| . |
| Former prizefighter Tom Sharkey— He ran a saloon on 14th Street, between 3rd & 4th Avenues, that figured in the Herman "Beansie" Rosenthal slaying. Before Sharkey ran the joint it was Sunny's, and Rothstein gambled there as a youth. |
| Billy Gibson, Gene Tunney, and legendary fight promoter Tex Rickard. A.R. won $500,000 on the first Dempsey-Tunney fight. |
Arnold Rothstein's Boxing Chronology
1884 -Abe Attell born in San Francisco (Feb. 22).
1893 -- Max "Boo Boo" Hoff born in Philadelphia.
1900 -- Abe Attell's first pro fight, beats Kid Lennett (Aug. 19).
1901-- Abe Attell defeats George Dixon in 15-round decision, claims featherweight title
(Oct. 28).
1904 -- Travels to Saratoga Springs, NY with Abe Attell; strands Attell.
1908 -- Atell defeats Tommy Sullivan, becomes undisputed featherweight champion (Apr.
30).
1909 -- Monte Attell (Abe's brother) wins the bantamweight title.
1912 -- Attell loses title to Johnny Kilbane (Feb. 22).
1914 -- Willie Ritchie loses lightweight crown to Freddie Welsh in London (July 7).
1917 -- Attell's last fight (Jan. 8).
1919 -- Fixes 1919 World Series with Abe Attell
1920 -- Benny Leonard defeats Ritchie Mitchell in NYC, after predicted first-round
knockout to A.R. (Jan 14).
-- Rothstein helps Abe Attell escape justice in Black Sox Scandal (Sept.-Oct.)
-- Former Mrs. Abe Attell arrested for $1,477,000 NYC Bond robbery (Dec.).
1921 - Abe Attell opens the Ming Toy Bootery in NYC.
1922 - Gasoline-soaked rags found at stairwell of Ming Toy bootery (May)
-- Ming Toy Bootery bankrupt (July)
-- Dempsey-Firpo heavyweight fight; A.R. helps Lucky Luciano select a new wardrobe for
the event (Sept. 14).
1923 -- Gene Tunney loses to Harry Greb; Abe Attell in Tunney's corner (May)
1924 -- Harry Greb-Mickey "The Toy Bulldog" Walker fight (July 25)
1925 -- Boo Boo Hoff lends $20,000 to Billy Gibson and Gene Tunney for 20% share of
Tunney.
-- Presence ringside at first Dempsey-Tunney fight causes controversy; wins $500,000
(Sept. 23).
-- Mickey Walker-Dave Shade fight at Yankee Stadium; A.R. win $80,000 on Walker
(Sept).
-- Harry Greb dies following eye surgery (Oct. 20).
-- Attell investigated in matter of Peacock Club on 147 W. 48th Street (Nov.).
1926 — First Jack Dempsey-Gene Tunney fight, at Philadelphia; A.R. wins $500,000
in Tunney upset (Sept. 23)
1927 -- Dempsey questions Hoff loan to Gibson and Tunney (September 19).
-- Dempsey-Tunney rematch at Soldier Field Chicago, the "Long Count" (September
22).
1928 -- Tex Rickard predicts Rothstein's murder.
1929 -- Tex Rickard dies of appendicitis (Jan 6)
1941 -- Boo Boo Hoff dies broke.
1970 -- Abe Attell dies at New Paltz, New York (Feb. 6).
1978 -- Gene Tunney dies at Greenwich, Connecticut (Nov. 7)
1983 -- Jack Dempsey dies in New York City (May 31).
1884 -Abe Attell born in San Francisco (Feb. 22).
1893 -- Max "Boo Boo" Hoff born in Philadelphia.
1900 -- Abe Attell's first pro fight, beats Kid Lennett (Aug. 19).
1901-- Abe Attell defeats George Dixon in 15-round decision, claims featherweight title
(Oct. 28).
1904 -- Travels to Saratoga Springs, NY with Abe Attell; strands Attell.
1908 -- Atell defeats Tommy Sullivan, becomes undisputed featherweight champion (Apr.
30).
1909 -- Monte Attell (Abe's brother) wins the bantamweight title.
1912 -- Attell loses title to Johnny Kilbane (Feb. 22).
1914 -- Willie Ritchie loses lightweight crown to Freddie Welsh in London (July 7).
1917 -- Attell's last fight (Jan. 8).
1919 -- Fixes 1919 World Series with Abe Attell
1920 -- Benny Leonard defeats Ritchie Mitchell in NYC, after predicted first-round
knockout to A.R. (Jan 14).
-- Rothstein helps Abe Attell escape justice in Black Sox Scandal (Sept.-Oct.)
-- Former Mrs. Abe Attell arrested for $1,477,000 NYC Bond robbery (Dec.).
1921 - Abe Attell opens the Ming Toy Bootery in NYC.
1922 - Gasoline-soaked rags found at stairwell of Ming Toy bootery (May)
-- Ming Toy Bootery bankrupt (July)
-- Dempsey-Firpo heavyweight fight; A.R. helps Lucky Luciano select a new wardrobe for
the event (Sept. 14).
