Luftspring, Sammy – Call me Sammy. INSCRIBED

Description

Luftspring, Sammy ‘Call me Sammy.’ 1975 1st ed. 195 pages. INSCRIBED “Dec. 24/75. To dear friend Tony and lovely Tina. Tony we go back a long way. Best wishes and a Merry Christmas Sammy Luftspring.” VG in VG complete non-price clipped mylar protected dust jacket.

Book Description:
“Call Me Sammy” is the 195-page autobiography of legendary Jewish-Canadian boxing champion Sammy Luftspring, co-written with Brian Swarbrick and published by Prentice-Hall Inc. in 1975.

The book is an engaging first-hand historical account detailing:
• His Immigrant Roots: Growing up in poverty in Toronto’s tough immigrant neighborhoods (“The Ward” and Kensington Market), where his family ran bootlegging operations out of their kitchen to survive the Great Depression.
• The 1936 Berlin Olympics Boycott: His courageous and celebrated decision to boycott the Nazi-hosted Olympics in protest of Adolf Hitler’s regime and the persecution of Jewish people. Instead of Berlin, he famously traveled to Spain to participate in the alternative, anti-fascist People’s Olympiad in Barcelona.
• Boxing Success and Injury: Capturing the Canadian Welterweight Championship title in a historic 15-round bout, climbing to a top-10 world ranking, and his subsequent retirement after a tragic, blinding ring injury to his eye.
• Life After Boxing: His long career refereeing over 2,000 matches—landing him in the Guinness Book of World Records—and co-owning the popular Mercury Club nightclub in Toronto.