Dibble, R.F. – John L. Sullivan

Description

Dibble, R.F. ‘John L. Sullivan’ 1925 1st edition 209 pages. VG condition with brightly colored covers. No dust jacket.

The 1925 first edition hardcover of John L. Sullivan: An Old-Fashioned American by R.F. (Roy Floyd) Dibble is a 209-page biography published in Boston by Little, Brown, and Company. Written by a prominent university English professor and biographer, the book is highly regarded by sports historians as the first serious, full-length academic biography ever written about the legendary heavyweight champion.

Book Details:
• Author: Roy Floyd Dibble (1887–1929)
• Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company, Boston
• Publication Year: 1925 (Stated First Edition)
• Format: Hardcover octavo (8vo), typically bound in dark cloth boards with gilt title lettering on the spine.
• Length: 209 pages

Content & Overview:
• A Scholarly Approach: Moving away from the sensationalized, gossipy tone of contemporary 1920s sports writing, Dibble treats Sullivan with the literary weight of an essential historical figure. He frames the champion as a fascinating specimen of raw, unapologetic, “old-fashioned” American individualism.
• The Rise and Fall of the King: The biography charts Sullivan’s explosive journey from his youth as the “Boston Strong Boy” to his undisputed reign as the last king of the bare-knuckle ring and the first champion of the modern glove era. Dibble analyzes his historic 75-round war with Jake Kilrain in 1889 and his career-ending 1892 loss to James J. Corbett.
• A Cultural Icon’s Psychology: A major focus of the book is Sullivan’s volatile personality outside the ring. Dibble details how Sullivan earned and carelessly squandered an immense fortune, his severe struggles with alcoholism, his theatrical career, and his final, surprising decades spent traveling the country as a deeply committed temperance lecturer.
• Illustrations: The volume is enhanced by a frontispiece portrait of John L. Sullivan alongside several full-page, black-and-white historical photographic plates documenting his physique, his opponents, and key public appearances.