1923 -- Gene Tunney loses to Harry Greb; Abe Attell in Tunney's corner (May)
1924 -- Harry Greb-Mickey "The Toy Bulldog" Walker fight (July 25)
1925 -- Boo Boo Hoff lends $20,000 to Billy Gibson and Gene Tunney for 20% share of
Tunney.
-- Presence ringside at first Dempsey-Tunney fight causes controversy; wins $500,000
(Sept. 23).
-- Mickey Walker-Dave Shade fight at Yankee Stadium; A.R. win $80,000 on Walker
(Sept).
-- Harry Greb dies following eye surgery (Oct. 20).
-- Attell investigated in matter of Peacock Club on 147 W. 48th Street (Nov.).
1926 — First Jack Dempsey-Gene Tunney fight, at Philadelphia; A.R. wins $500,000
in Tunney upset (Sept. 23)
1927 -- Dempsey questions Hoff loan to Gibson and Tunney (September 19).
-- Dempsey-Tunney rematch at Soldier Field Chicago, the "Long Count" (September
22).
1928 -- Tex Rickard predicts Rothstein's murder.
1929 -- Tex Rickard dies of appendicitis (Jan 6)
1941 -- Boo Boo Hoff dies broke.
1970 -- Abe Attell dies at New Paltz, New York (Feb. 6).
1978 -- Gene Tunney dies at Greenwich, Connecticut (Nov. 7)
1983 -- Jack Dempsey dies in New York City (May 31).
| Abe "The Little Champ" Attell— ”A.R.'s accomplice in fixing the 1919 World Series. Did he work with Rothstein to fix the first Dempsey-Tunney fight? |
| Benny "The Ghetto Wizard" Leonard-- A.R. had 10% of his winnings |
| Jack "The Manassa Mauler" Dempsey in Training—Dempsey sharply questioned Abe Attell and Arnold Rothstein's role in his first loss to Tunney. A.R. bet $125,000 on the underdog Tunney in the first Dempsey-Tunney fight and won $500,000. |
| . |
| Jack Dempsey's Open Letter to Gene Tunney (excerpt) The following appeared in the September 19, 1927 Chicago Herald and Examiner: As the story comes to me, Attell went to see you in your camp at Stroudsburg. After a lengthy conference with you he raced back to Philadelphia with your pure and innocent manager, Billy Gibson. And then Attell hurried along and had a meeting with ["Boo Boo" ] Hoff. As I understand it, Hoff is something of a political power in Philadelphia. He is supposed to be a rather mighty figure in boxing affairs, and the old saying goes that "Whatever "Boo Boo" wants" well, that's what 'Boo Boo' gets." Attell, the tool for the gambling clique; "Boo Boo" Hoff, the political and boxing power in Philadelphia, and Gibson, your manager, had various meetings, all secret. And then you arrived in Philadelphia for the next chapter in the story finds you in a meeting with Hoff and Gibson--one that lasted until about 6 on the fight night. Since then I learned that some sort of written contract was entered into involving Hoff, Gibson and yourself. Stories about it differ considerably. But the document itself has been made public. It strikes me as a strange document--one that puzzles the public as it puzzles me, and it is one that I think should be explained. The contract stated, in substance, that Gibson borrowed $20,000 from Hoff and that Gibson agreed to pay back the $20,000 and nothing else—if you did not win the fight. But it contains a peculiar clause to the effect that if you won the fight Gibson was to pay back Hoff the $20,000 and, as a sort of bonus or something like that, that you were to give Hoff 20 percent of all your earnings as champion. You signed as a party to the agreement. Can't we all have a little explanation about this? You knew that if you won the title it would be worth at least $1,000,000 to you. Why were you agreeable to paying Hoff approximately $200,000 bonus for a loan of $20,000? What could Hoff do to help you on to victory that would be worth $200,000? |
| . |
In June 1928 A.R. placed his hand upon a bible, swore to tell the truth,
and proceeded to perjure himself: "I don't bet on football or boxing."
He didn't lie about football. Football made him uncomfortable. Twenty-two
men running around in a dozen different directions. Too many variables;
too much to fix. But A.R. lied about boxing. In his crowd, boxers were
everywhere. Everyone followed boxing. Everyone bet on boxing.
Boxing meant big money. Not for everyone, but certainly to A.R. and his
political friends, people who protected you and made things happen or not
happen. Boxing was
an enterprise the law often frowned on, and when that happened those
making or enforcing the law often grew rich--especially in Tammany's
New York.
and proceeded to perjure himself: "I don't bet on football or boxing."
He didn't lie about football. Football made him uncomfortable. Twenty-two
men running around in a dozen different directions. Too many variables;
too much to fix. But A.R. lied about boxing. In his crowd, boxers were
everywhere. Everyone followed boxing. Everyone bet on boxing.
Boxing meant big money. Not for everyone, but certainly to A.R. and his
political friends, people who protected you and made things happen or not
happen. Boxing was
an enterprise the law often frowned on, and when that happened those
making or enforcing the law often grew rich--especially in Tammany's
New York.
| Rothstein Photo Galleries: |
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