Ross, Barney
[Barnet David Rasofsky]
Boxing
b. Dec. 23, 1909, New York, NY
d. Jan. 17, 1967
Ross's family moved to Chicago to operate a grocery store when he was less than two years old. He dropped out of school after his father was murdered in a 1924 holdup and began boxing as an amateur under an assumed name to prevent his mother from finding out.
He won the 1929 Western Golden Gloves featherweight championship and then became a professional. Ross won 48 of his first 50 professional fights and had one draw in that string. He beat Tony Canzoneri for the world lightweight and junior welterweight championships with a 10-round decision on June 23, 1933.
Later that year, he gave up the lightweight crown because he could no longer make the weight limit, but continued to hold the junior welterweight title. On May 28, 1934, Ross won the world welterweight championship with a 15-round decision over Jimmy McLarnin, but McLarnin won it back in a rematch on September 17.
Ross regained the welterweight championship with another decision over McLarnin on May 28, 1935. He then surrendered the junior welterweight title. After two defenses, he lost the welterweight championship to Henry Armstrong on a 15-round decision on May 31, 1938, and retired from the ring.
During World War II, Ross served in the Marines, was wounded at Guadalcanal, and received the Silver Star for bravery. Because of his wound, he became addicted to morphine. The 1947 John Garfield movie, Body and Soul, was a fictitious version of Ross's life, and the 1957 film, Monkey on My Back, told the story of his addiction and recovery.
Ross had 81 professional bouts and he won 73 of them, 22 by knockout. He lost 4 decisions and also fought 3 draws and 1 no-decision.