40 Facts About Samuel Mosberg

Samuel A Mossberg or Mosberg was an American lightweight professional boxer who competed in the early 1920s.

Samuel Mosberg was managed by Billy Gibson and Jack Bulger for most of his professional career.

Samuel Mosberg began his prolific amateur boxing career in 1912 at age 16 with New York's Pastime Athletic Club and gained vast experience, eventually fighting an impressive 250 amateur fights.

Boxing for the navy in World War I, Samuel Mosberg won the lightweight championship for his base, the Newport Naval Station at Newport, Rhode, Island, where he continued his amateur boxing career against navy fighters.

Samuel Mosberg simultaneously worked as a navy boxing instructor, as did his friend boxer Mel Coogan, before he was discharged and returned to his civilian amateur career.

Samuel Mosberg did not perform well enough in the Olympic trials in Boston to be placed on the two-person American lightweight boxing team, but was picked as an alternate and sailed to the Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium in August 1920.

Samuel Mosberg was selected for the team when he defeated a higher-ranking team member, black boxer Ben Pontieu, in a match on the boat ride.

Samuel Mosberg claimed to have beaten Pontieu earlier that year in an Eastern elimination tournament prior to the trials, and admired his skills and technique.

The New York Age told a different version of Pontieu's Olympic trials experience, but omitted that Samuel Mosberg had beaten Pontieu prior to the Olympics.

Not long after the opening bell, Samuel Mosberg feinted, and connected with a powerful hook to Beland's chin that sent his opponent to the canvas for the count and ended the bout.

Samuel Mosberg turned professional after the Olympics, competing in 57 professional fights.

Samuel Mosberg was outpointed by the skilled, and highly rated lightweights Mel Coogan, and Frankie Conifrey.

Samuel Mosberg was later knocked out by the powerful southpaw and World lightweight contender, Eddie Fitzsimmons.

Cassidy had the stronger punching in the bout, but Samuel Mosberg was credited with greater speed, and started off with a points lead in the first two rounds.

Samuel Mosberg was happy to face Cassidy, who had decisioned him in the Olympic finals in Boston earlier that year.

Samuel Mosberg was praised for his aggressive boxing, and claimed to have been particularly skilled in infighting in his early career.

Samuel Mosberg "made a chopping block" out of his more experienced opponent, but though he tried desperately, was unable to put him away in the later rounds, as Edwards assimilated the blows and sailed in for more.

Conifrey had dislocated his shoulder in the second after aiming a left at Samuel Mosberg that missed, and the referee had to call the bout off to allow a doctor to treat the injury.

Samuel Mosberg was matched by manager Billy Gibson, who had previously worked with lightweight champion Benny Leonard.

Samuel Mosberg defeated Bostonian Frankie McManus in a fifth-round technical knockout on March 14,1921, at the Olympia Athletic Club in Philadelphia.

On June 6,1921, Samuel Mosberg easily defeated Bert Spencer at the Federal League Baseball Park in Harrison, Pennsylvania, in an eight-round newspaper decision of the Pittsburgh Post and a majority of local newspapers.

Samuel Mosberg lost to his friend, highly rated lightweight contender, Mel Coogan on August 13,1921, before a large crowd at Long Island's Queensboro Stadium in a twelve-round points decision.

On October 31,1921, Samuel Mosberg fought a close bout with Gus Franchetti at the Olympia Athletic Club in Philadelphia, that was called a draw by the Philadelphia Public Ledger.

On December 26,1921, Samuel Mosberg lost to fellow Jewish boxer Harry "Kid" Brown in a close eight-round newspaper decision of three Philadelphia newspapers before a partisan crowd at the Olympic Athletic Club in Philadelphia.

Samuel Mosberg later claimed he was out of shape for the bout, as he had been called at the last minute to substitute for another boxer.

Samuel Mosberg was in a rough and close twelve-round fight on April 22,1922, with Mickey Donley at the Clermont Avenue Rink in Brooklyn.

On June 26,1922, Samuel Mosberg was knocked out a few seconds into the first round by southpaw Eddie Fitzsimmons in an important twelve-round, semi-final match before a huge crowd of 20,000 at New York's Bronx Velodrome.

Samuel Mosberg had won decisive victories over Chicagoan Jewish lightweight Charley White, New York Jewish lightweight Phil Bloom and 1920 Connecticut state welterweight champion Lou Bogash.

Samuel Mosberg felt badly about the loss and was hoping for a rematch when he was called to fight in Australia.

Samuel Mosberg boxed in Australia in 1922, losing a decision to new Australian national lightweight champion Hughie Dwyer in a long and grueling twenty-round non-title fight in Brisbane on November 25, but defeating 5-foot-3-inch Filipino Silvino Jamito on December 9, who lacked his reach and power, in another twenty-round bout.

Samuel Mosberg later claimed Dwyer was not a hard puncher, and typical of his English style, favored long-range boxing and retreating to the close-range infighting that was characteristic of American boxing in the era.

Samuel Mosberg suffered from a six-inch disadvantage in height, greatly limiting his reach against Rappaport but won the bout in the decision of the New York Evening Telegraph, who wrote "Sammy had a clear lead over his opponent all the way".

McFarland had the stronger punch, and was able to dominate the infighting, a skill the more experienced, but battle-weary Samuel Mosberg had excelled in his earlier boxing career.

Samuel Mosberg retired from professional boxing at age 27 after his loss to McFarland.

Samuel Mosberg knew that the recent death of his manager Jack Bulger would impede his chance to find future matches, and he was drawn to the opportunity to go into the furniture business with his father.

Samuel Mosberg owned and ran two large and successful furniture salesrooms in the Borough Hall neighborhood of Brooklyn for most of his life after boxing and later had success as a real estate broker.

Samuel Mosberg, who was Jewish, coached the United States boxing team at the 1953 Maccabiah Games.

Samuel Mosberg assisted and coached a benefit for the American team headed for the Maccabiah Games in Jamaica, New York, on August 30,1953, and coached, raised money, and acted as a speaker for amateur boxing on many occasions during his retirement.

Samuel Mosberg died on August 30,1967, in Brooklyn, New York, of a heart attack.

Samuel Mosberg was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.