Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History (Random House Large Print (Hardcover)) | 
 enlarge | Author: Jeremy Schaap
Publisher: Random House Large Print
Category: Book
List Price: $24.00
Buy New: $4.95
You Save: $19.05 (79%)
New (6) Used (10) from $4.43
Avg. Customer Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 1554010
Format: Large Print
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 576
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.2 x 1.6
ISBN: 0375435433
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.83092
EAN: 9780375435430
ASIN: 0375435433
Publication Date: May 10, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New - may have a small remainder mark on the edge.
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Includes a one-hour interview from 1970 with boxing legend James Braddock!
Lost in the annals of boxing is the sport's true Cinderella story. James J. Braddock, dubbed "Cinderella Man" by Damon Runyon, was a once promising light heavyweight for whom a string of losses in the ring and a broken right hand happened to correspond with the Great Crash. With one good hand, Braddock was forced to labor on the docks of Hoboken. Only his manager, Joe Gould, still believed in him, finding fights for Braddock to help feed his wife and children. The diminutive, loquacious Jew and the burly, quiet Irishman made one of boxing's oddest couples, but together they staged the greatest comeback in boxing history. In less than twelve months Braddock went from the relief rolls to face heavyweight champion Max Baer, the Livermore Butcher Boy, renowned for having allegedly killed two men in the ring. A charismatic, natural talent and in every way Braddock’s foil, Baer was a towering opponent, a Jew from the West Coast who was famously brash and made great copy both in and out of the ring. A ten-to-one underdog, Braddock carried the hopes and dreams of the working class on his shoulders. And when boxing was the biggest sport in the world, when the heavyweight champion was the biggest star in the world, his unlikely upset made him the most popular champion boxing had ever seen.
Against the gritty backdrop of the Depression, Cinderella Man brings this dramatic all-American story to life, evoking a time when the sport of boxing resonated with a country trying desperately to get back on its feet. Rich in anecdote and color, steeped in history, and full of human interest, Cinderella Man is a classic David and Goliath tale that transcends the sport.
From the Compact Disc edition.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 19 more reviews...
 A Great Book About Both Boxers December 27, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Even though the book is called "Cinderella Man", Schaap does a great job of telling the story of Max Baer. Unlike the movie, Baer is shown in a positive light. Baer did not revel in the deaths of the men he fought and had a background that was as interesting as Braddock's. Schaap's book is a great story of both boxers and the time period the historic fight took place in.
Schaap scores a knockout! November 11, 2007
Cinderella Man is less a biography of James J. Braddock, than a skillfully crafted portrait of boxing's golden era. The colorful characters(Boxers, managers, promoters, trainers, referees, etc.) who populated the era are so vividly described by Schaap that they fairly leap off the page, and when he writes about the action in the ring, you can really feel the punches. Against this lively backdrop, he tells the improbable story of Jim Braddock, from his glory days as a top light-heavyweight contender in the late 20's, to his nadir in the mid 30's, when thanks to a broken right hand, the losses start to pile up, and he plummets to the bottom of the division, all but forgotten by a few dedicated fans and boxing writers. Eventually, he is forced to find sporadic work as a day laborer just to survive the depression. As soon as his hand heals he begins his comeback, slowly climbing the ladder of the heavyweight division until he is granted a title shot by reigning champ Max Baer in 1935(Baer fans will be pleased that Schaap goes to great lengths to rehabilitate Baer's character from the hit it took in the film.) Against all odds, Braddock wins and begins a two year reign as champ. Even though his time at the top was short, his inspirational tale of triumph over extreme adversity has endured, and should serve as a lesson to all of us, never give up despite the odds. Jim Braddock was a genuine hero at a time when people really needed one.
 Well Done Boxing Biography August 11, 2007
Jeremy Schaap does a nice job of telling the story of James J. Braddock who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in boxing history on June 13, 1935 when he defeated Max Baer for the world heavyweight boxing championship. While I don't think Schaap does a wonderful job of capturing the era or the times that Braddock lived in, he does an excellent job of conveying Braddock's up and down career, his relationship with his manager Joe Gould, and the desperate straights both found themselves in during The Great Depression. It's really a heartwarming story in many ways.
Schaap also provides us a very good look at the character and career of Max Baer. In many ways Baer's career could be seen as a bit of a tragedy in that he squandered his great talent by not applying himself to the craft of boxing. Then again, he was emotionally affected by the death of Frankie Campbell after Baer knocked him out in the ring and appeared to see boxing a means to wealth and fame but didn't really like it - at least the training aspect of it. Schaap's treatment of the controversial Baer seems evenhanded and well woven into the book.
Overall, for sports and boxing enthusiasts, a definite thumbs up.
Cinderella Man February 16, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Incredible descriptions of Jimmy Braddock's and Max Baer's fights. Most boxing books fail to describe the blow by blow action as well as this book does. I actually got chills reading about Braddock's jab in the early rounds of their encounter.
A Great Book! November 1, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book is about one of the greatest sports comeback ever. Schaap not only profiles the history of boxing but gives us a quaint look at life during the 1930's depression. Jimmy Braddock, was a washed-up, underdog determined to win the title against one of the greatest boxers ever, Max Baer. Braddock was billed as a 10-to-one underdog. Baer was not only
heavily favored, but he had already killed two men in the ring. Braddock, with the help of his manager, Joe Gould makes a remarkable comeback and defeats Baer. Braddock becomes a hero and is able to get off welfare once and for all. The story is a hit, even for those who don't like boxing.
|
|
|
