Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter

Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was boxing's most feared middleweight contender in the early 1960s. Standing only 5' 8" tall and weighing 160 lbs., he nevertheless had one of the most muscular builds in the sport. With a shaved head, Fu Manchu mustache and bulging muscles, he sent shudders and shakes through his opponents. A self-proclaimed "wild" child, Carter was from a family of four girls and four boys. He spent much of his youth in reform schools. He escaped from Allendale Reformatory in 1953 and joined the U.S. army. He credits the army with straightening him out. He served as a paratrooper and was stationed in Europe, where he started fighting for the Army Boxing Team. However, when it was learned he had escaped from jail, he was returned there to serve an additional nine months. After being released he admitted to becoming a heavy drinker and street brawler. He was sentenced to six years in prison for beating a man so badly that the man was sent to the hospital. After serving 4-1/2 years, Carter was released and introduced to Carmine Tedeschis by his uncle. Tedeschis, who had a local construction business, gave Carter a job and began managing him to a professional career. Carter turned pro in 1961, and by June 1963 after only 19 fights (16-3), was rated 10th in the world. After scoring brutal first-round knockouts over Florentino Fernandez and World Welterweight Champion Emile Griffith, Carter received his title fight. He lost a 15-round nod to champion Joey Giardello. Carter's career was in and out over the next year before he and another man were arrested for a triple murder and convicted in an ensuing trial. After serving almost 30 years in prison he was finally released when a judge ruled that he had been wrongly convicted. He wrote a best-selling novel entitled the 16th Round.