Download or read book Billy Conn the Pittsburgh Kid written by Paul F. Kennedy and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2007 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There has never been a fighter like Billy Conn. Handsome as a movie star and tough as Pittsburgh steel, Conn threw combinations with the beauty and speed of later masters Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali. The kid from the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh began boxing professionally at age 16, as his manager Johnny Ray fed him older, more experienced pros in a "baptism of fire." Conn developed quickly. At age 19 and 20 he defeated most of the world's best middleweights, a division rich with talent. Still growing, by age 21 he won the world light-heavyweight title. After dominating that division, he sought greater challenge in the heavyweight division. He beat three of the best heavyweights, one by knockout and two by easy decision. Only one challenge remained - the great heavyweight champion Joe Louis. Their first fight remains one of boxing's all-time classics, ranked by some as the greatest fight ever. Conn's story transcends boxing. He pursued and eloped with the love of his life, the beautiful Mary Louise Smith, despite her father's vehement and public opposition. Conn and his father-in-law tangled in a chaotic brawl at a lavish christening party at the Smith home. Billy starred in a Hollywood movie, The Pittsburgh Kid, and developed friendships with big stars like Bob Hope, Robert Taylor, and Frank Sinatra. Through all the glamour Billy remained the unpretentious "kid" from gritty Pittsburgh, the city he loved. He became an icon of that city, of the downtrodden Depression-era working class, and of the American Irish. Conn's place in boxing and American folk history has been neglected and forgotten in recent decades. His story of a poor kid with talent and spirit who went for it all is one worth reading.

Download or read book Joe Louis vs Billy Conn written by Ed Gruver and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2022-07-15 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sports fans had much to occupy themselves with during the memorable summer of ’41, including New York Yankees great Joe DiMaggio's record-setting consecutive games hit streak and Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams' dogged pursuit of batting .400. No sports story, however, loomed larger that summer than Joe Louis versus Billy Conn, the hard-hitting heavyweight champion, Detroit’s "Brown Bomber," battling the stylish and cocky "Pittsburgh Kid.” Considered one of the greatest matches in boxing history, the fight saw the underdog Conn well ahead on points until Louis knocked him out in the 13th round. Ed Gruver captures the high drama of that sultry night at the Polo Grounds, the brash confidence of the challenger from Pittsburgh, and the quiet dignity of the Black champion Louis, who personified “the memory of every injustice practiced upon his people and the memory of every triumph.”

Download or read book Pittsburgh Irish Erin on the Three Rivers written by Gerard F. O'Neil and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2015 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offers a history of the Irish in Pittsburgh and its environs.

Download or read book Sweet William written by Andrew O'Toole and published by University of Illinois Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Irish working-class hero of Pittsburgh, Billy Conn captured the hearts of his contemporaries through his ebullient personality, stellar boxing record, and good looks. A light-heavyweight boxing champion, Conn had defeated nine current or former champions in three weight divisions by the time he was twenty one. Best remembered for his sensational near-defeat of heavyweight champion Joe Louis in 1941, Conn is still regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1965, Billy Conn was one of the most popular athletes of his era. The Pittsburgh Kid captured the public s imagination with his boxing, Hollywood, and army careers, which Andrew O Toole chronicles by drawing from fascinating interviews with Conn s family, newspaper accounts, and Billy s personal scrapbooks. Presenting an intimate look inside the champion s relationship with his girlfriend, manager, and rivals, O Toole captures the personal life of a public icon and the pageantry of sports during the 1930s and 40s. "

Download or read book Sucker Punch written by Amanda J Field and published by Andrews UK Limited. This book was released on 2023-10-16 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 1930s, 40s and 50s were the heyday of the boxing film, attracting some of the biggest stars of the time - including Errol Flynn, James Cagney, Kirk Douglas and Paul Newman - and some of the best directors. Yet it is a genre that has received little critical attention apart from a few films singled out because they can be categorised as ‘film noir’. It would be easy to assume, therefore, that the typical boxing film of this period was a dark melodrama with the tragic and doomed figure of the boxer at its centre, but that gives a false picture of a genre that included comedies and costume dramas among its 130-plus films. Sucker Punch invites the reader to take a wider look at the scope and breadth of the genre by providing a detailed discussion of 20 boxing films - a selection from each decade - from Hollywood and British studios. Some, such as Body and Soul, have become part of the established 'canon' of Film Studies, while lighter fare, such as Ringside Maisie or Gentleman Jim, have been overlooked by the critics but are worthy of re-examination - not simply because they are enjoyable films in their own right, but also because they offer insights into social attitudes of the times. The book draws on contemporary sources, such as trade-paper film reviews, as well as modern academic criticism, to build a highly readable account of the development of the boxing genre and its narrative conventions.

