Samuel A. Mossberg or Mosberg (June 14, 1896 – August 30, 1967) was an American lightweight professional boxer who competed in the early 1920s. He was managed by Billy Gibson and Jack Bulger for most of his professional career.
Amateur career Mosberg was born in Cisleithania (nowadays Austria) on June 14, 1896, but grew up on New York City's East side, a largely Jewish section. He began his prolific amateur boxing career in 1912 at age 16 with New York's Pastime Athletic Club and gained vast experience, eventually fighting an impressive 250 amateur fights.
WWI Navy boxer Boxing for the navy in World War I, Mosberg won the lightweight championship for his base, the Newport Naval Station at Newport, Rhode, Island, where he continued his amateur boxing career against navy fighters. He simultaneously worked as a navy boxing instructor, as did his friend boxer Mel Coogan, before he was discharged and returned to his civilian amateur career. His patriotic service in World War I and subsequent training and participation in the Olympics delayed his entry into boxing's professional ranks until he reached the age of twenty four.
Olympic gold medalist, 1920 Mosberg did not perform well enough in the Olympic trials in Boston to be placed on the two-person American lightweight boxing team, but was picked as an alternate and sailed to the Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium in August 1920. He was selected for the team when he defeated a higher-ranking team member, black boxer Ben Pontieu, in a match on the boat ride. Mosberg also claimed to have beaten Pontieu earlier that year in an Eastern elimination tournament prior to the trials, and admired his skills and technique. In 1952, he claimed Pontieu was a better boxer than those he would later meet in the Olympics."Sam Mossberg and Olympic Boxing", The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, pg. 14, 17 June 1952 The New York Age told a different version of Pontieu's Olympic trials experience, but omitted that Mosberg had beaten Pontieu prior to the Olympics.Holmes, Tommy, "Sam Mossberg and the '20 Olympics", The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, pg. 19, 29 April 1948Only two on the lightweight boxing team, and possible racism against Pontieu in "Benny Pontieu Wins Amateur Lightweight Championship", The New York Age, New York, New York, pg. 7, 11 December 1920
With an exceptional performance in his Olympic showing on August 23, 1920, Mosberg knocked out his Semi-Final competitor, rugged South African, Richard Beland, only seconds into the first round, establishing what might have been an Olympic record at the time for fastest knockout. Not long after the opening bell, Mosberg feinted, and connected with a powerful hook to Beland's chin that sent his opponent to the canvas for the count and ended the bout. In his Olympic Finals match on August 24, he defeated Danish boxer Gottfred Johansen, and claimed the gold medal. In one of his proudest moments, he was presented with his medal by King Albert of Belgium in an Olympic ceremony.
His Olympic coach, Spike Webb, the long serving boxing coach for the US Olympics, and Naval Academy's teams, commented once that Mosberg was the greatest Olympic champion he had ever coached.
Professional career He turned professional after the Olympics, competing in 57 professional fights. Mosberg was outpointed by the skilled, and highly rated lightweights Mel Coogan, and Frankie Conifrey. He lost to powerful Philadelphia Jewish lightweight Harry (Kid) Brown, though may have beaten him in their first bout. He was later knocked out by the powerful southpaw and World lightweight contender, Eddie Fitzsimmons.
In his first professional match, on December 7, 1920, Mosberg defeated Frank Cassidy, in a close ten-round newspaper decision of the Philadelphia Record at the Fourth Regiment Armory in New Jersey. Other newspapers wrote that Mosberg had clearly won on points scoring, but admitted the bout was close. Cassidy had the stronger punching in the bout, but Mosberg was credited with greater speed, and started off with a points lead in the first two rounds. In the closing round, Cassidy bore in to Mosberg with strong body blows, leading at least one reporter to write that the bout was a draw."Tunney Breaks Left Hand in Bout Against Houck", The New York Evening World, New York, New York, pg. 26, 8 December 1920 Mosberg was happy to face Cassidy, who had decisioned him in the Olympic finals in Boston earlier that year. Cassidy had been a great amateur boxer who was an AAU Champion in 1918 and New York State Amateur boxing champion in 1919. But Mosberg knew Cassidy's fighting style and was willing to prove he could defeat his former Olympic rival in a final meeting. Dave Driscoll had promoted the bout, and got Mosberg $1,500 for the well-attended match. The boxing card included Mosberg's friend and future lightweight contender Mel Coogan against Jewish boxer Eddie Wallace. It also featured future light heavyweight champion Gene Tunney, the "fighting Marine". Mosberg was praised for his aggressive boxing, and claimed to have been particularly skilled in infighting in his early career.Aggressive style of fighting in "Mosberg Makes Good", Daily News, New York, New York, pg. 16, 9 December 1920Mosberg won on points in "Roberts KO's Shannon", Boston Post, Boston, Massachusetts, pg. 17, 8 December 1920 In his second bout, on the afternoon of December 25, 1920, Mosberg defeated Paul Edwards, a more experienced and proven opponent than Cassidy, in a decisive ten-round unanimous decision at the Commonwealth Sporting Club in New York. Both boxers were from New York's East Side, and the fighting was fast and furious, with Mosberg landing more blows and more telling ones than his opponent. Mosberg "made a chopping block" out of his more experienced opponent, but though he tried desperately, was unable to put him away in the later rounds, as Edwards assimilated the blows and sailed in for more."Mosberg Easily Defeats Edwards", New York Tribune, New York, New York, pg. 18, 26 December 1920 Edwards, a quality journeyman featherweight, had met Patsy Cline, Johnny Clinton, and Joe Tiplitz, but he was on the downside of his career, and had not amassed an impressive record against the contenders he had faced.
