First Jewish Olympic Champion in Boxing

At the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, boxing appeared on the Olympic program for the first time. Among the competitors was Samuel “Sam” Berger, an American Jewish amateur boxer representing the Olympic Club of San Francisco. Competing in the heavyweight division, Berger entered a small but historic tournament held at Washington University's Physical Culture Gymnasium. On 21 September, he defeated Bill Michaels by knockout in the third round. The following day, 22 September 1904, he faced Charles Mayer, who had also won the middleweight title. Berger won the final by decision and claimed the Olympic heavyweight gold medal. The judges' decision was controversial among spectators, but the official result established Berger as the inaugural Olympic heavyweight boxing champion. Because boxing had not been contested at earlier modern Olympic Games, his victory also made him the first Jewish Olympic champion in the sport. The achievement links the beginnings of Olympic boxing with the history of Jewish athletes at the Games.