Sport: Boxing Inducted: 1985 Country: United States Born: June 14, 1896 in New York, New York Died: August 1967
Sam Mosberg
won the Olympic Lightweight (135 pounds) Championship at
the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium. En route to his gold
medal, Mosberg scored what historians list as the quickest
knockout in Olympic boxing history, finishing an opponent
in a matter of seconds.
In a career that began in 1912, Mosberg
fought 250 amateur fights prior to turning pro after his
Olympic victory. He retired in 1923 with 57 professional
fights under his belt, enjoying limited success. Said Spike
Webb, perennial U.S. Olympic boxing coach during the first
half of the twentieth century: “Sammy Mosberg is the
greatest Olympic champion I ever coached.” Webb’s
Olympic protégés include Jackie Fields, Fidel
LaBarba, and Frankie Genaro—all gold medalists who
went on to become professional World champions.
Mosberg coached
the United States boxing team at the 1953 Maccabiah Games.