Boxing's Best Short Stories

by Staudohar, Paul D.

• ISBN13: 9781556523649
• ISBN10: 1556523645
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-08-01
• Publisher: Independent Pub Group

Summary

The bone-jarring crack as a glove smashes into a jaw ... endless seconds as the referee barks "one, two, three" ...the roar of the crowd as the winner lifts his pulpy face in victory ...Boxing's Best Short Stories brings the action of the ring to life with 22 classic tales. Boring has always had its share of violence, disreputable characters, and shattered dreams, but as an inspiration for great writing it is unsurpassed. The tales included in this classic volume represent every decade of the 20th century and many beloved writers, including Ring Lardner, Nelson Algren, Jack London, Paul Gallico, Ellery Queen, and John O'Hara. The fixed fight, courage under pressure, the crooked promoter, death in the ring, and champs and burns animate these stories and bring to life deeper themes of love, life, and character.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii	(2)
Introduction	ix
Rose into Cauliflower	1	(12)
Mel Matison
The Last Blow	13	(4)
Octavus Roy Cohen
The Croxley Master	17	(42)
A. Conan Doyle
The Higher Pragmatism	59	(4)
O. Henry
Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine	63	(16)
Thom Jones
Twenty-Five Bucks	79	(10)
James T. Farrell
Bred for Battle	89	(12)
Damon Runyon
Heart	101	(22)
Neil McMahon
A Piece of Steak	123	(20)
Jack London
Thicker than Water	143	(8)
Paul Gallico
Return to Kansas City	151	(8)
Irwin Shaw
Death of a Prize Fighter	159	(10)
Robert Switzer
A Matter of Seconds	169	(6)
Ellery Queen
The Debut of Battling Billson	175	(24)
P. G. Wodehouse
He Swung and He Missed	199	(8)
Nelson Algren
The Legend of Pig-Eye	207	(18)
Rick Bass
Everything in the Fifth	225	(10)
Maxence Van Der Meersch
One-Thirty-Three-Ringside	235	(20)
Charles E. Van Loan
A Boxer: Old	255	(14)
Harry Sylvester
The Chickasha Bone Crusher	269	(24)
H. C. Witwer
Champion	293	(22)
Ring Lardner
Stop the Fight!	315	(14)
Norman Katkov
Permissions Acknowledgments	329