Merrill, Walter – K.O. – 1933 limited edition INSCRIBED by both author and famous announcer Dan Tobey

Description

Merrill, Walter ‘K.O.’ 1933 limited edition of one thousand copies of which this is number 487. Novel loosely based on the life of James J. Jeffries. 100 pages. INSCRIBED: “To Rob Wagner. This was not intended to be a brilliant literary work, but rather a hurried effort with a purpose, which you will find herein – Sincerely, Walter Tony Merrill. July 3rd, 1933.” Also INSCRIBED two pages later “To Larry Nash. Best wishes to you from Dan Tobey, The Announcer Sept. 14/48” Some loosening to the front hinge, though intact, and otherwise good plus condition.

K.O. is a scarce 1933 hardcover boxing novel written by Walter Anthony Merrill. Published as a strictly limited print run of only 1,000 individually numbered copies, the book is highly sought after by antiquarian sports collectors due to its deep ties to early 20th-century West Coast boxing history. The book is celebrated for the unique, personalized inscriptions found across its surviving copies. Here are the details concerning the historic individuals tied to this specific volume:

The Renowned Ring Announcer: Dan Tobey:
Dan Tobey was one of the most iconic and recognizable voices in American combat sports history. Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, Tobey was the premier West Coast ring announcer from the 1900s through 1952. He was the definitive voice of the legendary Olympic Auditorium and Hollywood Legion Stadium, introducing world-title bouts with a theatrical, steadily rising staccato cadence that fight fans adored. Tobey frequently accompanied Merrill at sports gatherings, which is why his bold, stylized secondary inscriptions appear on several surviving copies of this book.

The Author’s Inscription to Rob Wagner:
Walter Merrill’s primary inscription is dedicated to Rob Wagner, a highly influential figure in early Hollywood history. Wagner was an artist, screenwriter, filmmaker, and the founder of Rob Wagner’s Script, a famous weekly literary and political magazine based in Beverly Hills. Wagner was a major cultural tastemaker who published early works by legendary authors like Edgar Rice Burroughs and Louis L’Amour. Merrill’s note to him—candidly admitting that the book “was not intended to be a brilliant literary work, but rather a hurried effort with a purpose”—reflects a personal, peer-to-peer message to a respected Hollywood editor and literary critic.

Dan Tobey’s Inscription to Larry Nash:
The secondary inscription from ring announcer Dan Tobey is addressed to Larry Nash. In the tight-knit circle of 1930s and 1940s West Coast sports, Nash was a well-known boxing insider, promoter, and sports figure who worked directly alongside Tobey and the arenas of the Southern California boxing circuit.