Though his name has been forgotten by many, Barney Ross packed more into his 57 years than most will ever come close to accomplishing. Born in New York but raised in Chicago, Ross was a childhood friend of Lee Harvey Oswald's killer, Jack Ruby. He later testified at Ruby's murder trial as a character witness. Ross' father was killed in a robbery of the family deli; he was forced to grow up quickly as a result. He later turned to boxing. Ross' amateur career was supported by gangster Al Capone, and he went on to become a three-division world champion and Hall of Famer in boxing. After his retirement, be became a marine, and was awarded a Silver Star for his heroic actions during the Battle of Guadalcanal. While recovering from his wounds, he became addicted to morphine, which developed into a heroin addiction. Ross later kicked the habit and became an advocate before dying of cancer at the age of 57. What an incredible life! You do now want to miss part one of our discussion with Ross biographer Douglas Century, author of "Barney Ross: The Life of a Jewish Fighter."
#tags: boxing, war, Jewish
