Review of “Out of the Rough”

 It’s always exciting to read a book on a topic or person that you did not know about before reading that book. That was the case for me with this book about Ted Rhodes, a Black golfer considered to be one of the barrier breakers for Blacks into professional golf. Here is my review of this excellent biography on him. 

Title/Author: “Out of the Rough: Ted Rhodes and His Fight Against Golf’s Color Barrier” by Dan Taylor 

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (Excellent)

Review: When Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters, in his press conference he paid tribute to three men considered to be pioneers for Black golfers - Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder and Ted Rhodes. The work and struggles Rhodes had in opening the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) up to Black golfers is largely unknown and this book by Dan Taylor is an excellent biography of this golfer whose accomplishments should be better known. 

Rhodes grew up in Nashville where Jim Crow laws made it hard for him to pursue golf, but he did get a caddying job on a public course and it was there where the golf bug hit him. He was mentored, took the game seriously and was invited to play in a tournament sponsored by heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, an avid golfer himself. That was where Rhodes became more well known as a golfer who had great potential.

Taylor’s writing illustrated Rhodes’ struggles to get into a PGA tournament as the organization had a strict “Caucasians Only” policy. Rhodes still was able to rack up great scores in the United Golf Association (UGA) that was for Black golfers, but the prize money was a pittance compared to PGA purses. While the coverage of Rhodes’ success was very good, Taylor’s account of the deals made and broken by the PGA, their blatant discrimination against Black golfers and their heavy handedness when addressing this matter with sponsors such as Bing Crosby and his annual tournament was very revealing. It showed just how bad Black golfers were viewed by the organization.

Once Rhodes was able to break the color barrier, he and Charlie Sifford did have some success. But where Rhodes was really making his mark was in coaching other Black players. One very famous pupil of his was Althea Gibson. Once she was tired of tennis because she had defeated nearly every other player, she wanted to try her hand at golf. Struggling at first, she eventually became proficient enough in the game under Rhodes’ tutelage that she became the first Black woman to compete in the Ladies’ Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

When Rhodes died at age 55, the golf world grieved as the sport lost a true pioneer. This book is one that should be read by those who enjoy golf but may not be aware of the contributions Rhodes made to the sport. I was one of those golf fans who did not know about Ted Rhodes - I am very glad that I do now.

I wish to thank Bloomsbury Academic for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own. 

Link:   https://www.amazon.com/Out-Rough-Rhodes-Against-Barrier/dp/B0FBQY2554/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of “Royal Treatment”

Next year will mark the 80th anniversary of the integration of Major League Baseball by the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson. So, just like when he played in Montreal the year before integration, I received a book about his time with the Royals a year before that anniversary. Here is my review of that book.

Title/Author: “Royal Treatment: Jackie Robinson, Montreal, and the Breaking of Baseball’s Color Barrier” by Sean J. McLaughlin

Rating:  4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: When Jackie Robinson spent the 1946 baseball season with the Montreal Royals, it was part of the plan by Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey to integrate Major League Baseball. This was done not because Robinson needed the year at the Dodgers’ top farm club to work on his baseball skills. It was done to prepare him for what he might face as the game’s first Black player. How Robinson and his wife Rachel fared in Montreal and how the city treated him is the main focus of this book by Sean J. McLaughlin.

The book isn’t all baseball, all the Robinsons or all Montreal. McLaughlin does a very good job of weaving the topics together in a way that it doesn’t get too bogged down in one topic. While that’s a strength of the book, there are also good chunks of the book, several pages long, about subjects that are really only peripherally relevant to the main subject of Robinson. Two examples of this are the lengthy sections on Canadian racial history and a later description of the same thing for the city of Louisville, who was Montreal’s opponent in the 1946 Junior World Series. 

While these subjects may not have been directly related to the Jackie Robinson story, when McLaughlin concentrated on Robinson, the city and citizens of Montreal, or the action on the field during Royals games, the writing is great. It’s clear, full of important details, and makes the reader feel like they are in a time warp and takes them back to post-World War II Canada. I especially enjoyed reading about the warm reception that the Robinson received in Montreal, whether it was in their neighborhood or enthusiastic baseball fans cheering the soon-to-be Dodger on. 

