Inducted on June 14, 1970
STEVE HAMAS WAS BORN IN 1909, IN WALLINGTON, N. J. HIS PARENTS CAME TO THIS COUNTRY FROM AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, IN THE EARLY NINETEEN HUNDREDS, SETTLING FIRST IN PASSAIC, WHERE THREE BROTHERS AND TWO SISTERS OF STEVE NOW RESIDE, AND THEN MOVING TO WALLINGTON.
HAMAS STARTED BOXING WHILE ATTENDING COLLEGE, PENN STATE IN PHILADELPHIA, WINNING THE INTER-COLLEGIATE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1927 AND 1929. HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST IN ANY COLLEGE, WINNING LETTERS IN FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, TRACK, SOCCER, LACROSSE AND BOXING. STEVE EARNED 5 VARSITY LETTERS IN ONE YEAR, AND GARNERED 13 LETTERS IN ALL SPORTS, BOTH RECORDS FOR AN ATHLETE AT PENN STATE. IN 1928 HE RECEIVED HONORABLE MENTION AS ALL-AMERICA AS A HALFBACK.
FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION FROM SCHOOL, STEVE STARTED BOXING PROFESSIONALLY IN 1930. THIS CLEAN CUT COLLEGE YOUNGSTER ASTOUNDED THE BOXING WORLD BY SCORING 10 KNOCKOUTS OUT OF 12 BOUTS, IN HIS FIRST YEAR AS A PRO. BOXING PROFESSIONALLY FOR ONLY 6 YEARS, IN 42 BOUTS, STEVE SCORED 28 KNOCKOUTS, WON 8 DECISIONS, BOXED 2 DRAWS AND LOST ONLY 4. HE WON FROM SUCH CONTENDERS AS ART LASKY, LEE RAMAGE, HANS BIRKLE AND TED SANDIVINA. IN 4 BOUTS WITH TOMMY LOUGHRAN, STEVE SCORED A 2 ROUND KAYO, WON ONE DECISION AND LOST 2 DECISIONS TO THE GREAT LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE HOLDER.
“HURRICANE” STEVE’S GREATEST WIN CAME ON FEB. 13, 1934 IN PHILADELPHIA, WHEN HE GAVE THE FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, MAX SCHMELING, A 12 ROUND LACING AND WON THE DECISION.
HAMAS, THE FATHER OF A SON AND DAUGHTER, HAS 14 GRANDCHILDREN, TO TEACH THE MANLY-ART.
STEVE STILL LIVES IN WALLINGTON, AND IS EMPLOYED AT THE MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION IN LITTLE FERRY, N.J.
WELCOME INTO THE NEW JERSEY BOXING HALL OF FAME STEVE. CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK!
Division: Heavyweight
Manager: Charley Harvey
- Photo #2, Photo #3
- Of Austrian heritage
- Reportedly spoke five languages: Slav, Russian, Polish, English, and “profane”
- Won 12 sports letters at Pennsylvania State College, excelling in a number of sports–including playing fullback at football
- Had two of his teeth knocked out, and broke his wrist and ankle, while playing football
- Inter-Collegiate Heavyweight Boxing Champion in 1927 and 1929
- Newspapers of the day reported his wish was to have become a medical doctor
- Featured solo on the cover of the April 1934 The Ring magazine
- According to the National Society Sons of The American Revolution database on the Ancestry.com website, one Steven Vincent Hamas Jr. stated that his father, Steven Vincent Hamas, was born on January 9, 1907, in Passaic, New Jersey, and was living in Wallington, New Jersey.
Boxing Record: Steve Hamas