Abraham Jacob Hollandersky
Abe "The Newsboy" Hollandersky (December 3, 1888 – November 1, 1966) became the second American boxer to win the Panamanian Heavyweight Title when he defeated Californian Jack Ortega in nine rounds in Panama City on May 30, 1913. American congressmen, Naval personnel, and canal workers were among the crowd of nearly two thousand who watched Hollandersky gain victory over an opponent who outweighed him by over thirty-five pounds. The "New York Times" announced Hollandersky's best known win the following morning.
Abraham Jacob Hollandersky
Four of Abe's siblings, two boys and two girls, died of malnutrition in Berzniki prior to Abe's departure. Departing Russia as a young child, Hollandersky headed to Berlin, Germany and than Manchester, England with his mother Celia and older brother Sol. In Manchester, Celia worked in the textile industry to raise money for passage to America. Manchester was a natural choice as her relative Solomon Hollandersky, son of Falk, had already emigrated there before coming to America. Hollandersky's father Charles, a tailor, had preceded him to America around 1886 to find work, at some point plying his trade with his brother Falk in New England. Charles sent money from New England to Abe's mother so his family could eventually afford passage to America, but became blind before they were able to leave Berzniki. Uncle Falk and his wife Sarah Feyga provided parental support to Abe at times in his youth.