Download or read book Ruanaidh The Story of Art Rooney and His Clan written by Roy McHugh and published by Ruanaidh-Story of Art Rooney. This book was released on 2008 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Rooney written by Rob L. Ruck and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2010-04-01 with total page 622 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Born to an Irish Catholic working-class family on the Northside of Pittsburgh, Art Rooney (1901–88) dabbled in semipro baseball and boxing before discovering that his real talent lay not in playing sports but in promoting them. Though he was at the center of boxing, baseball, and racing in Pittsburgh and beyond, Rooney is best remembered for his contribution to the NFL, in particular to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team he founded in 1933. As Rooney led the team in the early years, he came to be known as football’s greatest loser; his influence, however, was instrumental in making the NFL the best-run league in American pro sports. The authors show how Rooney saw professional football—and the Steelers—through the Depression, World War II, the ascension of TV, and the development of the NFL. The book also follows him through the Steelers’ dynasty years under Rooney’s sons, with four Super Bowl titles in the 1970s alone. The first authoritative look at one of the most iconic figures in the history of the NFL, this book is both a critical chapter in the story of football in America and a thoroughly engaging in-depth introduction to a character unlike any other in the annals of American sports.

Download or read book Combat Sports written by David L. Hudson Jr. and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2009-05-13 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fistic combat represents the greatest human drama in all of sport. Roman gladiators thrilled citizens and emperors alike when they entered the octagon to face an intense, life-threatening experience. Boxing, the sport of kings, also has its roots in the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. Banned in 500 A.D. by the Emperor Theodoric, it resurfaced twelve centuries later in England. John Milton praised it as a noble art for building character in young men, and sports writer A.J. Leibling dubbed it the Sweet Science. Many of its major protagonists - men such as Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali - have become transcendent, near-mythic heroes. But boxing is not the only combat sport, and mixed martial arts, in all their ferocious beauty, represent the fastest growing sports genre in the world. Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) has joined boxing in paying seven figures to some of its champions, and draws millions in its pay-per-view events. This book details leading figures in boxing, sumo wrestling, kickboxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, and mixed martial arts (including organizations such as Ultimate Fighting, PRIDE, K-1, Total Combat, and SportFighting). Over 150 entries cover champions, contenders, and other famous combatants from all over the world, as well as legendary promoters, managers, trainers, and events. Also included in this encyclopedia are sidebars on controversies, highlights, brief bios, and other noteworthy events, along with a general timeline. .

Download or read book Sweet William written by Andrew O'Toole and published by University of Illinois Press. This book was released on 2024-03-18 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Irish working-class hero of Pittsburgh, Billy Conn captured hearts through his ebullient personality, stellar boxing record, and good looks. A light heavyweight boxing champion best remembered for his sensational near-defeat of heavyweight champion Joe Louis in 1941, Conn is still regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Andrew O'Toole chronicles the boxing, Hollywood, and army careers of "the Pittsburgh Kid" by drawing from newspaper accounts, Billy's personal scrapbooks, and fascinating interviews with family. Presenting an intimate look at the champion's relationships with his girlfriend, manager, and rivals, O'Toole compellingly captures the personal life of a public icon and the pageantry of sports during the 1930s and '40s.

Download or read book Boxing in New Jersey 1900 1999 written by Robert F. Fernandez, Sr. and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2014-08-20 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For all hard-core boxing fans, this book introduces the reader to New Jersey stars of the 20th century--gladiators who fought in blood-soaked rings bringing entertainment to millions for little pay. They must not be forgotten. The book contains many little known facts about these fine men, all trying to punch out a living for their families in hard times. The author has followed the sport for 75 years and worked in all phases of it. Readers will learn of the hard work, dedication and respect developed by these fighters in the "sweet science."

