In this first and only biography of light-heavyweight champion and boxing legend Joe Choynski, author Chris LaForce chronicles the life and career of a pioneer of the gloved era of pugilism. Joe Choynski was one of the greatest, most courageous, brilliant, and respected Jewish boxers in history. Born in San Francisco, California in 1868, Joe Choynski fought nearly all of the greatest heavyweights of that division s first Golden Age, despite weighing less than 170 pounds. He was one of the few who did not draw the color line. Included is a complete account of Joe s professional fights. Come follow Choynski s boxing career in such legendary matches as the battle on the Sacramento River barge with Gentleman Jim Corbett, his war with Bob Fitzsimmons, the classic brawls with Sailor Tom Sharkey, knockout of future heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, and his 20-round draw with soon-to-be heavyweight king Jim Jeffries. This book features over 180 photographs, many of them rare and published here, for the first time, anywhere The book includes a Foreword by Herbert G. Goldman, former Managing Editor of Ring magazine and Editor-in-Chief of Boxing Illustrated, and a testimonial by renowned boxing historian, Tracy Callis. Chris LaForce has been a member of IBRO (the International Boxing Research Organization) since 1984. He has written several articles for the IBRO newsletter, and is a contributing writer for the Cyber Boxing Zone, Western States Jewish History and other historical societies.

"An official's sense of humor is very important. It is his ability to put himself in the stands as a fan and laugh at his own mistakes." - John Laurie John Laurie, Ph.D. began his officiating career over 40 years ago. He has officiated at every level including over 25 years as a referee in the Big 8 and Big XII Football Conferences. He served as president of the Football Officials Associations of both conferences and is a member of the Kansas Collegiate Officials Hall of Fame. He officiated as a referee at numerous college championships including the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl.

Beyond Black Belt reveals why not all black belts are created equal. Using fascinating behind-the-scenes insights and anecdotes, Gary Purdue exposes the secrets of advanced karate ranks in this must read for anyone interested in the martial arts.

In this first and only biography on the life and boxing career of heavyweight boxing contender Joe Jennette, author Joe Botti chronicles the life and career of this interracial athlete who competed in the longest boxing contest of the twentieth century. From 1904 to 1922 Jennette faced and defeated the most dangerous fighters of his era, including Jack Johnson, Sam Langford, and Sam McVea. Jennette was unable to secure a title shot due to the fact that the world was fixated with finding a Caucasian boxer to defeat Jack Johnson in the "great white hope" era. The story deals with the struggles of interracial romance, racism, and the world of boxing in the early twentieth century. Joe Botti is the Founder and Head Coach of the Union City Boxing Club in Union City, N.J. He studied at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J. A former amateur boxer, Botti has trained over 30 New Jersey Golden Glove champions and currently manages and trains professional and amateur boxers.

The relationship between meditation and the martial arts is a multifaceted one: meditation is one of the practices in which martial artists engage in order to prepare for combat, while the physical exercises constituting much of the discipline of the martial arts might well be considered meditative practices. Michael Raposa, himself a martial arts practitioner, suggests there is a sense in which meditation may in turn be considered a form of combat, citing a variety of spiritual disciplines that are not strictly classified as "martial arts" yet that employ the heavy use of martial images and categories as part of their self-description.

Raposa, in this extraordinary alloy of meditation manual, historical synthesis, and spiritual guide, provides a fascinating approach to understanding the connection between martial arts and spirituality in such diverse disciplines as Japanese aikido, Chinese tai chi chuan, Hindu yoga, Christian asceticism, Zen Buddhism, and Islamic jihad.

What happens when spiritual discipline is appropriated for exercises meant for health or recreation? How might prayer, meditation, and ritual be understood as martial activities? What is the nature of conflict, and who is the enemy? These are some of the questions Raposa raises and responds to in Meditation and the Martial Arts, his rumination on the martial arts as meditative practice and meditation as a martial discipline.

Michael L. Raposa, Professor of Religion Studies at Lehigh University, is the author of Peirce's Philosophy of Religion and Boredom and the Religious Imagination (Virginia).

