James J. Braddock came from a humble start to the top of the world more than once. The first being his upbringing as the son of Irish-American immigrants to becoming a pro boxer in the light-heavyweight division at age 21, with a record of 42-2-2. James Braddock was doing great, but when the great depression hit the United States, it also took a jab at Braddock’s career. In a span of months, his career fell apart, he broke his prize winning right hand, and his family was plunged into the ghetto of New Jersey, Their only form of income was Jim going to the docks to occasionally find work despite his bum hand. This job though, would force him to use his left hand, to become more nimble on his feet, and ultimately would be the springboard to the greatest upset in the history of boxing.
Cinderella Man has held a long-time place in my heart as one of my top-five favorite movies. I’ve always enjoyed boxing more than the UFC, something my friends will never understand. There’s something about it that just fosters more respect between fighters and withholds the test of time. Ever since I was a kid and would learn about my great grandpa Elmer Truman’s boxing days, I wanted to learn to fight like him. I felt so strongly about that because despite him being a great fighter, he loved his family, his friends, and his hometown more than any of that. This is exactly how Jim Braddock seems to come across in this book.
Jim loves his family, he puts his wife and kids above any other priority in his life. Putting his life on the line in a fight against Max Baer just to provide security for his family in the midst of the Great Depression was nothing short of heroic. He had his morals straight, he fought for what he believed was most important, and he showed respect and kindness to every man he fought. In his mind, he wasn’t fighting these men to assert dominance or to win a title, he was fighting them because he loved the sport, and always respected the man opposite him in the ring.
Everyone loves reading about a good upset in any sport. Some of my favorite stories are the ones where a person or team shows no chance of victory but still pushes through to squeeze in the victory. I practically review these upsets like it’s my religion at times. While these situations make incredible stories it can be difficult to articulate these stories in a book that grips your attention from beginning to end. I watch movies of great upsets and love them. Movies like the Brighton Miracle, Cool Runnings, Glory Road, and so many more have been a staple part of my life. But as someone who struggles to read and stay hooked on a book, I can say with one hundred percent certainty that Jeremy Schaap’s story of how James Braddock took down Max Baer is one of the most gripping and entertaining books I’ve ever read.
One of the most memorable moments in the book was when Jim was contacted by his friend Joe Gould. This is memorable for me because in the movie, this was at a point where Jim and his wife had to send their kids away so that they would have better homes while Jim tried to make ends meet. Gould tells him that there’s a fighter they need a last minute contestant for. This fighter was John “Corn” Griffin, the sparring partner of the tallest heavyweight champion ever, Primo Carnera. Griffin had made a name for himself as the media started sharing that when they watched the two spar, Corn gave Primo a run for his money more than any other sparring partners there. Jim steps into the ring after having scarfed down a bowl of hash, the only thing available to eat at the time. After a rough start, Jim came back to crush Griffin, and after all the media left Jim alone, he turned to Gould and said, “I did that on hash, Joe. Wait till you see what I can do on steak.”
This introduction chapter lays the foundation for a fantastic story recounting his journey from the fights he had with his brothers to the fights he won that led him to become the Heavyweight Champion of the World from 1935 to 1937. With each fight, one after another leading Braddock further and further out of the obscurity he’d known for all too long, he proved that he could, in fact, do incredible things when fueled by steak. Each chapter showcases a fight that was instrumental in the life of Jim Braddock. While there are chapters about Baer as well, it is apparent that Jeremy was building the whole book to the fantastic climax when Jim and Max face off.
Throughout the book, it shows in detail the grueling training that Jim went through to prepare him for the even more grueling fights. Each fight proved to be a challenge, but all along the way, he kept on pushing harder and harder. Despite being known so well for his lethal right hand, we see him using his southpaw to strike each opponent. He wasn’t just there to deliver his storied right hooks, but also to throw left-handed jabs and uppercuts that made each strategic throw of his right hand more and more powerful.
In the end, Jim Braddock and Max Baer face off on the biggest boxing stage in the world, Madison Square Garden. Jeremy Schaap does an incredible job of building up to the legendary fight between a man who is there for his family and a man who is there for his fame. As Jim and Max fought for 15 earth shattering rounds, despite the few strong hits Baer landed, he received a hundred more. In the last five seconds, “Braddock landed two rights to Baer’s head. Then the bell sounded. Instantly Gould jumped into the ring, grabbed both of Braddock’s legs and lifted him into the air… Braddock looked down at Gould and said quietly, ‘We did it. We did it.’”
In the end, it was the unanimous vote of the judges that Braddock was the clear winner. The next day in the paper Braddock read the words of Dan Parker, “The crowd was overwhelmingly with Braddock. Here was the ideal hero!” Because of the way that Braddock lived his life, and in addition to the masterful way that Schaap writes this biography, I was brought back into the life of an athlete who was truly great. It is hard to read this book, without finding yourself constantly cheering for the Bulldog of Bergen, the Pride of New Jersey, the Cinderella Man, James J Braddock.
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