Fleischer, Nat

Nat Fleischer, byname of Nathaniel Stanley Fleischer, (born November 3, 1887, New York, New York, U.S.—died June 25, 1972, Atlantic Beach, New York), American sports journalist who was an outstanding authority on boxing.

Fleischer, a sportswriter for the New York Press, was encouraged by the promoter Tex Rickard to found the authoritative monthly magazine The Ring, the first issue of which appeared in February 1922. In 1942 he published the first annual Ring Record Book and Boxing Encyclopedia, which continued until 1986 and was considered to be the “bible” of boxing. Fleischer authored a myriad of books on boxing. He was one of the founders of the Boxing Hall of Fame, which began inducting members in 1954.