My grandmother has told me wonderful stories all my life about my great grandfather who was a light weight champion boxer. Since he boxed in the early 1900s, he went by the name "Billy Smith," so he would not be judged for being Jewish. His real name was Abe Schwartz and he lived in Brooklyn and the Bronx. As I have been told, he was awarded in the '30s with some sort of life-time achievement award from Madison Square Garden. I recently returned to the venue, and his plaque was no longer there. I think he retired from boxing in the late teens-early '20s, since my great grandmother was constantly afraid for him.
If you have any information about him, or if you can lead me in the direction of someone who does I would greatly appreciate it. I did look on the website, and I realize that my great grandfather did not pick the most original name, so this may be hard to track. My grandmother is now 81 and is very ill, any information about her late father would mean the world to her.