Abe Simon

mcvey · Nov 12, 2008

MARTEL said:

Great post. I have done a little research on Abe simon and i've discovered some intresting facts about this huge man!

First is he was jewish, i never knew that! He also was trained by jack johnson a little, and was even advised by the first black champion before fighting joe louis.

His best win was knocking out jersey joe walcott in 7 rounds. But he was as a boxer extremely slow - and - clumsy, and basically a sitting target for louis to pick him apart with precise, accurate power shots.

But just for his size he will alway's be remembered. He reminds me in many way's of andre the giant, they both where big guy's who used there gigantic body/personality to become famous athlete's.
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If your name is Abraham Simon and you wear a Star Of David on your trunks ,chances are you are Jewish.

chance522 · Jun 19, 2010

Curtis Lowe said: ↑

Nice post rjg41. plz check out the classic forum, there you would receive more feedback from threads such as this.

One other thing, have you ever heard of the Scott brothers, all boxers? I think there wer 3 or 4 of them. Buddy Scott was one of them, he use to live a couple of houses down from me. He trained some of us at the the Garland Optimist Club in Garland, TX. Hell of a good guy.
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Sorry to post to this thread but I am new and cant send a PM yet and wanted to get in contact with Curtis, I am Buddy Scott's grandson and saw this post. Would like to hear back from you if you get this.

burt bienstock · Jun 19, 2010

rjg41 said: ↑

I happened to do a Goggle search on Abe Simon and noted an archived post on this site posted earlier this year that contained a comment that Abe must have liked to eat.

My family knew Abe pretty well. My father taught him at John Adams High School in Ozone Park and after Abe got married, by chance, he bought a house on 215th St. between 56th and 58th Avenues, in Bayside, Queens, a few houses away from my parent's house.

First, Abe's size likely had little to do with his eating habits. As my father explained it, Abe had an overactive pituitary gland. He was almost his adult size when my father first met him when he was about 16 years old. Abe walked into my father's classroom and in that incredibly deep voice Abe had, said, "My name is Abe Simon, where do I sit?" My father, who was 5'7" and about 150, looked up at Abe and said,(confirmed by Abe as an adult), "Anywhere you want".

Abe had a size 17 shoe, a 48" chest unexpanded, and hands the size of a baseball glove. As a young teenager, I can remember his ring easily fit over 2 or three of my fingers at once.

My parents bought their house in 1940 and I was born in 1941. I do not know when Abe and his family bought their house but my earliest recollections all include Abe, his wife, Rita, daughter Kathy, son Alfie(Alfred) and Abe's mother, living up the street.

They were very nice people. Abe was the gentle giant. On Halloween he would put on a large dress, a wig and use boxing gloves for a chest, and would trick or treat on the block. Interesting seeing this large figure dressed as a woman at your front door, saying "trick or treat" again with that voice with a lower tone than anyone I have ever known.

Our neighbor next door had one of those big lawn rollers you filled with water, that was the "neighborhood roller". Abe didn't roll it up the street to his house, he would throw it over his shoulder and carry it.

I do not remember any of Abe's boxing career but I remember him as a liquor salesman. I recall he worked for Hunter and sold their products. As most know he also did a few parts in movies and also did some television.

One interesting story about his part in "On the Waterfront". As all who know of Abe's role in that movie, at one point he is portrayed as throwing a full beer can at the priest played by Carl Malden and cutting the priest's head. As most know, Abe was Jewish. While he didn't, in reality didn't throw that can that hit Carl Malden and he was playing a character, he was bothered by being shown hitting the priest. That portrayal was totally against his obvious beliefs concerning respect and tolerance.

As Abe grew older his became more and more crippled by arthritis, likely a consequence of his very rapid growth in adolescence. Possibly as a result of his reduced mobility he left the liquor business and became a "bouncer" at the bar at Roosevelt Raceway. He would tell me about sitting at the bar all night, meeting very nice people and getting the greatest horse tips.

When I was in college 1959-1963, Abe was working at Roosevelt. I would get home from a date, with my now wife of 45 years, and see Abe arriving home from work at Roosevelt. He would park in the street. The arthritis had gotten very severe and was continually getting worse. I would notice the great difficulty he had getting out of the car and walking to the house. At one point he would take some 10 minutes to get out of the car and walk the short distance to the house. It was difficult to watch this once great athlete and always super nice person, have such difficulty and be in such obvious pain.

I will always remember Abe with affection.
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Welcome to ESB..I enjoyed this info on Abe Simon...My close friend who passed away lived next to Abe Simon in Richmond Hills NY
A footnote in the late 50s or early 1960s I hailed a cab on Flatbush Ave in Bklyn, sat down and who was the driver, none other than Abe Simon..I don't know if he owned the cab or not. I did not make conversation with Abe, as I felt he would be embarrassed,so I said not a word to him...Remember the event to this day...What a dead game fighter Abe Simon was. His biggest victory was his kayo over Jersey Joe Walkcott in 1940...He was also kod by the very underated Buddy Baer..Thanks for your sharing your post...

johnmaff36 · Jun 19, 2010

rjg41 said: ↑

I happened to do a Goggle search on Abe Simon and noted an archived post on this site posted earlier this year that contained a comment that Abe must have liked to eat.

My family knew Abe pretty well. My father taught him at John Adams High School in Ozone Park and after Abe got married, by chance, he bought a house on 215th St. between 56th and 58th Avenues, in Bayside, Queens, a few houses away from my parent's house.

