Accession Number

1981-1-7

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1936

Scope and Content

This accession consists of one photocopy of the diary of Sammy Luftspring, recounting an aborted trip to Barcelona, Spain for a competition during his boycott of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

Name Access

Luftspring, Sammy, 1916-2000

Source

Archival Accessions

Level

Item

Item

2516

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1930

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)

Admin History/Bio

Sammy Luftspring (1915–2000) was a professional boxer and Canadian welterwight champion. Luftspring married Elise and together they had two children, Brian and Orian.

Scope and Content

Sammy Luftspring was fourteen years old at the time of this photograph.

Name Access

Luftspring, Sammy, 1916-2000

Subjects

Boxers (Sports)

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.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1981-1-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

82

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1922-2000

Physical Description

2 scrapbooks ; 65 x 48 cm and 34 x 30 cm

Admin History/Bio

Sammy Luftspring was born on 14 May 1916 in Toronto's Ward neighbourhood. His parents were working-class Jews who emigrated from eastern Europe. Sammy began training as a youth at the Brunswick YMHA. He lived in Kensington Market and attended B'nai Brith summer camp as a youngster. In 1932 he started entering boxing matches. He competed in 105 fights and only lost five bouts, capturing the Golden Glove tournaments in weight classes ranging from bantamweight to welterweight. Sammy became famous for his fighting prowess and Jewish pride, always sporting a Star of David on his boxing shorts.

By 1933, he became the Ontario lightweight champion, representing the Elm Grove Athletic Club. That same year, he took part in the Christie Pits riot. Because of his accomplishments in the ring and his contribution to his community, he became a highly respected athlete within the Jewish community.

In 1936, he was selected for the Canadian team to take part in the Berlin Olympics that year. Although he was eager to compete, his parents and the community pressured him to boycott the games in protest over the Nazis' treatment of Jews in Germany. Luftspring and "Baby Yak," another famous local Jewish boxer, decided to participate instead in the alternate games in Barcelona, Spain, called the People's Olympics. After making the trip to Europe by ship, the two faced the disappointment of having the event cancelled after the Spanish Civil War broke out on the eve of the opening ceremonies.

After his return to Toronto, Luftspring began to box professionally. In 1938, he won the Canadian welterweight championship after a fifteen-round fight where he defeated Frank Genovese. He held the title for two years. During a fight in New York against Steve Belloise, Luftspring was poked in the eye, resulting in a detached retina. This injury left him blind in one eye, ending his boxing career.

By 1948, he began a new career as a boxing referee. He refereed for several decades, overseeing some of the most celebrated fights of that time. He also ran a nightclub in Toronto called the Mercury Club with three partners. It attracted famous entertainers such as Henry Youngman, Vic Damone, and Tony Bennett. He subsequently ran other nightclubs such as the Tropicana.

In addition to his boxing career, Sammy was also a devoted family man. He married his wife, Elsie, in 1938 at the McCaul Street synagogue. Three hundred and fifty people attended and hundreds waited outside of the synagogue to wish them well. They had two children: Brian and Orian.

His biography, Call Me Sammy, was published in 1975. Luftspring was given the great honour in 1985 of being inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. He passed away on 27 September 2000.

Custodial History

The scrapbooks were created by Sammy Luftspring. He kept them at his house and when he passed away they were safeguarded by his son Brian.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of two scrapbooks that reflect Sammy Luftspring's personal life and various careers as a boxer, referee, author, and nightclub manager/owner. Scrapbooks contain correspondence, ephemera, newspaper clippings, brochures, autographs, coins, and approximately seven hundred photographs.

Personal records include photographs of Sammy and his family during his childhood, family weddings, trips and vacations, and other family events, such as birthday parties and his son's bar mitzvah. There are also letters and cards from Sammy's wife, children, grandchildren and friends, and other ephemeral items Sammy collected, such as ticket stubs from baseball games.

