Schoor, Gene – The Jack Dempsey Story ex. library

Description

Schoor, Gene – The Jack Dempsey Story. 1954. Julian Messner, Inc., New York. 186-pages. Good minus hardcover with a good minus dust jacket with the usual library markings.

The 1954 hardcover of The Jack Dempsey Story by Gene Schoor (written in collaboration with Henry Gilfond), published by Julian Messner, Inc., New York, is the true first edition of this classic sports biography. It served as the foundation for later international printings, including the 1956 British edition.

Physical & Bibliographic Description:
• Format: Standard octavo (8vo) hardcover.
• Pagination: 186 pages.
• Binding: Two-tone or solid color cloth boards (typically light blue/grey or tan cloth) with distinct typography stamped on the spine and front cover.
• Dust Jacket: Originally issued with a striking, illustrated mid-century dust jacket. The jacket features a prominent photographic portrait or stylized illustration of a young, intense Jack Dempsey in a boxing stance, backed by bold, stylized American sports typography.
• Illustrations: Contains an insert section of black-and-white photographic plates that capture Dempsey’s iconic “Manassa Mauler” fighting stance, his training routines, and historic ringside action.

Content Overview:
Gene Schoor, a master of accessible and dramatic sports storytelling, presents a highly narrative, action-packed account of the heavyweight champion’s life. Tailored perfectly for the post-WWII generation of sports fans, the book details:
• The Hobo Days: Dempsey’s grueling early life riding the rails, working in western mining camps, and fighting for survival in saloon backrooms.
• The Championship Reign: His explosive rise to the top of the boxing world, focusing heavily on the brutal 1919 title match against Jess Willard in Toledo, Ohio.
• Cultural Icon Status: How Dempsey transitioned from a controversial figure during WWI into one of the defining American cultural heroes of the “Roaring Twenties” alongside Babe Ruth and Red Grange.