Charley Goldman
Encyclopedia
Charley Goldman was a famed boxing trainer who trained five world champions. Goldman's most famous pupil was the undefeated heavyweight
champion of the world, Rocky Marciano
.
Goldman, who was Jewish, grew up in the Red Hook
section of Brooklyn
. The area was then known as a tough neighborhood, and Goldman learned how to use his fists at an early age to protect his older brother Sam. It is therefore not surprising that Goldman became a professional boxer, as a bantamweight
. He was a protege of world champion "Terrible" Terry McGovern
, and claimed to have adopted the habit of wearing a derby hat from McGovern. He fought his first professional fight, at the age of 16, in a Brooklyn
, New York
saloon.
Goldman claimed to have engaged in over 400 bouts, but most were unrecorded. Given the quasi-legal status of the sport in New York at the time, it was not unusual that no record was kept of any particular encounter. He is attributed with having engaged in 137 recorded fights, of which he won 36 (20 by KO
) and losing 6. The other fights were ruled either a No Decision or draw. Included in his No Decision fights was a ten round attempt to wrest the bantamweight crown from champion Johnny Coulon
in November 1912.
Unlike today, ring rivals fought each other repeatedly and often. For example, Goldman had a rivalry with Whitey Kitson. The two were reputed to have fought each other 60 times. Goldman claimed to have fought Whitey twice on the same day, and 12 times in 12 days.
Although, Goldman was considered a top notch fighter he was afflicted with brittle hands, which affected his ability as a puncher. During his career he broke his hands countless times, and was left with deformed, gnarled knuckles and fingers.
After his career as a boxer ended, Goldman began training boxers. His first champion was a middleweight Al McCoy
. Eventually, Goldman teamed with boxing manager Al Weill
, and trained his fighters including world lightweight
champion Lou Ambers
and featherweight
champion Joey Archibald
.
It was his work with Marciano, however, that Goldman is most famous for. When Goldman first met Marciano, the fighter was an inexperienced, short (approx. 5'11), stoop shouldered, balding, clumsy heavyweight, with inordinately short arms (Marciano's reach was the shortest of any heavyweight champion at 69 inches). In addition, Marciano was starting late in the professional ranks, and was light for a heavyweight.
Nevertheless, Goldman began to work with Marciano. Goldman believed that a trainer should not interfere with a fighter's natural style, but rather refine and improve it. Accordingly, he did not try to turn him into a slick jabbing boxer. He also sought to turn Marciano's shortcomings into advantages. His adage was: "If you got a tall fighter, make him taller. If you got a short fighter make him shorter." With Marciano, Goldman made him shorter by teaching him to fight out of crouch. By having him stoop low Goldman made the already low target offered by Marciano that much harder to hit.
He also worked with Marciano on shortening his punches and his too wide stance. Goldman tied Marciano's ankles together with a string to teach him to spread his feet at the appropriate width. He taught him to throw combinations, rather than one big bomb at a time. Although the finished product was still crude and clumsy, Marciano was a formidable offensive and defensive fighter. But, as Goldman pointed out: "A lot of people say Rocky don't look too good in there, but the guy on the ground don't look too good either."
Marciano's defense was particularly deceiving. For example, boxing master, Archie Moore
noted that, before he fought Marciano, his study of Marciano on film led him to believe that he could easily hit him with a left hook. When the fight began, Archie learned that, due to the angle of Marciano's crouch, he could hit Marciano with a hook only if he placed himself in position to be hit by Marciano.
Undisputedly, Marciano possessed assets that enabled him to become champion. But it is universally acknowledged that Goldman did a masterful job in bringing out these assets to Marciano's greatest advantage, and refining his style to make the fighter the best he could be. After Marciano retired, Goldman continued to train fighters. Although he worked with Oscar Bonavena
shortly, at the beginning of the Argentinian's career, he never again trained a world championship contender.
Goldman was very popular with the sportswriters of his day. He was always good for a quote, and continued to sport his derby hat long past the era when they were customarily worn. The derby, along with his diminutive size (5'1" tall), ever present cigar, pleasant disposition, and horn rimmed glasses, presented a colorful image that endeared him to the boxing public of his day.
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
champion of the world, Rocky Marciano
Rocky Marciano
Rocky Marciano , born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was an American boxer and the heavyweight champion of the world from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956. Marciano is the only champion to hold the heavyweight title and go undefeated throughout his career. Marciano defended his title six times...
.
Goldman, who was Jewish, grew up in the Red Hook
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Red Hook is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 6. It is also the location where the transatlantic liner, the , docks in New York City.- History :...
section of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. The area was then known as a tough neighborhood, and Goldman learned how to use his fists at an early age to protect his older brother Sam. It is therefore not surprising that Goldman became a professional boxer, as a bantamweight
Bantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...
. He was a protege of world champion "Terrible" Terry McGovern
Terry McGovern (boxer)
Terrible Terry McGovern , born John Terrence McGovern in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States, was a boxer who held the world bantamweight and featherweight titles.-Professional career:...
, and claimed to have adopted the habit of wearing a derby hat from McGovern. He fought his first professional fight, at the age of 16, in a Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
saloon.