Professional records include images of Sammy training for upcoming boxing matches, portraits of Sammy posing in his boxing attire, images from the grand opening of the Mercury Club, photographs of Sammy as a referee, as well as photographs of Sammy at various celebrity boxing matches. There is also correspondence and a brochure documenting Sammy's incorporation into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and some correspondence regarding the publication and promotion of his book. Finally, there are numerous newspaper clippings relating to all of Sammy's professional endeavours.

Name Access

Luftspring, Sammy, 1916-2000

Subjects

Boxers (Sports)

Physical Condition

The scrapbooks are in poor condition. Many of the photographs, documents and clippings were glued to the pages and the pages have almost all fallen out of the bindings.

Related Material

1981-1-7

Arrangement

The scrapbooks have been kept intact and no arrangement has been done. However, some of the key images have been scanned and item level descriptions have been completed for them.

Creator

Luftspring, Sammy, 1916-2000

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

16

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1937

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Photograph of Sammy Luftspring with his father, Yossel Luftspring, on Nassau Street, outside the family home.

Notes

Image is located on Page 51 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Subjects

Fathers and sons

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.

Places

Nassau Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

27

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1955

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Sammy Luftspring with Rocky Marciano, the heavyweight boxing champion. Photograph was taken at the Mercury Club in Toronto.

Notes

Image is located on page 58 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Rocky Marciano and Sammy Luftspring were both managed by Al Weill during their respective careers.

Name Access

Marciano, Rocky, 1923-1969

Mercury Club (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Nightclubs

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Morris Norman collection

Franklin family legal documents series

Level

File

Fonds

22

Series

2

File

28

Material Format

textual record

Date

1947

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

This file contains a house and store lease for a property at 246 Spadina Avenue, owned by the Franklin family.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

21

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1940

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of members of the Luftspring family at the Slipia Synagogue Section of Dawes Road Cemetery in Scarborough, Ontario. Sammy's mother, Bella Luftspring, passed away on 24 March 1940. The family is standing around her grave stone. Sammy Luftspring is seen on the left side of the image.

Notes

Image is located on page 35 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Subjects

Sepulchral monuments

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.

Places

Scarborough (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

URL

http://www.ontariojewisharchives.org/Explore/Themed-Topics/Sammy-Luftspring

Source

OJA Website

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1922

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Photograph of Sammy Luftspring at age six at the family home on Baldwin Street in Toronto. Sammy is holding two puppies.

Notes

Image is located on page 27 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook

Subjects

Boys

Puppies

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.

Places

Baldwin Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

5

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1933

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

This photograph of Sammy Luftspring was taken while he was a junior counselor at Camp B'nai Brith in Orillia, Ontario.

Notes

Image is located on page 50 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Name Access

Camp B'nai Brith (Orillia, Ont.)

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.

Places

Orillia (Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

18

Material Format

graphic material

Date

6 Nov. 1938

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Item is a wedding photograph of Elsie and Sammy Luftspring. Taken at the McCaul Street Synagogue (Beth Hamidrash Hagadol) on 6 November 1938.

Notes

Image is located on Page 17c of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Name Access

McCaul Street Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Weddings

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.

Places

McCaul Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

25

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1952

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Sammy Luftspring performing with the Nat King Trio at Yeshiva Hall, location unknown.

Notes

Image is located on page 30 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Come out fighting scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

2

Item

3

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Oct. 1974

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Photograph of Sammy Luftspring performing at the opening of the Oriental Palace, a club in Toronto that Sammy often hosted at.

Notes

Image is located on Page 4 of the 34 x 30 cm scrapbook.

Name Access

Oriental Palace (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Nightclubs

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Harry Clairmont fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

32

Item

4

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1960

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of a group of garment workers standing in front of Lou Leeds Agencies and A. Salutin's in the garment district of Toronto.

Notes

Photographer was Gordon Mendly of Famous Studio.

Subjects

Employees

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Related Material

See fonds 18, series 3, file 53 for negative of this image.

