Bare Knuckles & Saratoga Racing: The Remarkable Life of John Morrissey

by Arcadia Publishing

Overview

Chronicling the incomparable life of boxing and Saratoga Race Course legend John Morrissey.

John ""Old Smoke"" Morrissey was one of the most dynamic characters of his time. He went from a career as an undefeated bare-knuckle boxer, founded the Saratoga Race Course and eventually won elections to Congress and the New York State Senate. A poor, uneducated Irish immigrant, Morrissey became a leader in the Dead Rabbits street gang. He won fame as a fighter and fortune as the operator of a string of successful gambling houses.

Morrissey then took Saratoga Springs by storm, improbably resurrecting thoroughbred racing during the Civil War and opening his famous Club House, which was the most glamorous casino the country had ever seen. Author and National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame director of communications Brien Bouyea takes you on this fascinating journey and shows just how Morrissey did it all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467135580
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	04/04/2016
Series:	Sports
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	668,863
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Brien Bouyea is director of communications at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York. Prior to joining the museum, he was an award-winning sportswriter for the Record and executive sports editor for the Saratogian. His awards include honors from the Associated Press Sports Editors, the New York State Associated Press and the New York Newspaper Publishers Association. He is a graduate of the College of Saint Rose and lives in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Table of Contents

Foreword Michael Veitch 9

Acknowledgements 11

Hope and Dreams 13

New York 23

Old Smoke 31

California Adventures 41

The American Champion 49

Streets of Blood 63

Fight of the Century 75

A Letter from Saratoga Springs 83

They're Off at Saratoga! 95

The Honorable John Morrissey 107

Epilogue: The Legacy of Old Smoke 123

Bibliography 135

Index 137

About the Author 141