Inducted on November 3, 2016
Boxing Record: Phil Berman
Firefighter Philip Berman was appointed on January 1, 1950 and assigned to E-1 and soon was reassigned to E-5 on July 15, 1950. On August 12, 1952, he was commended, along with FF Fred Ricciardi by resolution of the Fire & Police Commissioners (Re: Ultra Chemical Co., 2 Wood St – July 14, 1952). For more details on the rescue CLICK HERE – http://www.philbermanboxer.com/
He resigned from the Department on Aug 31, 1953 to become a Lieutenant assigned as the Director of Instruction and Physical Fitness for the New Jersey State Police Headquarters. He became and was often called “a Legend in his own time!”
Phil Berman, a Paterson native and graduate of Eastside High School, was a NJ Golden Glove and Diamond Glove Champion, who had some of the quickest KO’s both as an amateur, two under 20 seconds and Pro, including a 28 second KO at Madison Square Garden, which is one of the fastest KO’s ever at the Garden in it’s long history. He boxed at Yankee Stadium and while serving in WWII he won the United States Navy Boxing Olympics. His career was cut short by an injury for which he received a Purple Heart. He was one of the three contenders who was mentioned (p.42 of Marciano’s biography) as a threat to the only undefeated heavyweight champion of the world, Rocky Marciano. He is in the NJ Boxing Hall of Fame (inducted November 3, 2016).