Facing even stiffer competition on February 5, 1921, Mosberg knocked out top lightweight contender Frankie Conifrey in the second of twelve rounds. Conifrey had dislocated his shoulder in the second after aiming a left at Mosberg that missed, and the referee had to call the bout off to allow a doctor to treat the injury. As a result, Mosberg won by technical knockout."Frankie Conifrey Injured", New York Herald, New York, New York, pg. 47, 6 February 1921 Mosberg was matched by manager Billy Gibson, who had previously worked with lightweight champion Benny Leonard. Leonard had beaten Conifrey five years earlier."Scraps About Scrappers", The Scranton Republican, Scranton, Pennsylvania, pg. 12, 7 February 1921 Earlier in January, 1921, Conifrey had defeated Mosberg at Madison Square Garden, the shrine of East coast boxing, in a six-round split decision.Opening bout in "McCormick Beats Johnny Howard in Fast Fifteen Round Go", Daily News, New York, New York, pg. 36, 27 January 1921
Mosberg defeated Bostonian Frankie McManus in a fifth-round technical knockout on March 14, 1921, at the Olympia Athletic Club in Philadelphia. Had the bout been allowed to continue by the referee, Mosberg would likely have dropped McManus for the count.Match was a technical knockout in "Chaney Winner in Hard Battle", The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pg. 16, 15 March 1921 He had previously defeated McManus on February 28, at the Olympia in a six-round newspaper decision of the Philadelphia Inquirer, in a fast fight where he boxed before a Philadelphia audience for the first time.First time before a Philadelphia audience in "Philadelphia Boxing", The Buffalo Enquirer, Buffalo, New York, pg. 8, 26 February 1921 McManus was a prolific boxer who had met New York Jewish featherweight Eddie Wallace, lightweight contender Patsy Cline, and New York Jewish lightweight contender Lew Tendler, but had not fared well against them. Capable of power, he had knocked out at least three of his early opponents, but had fared poorly in his late career.
On June 6, 1921, Mosberg defeated Bert Spencer at the Federal League Baseball Park in Harrison, Pennsylvania, in an eight-round newspaper decision of the Pittsburgh Post and a majority of local newspapers. It was a decisive win against a well-rated contender for Mosberg. A crowd of 30,000 watched the preliminary bout at the Newark Baseball Park and would later see Benny Leonard beat Rocky Kansas."B. Leonard Defends Title, Outpointing Rocky Kansas", The Scranton Republican, Scranton, Pennsylvania, pg. 16, 7 June 1921 Spencer was a competent feather and lightweight who would fight top talent in his career, including world jr. lightweight champion Jack Bernstein, top rated feather and lightweight contender Benny Valgar, and world featherweight champion Johnny Dundee.
Mosberg lost to his friend, highly rated lightweight contender, Mel Coogan on August 13, 1921, before a large crowd at Long Island's Queensboro Stadium in a twelve-round points decision. Coogan, who had risen in the ranks to a well-rated lightweight contender, beat his old friend easily, though he knew his style and technique from their years of coaching navy boxers together in World War I."Coogan Defeats Mosberg", Boston Post, Boston, Massachusetts, pg. 18, 14 August 1921Coogan won easily in "Mel Coogan Easily Defeats Sam Mosberg", The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, pg. 48, 14 August 1921
In another close bout, Mosberg drew with Ray Pryel in Newark, New Jersey, on September 22, 1921, in a twelve-round newspaper decision of the Philadelphia Record in Newark, New Jersey. Pryel would fight several highly rated lightweights in his later career including Ever Hammer and Jewish boxer Joe Tiplitz, but have a spotty record against them.
In an easy win, Mosberg defeated Charley Egan on October 19, 1921, in an eight-round points decision at Brooklyn's Coney Island. On October 31, 1921, Mosberg fought a close bout with Gus Franchetti at the Olympia Athletic Club in Philadelphia, that was called a draw by the Philadelphia Public Ledger. In a rough bout, Mosberg displayed better ringcraft and scored with stronger punches, but Franchetti attacked on his own each time Mosberg built a margin on points, and managed to even the scoring by the close of the bout."Azevedo Victor, Defeating Mealy", Evening Public Ledger, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pg. 22, 1 November 1921
Bouts with Harry "Kid" Brown, 1921–1922
On December 26, 1921, Mosberg lost to fellow Jewish boxer Harry "Kid" Brown in a close eight-round newspaper decision of three Philadelphia newspapers before a partisan crowd at the Olympic Athletic Club in Philadelphia. Brown, a native Philadelphian, was a formidable opponent with a powerful punch, an enviable record, and a deadly 30% knockout rate in his winning matches. Their bout was considered the fastest of the day, and Mosberg had to use his best defensive skills to avoid the power of his opponent. The respected New York Evening World, Mosberg's hometown newspaper, believed Mosberg had won the close bout, taking five of the eight rounds, and had skillfully dropped Brown to the canvas in the fourth. The World further noted that he had weakened Brown throughout the bout with strong body punches and deserved the decision."Rocky Kansas Outpoints Ray", The Buffalo Times, Buffalo, New York, pg. 12, 27 December 1921"Handlon Hands Tiplitz", The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, pg. 8, 27 December 1921Mosberg won the bout by dropping Brown in the fourth, in "Sam Mossberg Beats Kid Brown", The Evening World, New York, New York, pg. 18, 27 December 1921