About The Book
Words from the author..
I first discovered Jersey Joe Walcott when I was about sixteen.
I bought a video tape that had the first heavyweight title fight
between Jersey Joe and Rocky Marciano on it. Although the fight
ended badly for Walcott, I was an instant fan. I loved the way he
fought, Walcott was so good…he could box… he could slug…he was fast and slick. Even though I was just really beginning to understand boxing at that early stage in my obsession with the sweet science, I knew Walcott was a great fighter, although at the time I didn’t know how truly great he was.
I would spent the next twenty plus years reading, watching and learning about the great fighters of the past before I came to a point in my life where I felt that I wanted to do something more than just be a student of boxing history. I wanted to contribute something to the fighters that I idolize and the sport that I love. My opportunity to do more came when I joined the International Boxing Research Organization in 2008.Since becoming a member of the IBRO I had purchased several biographies’ from other members and was lucky enough to speak with the authors of these books. I began asking questions about writing a biography and what was involved in the process. My interest grew with each e-mail. Authors Clay Moyle (Sam Langford Boxing’s Greatest Uncrowned Champion) Bill Paxton (The Fearless Harry Greb) and
Mike Silver (The Arch Of Boxing, The Rise And Decline Of The Sweet Science) were very helpful in answering my questions regarding the steps involved in putting a book together. After much talk a lot of e-mails and a lot of
thought, I felt that a biography written about a fighter that truly deserved one would be a great way to give something back to my favorite sport.Writing a book was something I was confident I could
accomplish (even though I am not a writer) with a little help.
My next task was to choose a fighter that I felt deserved to be written about and had no biography.
Jersey Joe Walcott was the first fighter that sprang into my mind. There were two others that I gave some thought to, Ezzard Charles and Jerry Quarry, but Walcott just felt right.I was almost certain that there
had not been a bio done on Jersey Joe, because if there had been I would have most likely read it. After some inquires to Dan Cuoco, the director of the IBRO and a few other members I had met on-line, I confirmed that
no bio had been done on Walcott. What a shame I remember thinking, such a great fighter and nobody has written a book about old Jersey Joe Walcott.
I began the processes of research for the book and soon realized that Jersey Joe’s life and boxing career is an incredible tale. The more I uncovered the more I realized how great Walcott really was and just how hard of a time he had before he made it.In fact Joe‘s life is a true rags to riches tale, perhaps more so than any other,
and if you can bare to hear it again a“Cinderella” story. I also realized through my investigation of Walcott’s career that he had embarked on one of the greatest yet least remembered comebacks in boxing history.
After committing myself to writing
about Jersey Joe I decided to try and contact his family members.I
was lucky enough to reach Vincent Cream, Walcott’s oldest grandson. Vincent and
I spoke on the phone for some time and Vincent provided for me several stories
about his grandfather’s childhood and post boxing career. We then agreed to stay
in touch and he would help me gather more info.
In October of 2009 after researching for the better part of nine months I realized that a trip to New
Jersey would be necessary to further my research.While there I met Vincent Cream, his brothers Christopher and Bill as well as his cousins Keith and Carlos. Vincent was nice enough to welcome me to his mother’s
house and share photographs of his grandfather and a scrap book full of newspaper articles.Vincent also drove me all over Camden and the surrounding areas so I could take photographs and visit the Jersey Joe memorial,
his grave site, and his old neighborhoods.The remainder of the trip was spent at the New Jersey State Archives and the Camden Historical Society pouring over hundreds of old news paper articles, maps and
directories.The research yielded some great info and the trip was a lot of fun.
The following June, 2009, I made a trip to the annual boxing hall of fame’s induction weekend to further my
research. I went there with the intentions of photographing Jersey Joe Walcott artifacts that the hall was sure to have. Unfortunately the IBHOF was sadly lacking when it came to Jersey Joe paraphernalia. But I learned a lot about Walcott just by talking with the many knowledgeable boxing historians that attended the festivities. I was also fortunate enough to talk to the charismatic Bert Sugar. I asked Bert what he thought about Jersey Joe Walcott and he said “I think a lot about Jersey Joe Walcott.” After talking for a while he told me what
I needed to do was “fill in the blanks” concerning Walcott’s career and life. And that is precisely what I have tried to do. I hope with the writing of this book, and the two years of painstaking research, I have filled in some of the“blanks” concerning Jersey Joe’s life. I also hope that I have done the man justice, and written a fitting tribute, as well as a simply written book that is as enjoyable for you to read as it was for me to write.