Places

Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1984-1-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

2517

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1938

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)

Admin History/Bio

Sammy Luftspring (b.1915-d.2000) was a professional boxer and Canadian Welterwight Champion. Luftspring married Elise and together they had two children, Brian and Orian.

Name Access

Luftspring, Sammy, 1916-2000

Subjects

Boxers (Sports)

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.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1981-1-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

4

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1934

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Group photograph of Sammy Luftspring and his campers while Sammy was a junior counsellor at Camp B'nai Brith in Orillia, Ontario. Also pictured is Neddie Adler, another counsellor.

Notes

Image is located on page 50 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Name Access

Camp B'nai Brith (Orillia, Ont.)

Subjects

Camps

Portraits, Group

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.

Places

Orillia (Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

6

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1934

Physical Description

1 tintype

Scope and Content

Item is a tintype of Sammy Luftspring and Elsie Goldman (m. Luftspring) at Sunnyside Beach. This photograph was taken while they were still dating. They married in 1938. Item would have been produced as a souvenir.

Notes

Image is located on page 13 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Subjects

Couples

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.

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

10

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1936

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Admin History/Bio

The People's Olympics, in Barcelona, Spain was intended as a protest event against the 1936 Summer Olympics planned for Berlin during the period of Nazi rule. The newly-elected, left-wing Popular Front government in Spain decided to boycott the Berlin Olympics and host its own games following its election in February 1936. Invitations were made to the nations of the world. Buildings built for the 1929 World's Fair were supposed to be used for an Olympic Village. The games were scheduled to be held from 19 July to 26 July and would have therefore ended six days prior to the start of the Berlin games.

A total of 6,000 athletes from twenty-two nations registered for the games, including boxers Sammy Luftspring and Norman "Baby" Yack from Canada.

Many of the athletes were sent by trade unions, workers' clubs and associations, socialist and Communist parties, and other left-wing groups rather than by state-sponsored committees. Sammy Luftspring and Norman "Baby" Yack were sent with donations from the Canadian Jewish Congress.

With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War just as the games were to begin, the alternate games were cancelled.

Scope and Content

Photograph of Sammy Luftspring mid-ocean aboard the SS Alaunia on route to Barcelona and the People's Olympics.

Notes

Image is located on page 2 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

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.

Places

Barcelona (Spain)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

29

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1971

Physical Description

1 photograph : col.

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Sammy Luftspring, Muhammed Ali, and Murray Pezim in Vancouver. Murray Pezim was a Vancouver business person and promoter. He had organized the fight between Muhammad Ali and George Chavulo, the event at which the photograph was taken.

Notes

Image is located on page 29 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Name Access

Ali, Muhammad, 1942-2016

Pezim, Murray, 1921-1998

Subjects

Businesspeople

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Vancouver (B.C.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Benjamin Brown fonds

Commercial building plans and drawings series

Level

File

Fonds

49

Series

3

File

61

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

1934

Physical Description

2 architectural drawings : pencil and hand col. pencil crayon on tracing paper ; 39 cm length or smaller and 4 cm diam.

Scope and Content

File consists of floor plans for a proposed two storey hotel located at 276 Spadina Avenue.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

Item

Fonds

4

Series

2

Item

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

[195-]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

Item is one advertising ink blotter announcing the arrival of a complete prescription service at Sol Edell's Drug Store at 494 Spadina Avenue in Toronto.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1948

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of an invoice from the Yiddisher Zhurnal relating to a New Years greeting that had been printed in the paper for Sol Edell's Drug Store.

Subjects

Yiddish newspapers

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

John J. Glass fonds

Documents series

Level

File

Fonds

109

Series

2

File

30

Material Format

textual record

Date

Apr. 1942-Dec. 1942

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of legal documents pertaining to the sale of the property comprising lots 6-9 on the east side of Spadina: Plan D-254, also known as 651 Spadina, from the Central Council of the Girls' Friendly Society to the Toronto Zionist Council. There is a 1928 declaration of Arthur Carlson McMaster stating his claim to the property through his parents, and including a history of the property since 1883.

