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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Title Contender

Lew Tendler

BORN   September 28 1898; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
DIED November 15 1970;
HEIGHT 5-6
WEIGHT 122-154 1/2 lbs
MANAGER Phil Glassman

Tendler was a clever, left-handed boxer who was quick and had lots of "savvy"; He lost only 16 official verdicts in 172 contests, scored 39 knockouts during his career and is generally considered to be one of the finest fighters to never have won a world title; He is easily the greatest southpaw to never win one; Lew is considered by many to be the third greatest Jewish fighter of all time, behind only his arch-rival, Benny Leonard, and Barney Ross; In retirement, Tendler ran restaraunts in Atlantic City and in Philadelphia, which became a popular pre-fight hangout

He came very close to winning the
Lightweight Championship against Benny Leonard; He had Leonard in serious trouble until Leonard managed to engage him in chatter, which consequently allowed Leonard to recover and win a narrow decision; His only other title shot was a narrow defeat to the great and much bigger Mickey Walker;
Had he fought at any other time period in history, he "shoulda-coulda-woulda" been champion

He
defeated such men as Hilario Martinez, Vincent Forgione, "Farmer" Joe Cooper, Basil Galiano, Nate Goldman, Joe Tiplitz, Sailor Friedman, Pal Moran, "Oakland" Jimmy Duffy, Frankie Callahan, Willie Jackson, Stanley Yoakum, George "K.O." Chaney, Frankie Britt, Fred "Young" Diggins; He also bested a number of highly ranked men in "No Decision" contests

Nat Fleischer ranked Tendler as the #9 All-Time Lightweight; Herb Goldman ranked him as the #16 All-Time Lightweight; Lew was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1961, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999

1913
Nov  6 Mickey Brown                Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6

1914
Jan 25 Johnny McLaughlin                                           ND  6
Feb 15 Kid Burns                                                   ND  6
Mar 16 Bobby Woods                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Mar 25 Benny Reilly                                                ND  6
Apr 13 Neil McCue                  Philadelphia, Pa                ND  6
May  4 Abe "Kid" Goodman           Philadelphia, Pa              ND-D  6
May 25 Mickey Brown                Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Jun 11 Neil McCue                  Philadelphia, Pa              ND-D  6
Jul 23 Mickey Brown                Philadelphia, Pa                ND  6
Jul 25 Abe "Kid" Goodman                                           ND  6
Aug 31 "Young" Terry McGovern      Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W   
Sep 12 "Young" Terry McGovern      Philadelphia, Pa                ND   
Dec  5 Freddie Haefling            Philadelphia, Pa                TK  4
Dec 12 Pinky Burns                 Philadelphia, Pa                ND  6

1915
Feb 25 Barney Snyder                                               ND  6
Mar  8 Fred "Young" Diggins        Philadelphia, Pa                TK  4
Mar 22 Jimmy Murray                Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Mar 25 Willie Mack                                                 ND  6
Apr 19 Willie Mack                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
May 24 Louisiana                   Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
May 25 Willie Mack                                                 ND  6
Sep 24 Battling Reddy              Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Oct  1 Johnny "Young" Solzberg                                     ND  6
Oct 19 Jack Toland                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Dec  6 Abe "Kid" Goodman           Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6

1916
Jan  1 Willy Brown                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Jan 24 Eddie O'Keefe               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-L  6
Jan 31 Eddie O'Keefe               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-L  6
Feb 28 Pete "Kid" Herman           Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Apr  3 Benny Kaufman               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-L  6
Apr 24 Benny Kaufman               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
May 29 Al Shubert                  Philadelphia, Pa              ND-L  6
Oct 30 Dick Loadman                Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Nov 13 Al Shubert                  Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Dec 14 Texas Kid                   Baltimore, Md                    W 10

1917
Feb 26 Artie Root                  Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Mar 26 Johnny Dundee               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-D  6
Aug  1 "Young" Terry McGovern      Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Oct  1 Johnny Dundee               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Oct 17 Frankie Britt               Baltimore, Md                    W 12
Oct 29 Rocky Kansas                Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Nov 29 Frankie McManus             Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Dec 18 Jack Russo                  Boston, Ma                      KO  5

