?Peek into the Soul of a Boxing Writer? attempts to tiptoe into the writer?s den, browse his bookshelf, and peruse his desk to see what?s there?
?Peek into the Soul of a Boxing Writer? attempts to tiptoe into the writer?s den, browse his bookshelf, and peruse his desk to see what?s there.
It?s not exactly snooping ? it?s exploring.
This current series is an offshoot of my previous series, ?Peeking into the Soul of a Prizefighter,? that attempted to recognize, and celebrate, the unknown sides of the boxer ? his contemplative side ? by asking: What is your favorite book?
In the end, Boxing.com is all about boxing and relies upon the rugged men and women willing to step into a ring to punch each other. And the site also relies upon writers to report those fights.
Fighters are fighters and writers are writers.
But sometimes a fighter becomes a writer.
The following list recognizes the prizefighters who have dared to step into the academic arena and punch out a book of their own ? with no help from a ghostwriter.
Congratulations to the following writer-fighters:
1) Daniel Andrews ? ?A Man Named Daniel? ? (fought from 1963-1969) 2) Jeff Bumpus ? ?Becoming Taz? ? (fought from 1984-1993) 3) Tony Danza ? ?I?d Like To Apologize To Every Teacher I Ever Had? ? (1976-1979) 4) David L. Jaco ? ?Spontaneous Palooka? ? (fought from 1984-1991) 5) ?Tiger? Ted Lowry ? ?God?s in My Corner? ? (fought from 1939-1955) 6) Rusty Rosenberger ? ?Unclaimed Destiny ? The Heart of a Champion? ? (1978-1992) 7) Fraser Scott ? ?Weigh-In ? The Selling of a Middleweight? ? (fought from 1968-1972) 8) Jose ?Chequi? Torres ? ?Sting Like a Bee? ? (fought from 1958-1969) (My apologies to the fighter/writers I?ve missed.)
Writers become fighters, too. That intriguing list will be presented in Part Three!
10. Mohummad Humza Elahi
o Background/Education/Training
Well, my background is from the farther reaches of East London, born and bred. It?s an interesting place in that it always seems to be at the forefront of particular cultural juxtapositions, a home for immigrant communities through the decades so I despise its current trend of commodification and gentrification. But that?s another story! I went to the local comprehensive and then to UCL, graduating with a Masters in Earth Science.
Currently working as a management consultant (and novice boxing writer, of course).
Was always a big sports fan, particularly good at athletics but didn?t make much ground in team sports, which is why boxing drew me in about seven or so years ago. Huge film and music fan also, I tend towards creativity quite a bit and did some personal music projects and now trying my hand at art; grappling with basic drawing first and then hopefully onto the Escher stream of expression, the geometrically surreal.
o Published works
No published works, but I think a novel is in my potential at some stage and I?d like to develop the ideas that I couldn?t put into my music projects. Widening my experiences was one thing I didn?t do whilst I was younger (teens/early twenties) and so I?m making up for lost time as much as I can. Here?s hoping that continues.
o Name your favorite book
That really is a tough one; probably the book that I will come back to throughout my life (as a Muslim, I?ll put the Qur?an to one side here) is a Fusus al-Hikam or The Bezels of Wisdom by a Muslim mystic named Ibn Arabi, a huge figure in the Sufi tradition of Islam and about as impenetrable and esoteric as they come with respect to their writings. This has a close place to my heart as I read the book at his tomb during my time in Damascus in 2008 and it was a very personal experience, as was the whole of my time there. The great thing about it is that with enough concentration, I can always transport myself back there, so I?m thankful that I managed to experience it before it all went to Hell in a hand basket.
11. ?Fight Film Collector?
I have a degree in cinema production and work professionally as a web designer, photographer and musician.
o Name your favorite book
I have no single favorite book, but among those books I remember best is Soldier of The Mist by Gene Wolfe. It?s the fictional journal of a mercenary in ancient Greece who suffers amnesia after a battle. A surgeon gives him a scroll and tells him to write entries each night so he can read and remember the next day. Like a Jason Borne set in ancient times, the character is a fierce warrior. His condition allows him to see gods and spirits who guide him as he travels and defends a mysterious group of refugees.
As for boxing, the book that ignited my passion for fight films was Rex Lardner?s The Legendary Champions. The book (and the film documentary) told the history of the Heavyweight Championship from Sullivan to Tunney through photos and early motion pictures.
o Accomplishments/Experiences
Was an athlete from grade school through college competing mostly in track, gymnastics and boxing.
Made super 8 films as a kid and as a teenager received an award from Kodak.
Was inspired by the first Frazier-Ali fight to start collecting boxing films.
o Published works
First print-published story will appear in a forthcoming boxing anthology.
o Proudest moments
Hearing my music on the radio for the first time.
Sitting in the Madison Square Garden press row for the Cotto-Mosley fight with my best friend from high school, who is now a SI sports writer and editor.
