Fred Apostoli

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Fred Apostoli
Born
Alfredo Apostoli

(1913-02-02)February 2, 1913
San Francisco
DiedNovember 29, 1973(1973-11-29) (aged 60)
San Francisco
NationalityAmerican
Other namesThe Boxing Bell Hop
Statistics
Weight(s)Middleweight
Height5 ft 9+1⁄2 in (1.77 m)
Reach70 in (178 cm)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights72
Wins61
Wins by KO31
Losses10
Draws1
External image
image icon Apostoli (right) having his hand wrapped in an undated photo by Harry E. Winkler (film negative held by the University of Notre Dame library)

Alfredo "Fred" Apostoli (February 2, 1913 – November 29, 1973) was a rugged, accomplished body punching

Ring Magazine Hall of Fame in 1978, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1988, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame
in 2003.

Early life

Freddie Apostoli was born in San Francisco and lived in North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf as a young child. His father worked as both a fisherman and laborer in the San Francisco area but had grown up in a farming community near Gibbstown, NJ in the late 19th century.

The Apostoli family immigrated to NYC in the 1880s from the city San Benedetto del Tronto in the Ascoli Piceno Province in the Marche region of Italy. Apostoli's mother died in child birth in the early 1920s and his father sent his other younger children back to live with relatives on the East coast and placed Freddy in the care of a Catholic orphanage in San Francisco. Apostoli attended grade school and high school in North Beach and was a lifelong friend of classmate

Joe Dimaggio
.

Apostoli's father was one of the workers killed in 1928 while working on a construction detail trying to access the damaged portion of a dam which had failed in

Los Angeles County
. During his time in the orphanage, Apostoli and the other teens were encouraged by the nuns of the parish to work their disputes out through boxing. Freddie quickly became a master of said technique and showed such promise that the parish arranged for him to receive more formal training. These lessons at a local YMCA gym were partially funded thru the donations the parish had received over the years from his family back East. Apostoli, who won the Pacific Coast Junior Welterweight championship, Golden Gloves Middleweight championship, and the National AAU middleweight championship in 1934, turned pro later that year.

Pro career

Middleweight contender

He quickly moved up the ladder and fought future middleweight champion

Babe Risko, Solly Krieger and Lou Brouillard
to become the leading contender for the world championship.

World middleweight champion

Eventually, Apostoli was matched with title claimant Marcel Thil; he defeated the Frenchman via a 10th-round TKO. The New York Boxing Commission, however, still recognized Freddie Steele as champion. In 1938, Apostoli fought Steele in a non-title rematch and avenged his earlier defeat with a 9th-round KO. On November 18, 1938, Apostoli won by TKO in the 8th round against Young Corbett III and was officially recognized by the NYSAC as absolute middleweight world champion. Apostoli also fought as a light heavyweight. Although he dropped two close decisions to Hall of Famer Billy Conn, Conn always credited Apostoli as a great fighter who hurt him in both matches. On October 2, 1939, Apostoli's title reign ended when he lost the middleweight crown to Ceferino Garcia.

World War II service and retirement

Apostoli served in the United States Navy during

Pacific theater. Wounded in battle, he received a Bronze Star and returned to San Francisco in 1946. He rehabilitated from injuries sustained in the Battle of Midway at Letterman Army Hospital located in the Presidio of San Francisco. He retired from the ring in 1948 and served as a member of the Olympic Club in San Francisco
.

