Today’s Jewish Birthday: Ray Arcel

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Ray Arcel, 1942 (Photo: Wikipedia)

Ray Arcel (August 30, 1899 – March 7, 1994) was an American boxing trainer who was active from the 1920s through the 1980s. In his long and distinguished career, he trained 20 world boxing champions.

Arcel was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, the son of Rose (Wachsman) and David Arcel. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Russia and Romania. He moved to New York City before he was six years old, where he grew up in Harlem and graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1917. He began training fighters at Stillman’s Gym, near the old location of Madison Square Garden on 8th Avenue, in the 1920s. The champions he trained included Benny Leonard, Ezzard Charles, Jim Braddock, Barney Ross, Bob Olin, Tony Zale, Billy Soose, Ceferino Garcia, Lou Brouillard, Teddy Yarosz, Freddie Steele, Jackie Kid Berg, Alfonso Frazier, Abe Goldstein, Frankie Genaro, Tony Marino, Sixto Escobar, Charley Phil Rosenberg, Roberto Durán and Larry Holmes.

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Tomorrow, August 31: Alan Jay Lerner