The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 4- No 11 2 June , 2009
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Name: Al Roth
Career Record: click
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: New York, NY
Hometown: Bronx, New York, USA
Born: 1913-09-22
Died: 1982-09-16
Age at Death: 68
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5′ 4″
Career Highlights:
Roth began his professional career as a featherweight in 1932 and fought out of New York City in the mid-1930s. In 1934, he lost a six-round decision to contender (and future world champion) Mike Belloise in January and then lost a 10-round decision in a non-title bout to champ Baby Arizmendi in May.
The following year, Roth lost to Freddie Cochrane in an eight-round decision (he defeated Cochrane in a rematch in 1936), defeated contender Davey Day, and then lost to Hall of Famer Tony Canzoneri in a 15-round decision. He continued to fight in the 1930s as a lightweight and junior welterweight, but never received a title shot, although he fought all-time greats Lou Ambers in 1937 (10-round loss) and Beau Jack in 1941 (knocked out in sixth-round); Roth retired following his fight with Beau Jack.
The Times, Chester, PA
6 September 1935
AL ROTH MEETS PAL FOR TITLE
Old Friend of Tony Canzoneri, Whom He'll Fight on Oct. 4
SUMMIT, N. J., Sept. 6 — Little Al Roth, 133 pounds and 5 feet, 4, but with a bull neck and shoulders of a truck driver, stopped skipping a rope and with a sigh said he wished someone besides Tony Canzoneri was lightweight champion.
"Gee," he exclaimed, "it's a tough break for me that Tony is champion. He and me are pals and here I am getting ready to fight him. We'll have to go in there and try to bang each other's heads off. But whoever wins, we'll still be pals when it's over."
Roth moved here today for four weeks training for his 15-round title bout with Canzoneri at Madison Square Garden, October 4. Last night, in a little Bronx apartment where he lives with his mother, two brothers and a sister, Al — he's Abe Rothblut at home — had his last feast of fish, noodles, chicken soup and chicken, "Mama cooked the meal herself and I ate all I could hold," said Roth, "The next time I sit down at Mama's table I hope to be lightweight champion. And if I do win the title, the first thing I am going to do is buy her a home in the country."
Roth's fists are the sole support of the Rothblut clan. During his father's life he supported the family and forbade his son to fight. But when the-head of the house died Al had to don the gloves to feed five hungry mouths.
Until last winter Roth was only a mediocre featherweight, and then he injured his left hand against Baby Arizmendi. Ever since he started fighting Roth has been bothered by his left hand, but he could never find out what was the trouble. When he injured it against Arizmendi he had an operation performed. It was discovered that sinews across the back of his hand had been torn a long time. The operation made a different fighter out of him.
Roth earned the shot at Canzoneri by whipping Leonard Del Genio, New York, and Davey Day, Chicago stablemate of Barney Ross who was being groomed to take over the 135-pound crown. Each time Roth entered the ring a 1-3 underdog.
“I guess I’ll be the underdog against Canzoneri” he remarked “ But that’s all right with me. There’s no law against the underdog winning”
Name: Red Chapman
Career Record: click
Alias: Morris Kaplan
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: Boston, MA
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Born: 1901-08-16
Died: 1979-10-00
Age at Death: 78
Height: 5′ 5″
Chapman was a highly ranked contender for the featherweight world championship in the mid-1920s. He fought (and lost to) Benny Bass in 1927 in a great fight for the NBA version of the featherweight title.
Chapman is best remembered for his legendary, and brutal, title fight against Benny Bass. On September 12, 1927, this bout was held for the world featherweight crown that had been vacated by the retirement of the Champ, Louis "Kid" Kaplan, in 1925. Elimination bouts had reduced the field to two top contenders: Bass and Chapman.
In the third round, Bass suffered a bad gash from a head butt, and his blood almost blinded him. But he fought cleverly and gamely, and in the seventh round, Bass' hard punches opened a bloody gash over Chapman's eye. The two proud gladiators continued exchanging savage punches, and in the ninth round, there was a double knockdown. Bass staggered to his feet first. Chapman also managed to beat the count, and then backed away from the exhausted Bass long enough to avoid a knockout. In the tenth and last round, the two blood-soaked warriors traded unforgiving blows; at the end of the bout, both men were standing, but barely. Bass won the decision and the crown; but both men won a place in boxing lore for one of the greatest, and bloodiest, of championship fights.
Career Highlights:
A top featherweight in the 1920s, Chapman's first big fight was against Hall of Famer Johnny Dundee. Chapman won the 10-round decision over Dundee, who had vacated the world title the previous year. Two years later, Chapman fought Benny Bass in their legendary title fight described above. The two boxers had fought earlier in the year, and would fight again in 1929, with Bass winning all three of their fights.
