Nat Fleischer

Nat Fleischer

Nathaniel Stanley Fleischer (November 3, 1887, New York – June 25, 1972) was a noted American boxing writer and collector. After graduated from City College of New York in 1908, Fleischer worked for the New York Press while studying at New York University. Then he served as the sports editor of the Press and the Sun Press until 1929. He inaugurated in 1922, encouraged by Tex Rickard, the Ring Magazine publication. In 1929 Fleischer acquired sole ownership of the magazine, which he led as editor in chief for fifty years, till his death in 1972.

In 1942, Fleischer began to publish the magazine's annual record book and boxing encyclopedia, which was published until 1987. In addition to that, Fleischer wrote several other books about the lives of some world champions and about boxing history.

In 1954, General Pichai of Thailand invited Fleischer as a special guest to his homeland, as a way to ensure that the world championship bout between world Bantamweight champion Jimmy Carruthers of Australia and challenger Chamroen Songkitrat would follow the international boxing rules. It rained on the day of the fight, and 60,000 people were drenched by the rain. Fleischer suggested the fight be postponed and that they wait to see if the climate would get better the next day, but General Pichai ordered the bout to go on, reasoning that it would be hard to send off 60,000 people and the other thousands who were stranded outside back home under the pouring rain, to have them return the next day. Carruthers retained his crown by decision.

Fleischer also contributed to the founding of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and was twice presented with its James J. Walker Award. After Fleischer's death, the BWAA named an award after him. The accolades kept on coming, and Fleischer was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.