Professional boxing record

72 fights 61 wins 10 losses
By knockout 31 4
By decision 30 6
Draws 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
72 Loss 61–10–1 Earl Turner UD 10 Dec 1, 1948 Auditorium, Oakland, California, U.S.
71 Win 61–9–1 Georgie Abrams MD 10 Nov 17, 1947 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
70 Win 60–9–1 Reuben Shank UD 10 Aug 25, 1947 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
69 Win 59–9–1 Reuben Shank RTD 8 (10) Jul 14, 1947 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
68 Win 58–9–1 Bobby Volk SD 10 May 21, 1947 Oaks Ballpark, Emeryville, California, U.S.
67 Win 57–9–1 George Duke PTS 10 May 2, 1947 Los Banos, California, U.S.
66 Win 56–9–1 Bobby Volk KO 3 (10) Apr 7, 1947 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
65 Loss 55–9–1 Bobby Volk TKO 1 (10) Feb 28, 1947 Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
64 Win 55–8–1 Paul Lewis UD 10 Dec 11, 1946 Auditorium, Oakland, California, U.S.
63 Win 54–8–1 Frankie Angustain MD 10 Nov 18, 1946 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
62 Win 53–8–1 Tommy Egan PTS 10 Oct 21, 1946 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
61 Win 52–8–1 George Duke KO 9 (10) Sep 20, 1946 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
60 Win 51–8–1 Sheik Rangel PTS 10 Aug 27, 1946 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, U.S.
59 Win 50–8–1 Dencio Cabanela Jr TKO 7 (10) Sep 9, 1946 Coliseum Bowl, San Francisco, California, U.S.
58 Win 49–8–1 Pedro Jimenez TKO 4 (10) Aug 12, 1946 Coliseum Bowl, San Francisco, California, U.S.
57 Win 48–8–1 Saverio Turiello PTS 10 Aug 24, 1942 Foreman Field, Naval Base, Norfolk, New Jersey, U.S.
56 Draw 47–8–1 Ken Overlin PTS 10 Jun 26, 1942 Foreman Field, Naval Base, Norfolk, New Jersey, U.S.
55 Win 47–8 Joe Mulli TKO 2 (8) Apr 4, 1942 Ridgewood Grove, New York City, New York, U.S.
54 Win 46–8 Augie Arellano TKO 5 (8) Mar 7, 1942 Ridgewood Grove, New York City, New York, U.S.
53 Win 45–8 El Brookman TKO 6 (10) Oct 14, 1941 Uline Arena, Washington, D.C., U.S.
52 Win 44–8 Joey Spangler TKO 5 (10) Sep 15, 1941 Municipal Auditorium, Norfolk, New Jersey, U.S.
51 Win 43–8 Bill McDowell TKO 2 (10) Aug 21, 1941 Foreman Field, Naval Base, Norfolk, New Jersey, U.S.
50 Loss 42–8 Tony Zale PTS 10 Nov 19, 1940 Civic Auditorium, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
49 Win 42–7 Bobby Pacho PTS 10 Sep 16, 1940 Coliseum Bowl, San Francisco, California, U.S.
48 Win 41–7 Big Boy Hogue PTS 10 Aug 19, 1940 Coliseum Bowl, San Francisco, California, U.S.
47 Win 40–7 Dale Sparr KO 5 (10) Jul 22, 1940 Coliseum Bowl, San Francisco, California, U.S.
46 Loss 39–7 Melio Bettina RTD 12 (15) Feb 2, 1940 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
45 Win 39–6 Melio Bettina MD 12 Jan 5, 1940 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
44 Loss 38–6 Ceferino Garcia KO 7 (15) Oct 2, 1939 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Lost NYSAC middleweight title
43 Win 38–5 Glen Lee MD 10 Aug 28, 1939 Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
42 Win 37–5 Mohamed Fahmy TKO 3 (10) Aug 7, 1939 Eastern States Coliseum, West Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
41 Win 36–5 Eric Seelig SD 10 May 1, 1939 Public Hall, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
40 Win 35–5 George Nichols KO 2 (10) Apr 17, 1939 Open-Air Arena, Houston, Texas, U.S.
39 Loss 34–5 Billy Conn UD 15 Feb 10, 1939 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
38 Loss 34–4 Billy Conn UD 10 Jan 6, 1939 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
37 Win 34–3 Al Cocozza TKO 4 (10) Dec 20, 1938 Arena, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
36 Win 33–3 Young Corbett III TKO 8 (15) Nov 18, 1938 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Won vacant NYSAC middleweight title
35 Win 32–3 Butch Lynch TKO 2 (10) Sep 16, 1938 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
34 Win 31–3 Mike Payan KO 2 (10) Sep 6, 1938 Civic Auditorium, San Jose, California, U.S.
33 Win 30–3 Glen Lee PTS 10 Apr 1, 1938 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
32 Loss 29–3 Young Corbett III PTS 10 Feb 22, 1938 Seals Stadium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
31 Win 29–2 Glen Lee SD 12 Feb 4, 1938 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
30 Win 28–2 Freddie Steele TKO 9 (12) Jan 7, 1938 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
29 Win 27–2 Tony Celli TKO 2 (10) Oct 25, 1937 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
28 Win 26–2 Marcel Thil TKO 10 (15) Sep 23, 1937 Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S. Won IBU middleweight title
27 Win 25–2 Tommy Jones KO 2 (10) Jun 22, 1937 Auditorium, Portland, Oregon, U.S.
26 Win 24–2 Dale Sparr PTS 10 Jun 11, 1937 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
25 Win 23–2 Solly Krieger TKO 5 (12) Apr 14, 1937 Hippodrome, New York City, New York, U.S.
24 Win 22–2 Butch Lynch TKO 9 (10) Mar 15, 1937 Laurel Garden, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
23 Win 21–2 Solly Krieger UD 10 Feb 17, 1937 Hippodrome, New York City, New York, U.S.
22 Loss 20–2 Ken Overlin MD 10 Jan 27, 1937 Hippodrome, New York City, New York, U.S.
21 Win 20–1 Babe Marino PTS 10 Dec 14, 1936 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
20 Win 19–1 Lou Brouillard PTS 10 Oct 9, 1936 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
19 Win 18–1 Marty Simmons PTS 10 Aug 21, 1936 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
18 Win 17–1 Eddie Babe Risko PTS 10 May 8, 1936 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
17 Win 16–1 Young Stuhley PTS 10 Apr 6, 1936 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
16 Win 15–1 Paul Pirrone RTD 7 (10) Feb 28, 1936 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
15 Win 14–1 Frankie Britt PTS 10 Jan 20, 1936 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
14 Win 13–1 Swede Berglund PTS 10 Nov 27, 1935 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
13 Win 12–1 Babe Marino PTS 10 Oct 25, 1935 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
12 Win 11–1 Young Stuhley PTS 10 Oct 4, 1935 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
11 Win 10–1 Rudy Mendez PTS 8 Aug 14, 1935 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
10 Win 9–1 Dick Foster TKO 6 (8) Jul 31, 1935 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
9 Win 8–1 Eddie Schneider KO 1 (8) Jul 17, 1935 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
8 Win 7–1 Mike Payan PTS 10 May 31, 1935 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
7 Loss 6–1 Freddie Steele TKO 10 (10) Apr 1, 1935 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
6 Win 6–0 Newsboy Millich TKO 4 (6) Feb 22, 1935 Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
5 Win 5–0 Andy DiVodi PTS 6 Jan 28, 1935 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
4 Win 4–0 Eddie Fox TKO 5 (6) Jan 7, 1935 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
3 Win 3–0 Eddie Daniels TKO 2 (6) Nov 30, 1934 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
2 Win 2–0 Jack Riley KO 1 (6) Nov 12, 1934 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.
1 Win 1–0 Gilbert Attell TKO 3 (6) Oct 8, 1934 Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, U.S.

References

External links
Achievements
Preceded by
Freddie Steele
Recognition Withdrawn
NYSAC World Middleweight Champion

18 November 1938 – 2 October 1939 		Succeeded by
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