Studies in Religion and Culture

From legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross, this candid, colorful memoir about the inner workings of the WWE and the personal crises he weathered at the height of his career is "a must-read for wrestling fans" (Charleston Post Courier). If you've caught a televised wrestling match anytime in the past thirty years, you've probably heard Jim Ross's throaty Oklahoma twang. The beloved longtime announcer of the WWE "has been a driving force behind a generation of wrestling fans" (Mark Cuban), and he's not slowing down, having signed on as the announcer of the starry new wrestling venture All Elite Wrestling. In this follow-up to his bestselling memoir Slobberknocker, he dishes out about not only his long career, which includes nurturing global stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and John Cena, but also about his challenges of aging and disability, his split from collaborator Vince McMahon, and the sudden death of his beloved wife, Jan. The result is a gruff, endearing, and remarkably human-scale portrait, set against the larger than life backdrop of professional wrestling. Ross's ascent in WWE mirrors the rise of professional wrestling itself from a DIY sideshow to a billion-dollar business. Under the Black Hat traces all the highs and lows of that wild ride, in which Jim served not only as on-air commentator, but talent manager, payroll master, and even occasional in-ring foil to threats like Paul "Triple H" Levesque and Undertaker. While his role brought him riches and exposure he had never dreamed of, he chafed against the strictures of a fickle corporate culture and what he saw as a narrow vision of what makes great wrestlers-and great story lines. When suddenly stricken with Bell's palsy, a form of facial paralysis that makes it impossible to smile, he started down his greatest fear-being cast out of the announcing booth for good. Picking up where Slobberknocker left off and ending on the cusp of a new career in a reimagined industry, Under the Black Hat is the triumphant tale of a country boy who made it to the top, took a few knocks, and stuck around-just where his fans like him. Not only being one of the greatest wrestlers of the WWE, Ross is also "a master storyteller, and this book is the perfect forum for his forty years' worth of tales" (Chris Jericho, former WWE champion).

The Heavyweight Championship has long been the most valued prize in all of sports. Famous names among the champions include John L. Sullivan, Jim Jeffries, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko. A Brief History of the Heavyweights 1881-2010 traces the contests of these champions and other outstanding fighters of this weight class from the early bare knuckle days to the present. The author includes his rankings of the best boxers and bouts of different time periods in history as well as his all-time best rankings. The book is comprised of 308 pages, including numerous photographs, bout-by-bout lists of title contests, and an index. Tracy Callis is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, the Director of Historical Research for The Cyber Boxing Zone, an internet boxing website, an Elector to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Boxing Hall of Fame - Luxor Hotel Las Vegas. He is also co-author of the books Philadelphia's Boxing Heritage 1876-1976 and Boxing in the Los Angeles Area 1880-2005.

This is the most thoroughly researched boxing-detailed biography of James J. Corbett's career ever written. It reveals new dates, bouts, and facts, shedding fresh light on his experience, skills, and ability. It meticulously describes his bouts and provides multiple viewpoints by local next-day newspapers, giving it unparalleled authenticity and accuracy. The exhaustive research provides an encyclopedic wealth of knowledge about Corbett's boxing career. His bouts are placed into social, legal, racial, and historic contexts, including anti-prize-fight laws and the color line. Corbett's complete career record is included, as well as 53 photos, 813 footnotes, a bibliography, and an index. Adam J. Pollack is the author of boxing biographies of John L. Sullivan, James J. Corbett, Bob Fitzsimmons, James J. Jeffries, Marvin Hart, and Tommy Burns. He is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, Cyberboxingzone.com, and is an attorney practicing in Iowa City, Iowa. Adam was a guest lecturer on the career of John L. Sullivan for the Whitehall lecture series at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida, and also an interviewee in the documentary film on James J. Corbett, The Gentleman Prizefighter.

All the tools necessary to build a powerful defensive base for boxing -- every defence for every punch from every angle -- are included in this manual. Punching prowess has become equated with boxing, but what is done in response to that incoming flurry makes a truly good boxer: how to make an opponent miss, how to easily defend, and, most importantly, how to counterattack. Building on that defensive base, this book explores natural punching triggers, or logical counter-punching sequences, that move past the beginner's realm of being a mere puncher into the upper echelons of crafty counter boxing. With encyclopaedic boxing defensive drills bolstered by numerous illustrative photographs, this is a one-stop resource for learning the art of counter-punching.