This step of the Jackie Robinson story is one that is often passed or glossed over and this book finally gives it the recognition it deserves. No matter what the checkered history of racial relations may be in both the United States or Canada may be, this book shows that even that may be pushed aside when a talented player can make an entire city cheer. 

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

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Treatment-Robinson-Montreal-Baseballs/dp/1496244311/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of "The Heyday of Willie, Duke and Mickey"

The return of baseball season means I'll be attending games.  My preferred method of transportation for these trips is either a train or a bus, meaning more reading time. Here is my review of this book I read on a recent trip to Yankee Stadium. 

Title/Author:

“The Heyday of Willie, Duke and Mickey: New York City Baseball’s Golden Age Amid Integration” by Robert C. Cottrell

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (good)

Review:

After World War II ended, major league baseball went through a period of great change as it integrated Black players into the game.  It also went through a period of dominance by New York teams as at least one of the three New York City teams – New York Yankees, New York Giants or Brooklyn Dodgers – appeared in the World Series in 9 of the 11 years between 1947 and 1957.  This period of baseball history is chronicled in this book by Robert C. Cottrell.

Cottrell covers this from two views – one from on the field with good recaps of the seasons for each of the three New York teams.  He also provides readers with the progress of integration of the major leagues. Of course, he starts with Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers, but he does an admirable job of informing the reader of the progress made by other clubs as well. This also includes the lack of progress of integration on some clubs, most notably the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

One thing to note is that if a reader has read other books on either topic, there probably won’t be much new material that they have not already read.  This book gives a good overview of these items.  The sections with the most detail are those that talk about the pennant races and World Series matchups involving one of the three teams.

Something that did catch me by surprise was the title did not seem to really be the right one for the book.  While each of those three Hall of Fame center fielders did get a good amount of text, it felt like the subtitle would have made the better title.  For the record and for those who were not familiar with the names, they were Willie Mays of the Giants, Duke Snider of the Dodgers and Mickey Mantle for the Yankees.

Overall, this was a decent book and one that was fine for passing the time on a train ride to Yankee Stadium for a ball game.  It is best suited for those readers who were not already familiar with this golden age of New York City baseball.

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

Link: Amazon.com: Heyday of Willie, Duke, and Mickey, The: New York City Baseball's Golden Age amid Integration: 9798881842574: Cottrell, Robert C.: Books

Review of “Iron Will”

 This book was one I was not looking for nor was it sent to me by the author or publisher. In the waning days of Black History mont, the local library had a few biographies and memoirs on display of Black people. This one caught my eye and it was an excellent, quick read for 

Title/Author:

“Iron Will: An Amputee’s Journey to Athletic Excellence” by Roderick Sewell II

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

The Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii is considered to be the most grueling triathlon and many athletes consider it a great accomplishment to just finish. In 2019, Roderick Sewell became the first double amputee to finish the event. He tells his journey to get to this point in this excellent memoir. 

Born without his tibias, Roderick’s mother Marion made the decision to amputate Roderick’s legs when he was two. This was the start of his journey of perseverance and determination as he was able to get around well on his stumps, per his words in his book. However, to truly allow Roderick to be fully functioning, Marion made the hard decision to give up her job to have this procedure covered by California Children's Services. This was one of the most powerful moments of Roderick’s story. A single Black mother sacrificing everything for her disabled son. 

Roderick discovered the Challenged Athletes Foundation in their town of San Diego and here he learned to play wheelchair basketball. That was when the sports bug hit him and despite his living situation in shelters and lacking transportation, he eventually became a very good swimmer and athlete. His training and living situations brought him from California to Alabama (many of Marion’s relatives lived there) to New York and Hawaii. Roderick always is upbeat in his description of any situation he encounters. It shows that his bond and love for his mother is strong and the sacrifices she made for him. 

