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Sammy Luftspring, Harry Sniderman, and Norman "Baby" Yack aboard the SS Alaunia on route to Barcelona

Admin History/Bio: Norman "Baby" Yack was born Benjamin Norman Yakubowitz in Toronto in 1915. As an amateur bantamweight boxer, Yack won over ninety of one hundred fights. In 1936, he opted out of competing in the Berlin Olympics as a protest to Nazi rule. Instead, he travelled to Barcelona with fellow Jewish boxer Sammy Luftspring to compete in the People's Olympics, which was cancelled at the last minute due to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Later that year, Yack turned professional and, under the management of Steve Rocco, became the fourth ranked bantamweight in the world. Yack retired in Toronto. He died in 1987.; Harry Sniderman was a well-known Toronto sportsman. In 1936, Sniderman organized the financial backing from the Canadian Jewish Congress that allowed himself, Sammy Luftspring, and Norman "Baby" Yack to go to Barcelona to participate in the People's Olympics. His role at the event was to act as coach and organizer for the athletes. Later in life he was the owner of the Warwick Hotel, which was located at the corner of Jarvis and Dundas Street.

Scope and Content: Photograph of Sammy Luftspring, Harry Sniderman and Norman "Baby" Yack aboard the S.S. Alaunia as they travelled to Barcelona for the People's Olympics. They are dressed casually and are standing on the deck of the ship.

Repro Restriction: Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.