Gallico, Paul – Farewell to Sport

Description

Gallico, Paul ‘Farewell to Sport’ 1941 fourth printing. VG/VG “For fourteen years Paul Gallico was one of the ace sportswriters of America, featured columnist of the New York Daily News and sponsor of such spectacles as the Golden Gloves…. Dempsey, Ruth, Bobby Jones, Nurmi, Babe Didrickson, Red Grange, Helen Wills and Helen Jacobs – Gallico knew all the headliners, he gives them to you here – and there are few he praises with even faint damns.” Terrific read, including an account of the young reporters sparring session with Jack Dempsey. Scarce in dust jacket.

Farewell to Sport is a classic collection of 26 sports essays written by legendary journalist Paul Gallico. Originally published in 1938 (with your copy being the October 1941 fourth printing), the book serves as Gallico’s literal goodbye to his 14-year career as a premier daily sports columnist and editor for the New York Daily News.

The Golden Age of Sports: The book captures a comprehensive, front-row window into the wildest, most glamorous era of American athletics spanning from 1924 to 1936. Gallico uses an accessible, conversational style to profile defining icons of the era, including Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Bobby Jones, and Bill Tilden.

Pioneering “Participatory Journalism”: Rather than just watching from the press box, Gallico famously submersed himself in the action to truly understand what made elite athletes different. He recounts his feats of daring, such as catching a major league fastball from Dizzy Dean, playing tennis with Helen Wills, swimming laps with Johnny Weissmuller, and famously stepping into the ring with Jack Dempsey, where he lasted exactly one minute and thirty-seven seconds before being knocked cold.A Cynical, Honest Exposé: While the book celebrates athletic brilliance, it is equally famous for pulling back the curtain on the sports industry. Gallico exposes the pre-scripted theatrical drama of professional wrestling, details the systemic financial exploitation of amateur athletes, and critiques the hypocrisy of big-time college football programs.

Historical and Cultural Context: Writing right on the cusp of World War II, Gallico’s work reflects the dominant social, racial, and cultural biases of the 1930s sports media elite. It captures how the games were utilized as tools for defining character, commercialization, and national pride.

Ultimately, Farewell to Sport remains a masterwork of creative non-fiction. It marks the exact pivot point where Gallico left journalism behind to become a wildly successful fiction writer, later authoring classics like The Snow Goose and The Poseidon Adventure.