There isn’t a lot of discussion by Roderick about his training or competition. There’s enough to follow his athletic journey, especially as he became a good swimmer, but the majority of the book tell of his determination to succeed, no matter what his particular situation may be. A very inspiring book that whether or not one is a sports fan, a reader will be cheering for Roderick and Marion. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Will-Amputees-Athletic-Excellence/dp/1538741563/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 n

Review of "Return of the King"

I had time during the holiday weekend to read multiple books.  This was another one I finished during that time, and it was eye-opening.  Here is my review of "Return of the King." 

Title/Author:

“Return of the King: The Rebirth of Muhammad Ali and the Rise of Atlanta” by Thomas Aiello

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Many people are familiar with the legacy of Muhammad Ali. Even if one does not follow boxing and know about his career in the sport, they are familiar with his story of activism, including refusing to be drafted to serve in the Vietnam War.  This book by Thomas Aiello describes the circumstances when his conviction of avoiding the draft was overturned and he returned to boxing.

The title of the book is a perfect one as Aiello not only thoroughly discusses Ali’s legal issues, his alliance with the Nation of Islam and his training for returning to the ring, but also about the politics of Atlanta at the time, led by Georgia state senator Leroy Johnson, who was the first Black person elected to that office. Johnson had to balance the concerns of the white voters with the needs of Black voters to have equal access to items like quality housing, jobs and education. This review won’t go into the political details of Atlanta and Georgia at that time, but it should be noted that Aiello does an excellent job of presenting these issues in a balanced and informative manner.

There isn’t a lot of boxing text in the book, dealing more with Ali’s legal matters and activism.  It doesn’t ignore all of Ali’s action in the ring, be it sparring or his official return to the ring against Jerry Quarry.  The fight took place in Atlanta on October 26, 1970.  However, that wasn’t Ali’s first action in the ring after getting his conviction overturned and his boxing license approved.  That came in an exhibition at Morehead College in Atlanta. These events brought attention to the city in both sports and politics.  For the former, it was to show that Atlanta was a “major league city”, even though it already had the Braves (MLB), Falcons (NFL) and Hawks (NBA).  For politics, while it was mainly a show, there was the perception that Atlanta was more progressive on racial relations. Johnson played a very important role in getting the fight to be held in Atlanta and his political career was helped with this, even if only briefly.

There are many facts and items that might be surprising while reading the book.  The biggest one I found was the revelations by Aiello that in his election to the governorship of Georgia, Jimmy Carter was appealing to white voters with the appearance of racism.  He does give credit to the future President that he did support more progressive measures but reading that was surprising.  This is just one example of those types of passages. This is a good book that is recommended for readers of racial relations, politics and yes, even boxing.  

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: Return of the King: The Rebirth of Muhammad Ali and the Rise of Atlanta: Aiello, Thomas: 9781496244185: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Race Across America:

This book was a little different than other running books I have read - mainly because of the endurance that these athletes had to have in order to complete a transcontinental journey.  Here is my review of "Race Across America." 

Title/Author:

“Race Across America: Eddie Gardner and the Great Bunion Derbie” by Charles B. Kastner

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review:

It’s hard to imagine this today, but there was a time in the early 20^th century when athletes would compete in ultramarathons and other endurance running events with footwear such as working boots or shoes more fit for suits. One such event, that took place in 1928 and 1929, was a transcontinental run from Los Angeles to New York, commonly called the Bunion Derby. This book by Charles B. Kastner looks at one runner who entered both years, Eddie Gardner. 

Gardner was one of a handful of Black runners who ran the race and endured harsh racism when the race ran through southern states where Jim Crow laws were in effect, most notably Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri.  Kastner does a good job of describing what Gardner and his fellow Black runners faced during that stretch of the run.  It should be noted that the organizers of the race did what they could and when they became aware of discrimination when it came to lodging and meals, they did step up and provide these items, but often it wasn’t enough to offset the emotional toll this would take.