Download or read book San Francisco s Excelsior District written by Walter G. Jebe Sr. and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2004-12-08 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Excelsior District traditionally has not been among San Francisco's "spotlight" neighborhoods, yet this area is an important residential and commercial zone that is home to some 30,000 residents. These rolling hills south of San Francisco's better-known districts are now covered with row upon row of houses, streets, and apartments. But places like the Excelsior were once sparsely populated, agrarian, and even rural. This volume of vintage photographs chronicles the Excelsior's intriguing journey from rugged swamp and farmland to the busy cosmopolitan neighborhood we know today. It is a tale of determined immigrant families putting down roots in a challenging locale and overcoming adversity to stake out a permanent enclave in this famed city. It is also a story of large-scale construction and reclamation to tame the rugged outskirts of San Francisco.

Download or read book Pittsburgh s Greatest Athletes written by David Finoli and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2019-06-24 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Author and sports historian David Finoli's inside look at the 50 greatest male and female athletes in Pittsburgh history. Greatness in sport is both undefinable and immediately recognizable. Though it is rare, Western Pennsylvania has been graced with a long history of athletes who embody the essence of greatness. They have proudly represented the region in sports such as boxing, golf and track; carried their collegiate teams to victory; and worn the black and gold of the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins. Pittsburghers still recall how Mario Lemieux glided effortlessly through an opposing defense before befuddling the goalie or Arnold Palmer's unique swing that made the everyday duffer feel like he was one of them. Fans debate whether Terry Bradshaw or Ben Roethlisberger is the better quarterback and what the legacy of Barry Bonds is, while keeping Roberto Clemente among their most cherished icons. Take a deep dive into all of that and more and re-discover the best of the best in Pittsburgh sports history.

Download or read book Where the Movies Played in Downtown Pittsburg h written by and published by Dorrance Publishing. This book was released on with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Story Bigger Than Boxing written by Ingming Duque Aberia and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Boxing Like the Champs written by Mark Hatmaker and published by Tracks Publishing. This book was released on 2016-08-01 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How did the old school, all time champs — like Jack Dempsey, Kid McCoy, Sonny Liston and Stanley Ketchel — do it? This manual examines some of the best and most interesting fighters in boxing history and gets inside the historical import of what they accomplished. Examining the training, technique and tactics of past champions, this book provides readers with recreated templates to drill and box precisely as the greats did. Here are five benefits a reader will gain from this book: 1. Gain historical perspective on one of mankind's most riveting and oldest sports. 2. Hone boxing skills via historical recreation modeling. 3. Create bonding with the material through historical perspective and physical execution. 4. Transform your boxing game as you learn to shift gears through champion mindsets. 5. Learn the valuable skill of immersion training versus simulacra training.

Download or read book 56 written by Kostya Kennedy and published by Time Home Entertainment. This book was released on 2011-03-10 with total page 475 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Sports Illustrated 50 Years of Great Writing written by Editors of Sports Illustrated and published by Time Home Entertainment. This book was released on 2012-10-30 with total page 777 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the half-century since its birth, as Sports Illustrated grew from a struggling start-up to America's preeminent sports magazine, one thing has remained constant: the commitment to great storytelling. That part of the magazine's mission has always been easy to define: Identify the most compelling sports stories of our time and get the best writers in the business to tell them. This book brings together a lineup of writing talent worthy of the Hall of Fame and the classic stories they produced for Sports Illustrated over the past 50 years. Many of the writers whose work is collected here are longtime favorites of SI readers (Frank Deford, Rick Reilly, Steve Rushin, Gary Smith). Others are former SI staffers or contributors who left the fold, but not before making an indelible mark on SI's history (Dan Jenkins, Rick Telander, Mark Kram, Roy Blount Jr., William Nack). There are celebrated journalists (A.J. Liebling, Jimmy Breslin, George Plimpton), screenwriters (Budd Schulberg and Kenny Moore), renowned novelists (Thomas McGuane, Pete Dexter, Wallace Stegner, Don DeLillo) and even a couple of Nobel Prize winners in literature (William Faulkner and John Steinbeck). The stories themselves are a mirror of our times. Included in this volume are accounts of some of the most memorable athletic feats of our era (Secretariat's Belmont victory, the Thrilla in Manila, and Bobby Thomson's shot heard round the world). Profiles of the towering athletic figures of our time (Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, Ted Williams and Johnny Unitas). Good guys (Yogi Berra and Harry Caray) and bad guys (Sonny Liston and Mike Tyson). The fast (Roger Bannister) and the furious (Dick Butkus). The ridiculous (Howard Cosell) and the sublime (Josh Gibson). And the stories that simply touch our hearts and inspire us (Frank Deford's masterpiece on light heavyweight champ Billy Conn). This is the very best of the world's best sports magazine ¾ and it just doesn't get any better than that.