Review - A.J. Foyt Volume 1

Lately, there have been several interesting books on auto racing, and this is certainly one of them.  A.J. Foyt has had a long and successful racing career, and this book does his work justice - at least until 1977.  This is just the first volume of his storied career.  Here is my review of this volume. 

Title/Author:

“A.J. Foyt – Volume 1: Survivor, Champion, Legend” by Art Garner

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

When an athlete’s name is recognized by people who are not fans of that sport, it says a lot about that athlete’s talent. A.J. Foyt is a name many people will associate with auto racing, mainly because of his four victories in the Indianapolis 500 in the 1960’s and 1970’s.  But there is SO much more to the man than just his victories.  This book, the first of two planned volumes about Foyt’s life and racing, is Art Garner’s complete biography of the famous racer.

It is clear early in the book that Garner is going to devote most of the text to Foyt’s racing and how that shapes the man he becomes.  Even his childhood revolves around racing.  The story of him racing around his parents’ house in a small car was a prelude to what his life would be like for the next several decades.

It doesn’t matter what level or which circuit Foyt would be racing in, his years in the sport are covered in excellent detail by Garner.  Volume 1 ends after the 1977 season in which Foyt won his 4^th Indy 500, the first driver to do so.  He has since been joined by Al Unser, Rick Mears and Helio Castroneves but it is Foyt whose accomplishments at the Brickhouse are fondly remembered.  It should also be noted that Foyt isn’t an Indianapolis legend solely for his driving.  Garner also documents his involvement in designing, building and testing the cars as well as Foyt’s involvement in many decisions that affect the teams, such as who will be the drivers for either the second car the team runs or who will be backup drivers. 

This is where Foyt’s legendary stubbornness or principals, whichever view one prefers, is on display quite well.  Even though he did not graduate high school, Foyt has a sharp eye for business contracts, details to every aspect of race cars and of course, how to drive one of the cars. It should also be noted that all of these traits, on and off the track, were also on display in other racing circuits.  Foyt was also the first driver to win three of the biggest events in motorsports – the Indianapolis 500, the 24 hours at Le Mans and the Daytona 500.

One last comment about this book.  Something that race fans should note, especially those who have followed the sport for many years, is that it is scary to read about all the deaths to drivers in the 1960’s and early 1970’s in this book.  Nearly every year covered has multiple drivers who succumbed to injuries in crashes. While reading this, it did feel macabre to reading about so many men dying in their prime, but as Foyt mentions often in this volume, it’s a part of the sport and he did have some fear every time he stepped into a race car.

A well-researched and well-crafted biography, this book is one that every race fan of every level should pick up.  I know that I will be eagerly awaiting volume 2.

I wish to thank Octane Press for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: A.J. Foyt: Volume 1: Survivor, Champion, Legend eBook : Garner, Art, Andretti, Mario: Kindle Store

Short review - "Riding With the Rocketmen"

While both reading this book as part of a challenge and trying to clean out some books previously sent to me, I found this one.  Having enjoyed other books on cycling, this premise sounded very interesting. However, while the book was one that cycling enthusiasts will like, it wasn't really for me.  Here is my review of the book.

Title/Author: "Riding With the Rocketmen: One Man's Journey on the Shoulders of Cycling Giants" by James Witts

Rating: 3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review: The book was far beyond my knowledge of cycling and the equipment, training and vocabulary used. It is clear Mr. Witts uses his extensive experience in writing about the sport in order to undertake this challenge, but because I am at best a casual fan of the sport - watching some of the Tour de France and read about some of the history is about the extent of how much I follow cycling - this book was certainly not written for a reader like me.

The humor, especially the self-deprecating kind, was excellent and it was okay to read about his own adventures as he attempts to complete a leg of the famous course. But all of the technical jargon, the many people involved in his journey and the sheer volume of this material in a fairly short book made it very tough for me. I am rating this book three stars as while it wasn't my cup of tea, cycling enthusiasts will really enjoy this one and that is the intended audience, not the casual, occasional fan like me.

I wish to thank Bloomsbury Sport for providing a copy of the book.  The opinions in this review are strictly my own. 