The book also portrays Gardner well, especially when he would show off his “Shiek” outfit while running.  That was simply a towel around his head but his fans, especially those in the Black community, loved it.  It felt like Kastner was trying to elevate Gardner into the same level of importance to the legacy of Black athletes like Jack Johnson, Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali.  While certainly not in the same level of importance to the acceptance of the Black athlete, Gardner’s story is still one that should be told, finishing 8^th in the 1928 race and was a leading contender in 1929.

While this book told a story that needed to be told, the description of the races repetitive in nature by giving updates on who was in what place at the end of each day’s events.  This was the only part that I didn’t enjoy reading – which is a rarity for me with a sports book.  I usually love the description of the actual action, but in this case, the stories of the runners – Gardner, the Black runners and other contenders – were much better and made the book a good one overall.  

Link: Race across America: Eddie Gardner and the Great Bunion Derbies (Sports and Entertainment): Kastner, Charles B.: 9780815635772: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “On Her Game"

It’s been awhile since I last posted a review here, but that’s because I have read books on other subjects the past week and a half - shocking, I know. So, to get back on track, I listened to an audiobook written and narrated by Christine Brennan, a sportswriter I have followed and admired for a long time. More of her good work is on display here in this book on Caitlin Clark. 

Title/Author: “On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports” written and narrated by Christine Brennan

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent) 

Review: Basketball had never seen such interest and conversation (both good and bad) in one player like the attention given to Caitlin Clark from the 2023 NCAA Women’s Final to the end of the 2024 WNBA season. This book by accomplished sportswriter Christine Brennan is an excellent account of Clark’s accomplishments on the court and all of the attention her play and presence received off the court.

Brennan also narrates the audio version of the book, which really enhances some of the content. This is most evident when she twice mentions controversial topics about Clark in which she (Brennan) wrote about in her column. One was the decision by USA Basketball to leave Clark off the 2024 U.S. Olympic team, a decision that shocked many. Another involved Brennan interviewing DiJonai Carrington, then of the Connecticut Sun (now a member of the Minnesota Lynx) about an unintentional poke in the eye on Clark. Why that’s notable is that Carrington, her Sun teammates and later the players union called for the banishment of Brennan due to the insensitivity of her questioning.

These two issues are just a very small sample of what Brennan writes about on the “bad” publicity around the attention given to Clark. But there is so much more good about the young star from Iowa that Clark fans - which Brennan frequently reminds are many - should love to read about. Whether it’s her play on the court, her poise when answering questions at press conferences, or the attention she receives from opposing players on the court or elsewhere, the book does a great job of making the reader understand Clark better. It also begs the question, which Brennan does ask at least indirectly, of why Clark is not better supported by the league. She was quickly embraced by her teammates - the stories of Clark’s interactions with Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston are great. 

This is just a small sample of the type of information on Caitlin Clark that any women’s basketball fan will want to absorb. Whether they are long time fans of the women’s game like I am or they are brand new to the sport and became a fan due to Clark, this book is for them. 

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Her-Game-Caitlin-Revolution-Womens/dp/1668090198/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.EKogTfL8Y9ZHfljcb_rQ0-31jynunpS9O1eIcFQMAuZJf_CnLStv4hUtTHPXS2AUcIBWPes9i0WfGLve_AJySYsUIk6BxQMD8orWrpCBwuc9RAhIEd_dXcbroGfFw3lETvJj-Y0R2g7IJ_F8svlRgxksR5WYPxfjO0viaGD8qxWPvTlRJwW_VqHnNQTVgtxTXN55twMvx5gRJeA-tmyikqnS4yIeXVkCwKOYz0AWF4U.0cowJANWEE-KigTD9OQ01kS2zneOZ7iqyShBQyZ9ctY&qid=1761605830&sr=8-1 

Review of "Rocket Men"

It seems hard to believe now, but for a long time, there were no Black quarterbacks in professional football.  This book by John Eisenberg is a very good read on the history of this injustice. 

