Читать книгу Jacobs Beach. The Mob, the Garden and the Golden Age of Boxing онлайн

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As the twenties closed, America was still “dry.” But citizens were tired of Prohibition, tired of big government, tired of being pushed around. The restrictions spluttered on until 1933, as the Depression wiped out jobs and hope. In the thirteen years of its life, Prohibition had given the Mob time to establish the sort of dominance it had dreamed of. The gangsters had control of the triple thrills of drinking, gambling, and fighting. Like the financial crisis sweeping the world, nobody knew how, where, or when it would end.

What everyone knew was the Garden was now the hub of boxing, the nation's, the world's most accessible and glamorous sports entertainment. The lights of Broadway had worked their magic yet again.

This was the state of the game when Mike Jacobs, now near fifty, aspired to step into Rickard's shoes. He'd hung in there, insinuating himself deeper into the upper reaches of the business's hierarchy. He knew every fighter, manager, and promoter in the business. He didn't necessarily like them, and most of those he did business with didn't much care for him. Surely, though, he would be the new Rickard.