Jim
I first discovered Jersey Joe Walcott when I was about sixteen.
I bought a video tape that had the first heavyweight title fight
between Jersey Joe and Rocky Marciano on it. Although the fight
ended badly for Walcott, I was an instant fan. I loved the way he
fought, Walcott was so good…he could box… he could slug…he was fast and slick. Even though I was just really beginning to understand boxing at that early stage in my obsession with the sweet science, I knew Walcott was a great fighter, although at the time I didn’t know how truly great he was.
I would spent the next twenty plus years reading, watching and learning about the great fighters of the past before I came to a point in my life where I felt that I wanted to do something more than just be a student of boxing history. I wanted to contribute something to the fighters that I idolize and the sport that I love. My opportunity to do more came when I joined the International Boxing Research Organization in 2008.Since becoming a member of the IBRO I had purchased several biographies’ from other members and was lucky enough to speak with the authors of these books. I began asking questions about writing a biography and what was involved in the process. My interest grew with each e-mail. Authors Clay Moyle (Sam Langford Boxing’s Greatest Uncrowned Champion) Bill Paxton (The Fearless Harry Greb) and
Mike Silver (The Arch Of Boxing, The Rise And Decline Of The Sweet Science) were very helpful in answering my questions regarding the steps involved in putting a book together. After much talk a lot of e-mails and a lot of
thought, I felt that a biography written about a fighter that truly deserved one would be a great way to give something back to my favorite sport.Writing a book was something I was confident I could
accomplish (even though I am not a writer) with a little help.
My next task was to choose a fighter that I felt deserved to be written about and had no biography.
Jersey Joe Walcott was the first fighter that sprang into my mind. There were two others that I gave some thought to, Ezzard Charles and Jerry Quarry, but Walcott just felt right.I was almost certain that there
had not been a bio done on Jersey Joe, because if there had been I would have most likely read it. After some inquires to Dan Cuoco, the director of the IBRO and a few other members I had met on-line, I confirmed that
no bio had been done on Walcott. What a shame I remember thinking, such a great fighter and nobody has written a book about old Jersey Joe Walcott.
I began the processes of research for the book and soon realized that Jersey Joe’s life and boxing career is an incredible tale. The more I uncovered the more I realized how great Walcott really was and just how hard of a time he had before he made it.In fact Joe‘s life is a true rags to riches tale, perhaps more so than any other,
and if you can bare to hear it again a“Cinderella” story. I also realized through my investigation of Walcott’s career that he had embarked on one of the greatest yet least remembered comebacks in boxing history.
After committing myself to writing
about Jersey Joe I decided to try and contact his family members.I
was lucky enough to reach Vincent Cream, Walcott’s oldest grandson. Vincent and
I spoke on the phone for some time and Vincent provided for me several stories
about his grandfather’s childhood and post boxing career. We then agreed to stay
in touch and he would help me gather more info.
In October of 2009 after researching for the better part of nine months I realized that a trip to New
Jersey would be necessary to further my research.While there I met Vincent Cream, his brothers Christopher and Bill as well as his cousins Keith and Carlos. Vincent was nice enough to welcome me to his mother’s
house and share photographs of his grandfather and a scrap book full of newspaper articles.Vincent also drove me all over Camden and the surrounding areas so I could take photographs and visit the Jersey Joe memorial,
his grave site, and his old neighborhoods.The remainder of the trip was spent at the New Jersey State Archives and the Camden Historical Society pouring over hundreds of old news paper articles, maps and
directories.The research yielded some great info and the trip was a lot of fun.
The following June, 2009, I made a trip to the annual boxing hall of fame’s induction weekend to further my
research. I went there with the intentions of photographing Jersey Joe Walcott artifacts that the hall was sure to have. Unfortunately the IBHOF was sadly lacking when it came to Jersey Joe paraphernalia. But I learned a lot about Walcott just by talking with the many knowledgeable boxing historians that attended the festivities. I was also fortunate enough to talk to the charismatic Bert Sugar. I asked Bert what he thought about Jersey Joe Walcott and he said “I think a lot about Jersey Joe Walcott.” After talking for a while he told me what
I needed to do was “fill in the blanks” concerning Walcott’s career and life. And that is precisely what I have tried to do. I hope with the writing of this book, and the two years of painstaking research, I have filled in some of the“blanks” concerning Jersey Joe’s life. I also hope that I have done the man justice, and written a fitting tribute, as well as a simply written book that is as enjoyable for you to read as it was for me to write.
Jim