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In the Ring With Jack Dempsey - Part I: The Making of a Champion
In the Ring With Jack Dempsey – Part The Making of a Champion, by Adam J. Pollack is the most thorough and detailed book ever written about former world heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey. This book (the first of two) chronicles Dempsey’s life and career from its start up to his winning the world heavyweight championship, fight by fight, as told by those who saw the contests and reported on them at the time, utilizing multiple local next-day newspaper reports. This includes training, predictions, pre-fight hype, and discussions about the opponents. As with other books in the In the Ring series, this book also discusses the context of the times, the color line and race in boxing and society (offering the perspectives of both white and black-owned newspapers), World War I, Dempsey's personal and managerial choices, and how these topics affected the sport and Dempsey’s life and career. Even new facts about the controversial Jim Flynn fight are revealed. Boxing fans will obtain knowledge and insight into Jack Dempsey like never before. 560 pages, with over 550 rare photos, illustrations, cartoons, and fight advertisements. Adam J. Pollack’s In the Ring With series on the heavyweight champions of the gloved era also includes books on John L. Sullivan, James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James J. Jeffries, Marvin Hart, Tommy Burns, and Jack Johnson. Adam J. Pollack is a boxing referee, judge, and member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He also is an attorney practicing law in Iowa City, Iowa.
562 pages, Paperback
Published September 18, 2020
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November 26, 2022
If you’ve never read a boxing book by Adam J. Pollack, you are missing out! Adam is one of the best writers and researchers of boxing history living today. His work, especially with fighters from over a century ago is important to folks like me who want to know more about where the sport came from.
In the Ring with Jack Dempsey, Part I: The Making of a Champion is the first in a series of two books on one of histories greatest fighters. Dempsey has been the subject of many works before but Pollack, has really started what I believe will be the definitive work. It’s a leave no stone unturned style that I enjoy. The books size might frighten some but trust me, it’s worth it. This is the complete life of Dempsey with a non-bias spin. You get it all.
What I found most interesting is the really early life of Dempsey as I wasn’t as familiar with that history as the latter material. He really fought in a different age compared to guys just thirty years later. There is a twist that really stunned me, but I will leave that for the reader to discover. Let’s just say it deals with his first wife.
The writing is clear, the approach is professional, and I think this series will end up being the definitive work on the subject as the author did with Jack Johnson. I’m looking forward to part II. Also, my great-grandfather knew Dempsey so it's neat to have a family connection.
In the Ring with Jack Dempsey, Part I: The Making of a Champion is the first in a series of two books on one of histories greatest fighters. Dempsey has been the subject of many works before but Pollack, has really started what I believe will be the definitive work. It’s a leave no stone unturned style that I enjoy. The books size might frighten some but trust me, it’s worth it. This is the complete life of Dempsey with a non-bias spin. You get it all.
What I found most interesting is the really early life of Dempsey as I wasn’t as familiar with that history as the latter material. He really fought in a different age compared to guys just thirty years later. There is a twist that really stunned me, but I will leave that for the reader to discover. Let’s just say it deals with his first wife.
The writing is clear, the approach is professional, and I think this series will end up being the definitive work on the subject as the author did with Jack Johnson. I’m looking forward to part II. Also, my great-grandfather knew Dempsey so it's neat to have a family connection.
Displaying 1 of 1 review