Title/Author:

“Rocket Men: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football” by John Eisenberg

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Professional football has become quarterback centric as people at that position, while always important, now more than ever will be important to their team’s fortunes.  There are several Black quarterbacks now leading successful NFL teams and compiling gawdy statistics.  They include Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray.  However, it hasn’t always been this way.  For a long time, due to the racism of NFL owners, talent scouts and the league in general, Black players were denied the opportunity to play at the position.  Accomplished football author John Eisenberg gives a very good historical account of this travesty and how it has improved, albeit slowly.

Eisenberg makes the case throughout the book that there were many Black players who were denied the chance to play the position professionally and tells in detail what went behind the decisions to have other (read: white) players man that position.  At times, it feels like Eisenberg is taking a sledgehammer to convince the reader that this was wrong and that it was only due to prejudicial thinking by white coaches, scouts or owners that was the reason for this. That is an exaggeration on the part of this reviewer, and surely Eisenberg did not mean to communicate the issue as such, but so many points and facts are repeated that it felt that way – such as frequent references that Doug Williams is the only Black quarterback to have led a team to a Super Bowl victory.

Putting that aside, otherwise the book is a fantastic look at the position and the Black men who either have succeeded at quarterback, were denied a chance, or were given the chance but would lose the job due to something like a bad game, a bad outcome on a play or an injured quarterback would be coming back.  There are some of the stories that are well known.  An example of this would be Warren Moon.  He was shunned in the 1978 NFL draft, mainly because it was felt that he lacked the “smarts” to play quarterback.  So, Moon went to the Canadian Football League (CFL) and led the Edmonton Eskimos to one of the greatest dynasties in that league as they won five Grey Cups (Canada’s version of the Super Bowl) before the NFL saw the errors of their ways and Moon signed with the Houston Oilers.  From there, he passed for over 50,000 yards in the NFL and became the first Black quarterback to be enshrined in the pro football Hall of Fame.

An example of a lesser-known story would be that of Marlin Briscoe.  Fans of the NFL in the 1960’s and 1970’s may remember Briscoe as a member of the Miami Dolphins when they won two Super Bowls – but as a defensive back.  He was originally a quarterback, but after some ineffective games, he was asked to switch positions.  This was a fate that was common to Black quarterbacks who may have succeeded in college, but after being drafted, their professional team felt they would help the team more in a position that required more “athleticism.”  There are so many examples of this that at times it’s almost depressing to read about them, but they are important to know so that a reader understands the history behind the exclusion of Black quarterbacks.

There is much more to this history than a review like this can explain, but hopefully readers will come away feeling educated about the history of the position and understand that while there has been great progress in the use and acceptance of Black players at quarterback, the NFL can still do better.

I wish to thank Basic Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Rocket Men: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football: Eisenberg, John: 9781541600409: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "The American Game"

It took me longer than expected to finish this book on lacrosse, a sport in which I have become more interest the last few years and one in which it is hard to find books.  Therefore, my first review in October took longer, but I was glad I finished this book - here is my review of "The American Game." 

Title/Author:

“The American Game: History and Hope in the Country of Lacrosse” by S.L. Price

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review:

The title of this book by S.L. Price, a long-time Sports Illustrated writer, is very appropriate for a book on the sport of lacrosse. While it is very well-known that Native Americans played the earliest known versions of the game, not much is known about their struggle to field their own team as a nation. That is just one of the topics Price covers about the sport in the book.

The Haudenosaunee (formerly Iroquois before taking back their original name) tried to enter Isreal for the 2018 world championships using their own passports instead of becoming part of the teams from the United States or Canada.  This caused several issues, but they eventually competed in the tournament.  The difficulties they faced is just one of several issues with the game that Price describes.

Other topics that are highlighted that trouble the sport is the lack of diversity, the lack of women in the sport, at least before Title IX was passed (it should be noted that Price does a really nice writeup of the recent state of women’s college lacrosse, including the fact that it is growing faster than the men’s game) and the “laxbro” attitude of the players who are mostly white, upper to upper middle class, and have a history of substance abuse. While it was very appropriate to include these topics, they were more of the focus of the book instead of the sport itself and for me, that was a disappointment. 

