Max Baer and Barney Ross: Jewish Heroes of Boxing: Jeffrey Sussman: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Max Baer and Barney Ross

Jewish Heroes of Boxing

Max Baer and Barney Ross

Jewish Heroes of Boxing

Description

In the 1920s and 30s, anti-Semitism was rife in the United States and Europe. Jews needed symbols of strength and demonstrations of courage against their enemies, and they found both in two champions of boxing: Max Baer and Barney Ross. Baer was the only Jewish heavyweight champion in the twentieth century, while Ross was considered one of the greatest welterweight and lightweight champions of the era. Although their careers never crossed paths, their boxing triumphs played a common role in lifting the spirits of persecuted Jews.

In Max Baer and Barney Ross: Jewish Heroes of Boxing, Jeffrey Sussman chronicles the lives of two men whose successful bouts inside the ring served as inspiration for Jewish fans across the country and around the world. Though they came from very different backgrounds—Baer grew up on his family’s ranch in California, while Ross roamed the tough streets of Chicago and was a runner for Al Capone—both would bask in the limelight as boxing champions. Their stories include legendary encounters with such opponents as Jimmy McLarnin (known as the Jew Killer), Max Schmeling (Hitler’s favorite athlete), and Primo Carnera (a sad giant controlled and mistreated by gangsters).

While recounting the exploits of these two men, the author also paints an evocative picture of boxing and the crucial role it played in an era of anti-Semitism. A vivid and engaging look at these two heroes and the difficult era in which they lived, Max Baer and Barney Ross will appeal to boxing fans, sports historians, and anyone interested in Jewish history.

Acknowledgments
Introduction

Chapter 1: The Prototypes: Benny Leonard and Abe Attell
Chapter 2: The Great Depression, Boxing, and Mike Jacobs
Chapter 3: Tough Kid
Chapter 4: Fists of Fury
Chapter 5: Hero and Drug Addict
Chapter 6: From Ranch Hand to Powerful Right Hand
Chapter 7: Jew versus Nazi
Chapter 8: The Man in the Movies
Chapter 9: After the Last Bell
Conclusion: The Empty Ring

Appendix A: Barney Ross’s Boxing Record
Appendix B: Max Baer’s Boxing Record
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the Author

Product details

Published	03 Nov 2016
Format	Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
Edition	1st
Extent	224
ISBN	9781442269330
Imprint	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Illustrations	10 b/w photos; 2 tables
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing

Max Baer and Barney Ross: Jewish Heroes of Boxing is a valuable contribution to the history of boxing and the general field of sport studies. The book will certainly appeal to sports fans and historians. Even those who have been working on these topics for many years may gain fresh insights about their own subject specialisms. Selections from this publication can make good seminar readings for history students to respond to and should stimulate plenty of lively debate.

The International Journal of the History of Sport
In this accessible book, Sussman details the history of Jewish boxers Max Baer and Barney Ross, select competitors and contemporaries, and the anti-Semitism that surrounded both men’s careers in the 1920s and 1930s. The author also discusses the general anti-Semitic culture in America during that period, the major players involved in perpetuating these beliefs, and the roles that Jewish boxers played within that culture. Other cultural forces discussed include the Great Depression and Hollywood. More descriptive history than academic tome, and often liberally pulling from other biographies, this work is not based on much original or academic research; instead, it focuses primarily on books and movies as source material to piece together a narrative. The author writes conversationally and often includes his own voice in the writing while relating his experiences with and interest in boxing and boxers. Filling in a specific gap in the history of boxing…this work is decent for those lower-level undergraduates or boxing fans interested in the history of this period in boxing and the role of Jewish boxers in history.

Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers.

Choice Reviews
From ancient times to the present, the fighting spirit of the Jews has been unquestioned. The many Jewish boxing champions and contenders celebrated in Jeffrey Sussman’s Max Baer and Barney Ross — Jewish Heroes of Boxing exemplifies this great fighting tradition. The Jewish dedication, perseverance and intelligence have set fine examples for those who follow in their footsteps.

The East Hampton Star
In recounting the exploits of these two fighters, the pages of Jewish Heroes of Boxing are full of fascinating cameo appearances by Al Capone, Jack Ruby, Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy, Benny Leonard, Abe Attell, Adolf Hitler, Damon Runyon, and Budd Schulberg.

Heritage Florida Jewish News
Pound for pound, Jeffrey Sussman is the strongest boxing writer alive.... Sussman deftly captures not just the lives of the men but the era in which they lived, when a strong right hand was all it took to lift an individual to the highest levels of fame.... Sussman deserves enormous credit for bringing to life a long lost era when Jews symbolized physical strength and courage through their success in the ring. The book is a must read not just for sports fans but for anyone who wants to understand a vital piece of American Jewish history. The book is a knockout.

The Huffington Post
Many great anecdotes paint an interesting and vivid story [in Max Baer and Barney Ross].... An interesting read.

Southern Jewish Life Magazine