Relief to Royalty : The James J Braddock Story
Union City NJ: Printed by Hudson Dispatch, 1936.
First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. Very Good- in Good+ dust jacket. Item #15014
Tone, owner's custom boxing bookplate, otherwise light wear; Dust Jacket spine darkening, foxing, light wear. Errata slip tipped in. Solid hardcover.; Association copy, with custom boxing bookplate of Australian collector John Austin Roberts. Authorized biography of "Cinderella Man" James J Braddock, written just after he won the World Heavyweight Championship. "Stone-broke and hungry, discouraged and weary, his hand in a plaster cast, his ring career apparently ended, and with a wife and three children looking to him for support, James J Braddock had to go on relief in 1934 to keep his brood from starving. Less than one year later, however, this courageous Irishman battling against terrific odds, threw the fistic world into a turmoil as he scored the most startling upset the ring had known in 43 years by defeating Max Baer and ascending to the world's heavyweight throne - to become the 15th wearer of the mantle first worn by the immortal John L Sullivan." Braddock lost the title two years later to Joe Louis. Illustrated with two photographs and 19 drawings by the author. Braddock's story became popular again with the 2005 movie Cinderella Man starring Russell Crowe and directed by Ron Howard. Quite hard-to-find boxing biography high spot, in dust jacket, and from the personal collection of noted boxing bibliophile John Austin Roberts.; 191 pages.
Price: $499.95