However, when Price did write about the game, whether the growth of the women’s game, the “medicine games” played by the indigenous players in its earliest days and is still done by them today or just recapping how some schools such as Johns Hopkins in Baltimore (men) or Northwestern University near Chicago (women) became powerhouses in the sport. While not at the level that a person who knows nothing about lacrosse would understand, Price’s text on actual game play and the positions are very good as well. 

My thoughts on this book, as one can probably tell, are very mixed. On the one hand, it has great information on the sport at various times in its history, albeit a little uneven as Price switches from one topic to another and back often.  Also as noted, the book did seem to concentrate on the hard issues of the sport instead of the beauty of the game.  Nonetheless, it is worth checking out if one wants to learn more about the sport of lacrosse.  

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

Link: The American Game: History and Hope in the Country of Lacrosse - Kindle edition by Price, S. L.. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Review of “Baddest Man”

This book grabbed my interest because of the author. Mark Kriegel wrote excellent biographies on two of my favorite childhood athletes, Joe Namath and Pete Maravich.  Knowing this and also that he covered boxing for a New York City newspaper during Mike Tyson’s era, I felt this would be an excellent book on him - I wasn’t disappointed.

Title/Author: “Baddest Man: The Making of Mike Tyson” by Mark Kriegel

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Mike Tyson is probably the most talked about boxer in the history of the sport aside from Muhammad Ali. His life has taken so many twists and turns. Despite all that has been already said and written about him, this book by bestselling author Mark Kriegel is excellent in not only its portrayal of Tyson, but also in its ability to make even those readers who think they can’t read anything new about him will find something they didn’t before.

While the book is about his life from his childhood in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn to his 91-second knockout of Michael Spinks in 1988 to unify the heavyweight championship of boxing, the prologue will grab a reader right away. Kriegel writes about Tyson, the father who is watching his daughter at a tennis match. From just this passage, it will be clear to readers that this will not be a typical sports biography.  

From there, Kriegel takes the reader on a journey that will not only reveal much about Tyson, but also provide in-depth looks at a variety of topics: poverty, crime, gang activity, the media’s love of celebrity issues, the crookedness of the boxing business and its characters, the greed of the 1980’s and so much more. None of these topics will be new to anyone, but the depth to which Kriegel writes about these topics, especially the business side of the sport, is excellent. It should be noted that Kriegel was a long time boxing writer for the New York Daily News, so his knowledge of this side of the sport is well-grounded.

While the fights Tyson had in the ring as an amateur, his failed attempt at making the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, and those as a professional are well covered (including the famous bout with Spinks), the work on Tyson’s life outside the ring is what makes this book so good. Kriegel writes about the myths on Tyson, especially in his days in Brownsville and those when he was taken in and mentored by Cus D’Amoto. Also noteworthy is Kriegel’s accounts of Tyson’s marriage to actress Robin Givens, his relationship with her mother Ruth Roper , his lack of business acumen when dealing with Jim Jacobs, Bill Clayton and especially Don King. If one remembers this time as a tangled, salacious time for what Tyson was doing, the reader will find out even more twists as Kriegel navigates then through all of the lies, deception, stories and craziness.

But one conclusion that one will make, no matter their view on Tyson as a person, is that it’s very clear that he was a person who lacked the love and support he wanted and would accept it from whomever would provide it. Nearly every person mentioned in the previous paragraph was doing that in some way and Tyson was always seeking it, no matter what it would do to him later.

Since this book only covers Tyson’s life up to that June 1988 night in Atlantic City and the anticipation that accompanied it, I am hoping Kriegel writes a sequel covering some of the other events that made Tyson such a compelling character. This book is highly recommended for any reader who wants to read about any aspect of Mike Tyson’s first 22 or so years of life. 

Link: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/552034/baddest-man-by-mark-kriegel/