Further declarations by Thrza Deverall and Mary Sparling, both of the Girls' Friendly Society, continue the history from the McMasters to the 1942 sale to the Zionist Council. A 1942 letters patent document reincorporates the Toronto Zionist Council as a corporation that can hold real estate etc.

Correspondence between John Glass for the Zionists and lawyers for the sellers concern bank loans, insurance, and regulations for applications for building permits for renovations of the facility.

Name Access

Girls' Friendly Society

Toronto Zionist Council

Subjects

Buildings

Physical Condition

Some of the documents are in very poor condition and are encloded in plastic.

Places

Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

John J. Glass fonds

Documents series

Level

File

Fonds

109

Series

2

File

29

Material Format

textual record

Date

Oct. 1941–Mar. 1942

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of documents pertaining to the sale of the property comprising lots 6-9 on the east side of Spadina Avenue, Plan D-254, also known as 651 Spadina and Townsend House.

There is a handwritten document that includes a plan of the property and a chronological chain of ownership by way of mortgages and deeds from 1895-1929, through the McMaster family to the Central Council of the Girls Friendly Society in Canada. As well, there are legal documents such as offers to purchase, correspondence with lawyers and insurance companies' financial statements, mortgage matters, and an affadavit of incorporation of the Toronto Zionist Council in 1907. Due to the complexity of the sale, the Zionist Council applied for and was granted letters patent by the assistant provincial secretary in order to enlarge and clarify the organization's corporate powers.

Notes

General: Included is a letter from noted Toronto architect Benjamin Brown reporting on his inspection of the property and projected costs for renovations and upgrades to the building.

Name Access

Brown, Benjamin, 1890-1974

Girls' Friendly Society

Toronto Zionist Council

Subjects

Buildings

Physical Condition

Many of the documents are in poor condition and are enclosed in plastic.

Places

Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

284

Material Format

graphic material

Date

16 Jun. 1974

Physical Description

1 slide

Repro Restriction

Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Cecil Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

7

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1935

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Admin History/Bio

Jack "Spider" Armstrong was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but he made Toronto his home. He became the featherweight chamption of the world in 1940. He died in 1990.

Scope and Content

Photograph of Sammy and Jack "Spider" Armstrong play-boxing at the Palliser Hotel in Calgary while on a boxing tour.

Notes

Image is located on page 50 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Name Access

Armstrong, Jack

Fairmont Palliser Hotel (Calgary, Alta.)

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.

Places

Calgary (Alta.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

14

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1936

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Admin History/Bio

The People's Olympics, in Barcelona, Spain was intended as a protest event against the 1936 Summer Olympics planned for Berlin during the period of Nazi rule. The newly-elected, left-wing Popular Front government in Spain decided to boycott the Berlin Olympics and host its own games following its election in February 1936. Invitations were made to the nations of the world. Buildings built for the 1929 World's Fair were supposed to be used for an Olympic Village. The games were scheduled to be held from 19 July to 26 July and would have therefore ended six days prior to the start of the Berlin games.

A total of 6,000 athletes from twenty-two nations registered for the games, including boxers Sammy Luftspring and Norman "Baby" Yack from Canada.

Many of the athletes were sent by trade unions, workers' clubs and associations, socialist and Communist parties, and other left-wing groups rather than by state-sponsored committees. Sammy Luftspring and Norman "Baby" Yack were sent with donations from the Canadian Jewish Congress.

With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War just as the games were to begin, the alternate games were cancelled.

Scope and Content

Photograph of Sammy Luftspring aboard the SS Alaunia on route to the People's Olympics in Barcelona.

Notes

Image is located on page 22 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

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.

Places

Barcelona (Spain)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

22

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1943

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Sammy Luftspring at Niagara-on-the-Lake when he was serving with the reserves as a trainer. He was a member of the Toronto Scottish Regiment. He was unable to enlist for active duty because of the injury to his eye and resulting blindness. As a result, his only participation in the World War II was as a trainer in Ontario.