Link: Riding With The Rocketmen: One Man's Journey on the Shoulders of Cycling Giants: Witts, James: 9781399403504: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Killing the Image"

Admittedly, I did not follow Andre Ward very closely once he turned professional although I did see his bouts in the 2004 Olympics.  So, when this book first came out, I wasn't too interested.  But seeing it available for review more than a year after publication, I figured why not give it a try.  And, man, am I glad I did!  Here is my review of "Killing the Image."

Title/Author: “Killing the Image: A Champion’s Journey of Faith, Fighting and Forgiveness” by Andre Ward with Nick Chiles

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: In some ways, the story of Olympic gold medalist and light heavyweight boxing champion Andre Ward reads like the story of so many other boxers. Ward came from a broken home so his trainer became like a father figure to him. He got caught up in street life by selling drugs for quick cash.  He became a father as a teenager.  It would seem like all these circumstances would break him – or at least prevent him from having a successful athletic career. 

But his story is NOT like so many others.  With a strong conviction of his faith, his hard work in his training, his fulfillment of his duties as a father (and a husband as he married the woman who bore his son when they were both teenagers) and his undying love for both of his parents despite their troubles, he achieved all that he wanted in the boxing ring. His journey to do so is a fascinating tale, one that was very hard to put down.

What really jumped out at me compared to other sports memoirs I have read (and those who follow my writing know that I have read many) is his commitment to not only his family and to his faith, but to his duties.  He would never walk away from any responsibility – at least not completely. 

When he was dealing drugs, he would mention how in the back of his mind that he was feeling guilty for skipping out on training and how it made Virgil, his trainer and mentor, feel.  He always was thinking of others, even in the ring and when negotiating contracts. He mentions that he (and many other boxers) will wish their opponents well.  Yes, they want to win, but they don’t want harm to their opponents either.  When he was negotiating contract or switching agents, he would be concerned with their welfare as well.  From the tone of the entire book, no matter the subject, it was clear that this was genuine concern, not just something to include because it sounds good.

Currently, Ward is a licensed minister, which is the perfect occupation for his post-boxing life.  Throughout the book, he not only refers to Scripture that guided him, but he also conferred with his minister throughout his boxing career. It helped that his minister was also a professional athlete as an offensive lineman in the NFL. It is clear that Ward believes his faith played as much of a role in his success as well as his family, trainers and ability.

The boxing and training sections of the book are also very good.  I especially enjoyed his recaps of his Olympic experiences in 2004 and his two fights against the Russian light heavyweight Sergey Kovalev.  The drama around those two fights outside the ring was just as compelling as the fighting and Ward describes them both in excellent detail.

While this was a fairly short book at 224 pages, it was also one that was very hard to put down and as a result I finished it quickly – and didn’t want it to end.  Ward was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame and is just as grateful for that as he was for any other accomplishment.  His story is one that readers will enjoy, especially if they are boxing fans.

I wish to thank Harper Horizon for providing an advance review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.  

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Image-Champions-Fighting-Forgiveness/dp/0785298304/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=

 

Review of “The Lion of the League”

Books about umpires can be just as good as those about baseball players or managers. This book is one example of this. Winner of the 2025 SABR Seymour Medal for best baseball history book or biography, here is my review of “Lion of the League.”

Title/Author:

“Lion of the League: Bob Emslie and the Evolution of the Baseball Umpire” by Larry R. Gerlach

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

It’s not often that those attending a baseball game won’t hear fans, players, coaches and managers yelling and insulting the umpires. If one thinks umpires have a tough job today, it feels like an easy one after one reads what it was like for baseball umpires in the late 19th and early 20th century in this book. 

Author Larry R. Gerlach not only describes the work and life of the main subject of the book, Bob Emslie, but he also gives the reader a very good look at the difficulty arbiters face in the early days of Major League Baseball. Not only did they face criticism from those on the field, the press wasn’t kind to umpires either. The game at that time was fairly rough with many scuffles that an umpire had to settle. The rules and dimensions taken for granted now, such as balls and strikes and the dimensions of home plate, were often in flux at that time. Through it all, with all the associated train travel as well, Emslie became one of the most respected and long-lasting umpires of that era.

