harvey Oswald, who killed Jack Kennedy. Throughout his life Jack Ruby idolized Barney Ross, and Ross for his part, never abandoned his childhood friend, even when he was on charge for murder.

Beryl was fifteen when he first stepped into a professional gym, it was æKid HowardÆsÆ a sweltering gym located above a barberÆs shop. He was no natural; his hands were small, his wrists narrow and his stamina blighted from years of asthma and malnutrition. However, he kept at it and recognized that the mental tools were as crucial as the miles of roadwork and the hours of shadowboxing. BarneyÆs early amateur bouts were æwild and unscientific,Æ but he won more than he lost and soon built a reputation as an exciting scrapper that wouldnÆt retreat in the ring. There were so many small fighting clubs Beryl was fighting four bouts a week. What he lacked in technique he made up for with lightening quick hands and a rock-solid chin that would, in his long reign as a professional champion, be his most lauded attributes.

In 1929 Ross entered the Golden Gloves, a relatively new amateur tournament, and won it at featherweight. He then went on to win the intercity tournament at Madison Square Garden. Soon after, he turned professional, fighting on undercards throughout the Midwest. Back in Chicago he was teamed up with Sam Pian and Art Winch, a partnership that would manage Ross for the entire length of his career. In October, 1932 , he finally topped the bill and beat Battling Battalino, a former featherweight champion in a ten round decision. Then in March, 1933 he scored a ten round decision over the number one lightweight contender, Billy Petrolle. This victory set up a match with Tony Canzoneri and the first in a series of round-robins that would go down in boxing folklore as some the most exciting championship bouts in the sportÆs history. Ross scored a narrow victory in their first bout, and amid cries that he had hometown advantage insisted the return be in CanzoneriÆs home town of New York. Three months later Ross emerged victorious in another closely fought bout. Having cleaned up in the light welterweight division Ross set his eyes on the king of the welterweights, Jimmy æBaby faced assassinÆ McLarnin. McLarnin, considered the hardest hitter outside the heavyweights had won the title by destroying Young Corbett inside one round. He had become known as the æJew BeaterÆ because of the shear amount of jewish fighters that he had overcome, indeed, he had dismantled the aging, yet legendary, Benny Leonard, inside six rounds. In May, 1934, in the first of a trilogy of bouts, they faced off. It was a war that was narrowly won by Ross, in a return four months later, McLarnin was awarded a very dubious decision, however, eight months after this Ross emerged victorious as he took the bout as a clear winner. These bouts along with CanzoneriÆs have immortalised Barney Ross as one of the true greats of the sport.

With a further winning streak of seventeen wins the story should have ended there, however, itÆs one of the greatest paradoxes of Barney RossÆs career that the fight cited as his bravest performance was also the worst beating he ever suffered in a ring. HeÆd been a professional boxer for a decade, when aged twenty-eight he signed up to fight, Henry Armstrong, the relentlessly aggressive and superbly conditioned featherweight champion. He was a straightforward pressure fighter with knockout power in both hands. Defensive tactics werenÆt part of his arsenal, and his swarming windmill style was the blueprint for boxers like Joe Frazier and a young Tyson. His campaign leading up to the welterweight showdown with Ross remains unparalleled. Between January 1937 and March 1938, Armstrong won an astonishing thirty-seven fights in a row, thirty-five by knockout. Still it was almost unthinkable that a fighter could leap frog a division and face a man who had ruled supreme for three years. On 31 May, 1938 the bout began, for the first three rounds, Ross boxed well, however, entering the fourth, the old master fell apart. Round after round, he kept getting off the stool, only to stand immobile, now blind in one eye, blood s-spattered. ArmstrongÆs gloves wee soaked with blood from BarneyÆs smashed nose and mouth. The punishment was so relentless that Sam Pian wanted to throw the towel in, however, Ross wouldnÆt allow it. Between the eleventh and twelfth round the referee crouched in BarneyÆs corner and said he was going to end the beating because Ross couldnÆt defend himself. Ross said, ælet me finish it, and I promise I will never fight again.Æ True to his word, he never did.

