From boxing ring to battlefield : the life of war hero Lew Jenkins / Gene Pantalone ; foreword by John DiSanto.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pantalone, Gene, 1958- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Jenkins, Lew, 1916-1981.

Jenkins, Lew.

Boxers (Sports)--United States--Biography.

Boxers (Sports).

United States.

Soldiers--United States--Biography.

Soldiers.

Korean War, 1950-1953--Participation, American.

Korean War, 1950-1953.

Military participation--American.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xv, 239 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield, 2018.

Summary:

World champion boxer Lew Jenkins fought his whole life. As a child, he fought extreme poverty during the Great Depression; in his twenties, he fought as a professional boxer and became a world champion; and at the pinnacle of his boxing career, Jenkins fought in World War II and the Korean War. From Boxing Ring to Battlefield: The Life of War Hero Lew Jenkins details for the first time this extraordinary story. Despite his talent for boxing, Jenkins often fought and trained in drunken stupors. Although he became the world lightweight champion, he soon wasted his ring title and all his money. Jenkins eventually found purpose during World War II and the Korean War, fighting in major battles that included D-Day, Bloody Ridge, and Heartbreak Ridge. His efforts earned him one of the highest decorations for bravery, the Silver Star. Unable to find meaning in life at the peak of his boxing success, Jenkins discovered values to which he could cling during war. From Boxing Ring to Battlefield features exclusive interviews with Lew Jenkins's son and grandson, providing a personal perspective on the life of this complicated war hero. The first biography of Jenkins, this book will fascinate boxing fans and historians alike.

Contents:

1 A Fighting Man p. 1

2 Impoverished Beginnings p. 5

3 The Toast of Broadway p. 17

4 A Run at the Title p. 29

5 Unstoppable p. 49

6 Just Wanted to Have a Good Time p. 81

7 Falling p. 107

8 A Return to Service p. 113

9 A Past with Jack Dempsey p. 117

10 A Different Kind of Fight p. 123

11 Consumed with Guilt p. 129

12 Katie Rocks the Boxing World p. 135

13 A Return from War p. 143

14 Bloody Ridge p. 157

15 Heartbreak Ridge p. 171

16 Enlightened p. 179

17 A Final Fight p. 197.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 219-227) and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Pantalone, Gene, 1958- author. From boxing ring to battlefield

ISBN:

9781538116746

153811674X

OCLC:

1035364515