Picture this: A young Jewish boy growing up in an Irish neighborhood, embroiled in countless skirmishes every day. This was the reality for Abraham “Abe” Attell, also known to the boxing world as “The Little Hebrew.” Born in San Francisco back in 1884, Abe faced a tough start. His father left the family when he was just thirteen, forcing Abe into the streets to sell newspapers to support his family. It was on one of those street corners, outside the famed Mechanics Pavilion, that Abe’s life took a pivotal turn. The Pavilion was a hub for top-tier boxing matches, and witnessing the featherweight champion George “Little Chocolate” Dixon in action against Solly Smith in 1897, Abe decided to swap newspapers for boxing gloves. Despite the risks, fighting promised more than paper sales, and Abe was all in.
Boxing wasn’t just Abe’s calling—it was a family affair. His brothers, Monte and Caesar, also stepped into the ring, and in a rare family triumph, Abe and Monte would eventually become the first set of brothers to hold world titles at the same time.
Abe’s boxing career began in earnest in 1900, and from the get-go, he proved he had the makings of a champion. He knocked out nearly everyone he faced in his debut year. Reflecting on his early days, Abe said, “When I started, I was just sixteen and thought the best strategy was to knock ‘em out. I was confident to the point of conceit—I thought I could beat anyone. Often, I was right.”
However, Abe soon realized that brute force wasn’t the only path to success. Inspired by legends like James J. Corbett and Dixon, he adopted a more strategic approach, honing his defensive maneuvers and footwork. “A light bulb went off,” Abe remarked. “You could box and dodge injury if you were clever about it. I grasped that lesson in 1900 and carried it with me till I hung up my gloves in 1915.” Over those fifteen years, Abe carved out his legacy as one of the most formidable featherweights to grace the ring.
Abe’s meteoric rise was marked by a showdown with the man who had inspired his boxing dream. Just months into his career, Abe faced the legendary “Little Chocolate” himself in Denver. Although their first two encounters ended in draws, Abe triumphed in their third meeting in a decision spanning fifteen rounds, claiming the world featherweight title—all before turning eighteen.
In those days, boxing was rife with multiple pretenders to any title, leading to frequent claims of championship rights. It wasn’t until Abe faced Jimmy Walsh in 1906 that the undisputed featherweight crown was up for grabs. Leading up to this moment, Abe had been anything but idle, taking on formidable foes like Aurelio Herrera and Battling Nelson, and stepping into the ring over forty times.
When the opportunity to secure complete featherweight dominance arrived, Abe’s performance was nothing short of masterful. The Los Angeles Times described it as if he toyed with Walsh, finishing the fight without a scratch and seemingly capable of going many more rounds.
How many title defenses Abe made during his reign fluctuates depending on who you ask, but his reputation as a fearless champion is undeniable. His victories included wins over legends like Pete Herman, Owen Moran, and Johnny Kilbane. But never content to rest on his featherweight laurels, Abe often tested his mettle in the lightweight division against top contenders such as Ad Wolgast and Freddie Welsh, further cementing his reputation for bravery.
As the famed sportswriter Lester Bromberg noted: “Attell took pride in his small size, often conceding as much as twenty pounds—but to Abe, being ‘The Little Champ’ carried a unique prestige.”
His accolades earned him praise from notable figures like promoter Tex Rickard, who heralded Abe as the greatest boxer he’d ever observed. In boxing lore, Abe’s name is synonymous with greatness, always mentioned alongside the finest featherweights like Willie Pep and Henry Armstrong.
Yet, by 1912, the unrelenting pace of his career began to tell, and he lost his world title in a rematch with Kilbane. A Los Angeles Herald report of the fight remarked that Abe was just a shadow of his former self. Controversy dogged him during this match when the referee had to clear an unspecified substance from Abe’s skin, which Kilbane suspected might be chloroform—an accusation Abe denied, claiming it was merely cocoa butter.
Abe’s penchant for bending the rules added a darker shade to his storied career. In January 1912, he was banned for briefly not putting up a fight against Knockout Brown, a bout spectators believed was fixed. Abe claimed he was handicapped by a thumb injury, but years later, he confessed that sometimes financial motivations swayed his efforts in the ring.
The most infamous chapter of Abe’s life unfolded post-retirement when he was implicated in the 1919 “Black Sox Scandal.” Allegedly working with gangster Arnold Rothstein, Abe was accused of orchestrating the fixing of the World Series. However, he managed to convince a New York jury of his innocence, though his involvement left a permanent blot on his reputation.
Despite these shadows, Abe found some peace later in life, opening a popular tavern in New York. He remained a constant figure at boxing events, indulging his lifelong passion until he passed away in 1970 at age 85.
Through all the triumphs and tribulations, Abe Attell’s name rings loud in boxing history. His illustrious career and achievements who defied the odds will forever be etched in the annals of sports history. Not bad for a kid who started on the street corners of San Francisco with nothing but grit and determination. —Jamie Rebner