All this came after Emslie had an up-and-down playing career as a pitcher. When he realized that he was not going to continue as a pitcher, that’s when he decided to become an umpire to stay in the game. Whether it’s about Emslie’s pitching or his umpire skills, Gerlach writes with rich detail about individual games as well as the seasons to cover Emslie’s career that spanned more than 5 decades. The book has to be read carefully because of its rich detail, but that is well worth the time it takes to learn about one of the early pioneers of umpiring.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Lion-League-Emslie-Evolution-Baseball/dp/149623765X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of "The Night the Referee Hit Back"

As one who loves to read books on boxing but really isn't enthusiastic about the product the sport puts out today, this book was right up my alley.  Not only does award winning author Mike Silver share some great stories from the sport's glory days, but he also includes a sharply worded critical piece on the state of the sport today.  Here is my review of his book "The Night the Referee Hit Back."  

Title/Author:

“The Night the Referee Hit Back: Memorable Moments from the World of Boxing” by Mike Silver

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

As also noted in this book, the sport of boxing has declined in both popularity and quality for the last two decades or so.  Between an alphabet-soup variety of sanctioning bodies and many different weight classes, there are far too many “champions” for even hardy fans to follow, yet alone the casual fan.  However, it hasn’t always been this way.  As one can tell from the title, respected boxing author Mike Silver has also compiled some excellent stories from the sport’s glory years.

Silver has won awards, and this book covers approximately 40 years of stories, analysis and criticisms of various boxers and trends in the sport.  The list of names covered in the book could be mistaken for a partial list of all-time greats.  This would include boxers from many different weight classes (at least from the traditional eight categories, not the wide variety in today’s version of the sport).  Muhammad Ali, Emilie Griffin, Joe Gans, and so many others are highlighted in the collection – it shows the versatility and the knowledge of boxing history possessed by Silver.

Usually, collections of past writings or stories will contain at least one or two items that don’t match up to the quality of the other selections.  That is not the case in this book as every story, article, critique and interview (there are 5 interviews included) are all excellent and well worth the time to read.  Any boxing fan, no matter the era in which they became a fan or which weight class they follow, will find something they will enjoy in this book.

Link: The Night the Referee Hit Back: Memorable Moments from the World of Boxing: Silver, Mike: 9781538136904: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "The Rise of Major League Soccer"

Admittedly, I don't watch a lot of soccer - MLS or otherwise, save for the World Cup.  It's mainly because while I love to see matches in person, I haven't come to fully appreciate it on TV or other media platforms.  I am certainly going to try to change this, as MLS, as explained in this book, will certainly reach the status to be in the conversation with the four main sports leagues in North America.  Here is my review of "The Rise of Major League Soccer." 

Title/Author: “The Rise of Major League Soccer: Building a Global Giant” by Rick Burton and Norm O’Reily

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Professional soccer leagues in North America have had a very spotty history at best.  Many have come and gone, but there is one league, Major League Soccer (MLS), that has defied the odds and survived a near extinction to become a league that is getting more notice and respect around the globe. Notes sports business authors Rick Burton and Norm O’Riley look at the history and future of MLS in this excellent book.

While Burton and O’Riley wrote most of the text, there are many contributions from various soccer people, from players to business people and they are welcome but also contribute to the one minor issue I had with the book – there is a lot of repetitiveness of certain topics, such as the arrival of Lionel Messi in 2023.  While his arrival is one of the biggest events in MLS history, that and a few other items are repeated by many of the guests and by Burton and O’Reily. 

But at least the repetitions are on items that are truly landmark events for the league. In addition to Messi, there has been one huge name in soccer that changed the landscape of the league. That was David Beckham – when he agreed to sign with the LA Galaxy in 2007, it caused a seismic change in the league, all for the positive. It paved the way for many other international superstars of the game to come to MLS.  Beckham’s involvement has come full circle as he is now one of the owners of Inter Miami, the MLS club for whom Messi plays.

