Benny Leonard (April 17, 1896—April 18, 1947), born Benjamin Leiner, was an American boxer and one of the greatest lightweight fighters of all time and was named as number 8 on Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years. April 17 is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year (109th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Professional boxing bout featuring Ricardo Domínguez (left, throwing a left uppercut) versus Rafael Ortiz Boxing, also called prizefighting or pugilism is a sport and martial art in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their fists in a series of one to three-minute intervals called... // The lightweight is the 130 pounds (59 kilograms) to 135 pounds (61 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. ... Front cover of the first issue of Ring Magazine Ring Magazine is a boxing magazine that was first published in 1922. ... In 2002, Ring Magazine published a list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years in boxing, as voted by the magazines writers. ...

Biography

The "Ghetto Wizard" as he was known was born and raised in the Jewish ghetto, which was then located in the lower east side of Manhattan, New York City, on whose streets he learned to fight. The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... Manhattan is a borough of New York City, New York, USA, coterminous with New York County. ... “New York, NY” redirects here. ...

Leonard was known for his speed, excellent boxing technique and ability to think fast on his feet. He also was a hard hitter, who scored 69 KOs out of his 157 wins. Leonard was defeated 11 times and was held to a draw on 5 occasions. As was common in the era in which he fought, Leonard engaged in several no-decision matches and is believed to have fought 213 bouts.

Professional career

Leonard challenged welterweight champion Jack Britton for his title on June 26, 1922. In a suspicious ending, Leonard appeared to be winning the fight when he knocked Britton down in the 13th round. Then, in a totally uncharacteristic and unexpected move, Leonard proceeded to hit Britton while his opponent was down on one knee. The referee promptly disqualified Leonard. Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. ... Jack Britton (1885-1962) was 3 time world welterweight champion from the USA, . His professional career lasted for 25 years beginning in 1905. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ...

Leonard is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest lightweights who ever lived. In its September 2001 issue, The Ring magazine ranked Leonard number 2 in its list of the greatest lightweights of all time. The Ring is a 2002 American film, a remake of the Japanese horror mystery Ring (1998). ...

Retirement and Comeback

Leonard retired from boxing in 1924, undefeated, as the reigning world's lightweight champion, because his mother told him to.

He lost most of his considerable fortune in the stock market crash of 1929, and embarked on an ill-advised comeback in 1931. Although described as pudgy and slow, the balding Leonard won 23 fights, albeit against nondescript opposition, before meeting a championship caliber fighter. On October 7, 1932, his career ended when he was TKOed in 6 rounds by future champion Jimmy McLarnin. Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (281st in leap years). ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... Jimmy Archibald McLarnin, (December 19, 1907-October 28, 2004), was a two-time welterweight boxing champion of the world. ...

Fighting with his head

Leonard fought with his head. His most famed rival, Lew Tendler, claimed that Leonard had talked him out of the title by whispering disconcerting things between punches. Leonard's version: "He caught me over the eye with a left and I felt my knees going under me. I said, That was a good punch, Lew.' I said it in a friendly, matter-of-fact tone of voice and it put the fight on a different plane. Lew snarled, 'Never mind that stuff, come on and fight.' But I stuck out a restraining hand and said, 'No, Lew. That was really a good punch. It was all right.' Lew paused again, and by that time I had recovered my senses." (Lefty) Lew Tendler (born September 28, 1898, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died November 7, 1970, in Atlantic City, New Jersey) was an American boxer. ...

Before Leonard's fight with Richie Mitchell, the referee explained the then-new rule that after scoring a knockdown, a boxer must go to a neutral corner. Leonard suddenly registered perplexity. "Let me get,this straight," he said. "As I understand it, every time I knock him down I'm to go to a neutral corner." Mitchell looked nervous. Leonard knocked him out in the sixth round after a series of knockdowns.[1]

Life after Boxing

After his boxing career was over, Leonard was a front man for National Hockey League owner Bill Dwyer of the New York Americans, who had secretly purchased the Pittsburgh Pirates of that league. Leonard was supposed to appear as if he owned the team. The team suffered both at the gate and on the ice. The team moved to Philadelphia for 1930-31, and then folded. “NHL” redirects here. ... William Vincent Dwyer, known as Big Bill Dwyer, was an early Prohibition gangster and bootlegger in New York during the 1920s. ... The New York Americans were a NHL hockey team, the third expansion team in league history and the second to play in the United States. ... Major league affiliations National League (1887–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 20, 21, 33, 40, 42 Name Pittsburgh Pirates (1891–present) Pittsburgh Innocents (1890) Pittsburg Alleghenies (1882–1889) (Also referred to as Infants in 1890) Ballpark PNC Park (2001–present) Three Rivers...

Later, Leonard became a popular boxing referee. After refereeing the first six bouts of the April 18, 1947, card at the St. Nicholas Arena in New York, Leonard was stricken with a massive heart attack during the first round of the next bout, toppled to the canvas, and died in the ring.[2]

Halls of Fame

Leonard was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. ...

Leonard was also inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame. The modern World Boxing Hall of Fame (WBHF) is located in Riverside, California, United States, in Southern California. ...

Leonard, who was Jewish, was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.[3] The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination...

Leonard was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1979.[4] The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ...

External links

• Career Record
• "Benny the Brain," Time Magazine, 4/28/47