1918
Jan  7 Willie Jackson              Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Jan 21 Frankie Callahan            Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Feb 11 Tommy Touhey                Philadelphia, Pa                KO  4
Mar  4 Pete Hartley                Philadelphia, Pa                TK  4
Mar 22 Frankie Nelson              Buffalo, NY                     TK  4
Mar 25 Eddie Wallace               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Apr  3 Patsy Cline                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Apr 20 Terry Brooks                Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Apr 23 Frankie Britt               Boston, Ma                      KO  3
Apr 29 Willie Jackson              New Haven, Ct                    W 15
May 13 Phil Bloom                  Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
May 24 Barney Adair                New York, NY                  ND-W  6
May 30 Vincent Pokorni             Cleveland, Oh                 ND-W 10
Jun 26 Tommy Carey                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  3
Jul  6 Frankie Callahan            Atlantic City, NJ             ND-W  8
Jul 16 Patsy Cline                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Aug 26 Harvey Thorpe               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Sep 18 George "K.O." Chaney        Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Nov  2 Frankie Callahan            Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Nov 23 Joe Welsh                   Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Dec 10 Frankie Callahan            Boston, Ma                      TK  9
Dec 16 Ever Hammer                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6

1919
Jan  1 Rocky Kansas                Buffalo, NY                   ND-W 10
Jan 20 "Young" Abe Brown           Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Feb  3 Ralph Brady                 Syracuse, NY                  ND-W 10
Feb 10 "Harlem" Eddie Kelly        Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Feb 17 Larry Hansen                Reading, Pa                   ND-W  6
Feb 26 Joe Welling                 Newark, NJ                    ND-W  8
Apr 28 "Westside" Jimmy Duffy      Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
May 12 Cal Delaney                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
May 13 Al Murphy                   Wilkes-Barre, Pa              ND-W 10
Jun  4 George "K.O." Chaney        Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
Jun 13 Packey Hommey               Newark, NJ                    ND-W  8
Jul 14 Joe Welling                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Aug  4 Willie Jackson              Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Oct 10 Stanley Yoakum              Denver, Co                      KO  4
Oct 21 Johnny Noye                 Denver, Co                      LF  3
Oct 27 Harvey Thorpe               Detroit, Mi                   ND-W 10
Nov  8 George Erne                 Philadelphia, Pa                KO  2
Nov 22 Charley Pitts               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  8
Nov 27 Johnny Noye                 Philadelphia, Pa                KO  2

1920
Feb 23 Allentown Dundee            Philadelphia, Pa                KO  2
Feb 28 Dick De Sanders             Philadelphia, Pa                KO  3
Mar 15 Johnny Rose                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Mar 20 Johnny Martin               Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  6
Mar 29 Stanley Hinckle             Philadelphia, Pa                KO  6
Apr  5 Tim Droney                  Lancaster, Pa                 ND-W  6
Apr 17 Banty Sharpe                Paterson, NJ                    KO  5
May  3 Johnny Tillman              St. Paul, Mn                  ND-W 10
May 12 Georges Papin               Jersey City, NJ                 KO  6
May 19 Myron "Pinkey" Mitchell     Milwaukee, Wi                 ND-W 10
May 23 Eddie Fitzsimmons           Philadelphia, Pa              ND-D  8
Jun  9 Richie Mitchell             Milwaukee, Wi                 ND-W 10
Jul 12 Willie Jackson              Philadelphia, Pa                KO  5
Sep 18 Frankie Callahan            Lawrence, Ma                    TK  5
Oct 26 Joe Welling                 Milwaukee, Wi                 ND-W 10
Nov  8 "Harlem" Eddie Kelly        Philadelphia, Pa                KO  5
Nov 25 Johnny Tillman              Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  8
Dec 25 Chick Simler                Philadelphia, Pa                KO  7

1921
Jan  1 Otto Wallace                Philadelphia, Pa                KO  4
Jan 26 Willie Jackson              Milwaukee, Wi                 ND-W 10
Feb 28 Sailor Friedman             Milwaukee, Wi                 ND-W 10
Jul  4 Tim Droney                  Reading, Pa                   ND-W  8
Aug 24 Sailor Friedman             Philadelphia, Pa              ND-D  8
Sep 13 Sailor Friedman             Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  8
Oct 21 Rocky Kansas                New York, NY                     L 15
Nov 24 Manuel Azevedo              Philadelphia, Pa                TK  2
Dec 16 Sailor Friedman             New York, NY                     W 15

