Ted Kid Lewis: His Life and Times

Born Gershon Mendeloff in London's East End in 1893, the third of eight children, Lewis learned to fight by battling anti-Semitic kids. He began his ring career in 1909, boxing at private clubs, and became the British featherweight champion in 1913, adding the European title the next year. By the time he left the ring in 1929, he had fought 229 bouts, held five titles in the featherweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions and established himself as the best British boxer of his time (of all time, some would argue). As a boy he had known Charlie Chaplin, and once he had established himself in the U.S., where he spent much of his ring career, he was often in Hollywood. Thus he knew many film stars as well as the major fighters of his time. He died in 1970. One wonders, however, about the appeal to readers of a book about a man who fought in the non-glamorous lightweight classes 60 to 80 years ago, even as lovingly chronicled by his son, a film producer. Photos. Copyright 1992 Cahners Business Information, Inc.