First, Abe's size likely had little to do with his eating habits. As my father explained it, Abe had an overactive pituitary gland. He was almost his adult size when my father first met him when he was about 16 years old. Abe walked into my father's classroom and in that incredibly deep voice Abe had, said, "My name is Abe Simon, where do I sit?" My father, who was 5'7" and about 150, looked up at Abe and said,(confirmed by Abe as an adult), "Anywhere you want".

Abe had a size 17 shoe, a 48" chest unexpanded, and hands the size of a baseball glove. As a young teenager, I can remember his ring easily fit over 2 or three of my fingers at once.

My parents bought their house in 1940 and I was born in 1941. I do not know when Abe and his family bought their house but my earliest recollections all include Abe, his wife, Rita, daughter Kathy, son Alfie(Alfred) and Abe's mother, living up the street.

They were very nice people. Abe was the gentle giant. On Halloween he would put on a large dress, a wig and use boxing gloves for a chest, and would trick or treat on the block. Interesting seeing this large figure dressed as a woman at your front door, saying "trick or treat" again with that voice with a lower tone than anyone I have ever known.

Our neighbor next door had one of those big lawn rollers you filled with water, that was the "neighborhood roller". Abe didn't roll it up the street to his house, he would throw it over his shoulder and carry it.

I do not remember any of Abe's boxing career but I remember him as a liquor salesman. I recall he worked for Hunter and sold their products. As most know he also did a few parts in movies and also did some television.

One interesting story about his part in "On the Waterfront". As all who know of Abe's role in that movie, at one point he is portrayed as throwing a full beer can at the priest played by Carl Malden and cutting the priest's head. As most know, Abe was Jewish. While he didn't, in reality didn't throw that can that hit Carl Malden and he was playing a character, he was bothered by being shown hitting the priest. That portrayal was totally against his obvious beliefs concerning respect and tolerance.

As Abe grew older his became more and more crippled by arthritis, likely a consequence of his very rapid growth in adolescence. Possibly as a result of his reduced mobility he left the liquor business and became a "bouncer" at the bar at Roosevelt Raceway. He would tell me about sitting at the bar all night, meeting very nice people and getting the greatest horse tips.

When I was in college 1959-1963, Abe was working at Roosevelt. I would get home from a date, with my now wife of 45 years, and see Abe arriving home from work at Roosevelt. He would park in the street. The arthritis had gotten very severe and was continually getting worse. I would notice the great difficulty he had getting out of the car and walking to the house. At one point he would take some 10 minutes to get out of the car and walk the short distance to the house. It was difficult to watch this once great athlete and always super nice person, have such difficulty and be in such obvious pain.

I will always remember Abe with affection.
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A real nice post. Welcome to the board

he grant · Jun 19, 2010

mcvey said: ↑

If your name is Abraham Simon and you wear a Star Of David on your trunks ,chances are you are Jewish.
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Like Max Baer ?

Tin_Ribs · Jun 19, 2010

Good post mate - I always enjoy the more personal stories/anecdotes from times gone by such as these.

Cachibatches · Jun 19, 2010

Aewsome stuff. Sorry to hear it ended badly for the man.

mcvey · Jun 20, 2010

he grant said: ↑

Like Max Baer ?
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Baer had Jewish blood on one side of his family, snotty one.

johnmaff36 · Jun 20, 2010

mcvey said: ↑

Baer had Jewish blood on one side of his family, snotty one.
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Plus scottish and irish. A real hybrid

he grant · Jun 20, 2010

mcvey said: ↑

Baer had Jewish blood on one side of his family, snotty one.
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Plant corn, grow corn.

Baer having jewish blood has never been proven. In fact it has been denied time and again. Most can find a sliver of anything they want if they go back far enough and factor fractions ...

Baer's jewishness was a promotional gimmick for the time and a smart one at that ...

Meast · Jun 20, 2010

Arka said: ↑

BTW did anyone check out the chapter on Harry Greb-"The Iron City Express"?
Nice !
http://books.google.com/books?id=wIZ4ZSXccHUC&pg=PA25&lpg=PA25&dq=abe+simon&source=bl&ots=osHSBW8qtc&sig=D7VtmrhKw6VfmeImzuhIhjte_cw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result#PPA55,M1
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Good find :good

he grant · Jun 20, 2010

Meast said: ↑

Good find :good
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Agreed, great article.

Seamus · Jun 20, 2010

he grant said: ↑

Plant corn, grow corn.

Baer having jewish blood has never been proven. In fact it has been denied time and again. Most can find a sliver of anything they want if they go back far enough and factor fractions ...

Baer's jewishness was a promotional gimmick for the time and a smart one at that ...
Click to expand...

Like unnummbered German, Jewish and Italian fighters who put a clover leaf on their shorts and added a Mc or O' to their names.

burt bienstock · Jun 20, 2010

he grant said: ↑

Plant corn, grow corn.

Baer having jewish blood has never been proven. In fact it has been denied time and again. Most can find a sliver of anything they want if they go back far enough and factor fractions ...

Baer's jewishness was a promotional gimmick for the time and a smart one at that ...
Click to expand...

John L Sullivan had mixed ancestry----
Half scotch and half water, it is said !

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Abe Simon

mcvey VIP Member

chance522 New Member Full Member

burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

johnmaff36 Boxing Addict Full Member

he grant Historian/Film Maker

Tin_Ribs Me Full Member

Cachibatches Boxing Junkie banned

mcvey VIP Member

johnmaff36 Boxing Addict Full Member

he grant Historian/Film Maker

Meast New Member Full Member

he grant Historian/Film Maker

Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member