There are plenty of great things about this book that any soccer fan will enjoy.  Burton and O’Reily look at earlier leagues in North America, including the North American Soccer League (NASL) and their brief but exciting history. The idea to bring in international superstars was also done by them, most notably Pele, when he played for the New York Cosmos. As for MLS and its bright outlook (according to the authors), there is excellent reasoning they give for this. There are a few reasons and they are all covered well, but the most notable is the contract with Apple TV for broadcast rights, given Apple’s global name brand recognition.  The other big reason is that now the generations of soccer-playing youngsters are now adults and they are taking their love of the game to the stadiums and streaming services to ensure its growth.  The authors also note the increased diversity of nationalities of American and Canadian citizens and they bring the love of soccer with them from their nations of heritage.

Add all of these up and one gets a very interesting and informative book. Not only readers who enjoy the sport, but anyone who likes reading about the business side of sports, no matter the sport, will want to add this book to their library.

I wish to thank Lyons Press for providing an advance review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.  

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Major-League-Soccer-Building/dp/1493086715/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=

Review of "Race and Resistance in Boston"

This was a book that was outside of my usual comfort zone, and it was well worth the time to read.  It took careful reading to fully grasp the various messages being sent in the variety of essays, but it was certainly worth it.  Here is my review of "Race and Resistance in Boston." 

Title/Author:

“Race and Resistance in Boston: A Contested Sports History” edited by Robert Cvornyek and Douglas Stark 

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Trying to write a review of this book can be a challenge – just like describing the history of racial issues in Boston, especially in the world of sports.  This collection of essays is a very noble attempt to describe how various sports played a role in this discussion and how the full history can be best described as “complicated.”

Just the well-known facts can send a mixed signal to the average person – Boston teams were the first ones to draft a Black player in the NBA (Chuck Cooper, Celtics), to have a Black player appear in an NHL game (Willie O’Ree, Bruins) and the first Black coach to win an NBA title (Bill Russell, Celtics.)  Yet, the Red Sox were the last baseball team to integrate, they held a bogus “tryout” for three players in 1945, including Jackie Robinson, and the city as a whole held Black athletes to different standards.  Even legends like Russell felt that the city was less than welcoming toward them. 

This collection of essays tries to bring to light some of the lesser-known matters of the issues, challenges and successes experienced by these athletes. One excellent example is the rich history of semi-pro baseball in the Boston area by many Black teams. They not only played excellent games, some of which are described in great detail, they also faced many white or integrated teams and received praise for their play.  This was the best chapter for one of the main goals of the book – to shine the light on lesser-known athletes and their accomplishments.  That goes for their work toward civil rights and equality for all people as well as their athletic achievements.

The variety of sports covered in the book was also impressive – baseball, hockey, basketball, cricket, tennis and golf are just a few of the sports in which Boston-based Black athletes made contributions to both their sport and the fight for equality.  That was the biggest takeaway I had with this book – the sheer number of unknown athletes whose contributions have been lost in time.  It should also be noted that the subjects of equality for women, non-binary athletes and the LBGTQ+ community are also addressed in the book as well as racial issues.

The book is a more scholarly one in nature, has many notes and references and is one that a reader must read carefully to fully grasp the message being sent by the writer.  However, that time will be well spent after learning the amazing work done by these athletes.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book.  The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Race and Resistance in Boston: A Contested Sports History: Cvornyek, Robert, Stark, Douglas, McCourty, Devin: 9781496232687: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Life in Two Worlds"

Knowing I would be in my car for a few hours when I drove to New Hampshire, I decided to download a book for the trip.  This one has been on my TBR for a while, so figuring it was time to take it off that pile, I listened to it and finished over the weekend trip.  Here is my review of Ted Nolan's memoir. 

 

Title/Author:

“Life in Two Worlds: A Coach’s Journey from the Reserve to the NHL and Back” by Ted Nolan with Meg Masters, narrated by James Malloch

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

In 1997, Ted Nolan was named the Jack Adams Award winner which goes to the Coach of the Year in the NHL.  He guided the Buffalo Sabres to a surprise division title and made it to the second round of that year’s playoffs.  But in the offseason, the team offered a contract that he (and everyone else) felt was an insult and he did not return to the team.  His story of his life in the NHL as both a player and a coach, as well as his life growing up in a First Nation reserve, is told in this great memoir narrated by James Malloch.