Notes

Image is located on page 15c of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

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.

Places

Niagara-on-the-Lake (Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

26

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1953

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Sammy, Elsie, and Brian Luftspring at Brian's bar mitzvah at the Barclay Hotel, Toronto.

Notes

Image is located on page 55 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Name Access

Barclay Hotel (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Bar mitzvah

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Passenger Names

Davis, A.

Page Number

343

Date Range

June 6, 1911 to January 19, 1915

Photographer

Harvey and Adena Glasner

Source

Rotenberg Ledger

Part Of

Harry Clairmont fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

32

Item

3

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1960

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph is of a group of women crossing a street along Spadina Avenue in the garment district of Toronto.

Notes

Photographer was Gordon Mendly of Famous Studio.

Subjects

Streets

Women

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Related Material

See fonds 18, series 3, file 53 for negative of this image.

Places

Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1984-1-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Benjamin Brown fonds

Commercial building plans and drawings series

Level

File

Fonds

49

Series

3

File

95

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

[ca.1935]

Physical Description

6 architectural drawings : pencil on tracing paper, some hand col., pencil crayon ; 68 cm length or smaller

Scope and Content

File consists of architectural drawings of a three storey office building containing a Bank of Nova Scotia and several stores at 292 Spadina Avenue. Floor plans and elevations are included.

Notes

Drawings are located in two separate rolls.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Benjamin Brown fonds

Commercial building plans and drawings series

Level

File

Fonds

49

Series

3

File

105

Material Format

architectural drawing

graphic material

Date

1929-1930

Physical Description

41 architectural and technical drawings : some pencil, some blueprints ; 81 cm length or smaller and 9 cm diam.

1 photograph : b&w ; 38 x 30 cm

Admin History/Bio

The Balfour Building is a Toronto landmark and designated heritage building that is located at 119 Spadina Avenue. It was designed by Benjamin Brown and was one of his most important commissions. Built in 1930, the building is twelve storeys high and crowned by a two storey tower. It is considered one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in Toronto. Initially, many Jewish garment businesses were located in the building. It currently houses offices for several graphic design and advertising firms, shops and a post office. The Balfour Building was declared a heritage building by order of City Council in July of 1989.

Scope and Content

File consists of architectural and technical drawings of the Balfour Building. Floor plans, a roof plan, detailing, sections, elevations, electrical plans and drawings of the entrance are included. Also included is a photograph of the exterior in the early 1930s.

Notes

Photograph is mounted on cardboard and encased in Melinex.

Due to the fragility of this material, the description and extent are partially based on Steven Speisman's item level descriptions.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Related Material

See photo 3308 for a copy print of the Balour building photograph in this file.

See File 49-3-34 for alterations to Lazar's restaurant in the Balfour Annex at 125 Spadina and File 49-3-32 for alterations to Balfour Annex stores for Messrs. Shiffer, Hillman and Lichtman.

Source

Archival Descriptions

• 
• 

Level

Item

Item

4996

Material Format

graphic material

Date

14 Aug. 1961

Physical Description

1 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Photograph is an exterior view of Shopsowitz Delicatessen's 40th Anniversary. The photographs depicts a line-up of customers outside the entrance. Shopsy's is advertising 1920s prices.

Notes

Graphic Artists.

Name Access

Shopsowitz, Sam

Shopsy's Delicatessen

Subjects

Anniversaries

Food

Restaurants

Small business

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1990-1-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

URL

http://www.ontariojewisharchives.org/Blog/Sammy-Luftspring-Albums-The-Conservation-Project

Source

OJA Website

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

17

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1937

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Photograph is of Sammy Luftspring in what is known as a "ready pose" in boxing: he has one foot behind him and his fists up. He is pictured in the backyard of his family home on Nassau Street in Toronto.

Notes

Image is located on page 50 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

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.