12. Clarence George
I. Proudest Moment: Well I remember when Lou DiBella patted my tummy, but I?m most proud of having nominated Izzy Jannazzo for induction into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.
II. Favorite Books: My most loved book as a boy was Robert Louis Stevenson?s Treasure Island. While still a favorite, it was long ago superseded by Ernest Hemingway?s The Sun Also Rises, which I think is the great American novel.
Regarding boxing fiction, Hemingway wrote some terrific short stories, including ?The Battler,? a tale that deserves to be better known. More currently, Thom Jones has written some magnificent boxing stories, the best of which are in his first collection, The Pugilist at Rest. And, of course, there?s Leonard Gardner?s novella, Fat City.
I don?t know that I have a favorite non-fiction book, though I have a weakness for those that deal with unsolved mysteries. As far as boxing is concerned?huge fan of A.J. Liebling?s The Sweet Science; much less so of A Neutral Corner. Love Nat Fleischer?s A Pictorial History of Boxing. I also like Joyce Carol Oates? On Boxing. Up there is Joseph Monninger?s Two Ton, all about my favorite boxer, the inimitable and irrepressible ?Two Ton? Tony Galento.
13. Christian Giudice
First writing job: Gloucester County Times, Woodbury, NJ (2000) First fight coverage: Blue Horizon (1999) Books: Hands of Stone: The Life and Legend of Roberto Duran Beloved Warrior: The Rise and Fall of Alexis Arguello Proudest Moment: Received first copy of Hands of Stone
Favorite Book: The Things They Carried Favorite Boxing Book: The Good Son (Ray Mancini)
14. Sembello C. (Chuck) Hasson
Grew up in Philadelphia/Chester area.
Served in the Mekong Delta on river boats (1969), Mobile Riverine Force (?The floating Panzer Division of Viet Nam?).
Worked on Dredges on the Hudson River and Tankers in Merchant marines. Retired from the Teamsters Union.
Became a boxing fanatic watching Joey Giardello KO top rated Bobby Boyd on the tube in 1956. Biggest thrill was watching Giardello win the title from Tiger in person at Atlantic City with my Dad.
Involved in boxing my whole life.
Assistant editor of phillyboxinghistory.com.
Elected to Pennsylvania Boxing HOF in 2013.
My favorite book The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer. Autobiography about a young gung-ho German soldier sent to the Eastern Front in 1942. He soon is influenced by ?the veteran,? who has fought through the whole Russian campaign and convinces Sajer that survival is all that matters, certainly not the glory of the fatherland. It covers the full brutal retreat from the Red Army back to Berlin.
My favorite boxing book: Somebody Up There Likes Me, the autobiography of Rocky Graziano.
15. Norman Marcus
Favorite book: The Call of the Wild by Jack London.
The story of a dog?s struggle to survive in the primordial Yukon at the turn of the 20th century. The main character, a dog named Buck, is portrayed with human characteristics, which expose man?s strengths and weaknesses. Similar to the brutal truth a fighter faces when the bell rings. No spin there, just the survival of the fittest.
?And the winner is??
16. Joe Masterleo
Joe Masterleo is a licensed psychotherapist in Syracuse, NY. Joe has worked in the mental health care field for over 40 years, 35 of them in private practice working with individuals, couples and families. He is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he earned a BA degree in psychology, and a Master?s Degree in clinical social work. Joe?s sub-specialty is in understanding human behavior and dysfunction from a holistic point of view, particularly with regard to the integration of psychology and spirituality, core components of the interior life. Over the years, he has developed an interest in writing about counseling related subjects, as well as topics from the world of sports. In years past, Joe has been a columnist for the Central New York Sports Magazine, as well as the Goodnews Paper. Currently, his columns and commentaries appear regularly on the editorial pages of the Syracuse Post-Standard and on local sport blogs. Many of his columns can be found on his website: joemasterleolcsw.com
Joe sees, evaluates and comments on sports as life in microcosm, mirroring the best and worst of what a society values and tolerates in its citizenry and character. He has followed boxing since his youth in the 1950s and ?60s, an era when there were only three national TV networks. Televised bouts on Friday night (sponsored by Gillette, Don Dunphy announcing) and Saturday (ABC?s Wide World of Sports) were the primary national vehicles for viewing boxing at that time, though closed-circuit TV was coming into its own for title bouts. Joe recalls watching his first ?live? professional boxing at the old Madison Square Garden in 1963 at age 16, pitting heavyweight Zora Foley vs. Ernie Terrell.
As a youngster, Joe vividly recalls the heyday of the late champion Carmen Basilio, who hailed from nearby Canastota, NY, also the current home of Boxing?s Hall of Fame. Joe had the privilege of interviewing Basilio?s manager, Johnny DeJohn, prior to the latter?s passing a few years back. DeJohn, a boxing genius, converted Basilio?s style that led to his ascendency as champion in two weight classes. DeJohn was in the champ?s corner when Basilio won the title from Tony DeMarco in 1955. Joe?s interview with DeJohn led to his composing and professionally recording ?Cornerman,? a song honoring DeJohn and those who fulfill many behind-the-scenes roles, working a boxer?s corner, serving as mentor, trainer, etc.
