Bare Knuckles & Saratoga Racing: The Remarkable Life of John Morrissey

by Brien Bouyea

Chronicling the incomparable life of boxing and Saratoga Race Course legend John Morrissey. John ""Old Smoke"" Morrissey was one of the most dynamic characters of his time. He went from a career as an undefeated bare-knuckle boxer, founded the Saratoga Race Course and eventually won elections to Congress and the New York State Senate. A poor, uneducated Irish immigrant, Morrissey became a leader in the Dead Rabbits street gang. He won fame as a fighter and fortune as the operator of a string of successful gambling houses. Morrissey then took Saratoga Springs by storm, improbably resurrecting thoroughbred racing during the Civil War and opening his famous Club House, which was the most glamorous casino the country had ever seen. Author and National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame director of communications Brien Bouyea takes you on this fascinating journey and shows just how Morrissey did it all.

144 pages, Paperback

Published April 4, 2016

Reviews

[Cassandra Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very descriptive of his youth- painted a great picture of what it was like in Troy at that time- though I thought he had a soap factory poised above the posh, and waited to hear of that, but didn't. All in all, an informative tribute to a person that is overlooked and deserving :)

[Kyle McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

great look into a classic New Yorker

Quick read into one of the real characters of Gangs of New York and an early top rank prizefighter who defeated all comers and was an undefeated champion.

[Cheri Manning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brief but enjoyable

Let's call this 3 1/2 stars. With more details, this would have been a 4 star read. Good primer on John Morrissey and the founding of Saratoga Racetrack.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

(no 40 0f 2019)

[Jim Benton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Authors need to learn that hero worship is not a positive component of biography.