Jackie Fields

Jackie Fields (Jacob Finkelstein, February 9, 1908 – June 3, 1987) was an American professional boxer who won the World Welterweight Championship twice. Statistical boxing website BoxRec lists Fields as the #19 ranked welterweight of all-time. Fields was elected to the United Savings-Helms Hall of Boxing Fame in 1972, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1979, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.

Jackie Fields, who was Jewish, was born Jacob Finkelstein on Maxwell Street, in Chicago, Illinois, on February 9, 1908. His father was a Jewish Russian immigrant who worked as a butcher. Some of his initial boxing instruction came from the legendary black boxing trainer and former lightweight boxer Jack Blackburn, who would later train Joe Lewis. When his family moved to Los Angeles in 1921, Fields continued boxing at Jack Dempsey's Gym. He boxed as an exceptional amateur for the Los Angeles Sporting Club, under the instruction of George Blake, a master trainer who recognized Jackie's potential as early as the age of thirteen. An exceptional boxer in Blake's stable, Fidel LaBarba, future world flyweight champion, sparred with the young Fields after he arrived in Los Angeles, and would spar with him on other occasions to improve his technique and speed.