Johnny Schiff

Name: Johnny Schiff
Alias: Porter S. Newman, Jr.
Birth Name: Porter Newman
Hometown: San Francisco, California, USA
Birthplace: Sioux City, Iowa, USA
Died: 1930-03-25 (Age:37)
Pro Boxer: Record

It is believed that Newman/Schiff started his professional boxing career in 1912 in Australia.

According to newspaper articles of the day (our source: TACOMA NEWS-TRIBUNE, March 26, 1930), he had taken on the name of "Johnny Schiff" to avoid embarassing his father, Porter S. Newman, Sr. -- a Southern California bank executive. Schiff was an ambulance driver during World War I, and was personally decorated by the King of Italy for his courageous conduct.

He later became what the Tacoma newspaper article described as Southern California's "most unpopular referee." A disgusted fan punched Schiff on the jaw after one bout he refereed in Los Angeles, March 1930. The jaw became infected. Teeth were pulled to aid in his recovery. But he died anyway at General Hospital March 25, 1930.