Now retired from the ring Ross opened a cocktail bar in Chicago and entertained the rich and famous before deciding to sign up for the United States Marines in February 1942. Although in his thirties he was determined to see military action, he had no intention of entertaining the troups State side with boxing exhibitions, he wanted to be in the thick of it. In November 1942, RossÆs company lands at Guadalcanel in the Eastern Soloman Islands. No sooner had they arrived, when they came under Japanese attack; many of friends were killed instantly. Shrapnel had torn into his legs, arms and side, however, he still took the fight to the Japanese. He fired off twenty two grenades and three hundred and fifty rounds to make out there were more than just a few of his men left. He holed up for thirteen hours in a foxhole, delirious and feverish, watching over his wounded Marines. He didnÆt yet realise he was suffering from malaria that would plague him for years to come. For his heroics he was awarded the Silver Star. Unfortunately, his wounds were so horrendous that Barney Ross during his convalescence became dependent on morphine. In April 1944 Ross receives an honourable discharge from the Marine Corps, however, he descends further into addiction. His habit swallowed all of his finances and eventually he checks himself into rehab to treat his addiction and resurfaces in 1946 a clean man.

As if this wasnÆt an extraordinary life in itself, Ross engages in arms running for the Jewish army in Palestine and signs up for the Jewish-American armed forces to fight in Palestine; this force was never authorized by congress, however, illustrates RossÆs maverick nature.

Sadly, this incredible man succumbed to oral cancer in 1967 aged just 57.

72 wins - 4 losses - 3 draws.

counterpuncher · Joined: 29 Dec 2005 Posts: 8993 Location: Birmingham

what a story 8)

great piece mate, I only heard of Ross through the Canzoniere and McLarnin bouts, his life after boxing sounds like its worthy of a film in itself :shock:

HitHard · Posted: April 30 2007, 17:59 PM Post subject:

Thanks CP, I've been working on it for some time. A little bit of trivia for you, whilst researching Ross I found out that one third of all American professional boxers in the 30's and 40's were Jewish. No wonder a few gems surfaced.

counterpuncher · Joined: 29 Dec 2005 Posts: 8993 Location: Birmingham

HitHard wrote: Thanks CP, I've been working on it for some time. A little bit of trivia for you, whilst researching Ross I found out that one third of all American professional boxers in the 30's and 40's were Jewish. No wonder a few gems surfaced.

sounds about right... 1/3 jewish, 1/3 irish/ italian/ polack, 1/3 black would be my guess...maybe black fighters became more prevalent slightly later though..?

great read though mate has there been a film of his life???

HitHard · Posted: April 30 2007, 19:02 PM Post subject:

There was a film based on Barney's life released in 1957 called Monkey on my Back. However, Ross distanced himself from it. One of the all time greats, no doubt about it.

Seer · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Posts: 11681 Location: Alba

This has been a total education for me... :oops:

Excellent story, HH! 8)

Barlick · Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 3075

Great bio, Double-H, superbly written too.

Till now, Barney Ross was just a name to me so thanks for fleshing him out.

He said: "Now you just fought one hell of a fight
And I know you hate me, and you got the right
To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.
But ya ought to thank me, before I die,
For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye
Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you 'Beryl'." :lol:

SeelowHeights · Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 12507 Location: Bolton, England

Barlick wrote: Great bio, Double-H, superbly written too.

Till now, Barney Ross was just a name to me so thanks for fleshing him out.

He said: "Now you just fought one hell of a fight
And I know you hate me, and you got the right
To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.
But ya ought to thank me, before I die,
For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye
Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you 'Beryl'." :lol:

Shame he didn't kick like a muile and bite like a crocodile either. That said he could well have ended up a-kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer! :wink:

SeelowHeights · Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 12507 Location: Bolton, England

SeelowHeights wrote: Barlick wrote: Great bio, Double-H, superbly written too.

Till now, Barney Ross was just a name to me so thanks for fleshing him out.

He said: "Now you just fought one hell of a fight
And I know you hate me, and you got the right
To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.
But ya ought to thank me, before I die,
For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye
Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you 'Beryl'." :lol:

Shame he didn't kick like a mule and bite like a crocodile either. That said he could well have ended up a-kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer! :wink: