Sweet William: The Life of Billy Conn

Sport and Society

by Andrew O'Toole

An Irish working-class hero of Pittsburgh, Billy Conn captured hearts through his ebullient personality, stellar boxing record, and good looks. A light heavyweight boxing champion best remembered for his sensational near-defeat of heavyweight champion Joe Louis in 1941, Conn is still regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Andrew O'Toole chronicles the boxing, Hollywood, and army careers of "the Pittsburgh Kid" by drawing from newspaper accounts, Billy's personal scrapbooks, and fascinating interviews with family. Presenting an intimate look at the champion's relationships with his girlfriend, manager, and rivals, O'Toole compellingly captures the personal life of a public icon and the pageantry of sports during the 1930s and '40s.

Genres: Nonfiction

376 pages, Hardcover

First published December 10, 2007

About the author

Andrew OToole is the author of six books including Sweet William: the Life of Billy Conn, and Smiling Irish Eyes: Art Rooney and the Pittsburgh Steelers. A native of Pittsburgh, OToole today resides in Lebanon, Ohio with his wife, Mickie."

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first comprehensive treatment of Billy Conn I have seen, and it is very well done. Conn's life was full of significant ups and downs and colorful characters. His story is more than boxing, intersecting with a fascinating history of Pittsburgh, Vegas, and Hollywood in the middle of the 20th century. The boxing is a lot of fun though, and well told. The book is well worth reading for anyone interested in any of these topics or just interested in a good story.