50 years at ringside

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1958 edition. Excerpt: ...Restaurant near the Hippodrome and sat down at my table. "Nat, you and I have been friends for many years," he said. "Why not continue?" He held out his hand to bind our reconciliation, then took ten one hundred dollar bills and placed them before me on the table. "Take these and let's call it quits. There's no reason for us being enemies," he remarked. "I don't want your money, Mike. You went back on our agreement." I shoved the bills toward him. "You probably need that money more than I do," I said quietly as I left the table. I took our break as one of those things that happen now and then between friends and decided to forget it and start anew. Although there was plenty of good in the make-up of this world-famous promoter, there was much that could be held against him. He wasn't what I would call a man of honor. On the other hand, in all my business dealings with Rickard, I never once knew him to renege on a promise, though he did cross me on the Garden building proposition. Despite his shortcomings, I liked Jacobs, I got a thrill out of his promotions and enjoyed his company on the many trips I took with him, strange as that may seem in light of our unhappy business relationship. Between what he owed me on the Adam Hats contract, and what was due me on the agreement we made on the Farr-Louis match, I figured Uncle Mike reneged on close to $3o,ooo. The story of how Tommy Farr got a chance at the heavyweight championship is the perfect example of the science of manipulation expertly applied. Mike's shrewd chessboard play enabled him to outguess and outsmart his rivals by such a wide margin that, in the parlance of the sports world, it was "no contest." What he did was well within the law, although his maneuvering did bring about court action....