I usually prefer memoirs narrated by the author/subject, but in this case, Malloch gave a strong performance and while I knew this was not Nolan speaking, it certainly felt like it was Nolan describing not only the cruelty and racism (some subtle, some not so subtle) while playing or coaching hockey, but also of the pride he had in his heritage.  While this did include some well-known bad treatment of students at schools on reserves, this only strengthened his resolve to live his life the way his heritage taught him and to show that he and other indigenous people belonged in the world of hockey.

Nolan frequently mentions that it is important for those who have been affected by racism to tell their stories and it is just as important for those who haven’t been affected to listen. This was the biggest takeaway of the book for me, as he did this without the same type of stories that other activists share.  Instead, he blended this with his hockey career.  First with his playing days for the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (where he later coached after the NHL and was very happy with that job) and later the NHL Detroit Red Wings, then in his coaching career where he had two stints with the Sabres sandwiched around a stint with the New York Islanders, Nolan’s message never was far away. 

This was one of the better hockey memoirs that I have read or listened to, and I do recommend this for any hockey fan.  From outposts like Glens Falls, New York to the bright lights of cities like New York and Detroit, Ted Nolan (and his two sons who also played in the NHL) have brought pride and hockey schools to the First Nation in efforts to bring the game to underserved populations. 

Link: Amazon.com: Life in Two Worlds: A Coach's Journey from the Reserve to the NHL and Back (Audible Audio Edition): Ted Nolan, Meg Masters - contributor, James Malloch, Viking: Books

Review of “Jim Gilliam: The Forgotten Dodger”

 It wasn’t easy to convince me to review a book that starts off with a play from a very painful day for us Twins fans - game 7 of the 1965 World Series. But the author of this book told me put aside the painful reminder and take an objective look at the book. Boy, am I glad I did. Here is my review of “Jim Gilliam, The Forgotten Dodger.”

Title/Author:

“Jim Gilliam: The Forgotten Dodger” by Stephen Dittmore 

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: “The Play”. This is how a photo of Jim Gilliam’s catch of a Zoilo Versailles line drive to third base in the seventh game of the 1965 World Series was captioned and it’s a very appropriate moniker for the defining moment of Jim Gilliam’s long career with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. This book by Stephen Dittmore captures the life and career of “Junior” and is a very good tribute to a much beloved player for this storied franchise. 

 “The Play” is not a spectacular snag of a ground ball with a miraculous throw to first base, like Brooks Robinson did in the 1970 World Series. It is not a no-look catch of a deep fly ball running full speed toward the wall like Willie Mays did in the 1954 World Series. It was simply Gilliam knowing what situation was in the game (Fifth inning, his team ahead 2-0 and his pitcher having trouble throughout the game so far) and what he needed to do to give his team its best chance to win. 

This is really a perfect illustration of not only Gilliam’s baseball career with the Dodgers but also a good analogy to the book and Dittmore’s  writing. There’s really nothing fancy or very different about this than other sports biographies but it’s well-written, well-researched and provides a lot of insight into Gilliam’s personal life as well as his baseball life.

A reader will not only learn that Gilliam played well in the Negro Leagues but had to wait his “turn” during the early days of the integration of Major League Baseball, but also his frustrations during his time with the Dodgers that even despite all-star game apoeances and solid play every season, he never really had a chance to settle in one position. Gilliam’s personal life and his two marriages as well as his competitive nature away from the diamond, like in bridge and golf.

The other aspect of the book I really enjoyed, mainly because it makes a reader stop and think, was Dittmore’s description of racism in organized baseball. While he does write about Gilliam’s encounters with this during his playing career, what sets this book apart from others on this topic is Dittmore’s description of the “Four Gates” of denial to Blacks of various positions in the game. The First Gate was broken by Jackie Robinso to allow Black players. The Second Gate was to break the unwritten quota system to allow only a small number of Black players in any one team. The third Gate was for Blacks to gain coaching positions (a natural for Gilliam who did become a Dodgers coach) and finally the Fourth Gate - managing a Major League team, accomplished by Frank Robinson in 1975.

