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by John T. Ochs (Author)
The One Is Jack Hurley is an epic, 3-volume, bio-history of boxing's Golden Age, beginning with Jack Dempsey in the 1910s and ending with George Foreman in 1970, as filtered through the life of Jack Hurley. Hurley began in Fargo just before World War I, worked in New York & Chicago from the mid-1920s through the '40s, and settled in Seattle in 1950.
Hurley's life, more than any other, personifies boxing's journey out of the backrooms and bars of the 1900s, to the arenas and stadiums of the 1920s, '30s, & '40s, and into the parlors and family TV rooms of the 1950s & '60s. It is a history not only of one man's life but of the sport itself, a tale long neglected only because his career was so long and multifaceted.
Volume 1, Son of Fargo, catalogs Hurley's years as a small-town promoter in the 1920s and his rise to prominence as manager of Billy Petrolle, the "Fargo Express," whose slashing style made him a huge drawing card. Together, they stormed New York and captivated fans like few sports figures of the era.
Early on, the story introduces Mike Gibbons, the Midwest's most famous sports idol, who recognized the similarites between boxing and bayonet fighting and designed a course incorporating boxing into the army's World War I combat regimen.
Boxing's contributions to the war effort led New York to legalize the sport in 1920. The story traces the roles played by promoter Tex Rickard, heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey, and manager Doc Kearns in popularizing the sport. Discussed at length is the importance of Madison Square Garden as a mecca of boxing, and how glowing accounts of Rickard's weekly shows there, as reported in papers across the country, led fans to demand boxing be made legal elsewhere.
Also cataloged is New York's practice requiring out-of-town managers to accept an "Eastern representative" before being granted fights in the city's major clubs. Presented here is the practice's evolution from its innocuous beginning in the 1920s as an informal self-help alliance of local managers to its emergence in the 1950s as a ruthlessly disciplined network organized to enrich the mob.
When Petrolle took a break in 1929, Hurley moved to Chicago. Setting up a booking firm to represent 65 boxers, he packed enough action into an 8-month stay to last a lifetime, preparing White Sox first baseman Art Shires for a boxing career, furnishing foes for future heavyweight champion Primo Carnera, and guiding welterweight challenger Young Jack Thompson to a world title.
Hurley's stopover in Chicago ended when Petrolle launched a comeback. Beginning with an upset over Jimmy McLarnin in November 1930, Billy ran up a string of wins in New York which made him the city's most popular fighter. Capping his run with three straight kayos, Petrolle earned a lightweight title bout in 1932 with Tony Canzoneri. Although hampered by weight difficulties and a sore elbow, Billy waged a fierce battle before dropping a 15-round verdict. Afterward, he retired in 1934 following a 10-round decision loss to Barney Ross.
The narrative also traces the progression of heavyweight titleholders and describes the in-fighting between various promotional factions for control of boxing at Madison Square Garden. Receiving special treatment is Hurley's role in leading a manager's revolt against Garden boxing director James J. Johnston. Jack's obstinate stand opened the door for Mike Jacobs to unseat Johnston and establish the most powerful promotional dynasty in boxing history.
Volume 1 covers Hurley's first 36 years as well as Petrolle's entire boxing career. It ends on a poignant note as Billy retires, with Jack wondering what the future holds after losing his meal ticket.
