Boxing Book by Tom Cushman, formerly of the Daily News

[therabbit]

Tom Cushman, who covered boxing for the Philadelphia Daily News during the glory years (1966-1982), has written a book titled "Muhammad Ali and the Greatest Heavyweight Generation" which is due out in the fall of 2009.  Cushman, who left Philly for San Diego in the 1980s, is now retired and has put together a fascinating book on the subject.  It includes a chapter on the late Tyrone Everett, who had met with Cushman the day before he (Everett) was shot and killed by a jealous lover.  It also includes a chapter on Blinky Palermo, the con who ran Philly boxing in the 1940s and 1950s before going to jail, and who again tried to infiltrate Philly in the late 1970s by moving in on heavyweight Jimmy Young.  Palermo also had a hand in the fixed decision for the Everett-Escalera title fight as well as the Saxton-Gavilan fiasco in Philly in 1954.  There's mention of the Philly middleweights--Briscoe, Hart, Monroe, Watts--and lots of other Philly favorites--Frazier, of course, is in several chapters--including Gypsy Joe Harris and his efforts to get re-licensed despite being blind in one eye.  When the book is released, Cushman will be in town on a book-signing tour.

[willard]

Cushman and Jack McKinney were the two best ever from Philly.  Both worked for the Daily News.

[therabbit]

The book is here and it's terrific with the Alu generation of heavyweights and a lot of great Philly fight stories on Tyrone Everett, Jimmy Young and the four middleweights (Briscoe, Watts, Hart, Monroe).  They are available for $15 apiece in North Philly.