Abe Attell

Name: Abraham Washington “Abe” Attell

Introduction: Abe Attell was an American professional boxer, widely considered one of the greatest featherweight champions in boxing history. Nicknamed “The Little Hebrew” and “The Little Champ,” he was renowned for his exceptional defensive skills, fluid movement, and long reign as world featherweight champion from 1906 to 1912. Despite his stellar boxing career, his name later became notoriously linked to the infamous Black Sox Scandal of 1919.

Date of birth: February 22, 1883 (Some sources previously listed 1884, but later information confirms 1883 based on his passport and the 1900 U.S. Census.)

Died: February 7, 1970 (aged 86), in New Paltz, New York, U.S.

Height: 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 m)

Place of birth: San Francisco, California, U.S.

Family:

Parents’ names: His parents were Jewish immigrants. His father abandoned the family when Attell was 13. Their names are not widely publicized.
Siblings: He was the 16th of 19 children. Two of his brothers, Caesar and Monte Attell, were also professional boxers. Monte Attell won the bantamweight title in 1909, making them the first brothers to hold world championships simultaneously.
Spouse: Information not widely publicized.
Children: Information not widely publicized.
Relatives: His brothers Caesar and Monte Attell, both boxers.

Profession: Professional boxer (retired), manager (for one boxer, Marty Goldman), shop owner, vaudevillian.

Nationality: American (of Jewish descent)

Religion: Jewish. He was born to Jewish parents and grew up in a predominantly Irish neighborhood.

College or university attended: None. He started boxing professionally at age 17 to help support his family after his father left.

Biography and What Famous For:

Abe Attell grew up in a tough, mostly Irish neighborhood in San Francisco, where he often engaged in street fights. When his father abandoned the family, he sold newspapers to earn money, often near the Mechanics Pavilion, a venue for important boxing matches, which inspired him and his brothers to pursue boxing. He had his first professional fight in 1900 at age 17.

Attell quickly established himself as a dominant force in the featherweight division. His fighting style evolved from an early knockout artist to a “scientific fighter” known for his exceptional defense, fluid movement, and cunning tactics.

Abe Attell is most famous for:

Longest Reign as World Featherweight Champion: He first claimed a version of the featherweight title in 1903. He achieved undisputed and universal recognition as the World Featherweight Champion in 1906 after defeating Jimmy Walsh. He held this title for a remarkable six consecutive years until 1912, a division record for the most successful title defenses (estimated 21 to 22 defenses). During this reign, he beat notable opponents like Battling Nelson and Johnny Kilbane.
“The Little Hebrew”: His distinctive nickname, reflecting his Jewish heritage, became a common reference in newspapers of the era. He was also known as “The Little Champ.”
Brother World Champions: He and his brother Monte Attell made history in 1909 as the first set of brothers to hold world championships simultaneously in different weight divisions.

Attell’s boxing career ended in 1917, after 17 years and 154 professional fights (record: 110 wins, 17 losses, 25 draws, 2 no contests, some sources vary but generally show very few losses). He was inducted into the Ring magazine’s Boxing Hall of Fame in 1955 and later became a charter inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

However, Attell’s legacy was significantly tarnished by his alleged involvement in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. He was suspected of being the “bagman” or intermediary for gambler Arnold Rothstein, allegedly delivering money to several Chicago White Sox players to fix the 1919 World Series. Although he maintained his innocence and the charges against him were eventually dismissed due to insufficient evidence (with some rumors suggesting the grand jury file disappeared), his name became inextricably linked to one of the biggest scandals in American sports history.

After the scandal, Attell lived a quieter life, at one point operating a shoe store in New York City and also engaging in vaudeville. He passed away in 1970.

Have participated:

Boxing Career (Professional):

Total Fights: 154 (or 171 depending on historical classification of bouts)
Wins: 110 (38 by KO)
Losses: 17
Draws: 25
World Featherweight Champion: 1903-1904, and 1906-1912 (undisputed reign)
Notable Opponents: Battling Nelson, Jimmy Walsh, Johnny Kilbane, George Dixon, Harry Forbes, Owen Moran, Jem Driscoll, Ad Wolgast.

Post-Boxing Career: