Professional Boxer. Known as the “Boxing Bell Hop”,  he became the middleweight world champion when he defeated Marcel Thil on September 23, 1937. He held the middleweight crown until he was defeated by Ceferino Garcia on October 2, 1939. Born in San Francisco’s North Beach district, Apostoli was a classmate and lifelong friend of baseball legend Joe DiMaggio.  He served in the US Navy during World War II as a gunner aboard the cruiser USS Columbia in the Pacific,  and was selected by “The Ring” magazine (the “Bible of Boxing”) as Fighter of the Year in 1943. He appeared on the cover of that magazine with the headline, “Fred Apostoli – A World Sensation”. He retired from the ring in 1948 with a 61-10-1 (31 KOs) record. In 2003, he was posthumously elected to the Boxing Hall of Fame.  (bio by: Retaggio)  Family links:  Parents:  Emilio Apostoli (1888 – 1957)  Beatrice Marcolini Apostoli (1899 – 1920)  Spouse:  Margaret Fredricka Sehorn Apostoli (1920 – 1995)  Sibling:  Fred Apostoli (1913 – 1973)  Benedict P Apostoli (1930 – 2011)** *Calculated relationship**Half-sibling