The Warren Morning Mirror
13 September 1927
Benny Bass Earns Decision Over Red Chapman For The Title
In a sensational ten round match which almost ended in a simultaneous knockout in the ninth round, Benny Bass battered his way to victory tonight over Red Chapman, in a bout which carried with it recognition by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission as featherweight champion of the world.
Coming out of their corners with a furious rush, both connected solidly with lefts to the head. Both reeled back and tumbled to the floor. Chapman in the center of the ring and Bass along the ropes. But Benny recovered quickest, was on his feet in a second or two while Chapman rested on one knee and took a count of eight.
Bass himself seemed groggy, but he leaped back at his opponent with savage fury, forced him about the ring under a fierce barrage and curled another left to the head that sent Chapman to the floor again for a count of eight.
Chapman was all but out, reeling about and bracing himself on the ropes but he managed gamely to weather the storm as Bass fought himself out in a vain attempt to score a knockout. Both were so exhausted from this thrilling round that they had little left and spent most of the tenth and final round clinching.
After as slow start in which he was out-boxed and out-generaled by his sorrel topped rival, Bass turned the tide in the seventh with a two handed attack. Chapman bumped, just over the left eye in this round as they clinched suffered a bad gash that bled profusely covered him as well as Bass and referee Frank McCracken with blood for the rest of the fight.
Chapman was unquestionably slowed up and handicapped by this sudden injury. He was on the defensive thereafter and forced to call on all his stamina and courage to withstand Benny's furious rushes.
Bass in the opinion of ringside observers, won five of the ten rounds, with four going to Chapman and one going even. In getting the unanimous verdict of the two judges, however, Bass appeared to have a wide margin on points.
A crowd estimated at 30,000 occupied the stadium, scene of last year's Dempsey-Tunney record breaking heavyweight battle to see the hometown favorite, Bass, win title recognition and receive a $1000 belt from the hands of Mayor W. Freeland Kendrick as an emblem of victory. While this recognition is limited officially to Pennsylvania Bass may also be accepted as title holder elsewhere inasmuch as both fighters generally were picked as the leaders of their division.
Round by Round
Round 1
They came together in a clinch and Chapman swung a left to the bead. They sparred for an opening. Bass shot a right to the head, then stumbled and went to all fours. He was up in a flash and they rushed together. Chapman missed a left lead and took a right to the body. Chapman slapped Bass with a left as they worked in close. Bass took a left high on the head just before the bell.
Round 2.
Bass was wild with a right and they swung both fists to the body. Benny landed a right hook to the head and clinched. Chapman backed Bass to a corner with a right to the head. Both were cautious and they spent a lot of time sparring and wrestling. Bass clipped Red with a right to the cheek. Chapman swung his left to the head just before the bell. They moved about at a fast clip but did not do much damage.
Round 3
Bass stung Chapman with a vicious right to the head. Red cut Bass over the left eye with a counter and they slugged at a furious pace. Chapman struck a hard left to the jaw after being forced across the ring by Benny’s two fisted rush. They slowed up and began clinching. Benny was wild with both hands just before the gong.
Round 4
Bass missed a straight right as he came out of the corner. They came together and slugged at a lively pace with all fists flying. Bass missed a vicious left swing to the head and clinched. Bass dug left to the ribs and they were locked together again. The referees was kept busy prying them apart. Chapmans left speared Benny and kept him off balance. They were
dancing at the bell.
Round 5.
Benny had a big piece of plaster over his right eye as he came out of his corner. But Chapman knocked it off in a few seconds. Benny got in with a left hook that wrapped itself around
Red's neck. Bass was forcing the fight but Chapman tied him at close range. They slugged for a few seconds along the ropes. Chapman connected with a light left to the jaw. They were leaning their heads together punching away to the body when the bell sounded.
Round 6.
Bass came out with a rush but they were soon locked together again. They exchanged rights to the head. Benny missed a left hook but forced Chapman back to the ropes. Chapman worked both hands to the head after taking a left to the ribs. The crowd yelled for more action, but the clinching and mauling persisted. Chapman landed three hard rights to the body and they were in a mix up at the bell.
Round 7.
Chapman came out of a mixup with a nasty gash over his left eye. They fought head to head at a fast clip. Benny kept shooting his left to Chapman's face. The Boston boxer was a bloody Figure . Red flailed Benny’s ribs with both hands and they clinched. The referee and both boxers were covered with blood from a stream of Chapman's eye. Chapman ducked a left as the round ended.
Round 8.
