Yack, Norman 'Babe'

Sport:
boxing

Country Represented:
Canada

Years Competed:
1936

Olympic Info:
Yack and Sammy Luftspring (the top-ranked lightweight boxer in Canada), boycotted the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games in protest of the Nazis' treatment of the Jews. The two boxers announced their decision not to attend the Berlin Games in a stark and revealing statement. They declared, "We would have been very (loath) to hurt the feelings of our fellow Jews, by going to a land that would exterminate them if it could." Instead, Yack and Luftspring chose to compete in the alternate Games being held in Barcelona. When they reached the port city of Dieppe, France, however, Yack and Luftspring learned that the Barcelona Games had been cancelled due to the Spanish Civil War.

Career Highlights:
After refusing to participate in the 1936 Olympics, Yack turned professional and fought in the late 1930s. In September 1939, he lost in 8 rounds to former world bantamweight champion (and future welterweight champ) Harry Jeffra.

Birth and Death Dates:
unknown

Origin:
Canada

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