Goldman claimed to have engaged in over 400 bouts, but most were unrecorded. Given the quasi-legal status of the sport in New York at the time, it was not unusual that no record was kept of any particular encounter. He is attributed with having engaged in 137 recorded fights, of which he won 36 (20 by KO
Ko
Ko or KO may refer to:* Ko , a Tamil action movie directed by K.V. Anand released in April 2011* Ko , the romanization of the Japanese kana こ and コ* Ko Mountain, the second highest peak in Sikhote-Alin*Ko, Lamphun, Thailand...
) and losing 6. The other fights were ruled either a No Decision or draw. Included in his No Decision fights was a ten round attempt to wrest the bantamweight crown from champion Johnny Coulon
Johnny Coulon
John Frederic Coulon was the bantamweight boxing champion of the world from 6 March 1910, when he wrested the crown from England's Jim Kendrick, until 1914, when he was defeated by Kid Williams.-Biography:...
in November 1912.
Unlike today, ring rivals fought each other repeatedly and often. For example, Goldman had a rivalry with Whitey Kitson. The two were reputed to have fought each other 60 times. Goldman claimed to have fought Whitey twice on the same day, and 12 times in 12 days.
Although, Goldman was considered a top notch fighter he was afflicted with brittle hands, which affected his ability as a puncher. During his career he broke his hands countless times, and was left with deformed, gnarled knuckles and fingers.
After his career as a boxer ended, Goldman began training boxers. His first champion was a middleweight Al McCoy
Al McCoy (boxer)
Al McCoy was a boxing world middleweight champion from 1914 to 1917. McCoy’s professional record: 157 bouts — won 99 , lost 40, no-decisions 18.-Biography:...
. Eventually, Goldman teamed with boxing manager Al Weill
Al Weill
Armand "Al" Weill was a boxing manager. He managed four world champions Rocky Marciano, Marty Servo, Lou Ambers, Joey Archibald and several other boxers. He moved to the United States from his birthplace of France at the age of 13, where he eventually began his career.-References:*...
, and trained his fighters including world lightweight
Lightweight
Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
champion Lou Ambers
Lou Ambers
Luigi Giuseppe d'Ambrosio , aka Lou Ambers, was a lightweight boxer who fought from 1932 to 1941.Managed by Al Weill and trained by Charley Goldman, the "Herkimer Hurricane", as he was known, began his career losing only once in more than three years when he faced future hall of fame lightweight...
and featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
champion Joey Archibald
Joey Archibald
Joey Archibald was the former world boxing featherweight champion. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island....
.
It was his work with Marciano, however, that Goldman is most famous for. When Goldman first met Marciano, the fighter was an inexperienced, short (approx. 5'11), stoop shouldered, balding, clumsy heavyweight, with inordinately short arms (Marciano's reach was the shortest of any heavyweight champion at 69 inches). In addition, Marciano was starting late in the professional ranks, and was light for a heavyweight.
Nevertheless, Goldman began to work with Marciano. Goldman believed that a trainer should not interfere with a fighter's natural style, but rather refine and improve it. Accordingly, he did not try to turn him into a slick jabbing boxer. He also sought to turn Marciano's shortcomings into advantages. His adage was: "If you got a tall fighter, make him taller. If you got a short fighter make him shorter." With Marciano, Goldman made him shorter by teaching him to fight out of crouch. By having him stoop low Goldman made the already low target offered by Marciano that much harder to hit.
He also worked with Marciano on shortening his punches and his too wide stance. Goldman tied Marciano's ankles together with a string to teach him to spread his feet at the appropriate width. He taught him to throw combinations, rather than one big bomb at a time. Although the finished product was still crude and clumsy, Marciano was a formidable offensive and defensive fighter. But, as Goldman pointed out: "A lot of people say Rocky don't look too good in there, but the guy on the ground don't look too good either."
Marciano's defense was particularly deceiving. For example, boxing master, Archie Moore
Archie Moore
Archie Moore, born Archibald Lee Wright , was light heavyweight world boxing champion who had one of the longest professional careers in the history of that sport....
noted that, before he fought Marciano, his study of Marciano on film led him to believe that he could easily hit him with a left hook. When the fight began, Archie learned that, due to the angle of Marciano's crouch, he could hit Marciano with a hook only if he placed himself in position to be hit by Marciano.
Undisputedly, Marciano possessed assets that enabled him to become champion. But it is universally acknowledged that Goldman did a masterful job in bringing out these assets to Marciano's greatest advantage, and refining his style to make the fighter the best he could be. After Marciano retired, Goldman continued to train fighters. Although he worked with Oscar Bonavena
Oscar Bonavena
Oscar Natalio "Ringo" Bonavena was a heavyweight professional boxer with a career record of 58 wins, 9 losses and 1 draw. A rugged, wild-swinging puncher, he was nicknamed "Ringo" because of his Beatles haircut, and enjoyed professional success in both Argentina and the United States...
shortly, at the beginning of the Argentinian's career, he never again trained a world championship contender.
Goldman was very popular with the sportswriters of his day. He was always good for a quote, and continued to sport his derby hat long past the era when they were customarily worn. The derby, along with his diminutive size (5'1" tall), ever present cigar, pleasant disposition, and horn rimmed glasses, presented a colorful image that endeared him to the boxing public of his day.