Bass came out of his corner with a wild rush and swung both fists to the head. A left brought the blood streaming down Red's left eye. Chapman was cheered as he fought back landing both hands to the body. Bass was on top of his opponent and kept up a steady attack. Chapman caught Bass with a sharp right to the head and threw Benny off balance. Chapman was on the offensive and showed a readiness to clinch at every opportunity as the round ended.
Round 9.
They came together with a rush and both went to the floor. Bass got up as Chapman went down and took a count of eight. Bass clipped Chapman about the ring with a vicious attack. Chapman was reeling and stood up gamely but went down after a clinch. He took the count of eight. Bass swung a right but it glanced off. Benny was tired and Red hung on desperately. Chapman was in bad shape, but stabbed with his left as he ducked Benny's rush. Red was actually forcing the fight a few seconds before the bell although he was a sorry sight.
Round 10.
They wrestled together and sparred for openings. Red seemed to have recovered and forced Benny back with a left to the body. Red dug his left to the ribs and they clinched. Bass seemed tired from his furious pace of the preceding rounds. They spent most of their time clinching and blood was streaming from Chapman's left eye again. They were in a clinch at the bell.
Name: Mushy Callahan
Career Record: click
Alias: Vincent Morris Scheer
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: New York, NY
Hometown: Hollywood, California, USA
Born: 1905-11-03
Died: 1986-06-16
Age at Death: 80
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5′ 8½″
Manager: Eddie Sears
Officiating Record: Judge
Officiating Record: Referee
A member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, Mushy was the world junior-welterweight champion from 1926-1930.
Career Highlights:
Born in New York, but fighting mostly out of California, Callahan turned professional in 1923 and knocked out his first opponents (none got past the second round). The following year, he won ten of thirteen matches (with 2 losses and 1 draw), then knocked out Ace Hudkins twice in 1925. After that, Mushy quickly moved up the rankings and defeated Jimmy Goodrich twice early in 1926. He lost his next two fights, but still received a title shot from Pinky Mitchell, the world junior-welterweight champ. Back in 1923, Boxing Blade, a weekly periodical, ran a contest, and Pinky was awarded the the junior-welterweight title by the popular vote of the weekly's readers. The legitimacy of this crown was somewhat tarnished, however, by the fact that Pinky's manager also happened to be the publisher of Boxing Blade. So when Mushy lost two fights in a row, he may have looked like the perfect opponent for the "champ."
In September 1926, Mushy pummeled Mitchell for ten rounds to win the decision and the crown. Now a world champ, Callahan still got back in the ring a month later (although not with the title on the line) and knocked out Charley Pitts in the second round. The following year, he defended his title twice, knocking out Andy DiVodi in the second round, then winning a decision against Spug Meyers. Mushy was not as successful in non-title fights, though; he lost his final three bouts of the year, including a 10-round decision to future world welterweight champ Jackie Fields.
Callahan did not defend the title in 1928, and made only one defense in 1929, a third-round knockout of Fred Mahan. Finally in 1930, Mushy was forced to defend his title against a quality opponent. Callahan had lost to Jackie "Kid" Berg in a non-title bout in 1929, and he lost again in 1930, this time with the title on the line, on a tenth-round technical knockout. Mushy promptly retired after the fight -- and, at the age of 24, joined the army.
Two years later, after getting out of the army, Callahan attempted a comeback. He fought three times in 1932 -- one of these bouts was a decision over former junior-lightweight champ Tod Morgan. But when Mushy was knocked out in the sixth round of his final fight, he retired again, this time for good. Callahan then lived in Hollywood and worked as a technical director in boxing films, a job which lasted 40 years. Mushy was also a referee for over 25 years, and officiated many world championship fights.
Ironwood Daily Globe
2 December 1925
Fiction Is Outdone By Newsboy Fighter
Already He Is 2 to 2 Favorite
Over Anybody He Happens To Meet
Los Angeles—Two years ago
"Mushy" Callahan was a young news boy who picked up considerable side money by "scalping" tickets and selling boxing magazines In front of local fight arenas. Today others are "scalping" tickets — with "Mushy's" name printed on them in big type —and others are selling those same magazines — with Mushy's' picture on the cover.
Callahan gained national recognition by knocking out Pal Moran one of the greatest lightweights of al time, who in 15 years of ring battles was never of his feet.Moran fought every great puncher the lightweight division has produced in the last 15 years. He dared Benny Leonard to knock him out and smiled at the former champion’s efforts. He laughed at the dreaded fists of Charley White. Lew Tendler Bobby Barrett, Jack Zivic, Pinki Mitchell and Tommy O'Brien.
Down in Third Round.
And Callahan, celebrating his twentieth birthday, put him down for the count of ten in the third round It was the second time- "Mushy" had knocked out a boxer who had never been down before. He stopped Russie LeRoy of North Dakota in the same ring, also in -three rounds.