Bruce Lee's daughter illuminates her father's most powerful life philosophies, and how we can apply his teachings to our daily lives 'Empty your mind; be formless, shapeless like water' Bruce Lee is a cultural icon, world renowned for his martial arts and film legacy. But Lee was also a deeply philosophical thinker, believing that martial arts are more than just an exercise in physical discipline - they are a perfect metaphor for personal growth. In Be Water, My Friend, Shannon Lee shares previously untold stories from her father's life along with the concepts at the core of his teachings. Each chapter reveals a lesson from Bruce Lee, expanding on the foundation of his iconic 'be water' philosophy to reveal a path to an enlightened way of being. This is an inspirational call to action to consider our lives with new eyes and a testament to Lee's unique power to ignite our imaginations and transform our lives.

New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller! Pro wrestler and political commentator Tyrus goes deep into his wild but triumphant life story, from his painfully dysfunctional upbringing to bodyguarding for Snoop Dogg, to becoming a wrestling icon and one of the most provocative on-air voices today. "The author relates all of his adventures through a series of vividly memorable anecdotes.... A revealing glimpse of a multifaceted entertainer who defies easy labeling." -Kirkus "I loved Just Tyrus. I read it in one day and cheered for him when I got to the end. Tyrus has written a book that is at once raw, tender, intelligent, candid, and hilarious. Tyrus took a very rough start to his life and used perseverance, confident humility, and accountability to land firmly on his feet. What a triumph!" -Dana Perino, former White House Press Secretary to George W. Bush and Fox News anchor and host The product of a 1970s mixed marriage, George Murdoch learned to fight early in life, fending off both race-baiting bullies and the demons of a dysfunctional home. Couch surfing all through high school and most of college, the quick-witted, sharp-tongued giant played football, ran drugs, and bounced at clubs to try to survive. After a false start with the WWE, he eventually became Snoop Dogg's bodyguard and traveled the world with the hip hop legend, biding his time and honing his rap. When the WWE urged him to return, George became "Brodus Clay" and, for the next several years, reinvented himself numerous times under the watchful mentorship of the legendary Dusty Rhodes, "the American Dream." He was eventually christened "Tyrus," and shortly after, a chance social media encounter with Greg Gutfeld at Fox News resulted in Tyrus finding a new skill: sage social commentator. Ferociously funny, blunt, and tenacious, Just Tyrus traces his unlikely and spectacular rise. As always with Tyrus, it's in-your-face and offers no apologies. "George aka Tyrus aka the realest most blunt human being on the face of planet earth. Never had a problem telling you what was on his mind or how he felt, good or bad. Tough exterior but a heart of gold. Front liner, great friend, and excellent coach for my youth football team. His work ethic is obvious, taking him from football to bodyguard to pro wrestler to a superb personality on Fox News. I've seen him climb the ladder of success, and I'm happy that I was along for the journey." -Snoop Dogg

Billy Miske: The St. Paul Thunderbolt is Clay Moyle's second biography and a worthy successor to his critically acclaimed tome concerning the life and career of Sam Langford. Hall of Fame boxer Billy Miske was arguably the most courageous and inspirational figure in boxing history, and his story is long overdue. During a career that was impeded and cut short as a result of his ongoing battle with a terminal illness, Billy fought a number of the greatest fighters who ever lived, including the likes of Jack Dillon, Harry Greb and Jack Dempsey. The thrilling details and stories surrounding those fights and those of many other ring legends are all here, brought back to life for the reader to enjoy. This book goes far beyond simply chronicling Miske's career, but provides the reader with an in-depth view of a number of the sport's greatest contests and one of the more remarkable periods in boxing's history. Miske's courage and perseverance in the face of his impending death, and his personal sacrifice to provide his family with one last Christmas to remember him by, will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with an indelible image of the man. The book is comprised of 206 pages, including 61 photographs, and includes Miske's record, footnotes and an index. Clay Moyle is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) and the author of Sam Langford, Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion. He lives in Edgewood, Washington.