Description
Book SynopsisOne of the most preposterous series of events in boxing history.
Trade Review"Jason Kelly's Shelby's Folly is a highly entertaining slice of American history using Jack Dempsey's July 4, 1922, heavyweight title fight versus Tommy Gibbons as a backdrop for brazen American optimism, small town politics, and snake oil salesmanship."-Richard Arlin Stull, ARETE -- Richard Arlin Stull ARETE "[Shelby's Folly is] a great story of a town prostituting itself to sport-and one that has been repeated many times since."-D. R. Danbom, Time Out for Entertainment -- D. R. Danbom Time Out for Entertainment "The University of Nebraska Press has published a simply marvelous book by author Jason Kelly detailing the tale of a little-known Montana mining town trying to break into the sporting world big leagues by promoting a heavyweight championship fight featuring the immortal Jack Dempsey."-John Rinaldi, USA Boxing News -- John Rinaldi USA Boxing News "Shelby's Folly is such fun to read. Kelly builds toward the fight with insight into the backgrounds and personalities of Dempsey and Kearns, Gibbons, the Shelby town leaders, and the web of fight arrangers and their negotiations."-Ken Robison, Montana, The Magazine of Western History -- Ken Robison Montana, The Magazine of Western History
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations
1. High Noon in Shelby
2. Boom and Bust
3. The Cerebral Slugger
4. A Shark Takes the Bait
5. Sticky Fingers
6. A $300,000 IOU
7. The Circus Comes to Town
8. Checks and Balances
9. Under Water
10. Standing Their Ground
11. A Cut of Heaven's Gate
Bibliography