There’s plenty to learn in the book not only about Jim Gilliam and the game of baseball, including some unique terms. If you have never heard of the phrase “snatch coconuts” and want to learn about ot and so much more about the life of Jim Gilliam, this book comes highly recommended. For the record, I never heard this term before reading the book and it refers to changing a player’s position.

I wish to thank Mr. Dittmore for providing a copy of the book.  The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: https://www.augustpublications.com/products/jim-gilliam-the-forgotten-dodger 

Review of "A Giant among Giants"

As we near the end of January, it's time to start thinking about baseball - soon we will hear the four magical words every fan loves to hear during a cold and snowy winter - "pitchers and catchers report."   So, as I anticipate the start of another baseball year, time to catch up on some baseball reading.  Here is my review of a book on the Hall of Fame first baseman for the San Francisco Giants, Willie McCovey. 

Title/Author:

“A Giant among Giants: The Baseball Life of Willie McCovey” by Chris Haft

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review:

Through the 1960’s, the San Francisco Giants had two of the most feared sluggers in the National League – Willie Mays and Willie McCovey.  While Mays was considered to be the better all-around player, McCovey certainly had a special place in the hearts of Giants fans.  His baseball story is captured in this book by Chris Haft.

The vast majority of pages are about McCovey’s time on the diamond, whether it was at Candlestick Park with the Giants or other teams either in the minor leagues or his three seasons with the San Diego Padres.  Very little time is spent discussion his personal life and at times, this would be good information to go alone with the baseball or his life after retirement – whether that involved baseball or not.  One example of where this might come into play is the very little amount of text about McCovey’s first marriage and daughter during his playing days.  When he was struggling, did that affect his life at home – or maybe it was the other way around and if there were troubles at home, was that affecting his performance?  Most other sport biographies include this type of personal information, and it was surprising to see so little of it in this book.

The baseball text, however, is good and a reader will likely learn something new about McCovey – even if that person felt they already knew a lot about him. One example would be one that I didn’t expect to read – that McCovey was more popular among Giants fans than Mays.  Considering that many non-baseball fans have heard of Willie Mays, but probably don’t know about McCovey, I found that surprising.  Haft does a good job of explaining how this came about.  Other interesting tidbits about McCovey revealed in the book is how McCovey got the nickname “Stretch” (his stretch at first base when taking throws from infielders) and the great reception he received from fans when he returned to the Giants after a three-year stint in San Diego.  Also, a reader will certainly learn even more about the most famous at-bat in McCovey’s career, which was an out.  There is an entire chapter dedicated to his famous line out to Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson to end the 1962 World Series.

Overall, this book was decent for describing the baseball career of the first ballot Hall of Famer. One might stop short of calling it a “biography” due to the lack of much information outside of the diamond but for baseball fans, it will certainly help shake off the winter blues while awaiting the start of spring training.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book.  The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: A Giant among Giants: The Baseball Life of Willie McCovey: Haft, Chris: 9781496236241: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Barbara Ann Scott"

I always will take a look at least the synopsis of a book on an athlete I never heard of before.  That was the case with this one on figure skating Olympic gold medalist Barbara Ann Scott and I am glad I picked it up as it was an informative and quick read.  Here is my review of this biography of her. 

Title/Author:

“Barbara Ann Scott: Queen of the Ice” by Ryan Stevens

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (Very good)

Review:

Barbara Ann Scott made sports history when she became the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic gold medal at the 1948 Winter Olympics.  This biography by Ryan Stevens not only tells the story of how she overcame some struggles to earn this honor, but also how after her victory she became a national hero and inspiration to many Canadians.

Scott’s family had some financial difficulty during her childhood and her father Clyde, while a good athlete in his time, he continued to participate as best he could after being wounded in World War II.  He and her mother Mary were supportive of Barbara Ann’s skating from her first figure tests at seven years old up to and including her amateur career.  Barbara Ann also was inspired by the legendary skater Sonja Henie whom she eventually met.

