Whether opening saloons, raising cattle, or promoting sporting events, George Lewis “Tex” Rickard (1870–1929) possessed a drive to be the best. After an early career as a cowboy and Texas sheriff, Rickard pioneered the largest ranch in South America, built a series of profitable saloons in the Klondike and Nevada gold rushes, and turned boxing into a million-dollar sport. As “the Father of Madison Square Garden,” he promoted over 200 fights, including some of the most notable of the 20th century: the “Longest Fight,” the “Great White Hope,” fight, and the famous “Long Count” fight. Along the way, he rubbed shoulders with some of history’s most renowned figures, including Teddy Roosevelt, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, John Ringling, Jack Dempsey, and Gene Tunney. This detailed biography chronicles Rickard’s colorful life and his critical role in the evolution of boxing from a minor sport to a modern spectacle.

Colleen Aycock, co-editor for the International Boxing Research Organization, was named to the New Mexico Boxing Hall of Fame and is the author, co-author or co-editor of five books on boxing. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Mark Scott, a novelist and former Golden Gloves boxer, lives in Austin, Texas. He is a contributor to other publications on the history of boxing.

Colleen Aycock and Mark Scott
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 235
Bibliographic Info: 71 photos, chronology, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6591-0
eISBN: 978-0-7864-9017-2
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      viii
Introduction      1

1. Texas Cowboy in the Gold Rush      21
2. A Title Fight Promotes a Gold Mining Camp      45
3. The Gambler Outbids the Competition: The Great White Hope Fight      80
4. A Texas-sized Ranch in Paraguay      104
5. The Toledo Massacre and the First Million-Dollar Sports Event      121
6. Madison Square Garden: The House That Tex Built for Boxing      153
7. A New World Champion and the First $2 Million Prize Fight      173
8. From the Top of His Game to Sudden Death in Miami      195

Appendix: Chronology of Tex Rickard’s Life      205
Notes      207
Bibliography      219
Index      221

• “This fantastic biography is full of wonderful pictures”—Examiner.com
• “Highly recommended”—boxingnewsonline
• “Fascinating…great”—boxingchannel.tv.