Maxie Rosenbloom

Rosenbloom in 1941
Personal information
Nickname	Slapsy Maxie
Born	Max Everitt Rosenbloom (1906-11-06)November 6, 1906[2] Leonard Bridge, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	March 6, 1976(1976-03-06) (aged 69) South Pasadena, California, U.S.
Weight	Middleweight Light heavyweight Heavyweight
Boxing career
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	298;[1] with the inclusion ofnewspaper decisions
Wins	223
Win by KO	19
Losses	44
Draws	29
No contests	2

Max Everitt Rosenbloom (November 6, 1906^[3] – March 6, 1976) was an Americanprofessional boxer, actor, and television personality. Nicknamed "Slapsy Maxie", he was inducted intoThe Ring's Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972,^[4] theInternational Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1984,^[5] the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1985,^[6] and theInternational Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.^[7] He was sometimes billed asSlapsy Maxie Rosenbloom for film appearances.

Rosenbloom was born inLeonard Bridge, Connecticut. As a professional boxer, Rosenbloom relied on hitting and moving to score points. He was very difficult to hit cleanly with a power punch and his fights often went the distance. His open-gloved style earned him the nickname "Slapsie Maxie".^[8] The many punches he received to the head eventually led to the deterioration of his motor functions, giving his nickname a second level of meaning.

Legendary trainerCus D'Amato later recalled that watching Rosenbloom's ring performances inspired him to attempt to create a perfect fighter, developing a unique boxing technique, later known as thepeek-a-boo:^[9]

Rosenbloom was probably the cleverest fighter I've ever seen, defensively. You just couldn't hit the man. He developed a sort of a radar, a sense of anticipation of blows, and ability to react to that, and act on it.

On June 25, 1930, Rosenbloom won theNYSAC and vacantRing Magazine light heavyweight titles when he faced off againstJimmy Slattery atBison Stadium for the undisputed title. Slattery, being the reigning NYSAC champion and Rosenbloom being listed by some sources as the incumbentNBA light heavyweight champion.^[10] Since the fight was between the number one and number two fighters in the division, the vacantThe Ring light heavyweight title was also on the line. He reigned as the NYSAC andRing magazine champion until he was defeated byBob Olin on November 16, 1934. Throughout his reign, he made 7 defenses of his titles and held the undisputed crown two separate times as he had been stripped by theNational Boxing Association, a title which he was awarded outside the ring in September 1930 during the NBA's yearly meeting. On June 6, 1931, Rosenbloom was stripped for failing to defend the title in a timely manner.^[11][12] After being stripped in 1931, he went on to continue defending his NYSAC andRing titles, eventually defeatingBob Godwin via fourth-round technical knockout inMadison Square Garden on March 24, 1933. His second reign as the undisputed champion was just as short lived. He was subsequently stripped by the National Boxing Association on September 17, 1934, during their annual meeting. "The delegates ruled that Maxie Rosenbloom, generally recognized as champion of the class, had violated every law of boxing by his slapping and flicking tactics in the ring."^[13]

In 1937, two years before he announced his permanent retirement from boxing, Rosenbloom accepted a role in aHollywood film. He became a character actor, usually portraying comical or sympathetic "big guys" in movies such asEach Dawn I Die starringJames Cagney andGeorge Raft.^[14] He continued acting in films as well as on radio and television, where he again portrayed big, clumsy, often punch-drunk-but-lovable characters.^[15] In 1950 producer-directorJules White hired Rosenbloom to team with another veteran champ,Max Baer, for a brief series ofslapstick-comedy short subjects.^[16] The Baer & Rosenbloom shorts were released byColumbia Pictures through 1952, and reissued to theaters in 1959–60. In 1955 Rosenbloom was featured inAbbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops.

Maxie Rosenbloom appeared as himself in a number of radio episodes ofThe Fred Allen Show, including in a skit withMarlene Dietrich. He was also cast in an important part in television's first 90-minute drama,Requiem for a Heavyweight. Written byRod Serling and starringJack Palance,Keenan Wynn andEd Wynn, that teleplay presents the story of a boxer at the end of his career. Rosenbloom portrays a character whose life revolves around his retelling old boxing stories night after night to other ex-boxers who gather in a down-and-out bar. That life looms as the same fate for "Mountain" McClintock (Palance's character) if he cannot adjust to a new way of life outside the ring.^[17]

Slapsy Maxie's, Rosenbloom's nightclub, is prominently featured in a 2013 crime film,Gangster Squad, which is set in 1949. The original club operated inSan Francisco. The club moved to 7165 Beverly Blvd inLos Angeles. From 1943 to 1947 it was located at 5665 Wilshire Blvd.^[18]

Rosenbloom died ofPaget's disease of bone on March 6, 1976, at age 69, at the Braewood Convalescent Hospital inSouth Pasadena, California.^[19] He is interred at theValhalla Memorial Park Cemetery inNorth Hollywood, California.^[20]

• The Ring Boxing Hall of Fame (1972)^[21]
• International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (1984)^[22]
• World Boxing Hall of Fame (1985)^[23]
• International Boxing Hall of Fame (1993)^[24]

All information in this section is derived fromBoxRec,^[25] unless otherwise stated.

Allnewspaper decisions are officially regarded as "no decision" bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.

Record with the inclusion ofnewspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column.