What a past fw years for terrific boxing books !

GREAT article. Thanx for the heads up about it.

 

Chuck and all - thanks much for your recommendations. I had the Heller book and I own a couple of books by Heinz, but not that one. I'll look into it.

 

Your're welcome. As good as Jack Olsen's Sports Illustrated article about Jack Hurley is, I found the Hurley chapter in Bill Heintz's book, Once They Heard Cheers, to be even better. Heintz, a truly great sportswriter, knew Hurley very well and was fascinated by him than any other sports figure. When writing a highly praised boxing novel, The Professional, Heintz based one of the book's characters, Doc Carroll, on Hurley.

Heintz stated that characters in novels should be larger than life, but felt that it would be impossible to do that with the Doc Carroll character in comparison with Hurley. To put it mildly, Hurley had a very interesting way of looking at life in general and the sport of boxing, all of which Heintz captured very well. I believe that the sport of boxing and its history would be much poorer if an incredible character like Hurley is completely forgotten.

- Chuck Johnston

 

lots more good vintage fotos in check hook - sorry, can't post link but do a google search & you'll see some really kool nostalgia pics

 

Has anyone read "Confusing the Enemy: The Cus D'Amato Story" by Dr. Scott Weiss?

 

I've read 'Confusing the Enemy: The Cus D'Amato Story' and I thought it was very good. I enjoyed it very much.

 

Only person who spoke of Deacon Jack in less than saintly terms was his fighter Boone Kirkman.
The details are unknown to me but it sounds like the current bio may flesh that out a bit.

 

I also hope that John Ochs' upcoming Jack Hurley biography presents a full picture of the man, warts and all. At the same time, I hope that the biography will not be a hatchet job.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Its awsome. Nuff said. It doesnt get any better or more concise. This will be the final word not only on Hurley but on much of what was going on in boxing politically and from a promotional/managerial standpoint from the 1930s through the early 1970s. Its incredible. And yes, it fleshes out the relationship between Hurley and Boone Kirkman.