Batchelor,Denzil – Jack Johnson & His Times

Description

Batchelor, Denzil ‘Jack Johnson & His Times’ 1956 1st ed. Phoenix Sports Books, London. 190-pages. VG in VG un-price clipped bright colored mylar protected dust jacket. $40. Another in good condition with good un-price clipped jacket, and the book stamp of longtime South African collector, J. Karel de Vries on the blank frontispiece.

The 1956 190-page hardcover edition of Jack Johnson and His Times by Denzil Batchelor is a landmark biography published in London. Written by the prolific British sports journalist and novelist, this volume offers a critical mid-20th-century retrospective on the tumultuous life, historic career, and massive socio-political impact of the world’s first African American heavyweight champion.

Publication Details:
• Title: Jack Johnson and His Times
• Author: Denzil Batchelor
• Publisher: Phoenix Sports Books (Phoenix House), London
• Year: 1956 (First Edition)
• Format: Hardcover (12mo / small 8vo format, approx. 20–21 cm tall)
• Page Count: 190 pages (frequently indexed or complete with photo plates)

Content and Narrative Scope:
Batchelor uses his 190 pages to go far beyond a simple sports chronicle, painting a complex portrait of Johnson against the starkly racist backdrop of the early 20th century. The book focuses on:
• The Rise to the Crown: Tracking Johnson’s journey through the grueling battle royals and early fights, culminating in his historic 1908 victory over Tommy Burns in Australia to claim the Heavyweight Championship.
• The “Great White Hope” Era: A dramatic recounting of the hyper-publicized cultural panic that gripped white America, detailing the desperate search for an athlete to strip Johnson of his title, topped by his definitive 1910 defeat of undefeated former champion James J. Jeffries in Reno, Nevada.
• The Legal Battles & Exile: The text explores Johnson’s highly controversial, racially motivated conviction under the Mann Act, his dramatic escape from the United States, and his years spent fighting and living in exile across Europe and South America.
• A Cultural Icon: Batchelor captures Johnson’s larger-than-life persona—his love for fast cars, fine clothes, opera, and white women—framing him as a unapologetic iconoclast who refused to conform to the subservient expectations of his era.

Physical Characteristics & Collectability:
• Binding: The book was issued in two primary publisher variations: either dark, matte-black paper-covered boards or a full cloth binding (often textured grey or black) featuring bright gold (gilt) lettering stamped on the spine.
• Illustrations: The volume is significantly enhanced by 8 to 18 double-sided black-and-white photographic plates plus a frontispiece. These rare, glossy archival photos depict Johnson in classic sparring poses, freeze-frame action shots from his most famous bouts, and personal candids showcasing his affluent lifestyle.
• Dust Jacket: It was originally distributed with a pictorial paper dust jacket. Because these post-war jackets were highly susceptible to chipping, fraying, and spine loss, copies with intact jackets are highly scarce.
This 1956 biography is highly coveted by antiquarian collectors and boxing historians. It is widely respected as one of the earliest comprehensive, objective British perspectives on Jack Johnson, laying the groundwork for how the champion’s legacy would be evaluated by future generations.