Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Who Are Those Guys? - Kid Berg




Judah Bergman was born on June 28, 1909 in Stepney, London, England. He was apprenticed as a lather boy in a barber's shop, and began his boxing career at the Premierland, Back Church Lane, when he was 14. Jewish, Berg boxed with a Star of David on his trunks.

The book The Whitechapel Windmill covers the handsome boxer's rise in the boxing world as well as his flamboyant out-of-the-ring life, which is said to have included an affair with Mae West and to have borne a long-lasting friendship with fellow East Ender Jack Spot, the colorful gangster.

Between 1923 and 1936, Berg had 192 professional fights, winning 157 of them. His record was 157–26–9. Fifty seven wins were by knock out. In 1931 he moved to the USA, where he won 64 out of 76 fights there. He became British lightweight champion in 1934 by beating the holder Harry Mizler, and he lived to be the oldest British boxing champion. After retiring from boxing, he worked as a film stunt man, joined the Royal Air Force, and owned a restaurant in London. Known as Kid Berg he appeared in his only Euro-western, “Carry on Cowboy” 1966 as a rider.

Berg died in London on April 22, 1991.

Berg was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.


BERG, Kid (aka Jack Berg, Jackie ‘Kid’ Berg) (Judah Bergman) [6/28/1909, Stepney, London, England, U.K. - 4/22/1991, London, England, U.K.] - stuntman, boxer, World Junior Welterweight Champion [1930-1931], member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame (1989), the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame [1993], member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame [1994].
Carry on Cowboy - 1965 (rider) 

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