Places

Nassau Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Benjamin Brown fonds

Commercial building plans and drawings series

Level

File

Fonds

49

Series

3

File

68

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

1923

Physical Description

27 architectural and technical drawings : 1 blueprint, 26 pencil, some hand col., pencil crayon ; 74 cm length or smaller and 11 cm diam.

Admin History/Bio

The Gelber Brothers, Louis and Moses, were born in what is now Austria in the late nineteenth century. Together they founded the Imperial Clothing Company, which later became Gelber Brothers Woollens. Their head office was located in the Gelber Building at 217-225 Richmond Street West. Although selling woollens was their main business, the brothers had other investments, including ownership of a service station at Simcoe and Richmond streets, and a public garage at 287 Spadina Avenue. After the brothers died, the family sold the woollen business and invested in real estate.

Scope and Content

File consists of architectural and technical drawings of a public garage for the Gelber Brothers at 287 Spadina Avenue. Included are elevation and section drawings, floor plans and a roof plan. Technical drawings of the windows and door frame are also included.

Related Material

See File 49-2-7 for the architectural drawings of alterations and additions to the house of Mr. Louis Gelber as well as his biography.

See File 49-3-46 for architectural drawings and plans of a service station for the Gelber Brothers at the corner of Richmond and Simcoe streets.

See File 49-3-91 for architectural drawings of the New Textile Building for the Gelber Brothers at 205 Richmond Street West.

See File 49-3-90 for the architectural drawings of a woolens warehouse for the Gelber Brothers at 355-359 Adelaide Street West.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Ladovsky family fonds

Photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

83

File

9

Item

49

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[192-]

Physical Description

1 photograph : sepia ; 9 x 14 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of a group of four in front of United Bakers. The man in the centre may be Luzer Ladovsky, the brother of Aaron Ladovsky. The women may be relatives on staff at the restaurant.

Name Access

Ladovsky (family)

Subjects

Restaurants

Places

Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

2514

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1938

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)

Admin History/Bio

Sammy Luftspring (b.1915-d.2000) was a professional boxer and Canadian Welterwight Champion. Luftspring married Elise and together they had two children, Brian and Orian.

Scope and Content

Item consists of a copy of an advertisement for Adam Hat, featuring Welterweight Champion of Canada Sammy Luftspring.

Name Access

Luftspring, Sammy, 1916-2000

Subjects

Boxers (Sports)

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.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1981-1-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

12

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1936

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Admin History/Bio

The People's Olympics, in Barcelona, Spain was intended as a protest event against the 1936 Summer Olympics planned for Berlin during the period of Nazi rule. The newly-elected, left-wing Popular Front government in Spain decided to boycott the Berlin Olympics and host its own games following its election in February 1936. Invitations were made to the nations of the world. Buildings built for the 1929 World's Fair were supposed to be used for an Olympic Village. The games were scheduled to be held from 19 July to 26 July and would have therefore ended six days prior to the start of the Berlin games.

A total of 6,000 athletes from twenty-two nations registered for the games, including boxers Sammy Luftspring and Norman "Baby" Yack from Canada.

Many of the athletes were sent by trade unions, workers' clubs and associations, socialist and Communist parties, and other left-wing groups rather than by state-sponsored committees. Sammy Luftspring and Norman "Baby" Yack were sent with donations from the Canadian Jewish Congress.

With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War just as the games were to begin, the alternate games were cancelled.

Scope and Content

Photograph features Sammy Luftspring with an unknown child on his way to Barcelona to participate in the People's Olympics aboard the SS Alaunia.

Notes

Image is located on page 17 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Subjects

Children

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.

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

28

Material Format

graphic material

Date

10 May 1971

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Sammy Luftspring refereeing a fight between George Chuvalo and Jimmy Ellis at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Notes

Image is located on page 18 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

Name Access

Chuvalo, George, 1937-

Ellis, Jimmy, 1940-2014

Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd.

Subjects

Boxing matches

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

1984-5-2

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

3 photographs

3 cm of textual records

Date

[192-]-[194-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Davis' clothing store. Included are three photographs. Also included are records related to Sault Ste. Marie Jewish organizations.

