America On The Ropes

A complete history of the famous "Great White Hope" fight held in Reno, Nevada on Independence Day, 1910 between Jack Johnson and James J. Jeffries. Generously illustrated with vintage photos and cartoons, the book tells a fascinating story, from the start ( when novelist Jack London challenged Jeffries to wipe the smile off Johnson's face) to its conclusion, a country awash in race riots when Johnson was victorious.How the fight was put together, the training camps, wild and wooly Reno, and the fight itself, every aspect of the contest is examined. It's an unflattering but candid view of America in 1910 and how this event galvanized the nation.