Something that should be noted about this book is a line that Stevens writes in the introduction.  He states that this book is intended for readers who are “figure skating people.”  If one is not familiar with the sport, they will not find any explanations or definitions. While I will not call myself an expert and can easily distinguish between different jumps, for example, I consider the book good for those with at least a moderate amount of knowledge and interest in the history of the sport.  It is an enjoyable and fairly quick precisely because of this lack of technical jargon.

Stevens, with his knowledge of the sport and through good research, also gives the reader a good picture of Barbara Ann’s life off the ice, both during her childhood and after she retired from skating after turning professional and performing in several ice shows. He doesn’t pry too much into her personal life with details. Instead, Stevens concentrates more on items like Barbara Ann’s popularity among the Canadian citizenry and the many other activities in which she participated.

As mentioned above, this book is not for readers who have little to no knowledge or interest in figure skating, but for those readers who enjoy the sport, even if just every four years during the Olympics, it is an enjoyable read in which they will learn about Canada’s first “Queen of the Ice." 

I wish to thank Mr. Stevens and Book Sirens for providing a copy of the book.  The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: Barbara Ann Scott: Queen of the Ice eBook : Stevens, Ryan: Kindle Store

Review of “Chasing the Great Gatsby”

No, the title of this book does not mean this will be a literary review. It’s not often a book on boxing, or any sport for that matter, will have a significant influence on a famous work of literature but this book makes one. Great book on a lightweight champion and a famous F. Scott Fitzgerald work. Here is my review:

Title/Author:

“Chasing the Great Gatsby: The Freddie Welsh Story” by Gene Pantalone

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

It’s not often any sport or athlete will have close connections with a literary masterpiece. This book by Gene Pantalone is not only a very good biography of lightweight boxing champion Freddie Welsh, but it also illustrates how Jay Gatsby, the protagonist in “The Great Gatsby”, could have been based on the life of Welsh. 

Pantalone shows circumstantial evidence that could prove Freddie was the inspiration of the Jay Gatsby character. This starts with a famous author who  both Welsh and F. Scott Fitzgerald could call a good friend, Ring Lardner. There are also many instances where events in Welsh’s life match those of Gatsby’s. There is one very prominent piece of evidence that would make a clear connection between Welsh and Gatsby, but this review will not give away that spoiler. If one does want to find this out before reading about the life of Welsh, Pantalone does reference readers to Chapter XVIII if they wish to find the connection right away. I decided not to do that and it turned out to be the correct decision. 

That is because Pantalone does a wonderful job of bringing the reader into Freddie Welsh’s world. From his upbringing in Wales (where his given name was Frederick Thomas) to his humble beginnings in boxing when he was a simple gym worker who was allowed to spar with customers, Welsh’s story was riveting. The excellent prose goes well beyond Welsh’s boxing career, although that was great, too. Having never heard of Welsh before reading this book, I appreciated learning more about the sport in that time in other weight classes. Welsh ended up doing quite well with defensive boxing his specialty and the jab as his best punch. but like many other pugilists, he tried make comebacks when he just was not able to recapture the past glory. There’s also interesting items about the sport that readers will learn, such as the involvement of Arnold Rothstein, the gambler most famous for fixing the 1919 World Series. This is the most notable of many interesting facts and anecdotes about the sport in that era.

Welsh’s life outside boxing is also told in writing that is just as good as that for bouts in the ring. Most notably, Welsh’s vision of a health “farm” where clients could come and get back to living healthy through exercise, diet and good living did come to fruition. In its heyday, many famous people entered its gates. Most notable of these was Jack Dempsey, who used Welsh’s health farm as his training site for his title bout against Georges Carpentier. But like his boxing career, the health farm eventually was no longer useful to clients and Welsh eventually lost it to the lenders when he could not afford the mortgage payments or find financial backing. 

With all of this fame and fortune and eventual loss of it all, it’s not a stretch to see the connection between Freddie Walsh and Jay Gatsby. Whether a reader enjoys literature, boxing or just some good writing this book is highly recommended.

I wish to thank Mr. Pantalone for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. 

Link: 

https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Great-Gatsby-Freddie-Welshs/dp/1965192343/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=