1922
Jan  2 Barney Adair                Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  8
Feb  1 Mel Coogan                  Philadelphia, Pa                NC  1
Feb 24 "Oakland" Jimmy Duffy       New York, NY                    TK  8
Mar 11 Johnny Sheppard             Brooklyn, NY                    KO  3
Mar 13 Alex Hart                   Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  8
Apr 10 Charley Pitts               Brooklyn, NY                    LF  7
Apr 17 Tim Droney                  Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  8
May  5 Johnny Dundee               New York, NY                     W 15
Jun  6 Bobby Barrett               Philadelphia, Pa                KO  6
Jul 27 Benny Leonard               Jersey City, NJ               ND-L 12
Sep 11 Ever Hammer                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  8
Nov  3 Johnny Mendelsohn           Milwaukee, Wi                 ND-W 10

1923
Jan 19 Pal Moran                   New York, NY                     W 15
Jan 29 Jack Lawler                 Philadelphia, Pa                TK  5
Jun 18 Pal Moran                   Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  8
Jun 25 Tim Droney                  Allentown, Pa                 ND-W 10
Jul 24 Benny Leonard               Bronx, NY                        L 15
Nov 19 Jack Palmer                 Philadelphia, Pa              ND-W  8
Dec 28 Pep O'Brien                 Scranton, Pa                     W 10

1924
Jan  1 Nate Goldman                Philadelphia, Pa                 L 10
Jan 28 Ray Mitchell                Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Feb 18 Myron "Pinkey" Mitchell     Milwaukee, Wi                 ND-W 10
Mar 17 Ted Marchant                Philadelphia, Pa                KO  4
Apr 15 Sailor Friedman             Boston, NY                       W 10
Jun  2 Mickey Walker               Philadelphia, Pa                 L 10
          -NBA Welterweight Championship of the World
Jul  1 Bobby Barrett               Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Jul 21 Bobby Barrett               Philadelphia, Pa                 D 10
Aug 18 K.O. Mars                   Cincinnati, Oh                ND-W 10
Nov 24 Joe Libby                   Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Dec 25 Joe Tiplitz                 Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10

1925
Jan 19 Jack Zivic                  Pittsburgh, Pa                  LK  5
Feb 23 Joe Reno                    Philadelphia, Pa                KO  5
Mar 16 Nate Goldman                Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Apr  6 Tony Julian                 Philadelphia, Pa                TK  3
Jun  8 Jack Zivic                  Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Jul 16 Joe Dundee                  Philadelphia, Pa                 D 10

1926
Apr 19 Joe Reno                    Atlantic City, NJ             ND-D  8
May  3 Jack McFarland              Newark, NJ                    ND-W 10
May 19 Don Boyer                   Toledo, Oh                      TK  7
May 28 Basil Galiano               Brooklyn, NY                     W 10
Jun 25 Georgie Russell             Atlantic City, NJ               TK  6
Jun 28 Meyer Cohen                 Hartford, Ct                     L 10
Jul 12 Joe Reno                    Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Jul 29 Mickey Forkins              New York, NY                    TK  5
Sep  1 Joe Reno                    Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Sep 15 Al Conway                   Atlantic City, NJ             ND-W  6
Oct  4 Danny Gordon                West Manayunk, Pa                W 10
Oct 15 "Farmer" Joe Cooper         New York, NY                     W 10
Nov  1 Tommy Jordan                Brooklyn, NY                    LF  4

1927
Mar 15 "Young" Harry Wills         Los Angeles, Ca                 TK  8
Apr 12 Asa "Ace" Hudkins           Los Angeles, Ca                  L 10
Aug  9 Danny Gordon                West Manayunk, Pa               KO  8
Aug 30 Willie Greb                 West Manayunk, Pa               KO  4
Sep 12 Clarence "Sailor" Darden    Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Oct  3 Pat Haley                   Philadelphia, Pa                KO  1
Nov  7 Vincent Forgione            Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Dec 12 Hilario Martinez            Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10

1928
Jan  2 Jack McFarland              Philadelphia, Pa                TK  8
Jan 20 Asa "Ace" Hudkins           New York, NY                     L 10
Jun 18 Nate Goldman                Philadelphia, Pa                TK  5

Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization