The Great Man Learn English through story level 4
chapter one
a lucky man
madison square garden new york november
30th 1928.
there were 19 000 boxing supporters
around the center ring in madison square
garden and most were waiting for just
one thing
for one fighter to murder another
tonight they were waiting for gerald
tuffy griffiths the terror from out west
to destroy new jersey’s jim braddock
at the sound of the bell braddock stood
under the hot lights and watched
griffiths rush out into the ring
tuffy griffiths had come to new york
after winning 50 fights
he had won his last fight with a
knockout in the first round
everybody knew that he would do the same
to braddock
everybody except braddock and his
manager joe gould gould believed in
braddock
a sudden jab from braddock knocked
griffith’s back
the fighters started moving around the
ring
throwing in blocking punches
griffiths threw the same punches that
had easily beaten his other opponents
but braddock stayed on his feet
blood and sweat poured into his eyes
none of the reporters around the ring
expected the new jersey boxer to reach
the end of the second round
but by round two bratica timed his
opponent’s rushes
within one minute
he hit griffiths with his big punch
his right cross
and tuffy went down the crowd stood
shouting
but the referee had only counted to
three before griffiths was back on his
feet and the fight continued
time stretched for braddock now and his
opponent’s slightest move seemed
enormous
braddock paid no attention to the
screams of the crowd
to the pain he felt
this was his chance to finish griffith’s
he threw his big right punch again and
again
tuffy was on the floor
one
two
three
four
the referee counted
for a second time griffiths got to his
feet
but braddock was ready
stepping in close and throwing punch
after punch
then his right hand flew forward and
found griffith’s chin for the last time
the big fighter hit the floor again
he tried to stand but his legs were like
rubber
no more punches hit him but he went down
and stayed down
and from the great state of new jersey
buy a knockout tonight’s light
heavyweight winner
jim braddock
the crowd was back on its feet
the local boy had won
braddock had been born in hell’s kitchen
a poor neighborhood of new york just a
stone’s throw from madison square garden
braddock punched the air in celebration
he looked at the crowd at the men in
their suits and ties and the women with
their fashionable haircuts and expensive
clothes
it was friday night
the world seemed to be having a party
and jim braddock’s win was one more
reason to celebrate
griffiths was braddock’s 18th knockout
since his first professional fight in
his 27th win
the fight organizers had had big plans
for griffiths after this surprise win
maybe braddock would have his chance to
fight for the title of heavyweight
champion
that was every boxers dream
inside the ring joe gould rushed out of
the corner and jumped onto his boxer’s
back
both men looked at the crowd and
listened to its shouts
jim smiled
he was a winner
the tall boxer and his manager stepped
out through the side entrance into a
crowd of about a hundred well-dressed
supporters
just sign your name for a few of them
said joe
leave them wanting more
do you want to sign my name for me too
jim asked his manager with a smile
people crowded around jim
he liked them
he liked the fact that they loved him
you win some you lose some johnston
said joe
jim looked up
his manager was talking to a big man who
had come out of the same side entrance
jimmy johnston organized the fights at
madison square garden
no boxer fought there without his
permission
johnston and men like him ruled the
world of boxing
tonight
johnston had wanted griffiths to win the
fight
braddock was supposed to be an easy win
for griffiths
jim touched his manager’s arm
leave it he said
but joe continued talking
maybe you support the wrong guys
griffiths was heavier than my boy and
what happened
jab cross
actually it was job job cross said jim
he didn’t like to see joe arguing with a
man as powerful as johnston
but the little manager had always
supported jim
and the fighter couldn’t let his manager
stand alone
now jab jab cross repeated joe
and then your boys out
so maybe no one’s a loser right johnston
loser
jim hated that word
some people had said that his early
opponents were no good
easy fights
losers
so what did that make jim
but after tonight
after griffiths
what could they say now
joe gould and jimmy johnston stared hard
at each other
just like inside the boxing ring
time seemed to stretch
and then johnson turned and walked to
his waiting car
jim shook his head
his little manager had no control over
his mouth
i’ll get us a taxi he said
but joe pointed to a big
shiny new car across the street
you have to show you doing well
he said
the manager organized his life by this
belief
expensive clothes the best restaurants
and now this car
a uniform driver opened the back door
and the two men got in
through the car’s windows
new york seemed alive
the city’s bright light shone and people
laughed and talked as they went to shows
and clubs
it was an exciting time to live in the
city
tall buildings were going up everywhere
and everybody seemed to be getting rich
jim braddock and joe gould wanted a
piece of that success too
they’d even started their own taxi
company
let’s go to a club
said joe
you should be seen in the right places
but jim just said
home joe
with the shake of his head joe told the
driver and the car turned toward new
jersey
this had been jim’s home since soon
after his birth
his parents had moved from ireland to
new york looking for a better life
later for the same reason they had moved
their family across the hudson river to
new jersey
here jim had grown up a typical american
boy
by the time he stopped going to school
his older brother had started to box
one day he and jim began to argue and
soon they were fighting
although his brother was bigger and had
much more experience
jim didn’t do badly
that’s when he realized
maybe he could be a winner in the boxing
ring
not long after this he had first met joe
gould in a local gym
joe needed someone to train with one of
his boxers
and he offered five dollars to the tall
teenager
jim had gone into the ring and given
gould’s boxer a lesson
the manager had stayed with jim since
then
through 100 amateur fights
and then through all his professional
fights
now the car turned onto jim’s tree-lined
street in a nice quiet neighborhood of
newark new jersey’s biggest city
joe pulled some cash out of his pocket
and began to count out jim’s share of
the prize money
do you want to come in
ask jim is the car stopped outside his
house
the kids would love to see you
joe paused
are you still married to the same girl
i was this morning
answered jim
i’ll come in another time
said joe
and tell her i didn’t charge you for the
towels
as jim climbed out he forced himself not
to laugh
joe gould was afraid of nothing in the
world of boxing
but he turned and ran from jim’s wife
may with her hard questions about the
prize money and jim’s share of it
the front door of the house was open now
and there in the golden light of the
hall was may
her pale face was serious as she waited
from the first time he had met her jim
had loved her
he moved toward her now
telling himself he was a lucky man to
have a wife like me
when mae braddock saw her husband the
dark cloud of worry disappeared she
could breathe again
feel again
fight night was always like this for me
in the afternoon jimmy kissed her
goodbye
then she just watched the clock and
hoped that he was safe
the long hours full of fear only ended
when jim came home
she knew that men died in the ring
not often but it happened
and if they didn’t die they were hurt
badly
mae didn’t understand the sport
to her it was a world of pain and danger
but she loved her husband and so she
tried to support him
may teresa fox had grown up near the
braddock family in new jersey
she had always liked big jim braddock
and he loved may from the time he first
met her
but jim was shy
and it took him a long time to ask may
to marry him
he said that he wanted to wait until he
had enough money to buy a nice home
when he had thirty thousand dollars from
his prize money a small fortune he
finally asked
as he waited nervously for her answer
may noticed the sweat on jim’s face
she couldn’t stop herself from laughing
the money didn’t matter to her of course
she would marry him
now mae looked at her husband
she knew that griffiths had been
expected to win tonight’s fight
her eyes asked the question
and jim’s answer was a slow shake of the
head
maid looked away
she hated to see jimmy in pain
that’s why she never went to the fights
and she hated to see him like this
but then she looked up
and saw jimmy smile
he had won
i could kill you
said may
kissing her husband
jim’s two sons ran into the hall
they jumped around their father’s legs
shouting with excitement
daddy did you win
cried four-year-old jay
howard who was only three
was just happy that daddy was home
jim picked the boys up and kissed them
my little man he thought
his eyes met maze
my little family
jim told them all about the fight acting
it out punch by punch
it wasn’t easy for me to put the boys to
bed after that
when she checked their sleeping baby
girl rosie
she sat down to eat dinner with jimmy
so
did griffiths have a big punch
she asked
you could come and watch me fight
suggested jim
but may looked away
you get punched and it feels like i’m
getting punched
but i’m not as strong as you
she forced herself to smile
and who wants newspaper stories about me
running out from a fight again
jim remembered when this had happened
his opponent had knocked him down that
day and mae had seen it
jim still remembered the look of fear on
her face
it didn’t seem to matter that jim had
won the fight in the end
after that
may bravely continued coming to watch
jim box
he didn’t know how painful it was for
her until a few fights later
jim was having a bad night and he took a
lot of punishment
not able to watch anymore
may had run off before the final bell
a reporter saw her go
and the story was in the newspapers
may never went to a fight again
now she looked at her husband
were there any girls waiting outside
after the fight
maybe
said jim with a smile
may moved around the table
she spoke in a different voice now
pretending to be one of the women
oh mr braddock she said
you’re so strong
your hands are so big
may moved in close
and she wasn’t joking now when she said
i am so proud of you jimmy
that night as he got ready for bed
jim stood in the bedroom of his
beautiful home
he looked at their wedding picture
then he took off the gold cross from
around his neck
and kissed it
looking at his own face in the mirror
it was the face of a lucky man
a lucky man
and a winner
chapter 2
hard times
newark new jersey september 25th
jim braddock looked through the drawers
below the same mirror that had shown him
the face of a lucky man
dressing was quick these days
he just put on what may had washed or
fixed the night
before he didn’t have to kiss his gold
cross for luck
he had sold it years ago
everyone’s luck had gone now
even jim braddock’s
something moved outside the window
probably a rat
this was just a part of life when you
lived in a single room
in a dirty crowded apartment building
behind jim
his three hungry children shared a bed
in the cold family bedroom
they had hung a blanket across the room
to turn one room into two
he looked again at his and may’s wedding
picture
in the last few years they had lost
their house and most of their furniture
but they would always have this
in the picture
may looked beautiful
jim stood next to her
wearing a suit he didn’t know now
the couple in the photo smiled
not knowing the hard future that was
ahead
but jim liked to look at the picture
every day
it reminded him of the good things in
his life
he stepped into the kitchen where may
was cooking breakfast
she looked different now
thinner
with dark circles under her eyes
but to jim she was still beautiful
i can’t find my socks
he said
jim
whispered may
but it was too late
mom
i want to eat too
said little rosie pushing through the
blanket
mae began to cut another thin piece of
meat
sorry
said jim
rosie couldn’t remember living in a big
house surrounded by nice things with new
clothes and plenty of food
the girl climbed onto her father
and jim held her close to him
he hated seeing his children grow up
like this
it was harder than any fight
we got a final bill
said may
for the gas and electricity
jim’s shoulders fell
he took down a jar from the shelf where
they kept their money for a rainy day
he shook it and listened to the few
coins in the jar
it’s clearly been raining more than i
thought recently
he said
may picked up three dishes and put a
thin piece of hot meat on each one jim
began to cut up his daughter’s food
i’m fighting abe feldman tonight
he told his wife
he didn’t tell her that feldman had lost
only one fight in nineteen
instead
he told her what he would earn
fifty dollars
more than he could earn in one whole
week on the docks
may couldn’t hide the old fear in her
eyes
since hard times had hit their family
and the whole country
she’d started to hate the ring with its
punishments and its empty promises
mommy i want some more
said rosie
jim looked at may and rosie with their
empty plates
may
i had a dream last night
he said standing from the table
i dreamed that i was having dinner at an
expensive hotel
and i had a big thick steak
he put on his old coat
i had so much food
i’m just not hungry now
he spoke more quietly to his daughter
can you help me
mommy cook this
and i don’t want to hurt her feelings
rosie wasn’t sure whether to believe him
but jim moved the meat from his plate to
hers
with wide eyes the child immediately
began to eat
jimmy
may began
but he silenced her with a kiss
you can’t work on an empty stomach her
eye said to him
jim’s answer was simple
you’re my girls
when jim stepped outside
he remembered that things weren’t so bad
for him and his family
times were even harder for many other
people
he walked past old broken cars next to
trash can fires
those useless cars were homes now homes
to people with no jobs and no hopes
this part of newark was very different
from jim’s old leafy neighborhood
most of the dirty brown and gray
buildings around here had broken windows
and paint coming off
most of the stores were closed and
garbage cans lay empty in the street
people threw nothing away these days
ten thousand factories in the new york
area had been closed down
everywhere jim looked he saw people
without jobs
businessmen teachers office workers
lawyers bankers
all were looking for work
there were men in four-year-old suits
happy to clean a yard for a dollar
others stood in line at employment
offices from morning until night
disaster had struck on october 29th 1929
some people called it black tuesday
others the crash
it was the end of america’s good times
in the 1920s
the economy failed and suddenly millions
of people were out of work
at first jim thought that the problem
wouldn’t last long
but then his bank closed and his taxi
company went out of business
by 1932
the braddocks had lost every cent of
jim’s boxing money
new york wasn’t a city of bright lights
and happy partygoers now
the city was filled with a grey crowd of
people without hope
they stood in endless lines for soup or
bread they froze on street corners
they looked for work and found none
hungry empty
hopeless people
jim’s only hope had been boxing
the prize money was less but boxing was
still popular cheap entertainment
but after the crash
jim’s success as a boxer had ended
in 1930 31 32
and now 1933
he lost more fights than he won
it was harder and harder for gould to
get him good fights
jim had to look for other work
with so many factories closed
he tried newark’s busy docks
early every morning he joined the crowd
looking for work there
in the dark and the cold they waited by
the locked gate of a high fence at last
the foreman pulled open the gate
he looked at the tired hungry faces of
the men there
this man had the power of life or death
he could change the luck of every man
here
i need nine men
he said
men began pushing forward me pick me
as the foreman counted out workers
one
two
three
jim pushed forward two but then
nine
jim closed his eyes
after all of that waiting it had ended
in less than 30 seconds
he hadn’t been picked
i’ve been here since four o’clock
said a man’s voice
the man had stepped forward to complain
jim had spoken to him once
his name was ben and like jim he had a
wife and three kids to support
the foreman began to turn away but
suddenly ben was holding a gun and
pointing it at the foreman’s heart
his hand shook and his eyes were wild
i was here first
the foreman lifted his eyes from the gun
to ben’s face
my mistake he said
i need ten men
ben stepped through the gate
jim wanted to look away but he couldn’t
ben had just put the gun away when
several men fought him to the ground
that was the end for ben now
how could he help his wife and kids from
prison
jim spent the whole day walking from
place to place and looking for work
without luck
hours later he returned to the apartment
building
his eight-year-old son howard was
outside
jim gave his son a smile
how could a young boy understand that
one in four working americans had no job
an eight-year-old child didn’t need to
know that
suddenly another child ran up to him it
was rosie
daddy daddy daddy
she cried
jay stole
jim carried his daughter to their
apartment where mae was standing over
their oldest son
the ten-year-old’s face was red
jim put rosie down
what’s all this about
rosie pointed at the meat on the table
see
she said
there was enough to feed the family for
a whole week
it’s from the butcher shop said may
he refuses to say a word about it
don’t you jay
okay
said jim to his son
pick it up
let’s go
jay looked up at his father and the
message in his eyes was clear
don’t make me do this
can’t you see that we need it
right now
said jim
then he was out of the building and
marching to the butcher shop without
another word
his son followed slowly behind with the
stolen food in his hand
at the butchers
jay had to give the meat back and
apologize
jim met the butcher’s eyes
i’m not bringing up my son to be a thief
the butcher nodded
father and son left the shop
as they walked jim was silent giving his
boy time
at last jay spoke
marty johnson had to go and live with
his uncle
his parents didn’t have enough for them
to eat
jim turned toward his son
you were scared
he said
i understand that
but we don’t steal
it doesn’t matter what happens
promise me
jay managed a nod
i promise
he said
here’s my promise
jim was eye to eye with his son
we’re never going to send you away son
the tears came pouring from the little
boy’s eyes
jim pulled jay into his arms and held
him as tight as he could
chapter three
an embarrassment
mount vernon new york
september 23rd 1933
the dressing room was a mess
the floor was dirty and the doors were
broken
the air smelled of old sweat
he’s a slow guy
said joe gould
my grandmother could beat him it’ll be
an easy fight
joe was wearing one of his usual fine
brown suits
jim knew nobody else who hadn’t been
ruined by the crash
the manager was taping up jim’s hands
before the fight
he squeezed jim’s right hand
then saw the look of pain on the
fighter’s face
he played with the hand examining it
carefully
this break needs a couple of weeks to
get better
he said
why didn’t you tell me jim
jim didn’t look up
he had fought in march although his
right hand was still hurt from a fight
in january
his opponent was good and jim fighting
with a bad hand had lost in four rounds
but he couldn’t stop fighting because he
needed the prize money for his family
he fought several more times hurting his
right hand again and again
by now he had to use drugs to control
the pain there was never enough time for
it to get better before the next fight
joe gould knew that it wasn’t legal to
let a boxer fight in this condition
if something went wrong in the ring it
could mean the end for both joe and jim
i can’t get any work
said jim quietly
we need the money
the little manager thought of may and
the children
okay
he said
i’ll tape your hand double
gould knew the double taping was against
the rules too
keep your left hand in his face
and when you can
hit him with a big right
if you finish early i’ll buy an ice
cream
he led the boxer past the crowd toward
the ring
this crowd was very different from the
one at madison square garden years
earlier
these people looked poorer
and hungrier
as jim climbed into the ring a radio
reporter spoke into a microphone
just five years ago jim braddock was
thought to be ready to fight for the
world heavyweight title
but he has lost 10 fights in the last
year
the crowd started to shout louder when
abe feldman walked toward the ring
punching the air
now braddock fights feldman continued
the radio man
a young fighter who has won 17 times and
lost just once
jim froze
this was the boxer joe’s grandmother
could beat
feldman was the crowd’s favorite he was
young and handsome
like braddock had been years earlier
when he had an unbroken nose and two
pretty ears
braddock’s gloves fell to his sides
joe pulled jim’s gloves back up
jimmy what are you gonna do
jim closed his eyes and everything went
away
the crowd shouts
may’s worried looks
ben’s gun
j’s silent tears all the mistakes of the
last four years
he opened his eyes
i’m going to get an ice cream
feldman’s glove hit braddock in the face
a hard punch
jim tried to hit back but feldman
blocked his punches
come on jimmy
cried gold from the corner
the manager was sweating almost as much
as braddock as he jabbed the air and
shouted advice
but braddock could only think about the
pain of feldman’s punches
the younger man hit him again and again
but none of braddock’s punches seem to
hit feldman who danced around his
opponent
easily suddenly feldman threw a
combination of punches that threw
braddock back onto the ropes
the crowd began to boo
don’t just stand there
shouted gould
braddock saw an opening in feldman’s
defenses and threw a right cross
it hit the fighter’s chin and knocked
him back
jim stepped in to finish his opponent
but feldman put his head down as
braddock threw his big punch
the leather glove hit the top of
feldman’s head
there was a sound of bone on bone
the pain in braddock’s right hand
was terrible
he held on to feldman as the bell
announced the end of the round
the referee had to send both fighters
back to their corners
gould quickly took braddock’s right
glove off
even under all the tape he could see
that the hand was really broken
i can’t let you continue
he said
jim thought of the prize money
i can use my left
he said
don’t let feldman get too close
said gould quickly tying the glove back
up
do what you can with your left
but braddock had never had a left hand
punch
now he couldn’t even block with his
right and his feet felt heavy and slow
punch after punch fell on him
time usually slowed down for jim in the
ring but now it was flying past
he began to throw out his left hand in
wild jabs
these missed
but then one punch hit feldman on the
chin
and heard him
again the two boxers held on to each
other
the crowd began to boo again and shout
insults
go home
braddock decided that maybe he had one
more good right punching him
he pulled his arm back and threw the
punch
it hurt feldman but the pain was much
worse for braddock
under the double tape his right hand was
completely broken
feldman hit him back and again
braddock held on to his opponent he
almost fainted from the pain
the angry boos from the crowd were so
loud
that he almost didn’t hear the bell
an embarrassment
that’s what it was
an embarrassment
jimmy johnston the big fight organizer
was shouting angrily at joe gould who
was unusually quiet
thirty minutes earlier the referee had
ended the fight announcing that nobody
was the winner because braddock wasn’t
fit to continue
okay okay
so he’s fighting while he’s hurt
said joe
maybe your fighters can afford to have a
month’s rest between fights
he almost never hits his opponents
anymore
answered johnston
and now the referee has to stop the
fight
a fighter like that keeps the public
away ticket money will fall
the big man paused
we’re taking away his boxing license
whatever braddock was gonna do in boxing
he’s done it
when jim heard the bad news from his
manager
he couldn’t move couldn’t breathe
the dressing room was small and dirty so
joe let his boxer back into the hall
the lights threw long shadows on the
empty ring
joe began taping a piece of wood to
jim’s broken hand
until you get to the hospital
as he taped the hand
joe couldn’t hold back the memories
all the fights and all the dreams
all the hopes that jim braddock would be
champion one day
now those hopes lay as broken as the
fighter’s hand
joe cleared his throat
jimmy
you just can’t change things
i’m telling you it’s finished
the boxer didn’t jump up
shout or scream
he was quiet for a long time
his face was wet with tears
get me one more fight joe
said the fighter
we’re down to our last dollar
i’m sorry jimmy
after all they had been through together
joe really was sorry
they’d stayed the best of friends
through good times and bad
now it really was the end tonight
this
was goodbye
jim didn’t even look up as his manager
walked away
leaving him on the seats beside the dark
ring
alone
chapter 4
a new life
oh dear god
jim knew that this was the last time he
would see this look on may’s face after
a fight
i don’t have the money
he said
too tired to find the words to make it
easier
they refused to pay me
took away my license
they said that i’m finished as a boxer
the fear in may’s eyes turned to anger
she didn’t care about boxing licenses or
fight rules
she only cared about her husband
jimmy what happened to your hand
it’s broken in three places
mae wasn’t thinking about boxing now
if you can’t work we won’t be able to
pay the bills
buy food
we’ll have to send the children to stay
with my sister
may i can still work
jim said
get the black shoe polish from the
cupboard
nobody will give me a job if they see
this cast on my hand
so we’ll cover it up
may saw it in her husband’s eyes then
jim braddock wasn’t going to be beaten
i’ll cut your coat so you can put it on
over the cast
she said opening the shoe polish and
spreading it on the white cast
now we just need a piece of steak for
your face jim braddock she laughed
six-year-old rosie’s face appeared
around the blanket
jim smiled at her deciding not for the
first time
that he was a lucky man to have may as
his wife
it was early morning and jim was
standing outside the familiar locked
gate at newark docks
as the sun appeared in the east the
foreman jake walked up
jim put his broken hand behind him
the doctor had said it would be useless
for months
one
two
three
as usual jake walked along the group
pointing to the workers he wanted
five
six
seven
jim stood tall
eight
jake’s eyes fell on jim
then the foreman pointed at him
nine
a win
jim stepped forward knowing that he was
one of the lucky few who would work that
day
minutes later jim was meeting his new
partner the young handsome man
introduced himself as mike wilson
what happened to you
he asked jim
staring at the black and blue marks on
his
face i got into a fight
jim told the man
together the two men had to move a
mountain of sacks from one area to
another
it took two strong men to lift each sack
using big hooks to pick the sacks up
jim found the work very difficult
he had never really used his left hand
for anything
it was really hard using the hook with
it while trying to hide the cast on his
right hand
there was a fighter called jim braddock
said mike
i listen to his fights on the radio
there’s another fighter using the name
now but this guy’s no good
jim saw the smile on mike’s face
he almost laughed himself
but then the sack fell from the hook in
his hand
mike saw jim’s cast
this isn’t going to work
he said you can’t do this job with a bad
hand
and you can’t slow me down
i need this job
jim gave his partner a quick look
listen
i can do this suddenly a new voice
shouted
what’s happening here
it was the foreman and he was staring at
jim’s bad hand
instead of trying to explain
jim sank the hook back into the sack
with his left hand
then he waited unable to do anything
until his partner moved
after a few terrible seconds
mike sunk the hook into his end of the
sack
the two men lifted the heavy sack
together
and carried it across the dock
then they moved for another sack then
another
and another
jake the foreman stood there with arms
crossed watching every move
finally
he walked away
jim lifted his face to mike
thanks
he said
it was raining hard but may didn’t move
her place in this soup line was too
valuable
hundreds of people were ahead of her but
a lot were behind her too
they were all waiting for free soup and
bread from the truck at the head of the
line
may held rosie in her arms the two boys
ran around playing
you need to stand for a few minutes
rosie
said may
i don’t want to
cried rosie
the sidewalk’s wet
who’s making all this noise
immediately rosie’s crying stopped
her father appeared beside her big and
strong and with a smile on his face for
her
as he lifted rosie jim told may
i got a job at the docks
may noticed something inside jim’s coat
his boxing shoes
she wasn’t surprised to see them
a few boxing organizers and expensive
suits couldn’t stop her husband from
fighting even if they had taken away his
license are you training today
she asked him
i was thinking of selling them said jim
then we can pay the grocer by the end of
the week
may didn’t know what to say at last she
said
don’t take less than a dollar jim
he saw the tears in her eyes
go home i’ll stand in line
she handed him the empty pot and took
the children home
jim’s eyes followed them and then he
looked forward again turning his collar
up against the wind
the soup truck seemed far far away
but jim had become good at waiting
hours later familiar sounds greeted
jim’s ears
jump ropes hitting the wooden floors
leather gloves hitting punching bags
this was the gym the gym had trained in
for years it was the place where he had
first met joe gould
even now
part of him wanted to get into the ring
and fight
as he entered the gym the usual smell of
leather and sweat hit him he looked at
all the boxers training hard
jimmy
said a friendly voice
have you come to train
it was joe jeannette the owner of the
gym
the old fighter had never been a
champion but he had always been a hero
to jim
a great boxer with quick hands and a
knockout punch
jeanette had been one of the best
heavyweights in the country
but he was a black man
and few white boxers agreed to fight him
jeannette never had the chance to fight
for the title
but jeanette couldn’t stay away from the
fight game
he had become a referee and he had
opened this gym he was never too busy to
give advice to a young boxer
jim tried to return jeanette’s smile
but he couldn’t
he put the suit pot down and pulled his
boxing shoes out of his coat
a few minutes later
joe gould stepped onto the gym floor
he was here to see a new boxer
not jim braddock
joe watched as jim handed his boxing
shoes to a young black boxer who paid
jim 10 cents
then jim picked up his soup and bread
and turned toward the front entrance
joe jeannette looked up and saw the
manager standing at the back of the gym
his eyes held a question for joe
but joe just shook his head and stepped
behind the door
it’s better for both of us if jim
doesn’t see me
joe thought
chapter five
broken promises
jim sat at the kitchen table reading out
president franklin delano roosevelt’s
speech from the newspaper
he tried to find hope in the president’s
words
according to roosevelt there was only
one thing for americans to fear
fear itself
may countered out coins from the rainy
day jar
jim’s week had become an unending string
of gray mornings and sweaty afternoons
of hard work at the docks
jim and mike worked together every day
and jim did all the work with his left
hand
in the evenings he had another job
more long hard work with only his left
hand
may was usually asleep on the sofa by
the time jim got home at night
that night she was woken by the sound of
coins dropping into the jar
she saw her husband walk toward their
bed
jim looked down at the clean white
sheets
he wanted nothing more than to fall into
them
but then he looked down at his own dirty
sweaty body
and laid down on the floor
jimmy
may whispered we can wash the sheets
but jim was already asleep
mae pulled the covers off the bed
and laid down on the floor
beside her husband
the winter of 1933 34 was one of the
coldest in recent memory
one morning may and rosie walked with
the boys to school
they were walking back down the snowy
street when may saw a shiny new car
outside their building
mommy
who’s the man at our house
asked rosie
may walked up to the man whose uniform
showed that he was the gas in
electricity man
can i help you sir
i’m sorry ma’am
you haven’t paid the bills and i have to
cut your electricity off
the man was in his thirties but his eyes
looked older
you can’t said may
we have kids
please
if i don’t
i’ll lose my job
said the man sadly
work at the docks finished early that
day
jim and his work partner mike started
walking around local towns looking for
work
there was none anywhere that day
tired and cold
they started for home
we have until tomorrow
cried a loud voice
jim’s step slowed
across the street a young man was
arguing with two city police officers
his wife stood beside him fighting back
tears
the couple’s furniture was on the
sidewalk all around them
the officers were moving them from their
apartment
the two officers wore fine new uniforms
the younger of the two was polite
the older man had heard every excuse
before
and he was tired of listening
jim watched as the young husband tried
to pull a piece of paper out of the
officer’s hand
this says we have another day
he cried
come on said mike pulling jim’s arm
but jim was already moving across the
street and mike went with him
you can’t do this the young woman was
saying
we’ll never get back in
her husband jumped in front of the
officers
as they moved to fit a new lock to the
building’s front door
please
i’m starting a factory job next week
the officers pushed him away and put the
lock on
excuse me said mike politely then louder
excuse me
the officers stared at him
please
can i have a look at that notice
the law says that i’m allowed to
he stepped forward
let me just have a look at the date on
it
if everything’s okay with it we’ll just
walk away
or else what
demanded the younger officer
the older officer was looking at jim
mike smiled
you guys know jim braddock don’t you
the older officer’s attitude changed
immediately
i’ve seen you fight jim
he said
mike looked down at the document in the
older man’s hand
what do you say guys
mistakes happen all the time
the officer nodded
maybe we got our days mixed up
he said
removing the lock from the door
as the two officers walked away
mike and jim began to help the couple
move their furniture back inside
so
you’re a lawyer asked jim
mike shook his head
a banker
but i hired enough lawyers to have a
good idea of the law
it doesn’t matter now
i lost it all in 29.
you look jim in the eyes
you know
there are people living in central park
the government has failed us we need to
organize
fight back
jim shook his head
fight what
bad luck
you have to trust that the government
will solve things in the end
i like what president roosevelt says
forget roosevelt’s shouted mike
he hasn’t given me my house back yet
jim looked in surprise at the terrible
anger in his friend’s eyes
the blanket didn’t hang in the middle of
the room
now the three children had it around
them as they lay in bed
jim could see their breath in the cold
air
every piece of clothing in the apartment
was piled on top of them
he crossed the room and threw a piece of
a wooden sign onto the fire in the stove
may empty the rainy day jar onto the
table
she began to push the coins around
six dollars and seventy cents
said jim joining his wife
how much would it cost to turn the
electricity back on
33 dollars and 10 cents whispered may
if i work 26 hours out of every 24 it
still won’t be
enough jim seemed suddenly weaker
he looked at me
think of all the other guys who wanted
to marry you
what happened to those guys
joked mei then she squeezed his hand
i married the guy i love
a wet cough from across the room
interrupted them
it’s howard
said may sadly
he’s been sick since this afternoon
when may woke up the next morning jim
had already gone out into the terrible
cold
she spent the morning trying to keep the
children warm
burning pieces of woods they had taken
from signs in the street
howard lay close to the stove his face
red with fever
fighting back the tears his mother held
a glass of water to his lips
the boy was getting sicker
not wanting her children to see her cry
mae rushed out of the door and stood in
the snow
bitter tears ran down her face
she cared only about keeping this family
together
jim was killing himself trying to do
this but it wasn’t working
now they had lost their heat and
electric power
may knew what she had to do
she rushed inside to dress her children
warmly for the trip across the river to
new york city
as jim stepped through the door
the apartment was as cold as the air
outside
he met silence
no little bodies ran to him with open
arms
by the stove
mae sat alone staring into the dying
flames
she couldn’t meet his eyes
howard was getting worse
she explained
then rosie started to get sick
where are they may
the boys are at my father’s house
rosie’s going to stay with my sister
we can’t keep them warm jim
jim’s emotions were almost too strong
for words
fear
sadness
anger
he pointed a finger at may
you don’t decide what happens to our
children without me
may stood and held his arms
jimmy if they get really sick we don’t
have the money for a doctor
if you send them away
this has all been for nothing
he said angrily
it means that we lost
he shook mae’s arms off
i made a promise to jay
do you understand i promised that we
would never send him away
without another word he turned and
walked across the freezing room and out
of the door
later that afternoon he stood at the
wooden counter of the newark relief
office
an unsmiling woman counted out twelve
dollars and eighty cents
which she placed in a white envelope
jim’s hand shook as he signed for the
money
trying not to blame himself for what he
had done
ashamed he put the envelope into his
he pushed his way through the unhappy
crowd
they were lawyers and doc workers
teachers and factory workers bankers and
builders
now unable to earn money themselves
they were here to receive money from the
state
some were so ashamed that like jim they
looked only at the floor
others looked straight ahead with empty
stairs
after jim crossed the river to manhattan
he walked past all the homeless people
in the city who seem to have no hope
the story was the same everywhere
no work
no money
at last jim reached the streets around
madison square garden
there were no bright lights now
no people and expensive clothes waiting
outside
instead homeless people searched for
anything they could use
jim went to the familiar side door
the sign for the next fight showed two
boxers standing with gloves up
jim remembered when his picture had been
on signs like this
he remembered the fight with tuffy
griffiths the dream of that night when
the future looked bright for jim
braddock
but then another less happy memory came
to mind
the fight against tommy lofrin
it was july 1929
just four months before the crash jim
was fighting for the title of light
heavyweight champion
but it was the fight that turned
braddock into a boxer of failed promise
the new york crowd had wanted braddock
to win
and the fight had started well too
but things changed in the second round
lafrin began to dance around the ring
dodging braddock’s punches easily
he discovered braddock’s biggest
weakness
no left hand punch
in the rest of the fight braddock had
hit the champion with a few good punches
but it wasn’t enough
the judges all decided that law friend
was the winner
the newspapers weren’t kind to braddock
who had looked slow in the last three
rounds
his dream of winning the title seemed to
be at an end
now years later
jim stood in the shadows in madison
square garden
and said the same words that he had said
after the lofrin fight
i don’t know what went wrong
he opened the side door and started up
the stairs
the climb to the madison square garden
boxing club was the hardest of his life
the club was a place where the rich
money makers of new york’s boxing world
could relax and do business
it wasn’t high above street level but it
was like another world
at first
nobody noticed as jim braddock walked
into the smoky room
he went up to two men in the center of
the room
mr allen
phil
the men looked up at the fighter
others noticed and conversations around
the room died
jim cleared his throat
i’m here because
we can’t afford to pay the heating bills
we had to send our kids away
i just need enough money to get my
children back
jim took off his hat and stretched it
out
the whole room was silent now
mr allen put his hand in his pocket
sure jim
he placed a few coins into jim’s hat
thank you replied jim then he offered
his hat to the others around the room
everybody gave some money even jimmy
johnston the man who had taken away
jim’s license
finally
jim stopped in front of joe gould
i’m sorry joe
he told his old manager
what do you have to be sorry about jim
said joe
how much more do you
need one dollar and fifty cents i think
whispered jim
joe placed the exact amount in jim’s hat
when jim left the club it was dark
outside and street lights lit the icy
sidewalks
jim walked past a store that had gone
out of business
his face looked back at him from the
dark glass of the store window
he had seen that look before
it was on the face of the man in his old
suit selling apples on the street corner
it was on the face of the banker waiting
in line for hours at the newark relief
office
jim had never understood how a proud man
could sink so low
now with the money in his pocket to get
his children back
jim knew
he finally understood
the next night may opened the apartment
door and turned on the electric light
jay and howard ran inside followed by
jim
who was carrying the sleeping rosie
jim was happy to see his family together
and home again
but he felt other emotions too he knew
now how easily their world could be
destroyed
he couldn’t sleep that night
when the sun finally appeared
he got up and dressed silently
before he left for another long day of
work
he stood at the door
and looked at his family
a boxer entered the ring alone
if he was knocked down he alone could
stand up and continue
fighting jim was alone now
as he left the house and went looking
for work
chapter six
one fight only
spring had come to newark at last
and the braddock family had joined other
families at the local church
once a month the priest father rorick
organized a birthday party for all the
children whose parents couldn’t afford a
party jim and may watched as their
children joined all the others around a
large wooden table with two big cakes
everybody started singing
happy birthday to you
happy birthday to you
jim put his hand around may
happy that the cast was off at last
when it was time to sing the names the
different families all sang a different
name
happy birthday dear jay
sang the braddocks
happy birthday to you
howard pulled his father’s arm
it was better when we had our own cake
he said
father rorick heard him
do you know i boxed your father a long
time ago
howard couldn’t believe it
he looked at his father in surprise
you hit father rorick
as often as possible
said jim with a big smile
may braddock joined the two men
she looked worried
jimmy
she looked across the road
mike jim’s work partnered the dogs was
sitting at the end of a long table
his wife sarah held their baby daughter
in her arms and she was shouting at mike
you’re always trying to fix the world
she shouted
why don’t you fix your own family what
kind of father are you too proud to let
people know that our daughter can’t have
her own birthday cake
mike stared back angrily
are you joking sarah
everybody watched the argument
even the children at the party stopped
playing jim walked over and separated
the angry couple
hey
where’s the referee he asked
this is between husband and wife jim
mike said angrily
how can you call yourself that
cried sarah
mike jumped up angrily and jim stopped
him with a strong hand in the middle of
his chest
calm down mike he said
have a rest
but mike couldn’t calm down now he
pushed jim
there’s no need for this
said the boxer
jim braddock big fighter said mike and
he threw a punch at his work partner
jim knocked it away and then held mike’s
arm
mike
i don’t want to fight you
he said
you couldn’t do it in the ring
said mike angrily
he rushed to jim again
jim pushed him to the side and mike fell
hitting his head on the sidewalk
jim no
screamed sarah
as mike got to his feet blood ran down
his face
sarah went up to him still holding their
baby
mike pushed her away
leave me alone
he said to her and jim
he turned and ran down the street
when he had gone sarah turned to jim
tears poured down her face as she cried
he wasn’t going to hit me jim
sarah began to chase her husband down
the street
jim looked up at me who had tears in her
eyes too
why was it so hard just to come over for
cake she asked
maybe he just needed a little time
said jim angrily
it’s not always easy
maybe he just needed a little time
mae shook her finger at him
not at me james braddock
she cried
do you hear
i know it’s hard but don’t get mad at me
jim returned from work one afternoon and
found his children playing in front of
the apartment building
rosie looked up at him
teach me how to fight
she said
i can’t said jim
i’ll get in trouble with mommy
rosie just looked at her father with the
same stare that mae had
jim couldn’t say no to that look
okay he said
it’s all about how you hold your body
put your right hand here
and you’re left here
jim positioned her until she was
standing like a little boxer then she
threw a punch
which jim caught in his big hand
look at that
he cried you have a better jab than i
did
as he and rosie laughed a familiar car
stopped outside the building
you’re a brave man
called joe gould
jim smiled
not really
maize at the store
rosie who wasn’t yet finished with her
boxing lesson threw another punch
it hit jim right on the chin
okay rosie
he said
good punch
now go and box shadows while i talk to
uncle joe
jim looked at the manager’s fine new
suit
still looking fashionable i see
he said
you have to show you’re doing well
answered joe
he gave jim a friendly punch on the arm
good to see you jimmy
then
i’ve got you a fight
jim wasn’t sure
what about my boxing license
the organizers will let you fight one
time only
said joe
jim asked the most important question
how much
250 dollars
joe replied you’re on the big show at
the madison square garden bowl in long
island city
he paused
tomorrow night
jim turned and walked away
he couldn’t believe that his old friend
and partner would play a joke like this
on him
joe chased after him
you fight corn griffin jimmy
the number two heavyweight in the world
he needs a fight before he boxes for the
title
jim’s eyes were dangerous
joe
this isn’t funny
no one’s trying to be kind to you
griffin’s opponent got cut and can’t
fight
they needed someone they could throw in
the ring immediately
nobody will take a fight against griffin
without training so
joe looked away
i
told them that griffin could knock out a
guy who has never been knocked out
before
you’re me jimmy they just need somebody
to stand in that ring and be knocked out
finally jim smiled and put a hand on
joe’s shoulder
then he looked his manager in the eye
joe
for 250 dollars
i’d fight your wife
when may got home later
she wasn’t happy about the news
jim talked more about how it was only
one fight about how long he would have
to work at the docks for so much money
in the end
they told jim to take the fight
but that night
she sat on the sofa in the dark and
watched her sleeping husband through
eyes read from crying
the next morning the three children were
outside early but they didn’t go out to
play
they walked to the local butcher shop
rosie knocked on the window
sam the butcher looked down at the three
children
we’re closed today
his eye fell on jay remembering the time
when the boy had stolen from his shop
well
look who’s here
shall i lock everything up
jay’s face was red
but he bravely stood by his sister who
walked up to the counter
i need a piece of meat please sir
she said
steak
do you have any money
rosie shook her head and the look in
sam’s eyes became softer
i can’t just give the meat away
it’s not for me
it’s for my dad
rosie replied
he needs it to win a boxing fight
chapter 7
back in the ring
long island city new york june 14
1934
jim’s name wasn’t even on the sign
but he didn’t care
250 dollars and the chance to punch
something real were the only things on
his mind
joe gould’s didn’t know what to think
about the fight
the manager had tried to get braddock
back in the ring since the time jim had
walked around the boxing club with his
hat in his hand
joe had pushed his way into jimmy
johnston’s office again and again trying
to get jim a fight
he’d been outside johnston’s office when
the fight organizer got the bad news
about griffin’s opponent
just two days before the big fight
this left johnston with a problem
griffin was a promising young star in
the boxing world and johnston wanted to
get the new york sports world interested
in him
the young southern boxer needed to beat
a fighter in the city who had once been
a big name
now it seemed that jim braddock was the
right choice
especially as braddock’s manager was
waiting outside johnston’s office
joe had accepted the offer but now on
fight night he was worried
he knew that jim hadn’t fought in over a
year
except for today he hadn’t trained in a
long time
he had even sold his boxing gloves and
shoes
joe had to borrow some so that his boxer
could fight
as the manager bent to tie up his boxing
shoes jim smiled
we both know what this is joe
it’s a chance for me to earn some money
for my family
and it’s a chance to say goodbye to
boxing in a big fight in front of a big
crowd
suddenly there was a loud noise from
jim’s stomach
what was that
cried joe
we got to the soup line too late this
morning
said jim
the food was all gone
joe jumped to his feet
how are you going to fight with an empty
stomach
he shouted
he ran from the room and appeared a few
minutes later with a bowl of thick meat
soup in his hand
eat fast
he said
where’s the spoon
asked jim
he began to put one hand into the bowl
stop
cried joe
i don’t have time to tape your hands
again
i’ll find a spoon
joe rushed out again but jim couldn’t
wait
he pushed his face into the bowl and
began eating
he didn’t notice the changing room door
opening
i don’t believe it
am i seeing a ghost
said a voice
jim looked up with food on his chin
a young man at the door was giving jim
an unpleasant smile
isn’t that james j braddock
when i saw the name
i thought it must be a different guy the
man stepped into the room and took out a
reporter’s notebook
how’s your right hand now jim
jim’s eyes narrowed as he recognized the
reporter
he said the man’s name
sporty lewis
jim remembered what lewis had written
about his fight with tommy lafrin
he repeated the reporter’s words to
himself
lauferin destroyed the unskilled new
jersey fighter
the fight was a funeral with the body
still breathing
lewis saw the look in jim’s eyes and
stopped smiling
i don’t fight the fights braddock
i just write about them
jim stepped up to sporty toe to toe and
eye to eye
save that garbage for your readers
he said
suddenly the door opened and an official
pointed at jim
it’s time
he said
jim left the room keeping his eyes on
sporty lewis’s
sporty stared after him pale and shaken
that guy he said to the official
what a loser
minutes later sporty was back in his
seat by the side of the boxing ring a
young reporter next to him asked
who’s jim braddock
get your pencil out kid
sporty lewis said
i have your story for you
the walk from the changing room to the
ring was the only time tonight that jim
braddock was seen on his feet
in this corner
corn griffin
griffin jumped to the center of the ring
and lifted his thick arms above his head
the tall young boxer wore a confident
smile on his face
he was young and powerful a natural
heavyweight with long arms and a big
punch
and in this corner from new jersey jim
braddock
the crowd were silent
when the bell rang griffin came out
punching hard and fast braddock danced
and dodged doing everything possible to
keep away from corn’s powerful punches
after 30 seconds braddock decided that
this fight was a bad idea
his opponent had trained hard and was
ready to fight
he timed his jabs and punches to
braddock’s body perfectly
jim’s only goal now was to finish the
fight without getting hurt
he had to be able to work at the docks
the next day
suddenly a big left-hand punch from
griffin hit braddock on the side of the
head
he went down
as he lay there the clocks seemed to
stop
one
two
three
counted the referee
braddock tried to get to his feet
four
five
six
braddock was on one knee but the referee
continued counting
get up and use your left
gould called to his fighter
finally braddock stood
the referee walked over to him and
checked his eyes and the cut in his
mouth
it’s finished braddock
he said
braddock looked across the ring at his
opponent and joked
he doesn’t look so bad
but the referee began to lift his hand
to end the fight
jim held his arm with two gloved hands
please
let me fight
the referee paused looking hard at jim
and then he stepped to the side
the fight could continue
griffin was waiting to continue his
attack
braddock answered one punch with a
left-hand jab
it didn’t hurt griffin but jim was
surprised that he could throw a
left-hand punch at all
in the second round griffin continued to
chase braddock around the ring
the young fighter wanted to win by a
knockout and jim had to keep moving to
dodge corn’s punches
at the end of the round jim sat heavily
in his corner
joe poured water in the fighter’s mouth
when it ran out again into the waiting
bucket it was pink with blood
jim hardly heard his manager’s words
though they were screamed into his face
he’s half a step behind you
shouted joe
move to the side and see what happens
hit him with two jabs and then the big
punch
the bell rang for the third round
braddock moved out of his corner slowly
griffin came out punching
remembering gould’s advice braddock
moved his shoulders to one side
griffin didn’t see the move and braddock
hit him with a right that sent griffin
to the floor
the referee started counting
that’s it
screamed gould
the little manager started to dance and
throw punches in the air
three
the referee’s count continued
joe’s eyes shining with happiness and
surprise
met gems
where have you been jimmy braddock
griffin was back on his feet
but now jim was the one moving with
confidence
braddock rushed forward throwing punch
after punch
gould was screaming
that’s it
send him home
send him back south or wherever he comes
from
the punches didn’t stop
they fell like rain on the soup line
like snow on the newark docks
finally braddock delivered a hard right
punch and stepped away
the crowd just watched as griffin fell
forward
he landed on the floor and stayed there
in the silence that followed
jim saw sporty lewis next to the ring
the reporter’s eyes were big with
surprise
the next second
the crowd went
wild
i can’t believe it
the radio announcer was saying
corn griffin the number two challenger
for the heavyweight title has been
knocked out by jim braddock in the third
round
before he left the dressing room with
joe gould
jim finished the bowl of food
imagine what i could do if i had steak
he joked
on the way out
they paused to watch the end of the
evening’s main event
the heavyweight champion of the world
primo carnera was defending his title
against a strong young boxer called max
bear
bear’s punch was so powerful that he had
once killed a man in the ring
this was the fight the crowd had really
come to see
in the last round of the fight
max bear’s powerful punches were falling
on carnera without end
carnero fell to the floor
imagine a punch like that hitting you
joe said
carnera was an enormous man but bear was
much faster
all night he had danced and dodged
carner’s fists
now
carnero was bloody and beaten as he got
to his feet holding the rope with one
glove bear just laughed at the defending
champion
knocking away his weak punches easily
primo carnera has been knocked down 11
times
the radio announcer was saying
and max bear looks sure that he will be
the next champion
carnera moved his tired body toward his
opponent for a final attack
the challenger waited patiently with an
ugly smile on his handsome face
when carnera reached the center of the
ring
bear decided to end the fight
throwing punch after punch at the
champion
it was so terrible
that even joe couldn’t watch
chapter 8
a second chance
jim stepped out of the car in front of
his apartment house
are you sure you won’t come in and say
hello
he asked
are you still married to the same girl
asked joe
jim gave the usual answer
i was the last time i looked
joe smiled
good night jimmy
the car drove off and jim stood outside
the building
the braddocks had sold their radio so
may and the kids didn’t know the result
of tonight’s fight
the door opened and jay
howard and rosie looked up at him with
hopeful faces
may stood silently
i won
he said the children screamed and rushed
toward him
rosie pulled on his arm
daddy daddy
you have to see what i got you
she ran to the icebox
put it on your eyes she said pushing a
thick steak into her father’s hands
jim looked at the meat
where did you get this
they all went to the butcher shop said
may
i try to take it back
but the butcher says he gave it to her
it’s a steak
said rosie
it’ll fix your face
jim held the thick steak up you could
almost smell it
here at cooking
he went down on his knees to speak to
his daughter
fight her to fight her
rosie
we have to eat this
but rosie shouted
no
you have to put it on your face
jim knew that it was useless to argue
he laid back and placed the cool stake
across his eyes
he waited a few seconds and then lifted
one edge of the meat
jay turned to his mother
do the announcer’s voice mom
come on may
said jim with a smile
to the announcer
may’s voice became loud
introducing the holder of the amateur
title for light heavyweight and
heavyweight from new jersey the future
heavyweight champion of the world
james j braddock
these last words were shouted
the kids went wild
laughing and jumping around the room
jim took the steak from his face
this really worked he told his daughter
let’s eat
he crossed to the stove and started
cooking the meat
soon the sound and the delicious smell
filled the apartment
jim
they whispered
is it really just one fight
or are they letting you back in
jim kissed her
head it was just the one fight
relief swept through may
as she went to the stove to get the
steak
she said silent thanks that her husband
would never step inside the ring again
the early morning walk to the docks was
the same as usual but jim felt different
his body ached but his steps were
quicker than they had been in months he
joined the group of men at the fence
finally the foreman jake appeared and
began pointing to men
six
seven
eight
jake’s eyes past jim
then returned to him
the foreman said jim’s name and
everybody turned to look
nine
jim closed his eyes in relief
as he passed through the gate jake said
to him
i listened to the fight last night
he took out his newspaper
jim’s eyes ran over the words
braddock knockout over griffin in three
jim shook his head
not believing it
a few men crowded round to hear what he
had to say
they seemed surprised that he had come
to work today
it was one night only explained jim
my share was 125 dollars we had bills of
120 to pay that left me with five
dollars
jake laughed
that makes you a rich man
then he said seriously
good fight
jim could see that these men around him
with their old clothes and tired faces
had found hope watching him fight
he had fought something real something
he could see
they all wished for that chance
he joined his partner mike
words weren’t necessary
the two picked up their hooks and began
to work moving the heavy sacks
why didn’t you tell me you were gonna
win again
said mike
i didn’t put any money on you
mike smiled
but it wasn’t the smile jim remembered
he was tired
less happy
come on
mike said
talk me through that last round
jim started describing the events of the
last round again
since the cast had come off his arm he
worked with both hands without thinking
he moved the hook to his left hand and
continued working with smooth strong
movements
a week later mae was walking back from
the stores with rosie when she saw a
shiny new car drive away from their
apartment house
joe gould’s car
she found jim standing in the yard
behind the building
he looked so happy
so handsome and confident in the sun
with his square chin and his bright eyes
up to the blue sky
then he turned
and mae felt her heart stop
she saw it in his eyes
the old excitement
joe was here
said jim
he thinks they’ll let me box again
it was hard for me to speak
you said it was one fight
it’s my chance may
to make you and the kids proud
may fought to control her fear and anger
i
am proud
and grateful but what would we do if
something bad happened to you
something worse than a broken hand so
you couldn’t work
she couldn’t even tell her worst fear
what will happen if you’re killed
what would happen to us
demanded may
to the children
we’re hardly managing now
jim shook his head sadly
he waved a hand at the broken building
the empty yard
couldn’t she see
he was already killing himself and for
what a few coins at the end of a long
day’s work
i have to do better than i’m doing
he replied
may stepped closer
things are better now
please jim
he wanted to take her in his arms
but he stopped himself
he had to think about the family’s
future
the strength was clear in his voice
i can still take a few punches
at least in the ring you know who’s
hitting you
may felt helpless as she watched him
walk to the building’s dark back door
this isn’t over james braddock
she promised
the next morning jim left early for the
gym
may left the apartment house too
she took the kids to her sister’s house
and then she crossed the hudson river to
new york city
she was going to the small part of the
city known as the upper east side
it was an area of beautiful houses
expensive apartment buildings and fine
hotels
some of the richest people in the
country lived on the blocks along the
city’s central park
two streets away the buildings weren’t
quite so beautiful
but they were still home to wealthy
people
in front of each apartment building a
uniform doorman stood guard
when she reached the tall building she
looked up trying to guess how many
floors it had
she went through the beautiful entrance
hall to the elevator
on the 15th floor she moved down the
line of doors
she knocked on one and called politely
open the door joe
there was no answer
she tried again
and again
but nobody came to the door
joe
open this door now
they shouted
you’re not going to hide in your
expensive apartment while you turn my
husband into a punching bag
i won’t let you get him hurt again
the door opened
you’d better come in
said joe gould
as she pushed past him
may’s anger died
she had expected the manager’s home to
be beautiful
but she looked around now at a
completely empty apartment
minutes later she sat on a camping chair
drinking tea with joe and his wife
lucille
she hadn’t expected this friendly
welcome
sorry said joe pointing to the door
people have to think you’re doing well
i thought said may
that’s the plan
said joe touching his fine brown suit
show people you’re doing well
even if you’re not
we sold the last of the furniture last
week
he continued
so jimmy could train
why
they asked
sometimes you see something in a fighter
something to hope for
answer joe
jimmy’s what i hope for
may shook her head
this is crazy
you don’t even know if you can get him a
fight do you
i’ll get him a fight joe said
if it’s the last thing i do
chapter nine
not the same guy
the gym owner joe jeannette looked
pleased
you’ve been training jimmy
i’ve been working joe not training
show me what work you did
i was lifting sacks at the dock explain
jim
we used a hug
like this
he showed the movement
that’s the perfect punching exercise
said jeanette
you’ve been getting a powerful left hand
and you didn’t even know it
in the next few weeks braddock trained
hard
after all those months of hard work it
was like a vacation to train with
jeanette
but the trainer pushed him hard
every week there were new exercises new
skills to learn and practice
while braddock worked at the gym
joe gould was busy in other ways
at madison square garden he walked into
jimmy johnston’s office and sat down
you’re going to arrange a fight between
jim braddock and john henry luis
johnston looked up from the papers he
was signing
now why would i do that
joe smiled confidently
lewis is number two in line to fight for
the heavyweight title and he’s already
beaten braddock once before
so put braddock against lewis
if lewis wins your boy has had a good
practice fight before his next opponent
and you make some money
if by some chance
braddock beats lewis
you have a people’s favorite which means
you make more money
whatever happens
you’re richer with braddock back in the
ring
gould sat back
so what do you say
as soon as he got an answer
joe rushed back to the gym
i got you a fight
he told jim from the ropes
you’re going to fight john henry lewis
again
jim climbed out of the ring
i could kiss you
joe took a step back
please don’t
the manager became suddenly serious
i won’t lie jimmy you’re in this fight
because you meet
but if you win it i can get you another
one
if you win the next
then everything changes
jim understood
he turned toward the heavy punching bag
jimmy
joe called
jim turned and saw the old fire in his
manager’s eyes
win
said joe
it was the afternoon before the fight
jim was still at home
i know this isn’t what you wanted
he said softly to me
but i can’t win if you don’t support me
may put the pile of clean clothes down
and stepped up to her husband
i always support you she whispered
while their parents were kissing the
three children took their chance to run
out of the apartment
they walked through the small crowd that
stood outside the building
soon they stood again in the butcher
shop
what can i do for you today
sam the butcher asked
my dad’s fighting a man who beat him
badly once before
said rosie anxiously
what kind of stakes do you have
down the block jim stepped out of the
apartment house and was met by a small
crowd of neighbors
we’re all supporting you
said an old man
take him down jim
cried another
suddenly a familiar face appeared in
front of jim
mike wilson
they shook hands
i put some money on you
mike said
mike everybody expects lewis to win
said jim
but mike just gave a confident smile
do you need some help in your corner he
asked
jim shook his head
i have my regular guys for that
you know how it is mike
mike’s shoulders dropped but he tried to
laugh sure i do jim
now go and win the fight
the powerful jab pushed braddock back
against the ropes
john henry lewis was a young black boxer
with quick hands and a lot of skill
his perfectly timed combinations of
punches pushed jim onto the ropes again
lewis is here to repeat his win over
braddock
said the radio announcer for three
rounds the two fighters danced around
the ring
looking for the other man’s weak areas
then in the fourth round the fight
became serious
the fighters went toe to toe refusing to
step back
in his corner at the end of the round
lewis looked confused
you beat this guy easily last time
his manager screamed
louis just shook his head
he isn’t the same guy
in the opposite corner gould checked
braddock’s face
the boxer was tired and breathing hard
his body covered with sweat
he’s even faster than i remember
said jim
gould spoke into the boxer’s ear
he’s fast but he’ll be slower after a
few more punches
watch him he always moves to the right
both fighters started round five like
mad animals
leather gloves flew and neither man
backed away
suddenly braddock hit his opponent with
a powerful cross and lewis was down on
one knee when the fight continued lewis
wasn’t able to protect himself
letting braddock knock him back onto the
ropes
in the end the judges gave the fight to
braddock
some sports reporters said that he
deserved to win
others said he had just hit louis with a
few lucky punches
as joe gould gave jim his share of the
prize money he said
take care of yourself
our luck has changed
i’m sure of it
a month later in december 1934
jimmy johnston made the announcement
that joe gould expected
he was going to organize fights among
the top heavyweight boxers
finally one man would be chosen to fight
the champion max bear for the
heavyweight title
johnston had several boxers in mind but
braddock wasn’t one of them
he didn’t think that braddock was lucky
he was good
johnston didn’t want the new jersey
boxer to stop another of his young stars
but gould refused to take no for an
answer
again and again he went to johnston’s
office trying to get a fight for his man
how about a fight with art lasky he
tried
at first johnson refused
but after hearing how confident lasky’s
people were he changed his mind
braddock’s next fight was going to be
with art lasky
he was a young fighter from minnesota
who had won a few fights in the west
he wasn’t as fast as lewis
but he was big and strong
the lasky fight started well for
braddock in the early rounds his
opponent couldn’t get past braddock’s
gloves
the boxer from minnesota took a lot of
punishment and soon his nose was bloody
everything changed in the fifth round
lasky started hitting braddock with
punch after punch to the body
fighting with new confidence he took the
next few rounds from the new jersey man
in the eleventh round braddock found
himself back on the ropes as lasky’s
fists flew at him
art lasky is ending the story of jim
braddock’s second chance in boxing
said the radio announcer
a big punch hit the side of braddock’s
head and his mouth guard flew out
the crowd waited for braddock to drop
instead
he stood there eye to eye with lasky
then he calmly walked over and picked up
his mouth guard
i can’t believe my eyes said the
announcer braddock just took lasky’s
best punch and it had no effect on him
braddock was a different fighter after
that he fought from a distance throwing
jabs at lasky’s bloody face
in the 15th round braddock’s glove hit
the other man’s nose
blood
this is unbelievable
shouted the radio announcer
nothing can stop braddock now
as lasky moved with increasing
difficulty braddock hit him with a
combination of punches it sent him into
the ropes at the side of the ring
those ropes were the only thing that
kept lasky on his feet
and the winner is
james j
braddock
the shouts of the crowd reached the
streets outside
by radio they reached across the country
they were heard in branson missouri
where ansel hoffman ran to another room
in the hotel he was staying in
he knocked at the door urgently
max baier the heavyweight champion of
the world opened the door and looked
down angrily at hoffman
jim braddock just beat lasky said the
champion’s manager
he’s the number one challenger for your
title
bear replied with an ugly smile
the guy’s a loser he said
tell johnston to find somebody who can
fight back
then he shut the door in ansel’s face
chapter 10
night in the park
the streets around madison square garden
were quiet but as soon as jim stepped
outside a crowd of around 50 men closed
in around him and joe
they were very different from the crowd
that had waited after the griffiths
fight years ago
these men looked tired and hungry
but when they saw jim braddock
hope lit up their faces and they stood
taller
just sign your name for a few
said joe with a smile
i’ll leave them wanting more
no joe
tonight i signed them all
jim moved among the crowd shaking hands
and signing his name and talking for
over an hour
joe did most of the talking on the drive
to new jersey
when they reached the apartment building
jim opened the door
good night
joe haven’t you forgotten something
asked joe
he reached into his coat for jim’s share
of the prize money
he began to explain how he had decided
on the amount
i trust you joe
said jim
and may trusts you too
joe pushed the money into the fighter’s
hand and waved good night
when jim entered the little apartment
he put some of the cash in the jar on
the shelf
he put the rest in a white envelope
jim didn’t sleep much that night and he
left the apartment before may and the
children woke up
the sidewalks were empty as he walked to
the center of town
he joined the line inside the relief
office and waited patiently
finally he stepped up to the counter and
nodded at the woman
he gave her the white envelope
the woman was confused when she looked
at the cash
so
you’re giving us the money back
on the way home
jim bought 12 roses from may
they were very expensive but he wanted
to apologize for not waking her to tell
her about the lasky fight
he hadn’t wanted to celebrate until he
had paid back the money to the relief
office
but when he got home
it wasn’t the time for celebrating
mike wilson’s wife sarah was sitting on
the sofa with her baby girl in her arms
her eyes were red from crying
mike’s gone
said may seriously
it’s been three days now
about a week after you left the docs gym
the foreman stopped picking him for work
cried sarah
i went to stay with my brother
there wasn’t room for mike so he’s been
sleeping in central park
sarah looked straight at jim
he said he was gonna do some work for
you
we were gonna meet last night but mike
never came
silently may pointed at the jar that
contained their money
jim nodded
listen sarah you and me go and get
something for the baby’s cough
but sarah was crying
something’s wrong i know it is
jim moved toward the front door
i’ll go and find him
hours later jim entered central park
as the sun sank he knew that the
enormous park wasn’t as empty as it
looked
since the crash of 1929
tens of thousands of new yorkers were
living in cars or on the streets
or in the subway
a lot of people had started living in
central park
some of them built huts or tents from
any materials they could find
others slept wherever they could
they ate any food they could find or
catch or steal
jim had heard that there had been a lot
of sheep in central park
most have been moved away
now as he searched for mike
jim saw park workers guiding the last
sheep into enormous wagons
jim watched until a policeman on a horse
waved at him to move away
the shadows became longer as night came
and soon trash can fires were the only
lights in the park
jim went deeper into the park past huts
and tents
the sound of wet coughs filled the air
mike
mike wilson
he called
suddenly
two running policemen shouted at him to
get out of the way
he looked to see where they were going
and saw a crowd of people around several
policemen on horses
jim heard angry shouts and saw flames
he ran to the crowd and had to push his
way through a wall of people to reach
the center
a group of men had fought the police
here
turning one of the sheep wagons over and
burning huts
the police were in control again and
were guiding the men away like sheep
there were two policemen on horses near
jim
we were just trying to move the sheep
one of them told the other
but one of these guys started shouting
at us he
he was angry very political
then they attacked us
jim closed his eyes and remembered all
mike’s angry talk
he knew this must be mike
he began looking for his friend among
all the fallen men on the grass
he got closer to the wagon that lay on
its side
a guy tried to free the sheep a
policeman was saying
the horses were scared and the wagon
turned over
there was someone with his legs under
the enormous wheels of the wagon
a group of men lifted the wagon up and
that’s when jim realized that there was
a second man under the wagon
lying in a pool of blood
it was mike
jim’s friend wasn’t dead yet
jim moved the hair from mike’s eyes
did you win
mike asked
his voice was soft and filled with pain
jim nodded
you’re going to be okay mike
he said
mike managed a weak nod
i know it
but in the cold and dark of new york
central park
as the smoke from the burning huts blew
over them and took away the last of the
light
both men knew that this wasn’t true
few people came to mike’s funeral
it was a work day and most people
couldn’t afford to lose a day’s money
only jim and may braddock and their
three children stood with sarah wilson
and her baby daughter as mike’s body was
put into the ground
jim spoke of mike’s love for his family
his wife
he didn’t say what he felt
that mike’s death was a waste a stupid
unnecessary waste
jim understood why people got angry
but mike’s anger hadn’t helped his wife
for his daughter
jim wished he had known how bad things
had become for his friend
he couldn’t forget how kind mike had
been to him when he started working at
the dogs
mae’s attention was on sarah whose eyes
were far away
she seemed to be staring into the long
future that waited for her without her
husband
as she looked at sarah
part of may wondered if she was looking
into a mirror of her own future
maybe not today or tomorrow
but one day
she might lose jim
chapter 11
face to face with the champion
madison square garden march 24th
1935
jim braddock and joe gould smiled for
the cameras
then it was time for the reporter’s
questions
jim do you have anything to say to our
readers
not everybody gets a second chance
answer jim
he looked at me who sat at the front in
a new yellow dress smiling nervously
i have a lot to be grateful for
a second reporter stood
can you tell our readers why you gave
your relief money back
jim nodded
this great country of ours helps a man
when he’s in trouble
i’ve had some good luck so i thought i’d
return the money
another reporter stood
max bear says that he’s worried he’s
gonna kill you in the ring what do you
say
mei looked down at her hands
jim looked a reporter in the eye
max bear is the champion he said
i’m looking forward to the fight
the next question was from a familiar
face
sporty lewis stood and turned toward may
mrs braddock
how do you feel about the fact that max
bear has killed two men in the ring
mae could find no words
mrs braddock are you scared for your
husband’s life
continued louis
a camera appeared in front of mei’s face
jim jumped to his feet
she scared for max bear he shouted
joe gould lifted his arms like a referee
okay okay
one more question
while jim answered the last question his
eyes searched for may
she refused to look up
not wanting him to see the doubts and
fear in her eyes
when jim braddock and joe gould entered
madison square gardens boxing club
jimmy johnston was waiting for them
the rich powerful businessman waved a
newspaper at the fighter and his manager
it says here that this fight is as good
as murder
johnston said stepping close up to
braddock
this
is my business and i’m going to protect
myself
you will know exactly what bear can do
before you get in that ring
a door opened and a small man in a suit
entered the room
this was johnson’s lawyer and he was
followed by a secretary
johnston went to a machine and began to
show a film
it showed two boxers getting ready to
fight
one was max bear
johnston said the other man’s name
that’s frankie campbell
a good fighter who knows how to take a
punch
the fight began johnston turned to
braddock
is campbell’s style familiar jim
it’s like looking in a mirror isn’t it
he doesn’t need to see this
complain joe
he’ll see it or there’ll be no fight
johnston warned
on the film campbell stepped forward
with a good left jab almost as good as
jim’s
bear blocked it easily and hit back with
his right
the punch was too fast to see and it had
a strange terrible power
campbell just stood there in confusion
with his gloves down by his side
the second punch hit the side of his
head and then campbell was down his legs
wide his eyes open but seeing nothing
it was the second punch that killed him
said johnston
you’ve warned us
said joe now stop the film
no said jim surprising both joe and
johnston
show it again
when the lights were back on johnston
stared at jim
remember ernie shaft
he was a good fighter
ernie took one of bear’s punches on the
chin
he was dead and didn’t know it
in his next fight the first jab killed
him
he sat back in his chair
do you want to think about this fight
jim hid his hands on the desk angrily
do you think you’re telling me something
i don’t know
he shouted
how many guys died because they didn’t
have enough food or because they had to
work long hours and dangerous jobs to
feed their families
i thought about it as much as i’m going
to
ok then
johnston looked away
why don’t you both eat here tonight with
your wives
the fight organizer smiled but there was
something about the look in his eyes the
gym didn’t trust
later that day the two men returned to
the club’s restaurant with their wives
the four eight talked and laughed as a
piano played quietly in the corner
after the meal joe pulled a newspaper
out of his pocket
he turned to the sports pages and began
to read
jim braddock is back from the dead to
give hope to every american
jim was surprised
who wrote that
sporty lewis
the newspaper is calling you the
cinderella man
cinderella man
jim didn’t look happy
cinderella was a children’s story
wasn’t cinderella the girl who had to
stay at home and clean while her sisters
went to a wonderful party at the palace
i like it said may squeezing his hand
suddenly an enormous man with two young
women on his arms walked in through the
front door
conversations died around the room
the man had thick black hair and the
brightest blue eyes
he was wearing an expensive white jacket
but he looked dangerous
as usual all eyes in the room turned to
him
this
was max bear
jim turned to his manager
do you think johnston planned this
he asked angrily
joe nodded
sure
more pictures for the papers
physically bear was the perfect boxer
he had a narrow waist
wide shoulders strong legs and long arms
he was young too at 26 three years
younger than jim
and he had the strongest punch joe gould
had ever seen probably the strongest
punch in the history of boxing
joe knew that there were ways to beat
the champion
his right hand punch was so powerful
that he hadn’t really worked on
improving his left hand
but joe couldn’t forget the sight of
bear destroying primo carnera
the big italian had been knocked down 11
times in that fight
joe’s attention moved away from bear
when a waiter arrived with a bottle of
wine and four glasses
from the gentleman at the bar
mr bear said i should wish you good luck
jim looked at me
the blood had run from her face leaving
her pale with worry he stood
get the coats joe
then he began walking toward the bar
bear gave a big smile when he saw jim
coming
look
it’s the cinderella man
he shouted
jim stood toe to toe with the champion
you keep saying in the newspapers that
you’re gonna kill me in the ring
i have three little kids
you’re upsetting my family
bear moved closer
his voice was quiet as he said
listen to me braddock
i’m asking you not to take this fight
and people admire you
you seem like a nice guy and i don’t
want to hurt you
it’s no joke
they’re calling you the cinderella man
well
people die in children’s stories all the
time
suddenly a small crowd of reporters and
photographers ran into the club
bear turned to face the cameras and
smiled
his voice was loud again as he started
performing for the cameras
if you’re smart
you’ll fall over in the first round
he told jim
jim’s eyes met bears
i think i’ll try for a few rounds
he said
bear noticed me standing behind jim now
you should talk to him he said
you’re much too pretty to lose your
husband
jim squeezed his fist into a ball ready
to attack
but bear continued to look at may
maybe i can take care of you after he’s
gone
this time joe gould jumped waving his
fists at the champion
jim pulled him back
may stepped up to the bar
bear’s bright blue eyes followed her as
she picked up his drink then threw it in
his face
bear just laughed as he dried his face
did you get that boys he said to the
reporters
braddock has his wife fighting for him
jim stepped up to max bear
the two boxers were nose to nose
then jim turned took his wife’s hand and
led her away
as they left
the sound of bear laughing followed them
into the street
chapter 12
the big day
keep your head down and give me a
combination
left right left
jim was teaching jay and howard how to
box
jay threw out a right fist and lifted
his chin
jim reached forward and gently hit his
son’s chin
don’t take your eyes off your opponent
he said
that’s enough now said may from the
kitchen sink
jim looked at his boys proudly
there’s more than one fighter in the
braddock family
as the two boys continue to box they
knocked over a chair
they turned
i said that’s enough
she cried
no boxing in the house
she pointed at her two sons
you’re going to stay in school
then college
you’re going to have professions
you are not going to have your heads
broken in the boxing ring
is that clear
the boys froze
before they could reply
may ran out of the apartment
she stood outside
she could still hear sporty lewis’s
words in her head
max bear has killed two men in the ring
she didn’t turn when she heard jim’s
steps
when you boxed before
sometimes i hoped that you would get
hurt just enough so you couldn’t fight
again
i always knew a day would come when a
fight could kill you
and now it’s here
she looked her husband in the eye
why
why fight him
this is what i know how to do
said jim simply
may waited for jim to take her in his
arms
to say that he had changed his mind
but he didn’t
part of him wished that he could but it
was impossible
she didn’t understand how it felt for
men like jim or mike wilson
strong hardworking men who were told
that they were useless
there were thousands of people like this
now
and they found hope in the fighter they
called the cinderella man
jim had to fight for them
may’s fear turned to anger
i supported you until now
she said
but not for this jim
i just can’t
her voice went cold
you find a way out of this fight
break your hand again if you have to
but if you leave this apartment to fight
max bear
i won’t support you
as the day of the fight grew closer max
bear helped reporters fill their sports
pages
his latest demand was that there must be
an ambulance outside madison square
garden ready to rush jim to a local
hospital after bear hit him jim
just continued training
joe jeannette chose good partners for
him to work with in the ring
each one helped jim improve one skill
one partner helped him work on his hand
speed another partner allowed him to
practice dodging big punches
another helped him move around the ring
quickly
jim joe and jeanette also watched film
of bears fights for hours every day
watch him
said jeanette pointing
his punches are strong but
you can see them coming
with just a few weeks to go braddock’s
training became even harder
joe and jeanette started changing his
boxing partners more and more often
so jim fought a fresh fighter every
round
one of the newspaper sports pages
included something that joe had said
braddock is going to be really prepared
for this fight if he lives through
training
joe laughed when he read that
until his wife reminded him that may
braddock would read it too
finally the big day arrived
when joe gould arrived at the gym that
morning
jim was sitting alone with a jacket
tight around his chest
what’s wrong with him
the manager asked joe jeannette
jeanette shook his head
he’s fitter than ever but he’s old
his ribs aren’t strong since the lasky
fight
gould already knew about the problem
with jim’s ribs but he thought there was
something else wrong
gould knew that jim’s wife wasn’t happy
about his profession and about this
fight especially
but whatever the problem was
there was no time to solve it now
the fight was just hours away
the reporters will be here soon
he told jim
take off that jacket or bear will see
that you have a rib problem
jim climbed into the training ring as a
crowd of sports writers rushed into the
room
he worked hard but he still wanted to
train more after the last reporter had
gone
joe jeannette refused
go home and get some rest
you’ll be working hard enough in the
ring tonight
so jim went home
he returned to a house that was empty
except for may
she stood silently looking at the
newspaper
world champion fight tonight
many worry for braddock’s life
without a word
she turned and walked away
as the morning became afternoon jim lay
in bed unable to sleep
a taxi came from at four o’clock
may followed jim outside or a small
crowd of neighbors was waiting
come home with that title
knock him out
jim kissed his three children
and his eyes met maize
i can’t win if you don’t support me
he said
then don’t go jimmy
time seemed to stretch with each of them
waiting for the other to say something
then may turned and pulled the children
close to her
jim watched as she pushed her way back
through the crowd
then he climbed into the waiting taxi
the taxi drove past the tall buildings
of manhattan then crossed the east river
jim was silent
running the films of bears fights
through his head remembering jeanette’s
advice
anything to help him forget the look on
may’s face as he left
they reached the madison square garden
bowl and jim looked out at the waiting
crowd
he could see that these people had known
hard times
but there was something else too a
bright look in their eyes
hope
jim saw his own face in the glass of the
car window
he had beaten tuffy griffiths so
confidently
but that man was gone forever he passed
his hat hopelessly around the boxing
club
but that man was gone too
no
he was looking now at the face of every
man who had ever been beaten down by
hard times but refused to stop fighting
that’s when jim knew
no matter what happened tonight
he wouldn’t give up
he would die trying
it was a hot day and getting hotter
jim sat in his dressing room waiting to
go out and be weighed
come on champion
said joe gould when there was a knock on
the door
wait a minute
said jim
the last time i looked i was the
challenger not the champion
i know what i said
replied joe
on his way to the weighing room max bear
had seen an old trainer who had worked
with him years before
there were angry words and bear hid out
of the man cameras recorded the attack
when there was peace in the room again
officials and reporters watched the two
boxers being weighed
it was very hot in the crowded room
max bear went first
stepping up with his fists above his
head and an ugly smile on his face
95 and a half kilograms
the judge announced
then it was jim’s turn
86 and a half kilograms
max bear was waiting for him when he
stepped down
how does the story go
said bear loud enough for all the
reporters to hear
the clock strikes midnight and then
cinderella loses her skirt
people laughed and more photos were
taken but jim didn’t care
he would have the chance to reply later
in the ring
he went back to his dressing room to get
ready for the fight
max bear returned to his dressing room
his trainer was waiting with something
for the champion to watch
a film of braddock’s fight against art
lasky
look
right there said the trainer as lasky
hit braddock in the ribs clearly hurting
him
braddock’s ribs are weak
if you can hit them with a few good jabs
you’ll really hurt him
i don’t need to
answer bear
i can knock this loser down anytime
i just need to give the crowd a good
show before i kill him
bear’s manager ansel hoffman came into
the room
did you get it
asked the champion
hoffman nodded
the ambulance is waiting outside
there’s a doctor there too
max looked in the mirror
that’s all i can do for him
now braddock’s on his own
may spent the rest of the day at her
sister’s house
as the children played she and alice sat
and talked but they didn’t discuss the
real reason for may’s visit
as the afternoon shadows grew longer
may became quieter
at five o’clock she stood
no radio alice
she said
i’ll be back soon
may walk through the empty streets of
newark until she came to the family’s
church
father rorick stood at the door
there were crowds inside
father
they asked confused by the crowd
i came to say a few words in church for
jim
all these people are doing the same
said the priest
they think jim’s fighting for them
may looked at the crowd again
all of these people were beaten down by
hard times
they admired her husband
if he could fight and win
maybe they could
yes
i understand now
said may
she turned and hurried down the street
she could hear radios through open
windows and doors
everybody was getting ready to listen to
the fight
at the docks in homes and bars
in sam the butchers
beyond newark too across the country
people wanted the cinderella man to win
they wanted him to become the prince
the king
the champion
joe gould was taping jim’s hands in the
dressing room
they could hear the sound of the crowd
beyond
suddenly there was a knock on the door
in a small familiar shape stood there
it was may
excuse me for a minute
said joe
he left closing the door behind him
finally may spoke
you can’t win if i don’t support you
i keep telling you that
said jim
may handed him a brown paper bag
i thought it was going to rain so i used
the money in the rainy day jar
jim opened the bag and stared at the new
pair of boxing shoes inside
maybe i understand
may’s eyes shone
the two kissed and smiling through her
tears
may said
i always support you jimmy just you
remember who you are
you’re everybody’s hope and your kids
hero
and you’re the champion of my heart
james j braddock
it was almost fight time
see at home okay may whispered as she
moved to the door
please jimmy
jim nodded
see at home
chapter 13
the hopes of the crowd
madison square garden bowl long island
city new york
june 13
1935
as jim braddock stepped out into the
bright lights
the crowd became silent
the rings seemed so far away
between him and it were thousands of
people
jim’s people
he knew the looks on their faces
people who saw no chance of a future
some had spent their last dollar to be
here but tonight they all held their
heads high
their eyes followed him with the wild
hope that the story of the cinderella
man would have a happy ending
it was the strangest walk to the ring
jim had ever made
as he passed people got to their feet
they smiled and nodded and waved at
their hero
but they were still silent
finally someone called his name and the
shout broke the silence for everybody
the whole crowd thirty five thousand
people began to shout
and the noise went up to the star-filled
sky
may sister alice was looking for jay
howard and rosie to call them to supper
there was no sign of the children
were they hiding
she was going to look outside when she
heard a sound from the closet under the
stairs
all three children were sitting around a
radio
they looked up at their aunt and alice
knew that she couldn’t stop them without
saying a word
she sat down next to the children and
listened to the announcer on the radio
i don’t know if you can hear me the
announcer was shouting
i can’t hear myself
the crowd is on its feet and the noise
is deafening
back in the madison square garden bowl
the crowd was silent again when they
realized that max bear was walking to
the ring
the champion felt the crowd’s fear
he enjoyed it
when he had climbed into the ring bear
ran around and accepted the crowds booze
with a confident smile on his face
the referee called the boxers and their
corner men
he said
when i say break step back immediately
and remember
he looked at jim
protect yourself at all times
as the fighters touch gloves bears
corner man held a gold watch in front of
braddock’s face
one minute to midnight cinderella
he laughed
the fighters returned to their corners
bears manager ansel hoffman whispered
final words of advice to the champion
but bear wasn’t interested
jim closed his eyes
finally the sound of the bell broke the
silence
and the fight began
round one
braddock came out fast and hard hoping
to surprise the champion
showing no fear he hit bear with a right
hand and then followed it with a left to
the body
the champion tried to punch back but
braddock danced away
on braddock’s next attack
bear was ready
his left fist hit braddock’s ribs hard
braddock’s answer was a combination of
punches
a long right to the face another right a
left and a final right to the chin
the champion knew now the braddock had a
good punch
but he refused to show any pain
calm down old man
bear laughed as the fighters held on to
each other
i’ll let the fight go a few rounds
as the bell rang bear knew that he had
lost the round on points but he didn’t
care
he was confident that he could end this
fight at any time with one punch
in the corner gould met braddock with a
big
smile did you see the look on bear’s
face when you hit him
jim took out his mouth guard
yes
he was laughing
so use your left hand to knock that
smile off his face
in the opposite corner ansel hoffman was
shouting but bear waved him away
i’ll kill him when i’m ready
you left jimmy joe said again
remember you left
round two
braddock came out with his fifths moving
at the start of the second round too
nobody expected this fight to go one
round
the radio announcer was saying
but it’s only reached round two because
bear is playing with braddock he’s
thrown almost no punches and he’s
laughing at the challenger
but soon bear started throwing more
punches aiming at braddock’s weak ribs
the strength of bear’s punches knocked
the breath out of him
the champion has really hurt the
challenger said the announcer
the crowd began to boo
