New Jimmy Barry book

Fellas, a while back we had a very interesting debate in the 'Hall of Fame' thread concerning the great old bantam, Jimmy Barry.

Well, it might interest some of you to know that there's a new book about Barry, ( as well as a couple of other early fighters, ) details for which I have unashamedly lifted from the cyberboxingzone and which might prompt some of you to get your hands on a copy. Naturally, since this is not my review I shall not add it to our 'Book reviews' thread in the vault.

Book cover:

cyberboxingzone description :

“The only thing I can do is to fight.” The real story of the biggest little
man who ever lived Chicago’s World Champion Jimmy Barry & Captain
James Dalton Patrick J. “Reddy” Gallager, and Arthur Majesty Jimmy
Barry came from Chicago’s “Little Hell” where a man fought at least
once a week to have a good name. In 1887 at sixteen Jimmy and his
brother Michael were two of seven toughs arrested for complicity in the
assault on a Chicago police officer. Jimmy, helped by Mike McGurn
family and the great lightweight Harry Gilmore, straightened himself out.
Ten years later Jimmy was the undefeated bantamweight champion of
the world. In 1881 Captain James Dalton was the first Chicago man to
meet John L. Sullivan in the ring. Dalton had a long fighting career, meeting
many top heavyweights of his day. He was a tug boat captain on the
Chicago River and operated two West Side saloons before being killed
by a car in 1932. Barry and Dalton are buried within fifty yards of one
another in Evanston’s Calvary Cemetery. Reddy Gallagher was a top
middleweight who met Dempsey in Cleveland and John Herget in San
Francisco. After a successful boxing career Reddy became a successful
businessman, sporting editor for the Denver Post and died as the wealthiest
prize fighter of his day. Five Catholic bishops are buried with Gallager.
Arthur Majesty is virtually unknown. From Toledo, Ohio he moved to Peoria
and then Bloomington, Illinois. Majesty taught boxing, attended Illinois
Wesleyan University and worked for a Bloomington newspaper. He fought
the great Tommy Warren five times – once before the largest crowd to
date to watch a boxing match in Chicago as the final preliminary match
before Sullivan met the “Irish Lad” Jack Burke. Majesty died fighting under
an assumed name in Nelsonville, Ohio in 1891. The stories of these men
are told here and provide insight into the history of prizefighting at the end
of the nineteenth century.

Source : http://cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/cyber.htm

Amazon link, wherein you can read the first few pages : http://www.amazon.com/Only-Thing-Can-Do-Fight/dp/1466312203/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329872865&sr=8-1#reader_1466312203

Cheers for this Windy, another one that can go on the ever expanding list. Think the next one arriving is a biography of Primo Carnera I fancy after that the Jersey Joe Walcott book is due in May which looks nigh on essential, bloody expensive hobby this.

Too right it is, jeff.

I have a list as long as the proverbial arm of what I consider to be 'essential' additions.

I have a feeling that the Carnera one will be a terrific read. Much maligned he may have been, but Da Preem had a fascinating and tragic life, inside and outside the ring. He was, among other things, a member of the anti Mussolini Italian Resistance during WWII, and was at one time captured by the Fascists and came perilously close to being executed.

He was still wrestling ( with one kidney, incidentally, ) when I was a kid.

Some life, I'd say.

Looks good. It would be intersting to see what sources he used. When I was looking up Jimmy Barry there wasnt a whole lot of info available him or even any kind of directions of where such info might be obtained.

Like all books really boxing ones can be hit or miss. Being naturally cynical, I really hate when I start reading a boxing book and I get the impression the author is trying to sell me something rather than be as objective as possible. I much prefer when creative licence is kept to a minimum even at the risk of the book becoming "boring". Because with some subjects, especially regarding those very early eras, you are basically at the mercy of the author and theres very little way to verify or disprove what he says.

I remember reading a few articles that were reviews on the odd book, article or film by the late George Kimball, who wrote the Four Kings. It was fascinating to see him expose certain authors or journalists as peddling information that ranged from factually incorrect to outright fabrications. Kimball was well connected as a journalist in the boxing world as far back as the 60s and had a great interest in the sport as well as covering it himself. Seeing how he was able to debunk and disprove various bits and pieces that others were passing off as fact in their books and articles really showed just how much bs people can get away with that only a seasoned journalist who had been covering the sport for years could spot.

I read an obituary of Kimball last year when he died and it was highlighting that good quality boxing journalism is becoming almost a lost art. And its sadly very true. Since the sport has become more marginalised and less mainstream there are few quality journalists left alive that really have the inside knowledge, connection and contacts in the boxing world that men like Kimball or Plimpton had when boxing was front page news. Now you have guys like Ben Dirs or Steve Bunce masquerading as boxing afficiendos who seem to be either boxing apologists or unashamedly boxing salesmen.

Thanks for sharing Windy, and sad to hear that George Kimball had passed on as well.