In the past year Callahan has not dropped a decision. He fought a draw with Ace Hudkins, the Nebraska ' wildcat," but five of the six local papers gave him an edge in the fighting.
Want Jimmy Goodrich.
Eddie Sears, Callahan's manager, who is well known throughout the country as a handler of boxers, is trying to get local promoters to match Callahan with Jimmy Goodrich, recognized
lightweight champion.
"Mushy's" normal fighting weight is 138 ½ pounds and Sears has guaranteed he will make 135 pounds for Goodrich. If the match is made, and it probably will be within the next few months, Callahan will be a 2 to 1 favorite among local boxing fans.
Name: Pal Moran
Career Record: click
Alias: Paul Maiorana
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: New Orleans, LA
Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Born: 1897-07-07
Height: 5′ 6½″
Pal Moran was managed by Fred Digby, a New Orleans sportswriter, and later by Remy Dorr. He was trained by Joe Russo.
The November 5, 1937 Prescott Evening Courier reported that Gerald Rodgers, manager of the used car department of Flagstaff's Babbitt Motor Company and coach of the 1937 boxing team of that city's Arizona State Teachers College, was the professional fighter known as "Pal Moran," who was based in New Orleans and had fought Benny Leonard; Rodgers being his name when born in Memphis Tenn. As to his nationality, Rodgers stated in said newspaper: "My advertised nationality depended upon the city I was to fight. If I could draw the biggest crowd by being an Irishman, I was an Irishman. If I was fighting in an Italian town, I became an Italian. I have been, at one time or another, anything from an Englishman to a Swede."
The Lincoln State Journal
20 January 1923
TENDLER IS VICTOR IN SLASHING FIGHT
Awarded the Decision Over Pal Moran at the End of Fifteen
Rounds of a Give and Take Battle.
NEW YORK, Jan. 19
Lew Tendler. Philadelphia lightweight, was awarded the judge's decision- tonight over Pal Moran of New Orleans, in a slashing fifteen round battle at Madison Square garden. Both fighters began cautiously and there was little action in the first, three rounds. Moran outboxed Tendler, blocking the Philadelphian's left hooks and shooting in a damaging right that brought a flow of blood from Tendler's mouth. Both traded hard punches to the head in the second round and in the third Moran staggered Tendler with a right smash to the chin.
Tendler gained his decision after one of the bloodiest and most terrific fights staged in the garden in some time. The rugged, shifty southerner from the fourth round to the last, and although apparently on the verge of a knockout several times, managed to weather the storms. Moran, after each of Tendler's onslaughts, stood and battled toe to toe with the Quaker city southpaw.
Tendler had Moran in distress in both the fourth and fifth rounds, but Moran came back strong in the sixth, staggering the Philadelphian with rights to the jaw and cutting him badly about the face.
Tendler piled up a big margin on points in the closing rounds. He punished Moran severely about the body and tried hard for a knockout with his famous left, but Moran refused to give ground and tough; back gamely.
Ring critics were agreed that it was one of the hardest won victories in Tendler's career, and that while apparently in good condition, he did not display the sensational form he showed last summer against Benny Leonard, the champion.
Taking the aggressive in the fourth round, Tendler opened a terrific assault that soon had Moran in distress. The Philadelphian battered his opponent about the ring in both the fourth and fifth rounds opening cuts about Moran's mouth with ripping right and left hooks. Moran came back strong, however, in the sixth round. After weathering a storm of blows to head and body, he swept Tendler almost off his feet with a furious two fisted drive and opened a nasty cut over Lew's right eye with a jolting left smash.
Tendler missed a number of wild swings as both set a furious pace in the seventh round. Moran shook Lew with a left hook to the head in the eighth, but toward the close of the round absorbed some terrific body punishment at the hands of the Philadelphian. Moran carried the fight to his opponent in the ninth and jolted Tendler with a smashing right to the chin.
Both fought at a terrific clip in the tenth round, blood streaming from cuts on their faces as they battled toe to toe. Tendler drove Moran about the ring in the eleventh with ripping lefts and rights to the body, but Moran rallied toward the close and opened a fresh cut over Tendler's left eye. They continued their fast pace in the twelfth, Moran shaking Tendler with several right swings, after being jolted by the Philadelphian's southpaw punches.
Tendler had Moran hanging on in the thirteenth with a smashing attack to the body. The referee was forced to separate them when they failed to stop fighting at the end of the round. Tendler administered terrific punishment to the southerner in the fourteenth, rocking him with terrific blows to the head. Moran fought back gamely under Tendler's punishing onslaught. Tendler tried hard for a knockout in the fifteenth, but Moran managed to weather a rain of left hooks to the head. He caught Tendler flush on the chin several times with right swings.
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