Bøger af Mark Allen Baker

Holding the world featherweight boxing championship for more than 11 years, Johnny Kilbane's name became synonymous with the title. His accepted record of 51-4-7, with 78 no decisions and 2 no contests (25 victories by way of knockout), put him in elite company with other members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. In October 1917--while still World Featherweight Champion--Johnny Kilbane, a true patriot, became a lieutenant in the U.S. Army to serve in World War I. Following his career as fighter, he turned to adjudication. Johnny Kilbane transformed himself into a talented and prolific boxing referee and he did so while juggling his other responsibilities such as operating a gym, serving in the Ohio Senate, or acting as Clerk of the Cleveland Municipal Court. As dedicated to public service as he was to pugilism, he gained the respect of his peers and his constituents and was admired for his commitment to family. This is his biography.

At age 23, Tony Canzoneri already had three division titles under his belt and was widely considered one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world. Holding victories over Johnny Dundee, Charles "Bud" Taylor, Benny Bass, Jack "Kid" Berg, Kid Chocolate, Billy Petrolle, Lou Ambers, and Jimmy McLarnin, Tony earned induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and later pursued a successful career in entertainment. This work chronicles Canzoneri's life, starting from his birth and early rounds in the ring, with chapters detailing his wins, losses, championships and life as a father.

Canastota, New York, at the epicenter of Upstate New York's rich boxing heritage, is home to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Having produced some of boxing's most prominent pugilists, including Carmen Basilio and Billy Backus, the area has also hosted many legendary fighters, including Jack Britton, Harry Greb, Sam Langford and Tommy Ryan. Many boxing dreams have come true here through title fights and epic ring rivalries. Author Mark Allen Baker tells the story of those "thunder gods of the ring" and the fights that made them famous, finally settling the score: Canastota is "Title Town, USA."

See the Conch Republic through Hemingway's eyes.

Among the best pound-for-pound fighters of all time, Willie Pep was a virtuoso of the squared circle. A scientific boxer with balletic defensive skills and a stiff jab, Pep so masterfully evaded his opponents, one remarked it was like battling a man in a room full of mirrors. This book covers his remarkable career, with highlights of each bout.

A biography of Oscar Battling Matthew Nelson, without question the toughest and most durable professional boxer ever to enter a ring. In the years since his death in 1954, there has been little disagreement over the significance of his life: a bona fide ring champion, whose endurance was second to none, and whose trilogy with Joe Gans was one of the greatest in sports history.

Sandwiched between New York and Boston, Connecticut has produced some of the fight game's most prominent pugilists, including Jack Delaney, Louis Kid Kaplan, Christopher Bat Battalino, Willie Pep and Marlon Starling. The state also has hosted a long list of legendary fighters that includes Lou Ambers, James J. Braddock, George Dixon, Joe Gans, Rocky Graziano, Harry Greb, Beau Jack, Sugar Ray Robinson, Tommy Ryan and Joe Walcott. And some of the finest boxing matches ever seen happened here, such as Micky Ward's stunning victory over Arturo Gatti at Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort. So, pull up your ringside seat and join boxing historian Mark Allen Baker as he details the history behind the headlines.

Taking to the ring as a ""bootleg"" boxer to support his family, Lou Ambers, 'The Herkimer Hurricane' soon became an undefeated contender, losing only one of more than fifty fights in his first three years as a professional. This book chronicles the life of one of the great 20th century lightweights, who retired with a record of 109-89 with 29 KOs.

For six decades the World Colored Heavyweight Championship was a useful tool of racial oppression - the existence of the title more important to the white public than its champions. This book traces the history of the Championship, the stories of the 28 athletes who won it, and the demarcation of the colour line both in and out of the ring.

Inside Madison Square Garden, the City Ring was the altar of pugilism from 1925 until 2007. Hosting championship fights, historic main events and memorable undercards, it was centre stage of boxing history. While many books have been written about great fistic contests that took place at the Garden, this is the first to focus on its Holy Grail.

Abraham Washington Attell (1883-1970) was among the cleverest, most scientific professional boxers ever to enter the ring. The native San Franciscan fought 172 times in his career, scoring 127 wins, and successfully defended his World Featherweight Champion title 18 times between. This first ever biography covers Attell's life and career.