that’s the right place
isn’t it old man
said bear
the referee separated the fighters at
the sound of the bell
one of braddock’s corner men worked on
the fighter’s cuts while the other gave
the boxer water
jim coughed it back up he needed air not
water
joe examined jim’s ribs
they’re not broken he said
not yet
across the ring bear was playing and
acting for the cameras
as he watched this jim realized that he
himself didn’t care about pleasing the
crowd now
he wasn’t even fighting bear
he was fighting to beat the thing that
had beaten him
he was fighting for his family’s future
round three
for the third time braddock came out
fast
he threw his punches at bear’s head but
the champion’s punches were aimed at his
opponent’s body
bear continued to hit braddock’s ribs
hard with both hands
he hit braddock with a low punch and the
referee warned the champion to keep his
fists up
before the fight started again gould saw
that braddock’s gloves were down by his
side but there was no time to shout a
warning
bear had seen it too
he hit the side of braddock’s head with
a big left hand punch
jim’s legs bent
he was clearly in terrible pain
was he going to fall
gould froze in fear
he thought about giving in ending the
fight
give him a chance joe
said the corner man
a few seconds later jim stood straighter
and reached for the ropes
bear couldn’t believe it
he attacked again but this time braddock
hit back with a long right then a left
jab that made bear’s head look like a
punching bag
that’s it
shouted gould jumping up and down
round four
from the start of the next round both
men stood toe-to-toe throwing jabs
braddock’s feet were quicker and his
punches more effective so bear started
aiming for the body again
after a few good punches to the ribs he
was sure that every breath caused
braddock terrible pain
the two men held each other again and
the referee called for them to break
but bear continued to hold braddock
dirty fighting
shouted ghouled angrily from the corner
i warned you the referee told bear
when i say break
you break
the crowd booed as bear finally stepped
back
he shook the sweat from his thick black
hair and held up his hands to apologize
out of the corner of his eye
he could see that braddock wasn’t
protecting himself
without warning bear turned and
delivered an enormous punch to
braddock’s ribs
to everybody’s surprise
especially bears
braddock replied with a combination of
left right punches before stepping back
round five
bear’s manager ansel hoffman couldn’t
understand it
the challenger’s ribs were in bad
condition but braddock was still
controlling the fight
jabbing bear again and again and tiring
him
the timing of the champion’s punches
wasn’t right and hoffman knew that he
was waiting for the chance to deliver
his big knockout punch
instead of tiring his opponent
but bear wasn’t able to hit braddock who
dodged and danced away skillfully
the champion was getting angry now
he hit braddock with an illegal backhand
punch as the referee separated the two
fighters
the referee warned bear
but the two men continue fighting before
holding on to each other again
step back
shouted the referee but the two men
didn’t let go
braddock hit the champion’s chin with
his head
the champion shouted in anger
he lifted braddock and threw him into
the ropes paying no attention to the
boos of the crowd
when the round was over hoffman shouted
angrily at bear
what are you doing
relax
the champion told him
i’ll relax
replied ansel
when we walk out of here with the title
round six
bear hit braddock with three good
punches in the first seconds of the
round
blood poured from the challenger’s nose
and mouth
but then suddenly it seemed to bear that
a train it hit him
it was braddock’s right hand and it hit
the champion on the chin with enormous
power
bear stepped back
fighting for air
but braddock gave him no space throwing
punch after punch with his left hand
one of them hit the champion just above
the eye
bear fought back but his aim wasn’t as
good as the challengers
his right eye began to close
for the first time in this fight bear
felt relief when the bell rang
he promised himself that he would end
the fight in the next round
even if he had to kill the cinderella
man to do it
round seven
as soon as the round began it was clear
that bear had a new attitude
joe gould could see it
the crowd could also feel the change
bear wanted to finish this fight now
but braddock wasn’t afraid
he met the champion in the middle of the
ring and the two fighters continued the
fight
bear hit braddock with several punches
to the body the last of these hit below
the belt
keep your punches up max
said braddock
bear smiled and delivered a combination
of punches to his opponent’s body and
head
is that up enough
braddock forced himself to smile through
the pain
that’s fine max
as the bell rang bear continued throwing
punches braddock hit back as hard as he
could but max bear
just laughed
i can’t believe this said the radio
announcer
everybody expected the champion to win
easily but now after the seventh round
neither fighter is ahead
either of them could win
chapter 14
the luckiest man
alice
the house seemed empty
may looked at the uneaten meal on her
sister’s kitchen table
then she heard noises from the closet in
the hall
they were all there may’s three children
and her sister listening to the fight on
the radio
the crowd was expecting big things from
champion max bear in the eighth round
the radio announcer was saying
but jim braddock refused to be beaten
rosie looked up and saw her mother
it’s the police
she said to the others
by the ninth round it was a fact that
braddock had fought better than anybody
expected continued the announcer
but some people were saying that bear
allowed this to happen
in the 10th round the champion was in
complete control of the fight
may reached to turn off the radio
jay’s eyes met hers
please mom
she looked into their hopeful faces and
knew that she couldn’t say no
but she refused to listen herself
without a word
she turned and walked away
as the eleventh round began
round 11
bear was mad as he rushed out
he chased braddock around the ring
throwing punches at the challenger
and then it came
bears big punch
the one that had killed two men
when it hit him braddock’s mind was in a
fog
he felt heavy and light at the same time
and his legs could only just support him
he felt the ropes on his back
suddenly a memory of his family came
into jim’s head
his wife and children
the reason why he was here
he let the rope support him for a few
seconds and then he pushed forward back
on his feet
bear
just stared at braddock
unable to believe that the challenger
had taken the punch and not be knocked
out
jim looked back into bear’s broken face
and smiled
for the rest of the round bear tried to
finish his opponent but his wild punches
missed
braddock hit back with a jab across
another jab
with each punch he felt his strength
returning
there was blood on bear’s face now
at the end of the round braddock’s
corner men worked urgently on the cut
under the fighter’s eye
joe gould seemed close to tears
jimmy
said his manager
win or lose
thanks joe
for all of it
jim lifted a bloody glove
now stop talking
round twelve
bears started the twelfth round still
trying to finish the fight with one big
punch but the challenger was faster and
dodged the punches
he slow
shouted gould from the corner
the crowd was shouting in both happiness
and fear
you’re right
it is a funeral shouted the young
reporter next to sporty lewis
max bear’s funeral
but lewis didn’t hear
he was on his feet shouting like
everybody else
the crowd shout was like a wave of noise
braddock bradduck bradduck
it was too much for max bear
he ran at braddock moving his fists fast
and hard
the punches hit the challenger the last
one below the belt
braddock bent over in pain as the round
ended
joe gould jumped over the ropes shouting
angrily at bear
the referee in the fight’s doctor had to
lift the little manager back out of the
ring
bear just stood in the center of the
ring
that low punch lasted around
the referee told him
bear waved him away and moved back to
his corner
ansel hoffman was waiting for him
you’re losing
are you listening to me
do you want to lose the title to this
nobody
at her sister’s house in new jersey may
had stopped pretending to herself that
she was reading the newspaper
that she wasn’t listening to the radio
she went back to the hall where the
others still sat listening
may hit around the corner so her
children couldn’t see her
she stood in the dark and listened to
the 13th and 14th rounds with growing
fear
at last when there was just one more
round in the fight she stepped out of
the shadows
rosie moved to the side
seat here mommy
mae joined her children
pale with worry she listened to the
announcer
it’s the 15th and final round the crowd
is shouting at braddock to stay away
because bear is looking for the knockout
but braddock is not staying away and
bear is delivering the biggest punches
of his life
may saw the fear now in her children’s
eyes
would their father come home tonight
but braddock is not only standing
he’s coming forward
round 15
in the ring
max bear and jim braddock were beaten
bloody and tired
they fought for air as they circled each
other looking for a chance to get past
their opponents defenses
bear’s fists flew and all of his punches
were strong enough to knock a man out
but they were wild and anxious
braddock remained on his feet
he kept coming forward bringing the
fight to bear
the final seconds of the fight seemed to
stretch forever
for the boxers the crowd seemed to
disappear
the referee the judges and the managers
were gone too
for each man there was only the other
fighter
braddock danced to the side and threw a
jab
bear saw his chance
he threw his famous right punch and hit
braddock right in the head
it knocked the challenger to the side
and now bear could hit him with the
second punch
silence fell over the crowd
was this the end
no
braddock turned and just managed to
dodge the next punch he hit back and the
two men were still throwing punches when
the final bell rang
the fight had ended
everybody waited to hear the fight
officials announce a winner it was clear
which fire the crowd wanted
braddock bradduck bradduck
minutes later braddock was still resting
on the ropes while the fight doctor
examined him and joe gould took his
boxing gloves off
i don’t like it
said joe
the judges had taken too long
a shadow fell across their corner
it was max bear who looked jim braddock
in the eye
you beat me
it doesn’t matter what they say
jim tried to find the right words
but bear was gone before he had a chance
to say them
at last the judges handed a small white
card to the fight announcer
he climbed over the ropes and moved to
the microphone in the middle of the ring
ladies and gentlemen
the winner
and new heavyweight champion of the
world
the rest of his words were lost in an
explosion of noise
the same noise filled the streets of
newark
people poured from their houses into the
streets to celebrate
they poured out of father rorick’s
church to join everybody else in an
unplanned street party
people laughed and cried with happiness
faces that looked old with worry became
suddenly young again
at her sister’s house
may’s cry cut the night as the family
celebrated
little rosie smiled proudly at her
mother
it’s the steak
she said
back at the madison square garden bowl
the crowd pushed forward for a better
look at the cinderella man
everybody wanted to shake his hand to
touch him to take home a little of his
magic for themselves
james j braddock stood in the center of
the ring with his arms lifted over his
head
tears poured from his eyes he listened
to the crowd shouts
but his heart was in another place
it was in a little new jersey apartment
where his wife and three children would
soon be waiting for him to come home
in the end
they were the reason why he was not only
the heavyweight champion of the world
but also the luckiest man in it
and so
james j braddock at the age of 29 became
the heavyweight champion of the world on
june 13th
1935
none of the judges disagreed with the
decision
for the public and the press
his win was one of the biggest surprises
in the history of the sport
most agreed that bear had been beaten by
a better boxer on the night
for two years braddock didn’t box again
finally a fight was arranged with joe
lewis the brown bomber from detroit
on june 22 1937
the two fighters met in chicago
by this time braddock was not as strong
or healthy as he had been
his left arm was very weak but he still
managed to knock lewis down in the first
round
by the fourth round joe lewis was
controlling the fight
according to braddock
after a couple of rounds
i knew i was in there with a great
fighter
the end came when lewis knocked braddock
out in the eighth round
when he hit me with that right
i just lay there
joe lewis later became one of the
greatest heavyweight title holders in
the history of boxing
james j braddock fought one more fight
after that in 1938 against a young boxer
from wales tommy far
far had lasted all 15 rounds against
lewis and most people expected him to
beat braddock
again
braddock surprised everybody by winning
the fight
then he decided to leave the sport as a
winner
i’ve won my last fight
he announced to the press
after he stopped boxing jim braddock
remained friends with joe gould
and braddock had a lot to thank his
manager for
when gould had allowed joe lewis to
challenge braddock for the title in 1937
he had demanded money from all joe
lewis’s heavyweight title fights for the
next 10 years if lewis won
jim and may braddock were never poor
again
the couple lived in the same new jersey
house that they bought after jim won the
heavyweight title
jim spent the rest of his life
surrounded by friends and neighbors who
admired and loved him
looking back
jim braddock said that when bear hit him
with his best punch and jim didn’t fall
he was the happiest guy in the world
the story of the cinderella man did have
a happy ending
you