Favorite Books: Joe is an avid reader and always has several books going, all of them non-fiction, most by spiritually inspired authors. Of the latter, David Hawkins? ?Transcending the Levels of Consciousness? is his favorite. He also is partial to biographies, his favorite being ?When Pride Mattered,? on the life of Vince Lombardi.
Joe lives in Jamesville, NY, a suburb of Syracuse. He is married and the father of two boys.
17. Richard Mendel, PH.D
I attended the Temple University as an undergraduate and my focus was in mathematics and science as a pre-med student ? but I was still competing as an amateur and in 1983 had my first professional fight.
I obtained my medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and did my residency training at the University of Oklahoma in the Department of Neurological Surgery. I recently attended Auburn University where I obtained an MBA in the College of Business.
As a kid growing up in Philadelphia I was fortunate to have met and watched some of the greatest fighters there ever were. My idol as a kid was ?Cyclone? Hart from North Philadelphia. In the early 1970s Philadelphia may have had the greatest concentration of talented middleweights that ever was. In North Philadelphia five of The Ring Magazine?s Top Ten Middleweights lived within blocks of each other: ?Bad? Bennie Briscoe, Willie ?The Worm? Monroe, Bobby ?Bugaloo? Watts, Stanley ?Kitten? Hayward, and Eugene ?Cyclone? Hart.
Boxing was a big part of my youth, and to this day I think my interest in neurosurgery and head trauma grew out of the September 21, 1971 fight between former Light-Middleweight Champion of the World Denny Moyer and ?Cyclone? Hart. Hart was 21 years old and was going into the fight with a 22-0 record. On that night the fighters took a spill through the ropes and both sustained closed-head injuries (this was in the pre-CT scan and pre-MRI scan era). The fight was ruled a no-contest, but I?m certain that the injury Hart suffered was much more profound than anyone in 1971 every realized.
As far as the proudest moment:
As I mentioned ?Cyclone? Hart was one of my heroes as a really young kid, and after he lost a fight to Vito Antuofermo in The Arena in West Philly in 1977. Antuofermo told the reporters that Hart punches so hard that he really shouldn?t be allowed to fight. Several years later I boxed ?Cyclone? Hart in a professional-amateur show (I had just begun college and it was the Fall of 1980), and it was a pretty good exhibition. In 1971, Hart had been my idol and was the first person to show me how to keep my hands up. Now it was ten years later and I had actually acquitted myself pretty well. I thought that I had come a long way.
o Favorite Books
As far as books are concerned there were many that were memorable including Norman Mailer?s The Fight that chronicled Mailer and George Plimpton?s time in Zaire leading up to the fight. I still recall Jack London?s A Piece of Steak, and an excellent episode of Rod Serling?s ?The Twilight Zone? about a fictional fighter named ?Bolie? Jackson. I was amazed at how well Joyce Carol Oates described inside fighting in her monograph from entitled On Boxing, but to me one of the best pieces of writing about fighting, and the attitude of fighters was Teddy Roosevelt?s Man in the Arena delivered at the Sorbonne in Paris April 23, 1910.
18. Robert Mladinich
Background: BS Journalism, Currently working toward a Master of Social Work with the goal of being a therapist.
Accomplishments: Member of NYPD for 20 years. Retired as a detective in 2003.
Published works: Author or co-author of three true crime books: From the Mouth of the Monster: The Joel Rifkin Story (2002) chronicles my college friendship with the man who would become New York State?s most notorious serial killer; Lethal Embrace (2007); and Hooked Up for Murder (2007).
Favorite Books: I have a weakness for organized crime books, but spend a lot of time on airplanes and love breezy, lighthearted biographies on Hollywood people. Recent or semi-recent favorites include bios on Lee Marvin, Tim Conway, Don Rickles, Johnny Carson and behind the scenes at the Jay Leno show. For me they provide a nice respite from all the craziness in the world. I also just read the George Chuvalo book, which was terrific. My favorite boxing book is Writers, Fighters and Other Sweet Scientists, a compilation of newspaper articles by John Schulian, who I consider the best beat writer during the time I was involved in boxing.
19. Juan Perez Ortiz
o Background/Education/Training
Spanish journalist. Editor of www.nataccion.com, Spanish swimming site. Boxing fan.
o Published works
I have worked in different newspapers, television and advertising.
o Proudest moments
The birth of my children?and my first Marathon!
Favorite Books:
El Boxeo Soy Yo ? Kid Chocolate?s biography written by Elio Men?ndez & V?ctor Joaqu?n Ortega (available in Spanish only). It was written in 1980.
I love to read, but I don`t like fiction.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. This is the first book that springs to mind.
(This is the 2nd of a 3-part series)
Peek Into the Soul of a Boxing Writer?Part One Peek Into the Soul of a Boxing Writer?Part Two