MG_RG

MG3B26

Places

Sault Ste. Marie (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Passenger Names

Davies, Wm.

Page Number

779

Date Range

June 6, 1911 to January 19, 1915

Photographer

Harvey and Adena Glasner

Source

Rotenberg Ledger

Passenger Names

Davis, Harry

Page Number

360

Date Range

June 6, 1911 to January 19, 1915

Photographer

Harvey and Adena Glasner

Source

Rotenberg Ledger

Passenger Names

Davis, Y.

Page Number

454

Date Range

June 6, 1911 to January 19, 1915

Photographer

Harvey and Adena Glasner

Source

Rotenberg Ledger

Passenger Names

Tucker, Davis

Page Number

400

Date Range

June 6, 1911 to January 19, 1915

Photographer

Harvey and Adena Glasner

Source

Rotenberg Ledger

Part Of

Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds

Executive director series

Architectural plans sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

61

Series

1-3

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1950

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records (1 v.)

Scope and Content

This file contains one 175-page bound volume of the specifications for the new Jewish Community Centre at Bloor and Spadina, produced by Page & Steel Architects and Kaplan & Sprachman Architects. The specifications include written reports on the labour and materials needed for each step of the construction and demolition process. There are also some detail and mechanical drawings included as reference.

Accession Number

2004-5-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Ladovsky family fonds

Photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

83

File

9

Item

35

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[between 1925 and 1928]

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w and sepia ; 9 x 14 cm and 8 x 12 cm

Scope and Content

Item is an original and a copy photograph of (left to right) Rose Haniford Green, Sarah Ladovsky, and Mary Haniford Pancer in front of United Bakers Dairy Restaurant. Rose and Mary are sisters and Sarah is their aunt.

Notes

Original photo was cited as photo # 3050.

One photo is a copy of the original retained for reference.

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.

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Come out fighting scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

2

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

9 Jun. 1922

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of the Luftspring family. Picture was taken at the Cecil Street Synagogue to mark the wedding of Max Lightstone and Goldie Grossman.

Front row (left to right) are: Jean, Freida, Sammy. Back row (left to right) are: Annie, Bella Luftspring (Sammy's mother), Pearl, Sammy's grandfather, Molly, Sammy's grandmother, Clara, Yossel Luftspring (Sammy's father), Rose.

Notes

General: Image is located on page 28 of the 34 x 30 cm scrapbook.

Subjects

Families

Portraits, Group

Weddings

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.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sammy Luftspring fonds

Sammy Luftspring scrapbook file

Level

Item

Fonds

82

File

1

Item

9

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1936

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Admin History/Bio

The People's Olympics, in Barcelona, Spain was intended as a protest event against the 1936 Summer Olympics planned for Berlin during the period of Nazi rule. The newly-elected, left-wing Popular Front government in Spain decided to boycott the Berlin Olympics and host its own games following its election in February 1936. Invitations were made to the nations of the world. Buildings built for the 1929 World's Fair were supposed to be used for an Olympic Village. The games were scheduled to be held from 19 July to 26 July and would have therefore ended six days prior to the start of the Berlin games.

A total of 6,000 athletes from twenty-two nations registered for the games, including boxers Sammy Luftspring and Norman "Baby" Yack from Canada.

Many of the athletes were sent by trade unions, workers' clubs and associations, socialist and Communist parties, and other left-wing groups rather than by state-sponsored committees. Sammy Luftspring and Norman "Baby" Yack were sent with donations from the Canadian Jewish Congress.

With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War just as the games were to begin, the alternate games were cancelled.

Scope and Content

Sammy Luftspring and Norman "Baby" Yack aboard the SS Alaunia en route to Barcelona and the People's Olympics.

Notes

Image is located on page 24 of the 65 x 48 cm scrapbook.

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.

Places

Barcelona (Spain)

Accession Number

2009-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions