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The co-op bookstore for avid readers
Dropkick Murphy: A Legendary Life
"Sweeney's forensic research shines through an entertaining book that is a
thoroughly delicious slice of Irish-Americana."-Irish Times "What makes the story of Murphy's professional wrestling career so fascinating is the way Sweeney sets the scene for many of his matches...From the booming voice of "Whitey" Kaunfer welcoming cold patrons to the Old Mechanics Building to the sweaty, bloody, and crowded confines of the Boston Arena dressing room, Sweeney does an exceptional job... If you are considering this book for its wrestling content, you will certainly enjoy what you find."--Slam WrestlingNewspapers
called him the "the man with the cast-iron toes," "the best drop-kicker in
wrestling," and "one of the mat game's biggest box office attractions." But Dr.
John "Dropkick" Murphy's legacy extends far beyond the wrestling ring. Decades
before the Betty Ford Center became a household name -- and long before the band
the Dropkick Murphys named themselves in his honor -- the phrase going to
Dropkick's meant a person struggling with addiction needed help and would soon
get some. This book chronicles for the first time the unbelievable life of Dropkick Murphy, a professional
wrestler who put himself through medical school during the Great Depression and
then opened Bellows Farm, a one-of-a-kind institution that served as both a facility
where elite athletes could train as well as a secluded place where
down-on-their-luck alcoholics could go to sober up discreetly. The
celebrities who frequented Dropkick Murphy's farm were many, and numerous professional
athletes would go there to focus on their training and work out in his
state-of-the-art gymnasium. As a result, Bellows Farm featured an unrivaled and
revolving cast of colorful characters who brought it to life. Drawing on years
of research and interviews, author Emily Sweeney goes behind the scenes to
reveal the untold story of Murphy's life, his farm, and the legendary events
that unfolded there.
thoroughly delicious slice of Irish-Americana."-Irish Times "What makes the story of Murphy's professional wrestling career so fascinating is the way Sweeney sets the scene for many of his matches...From the booming voice of "Whitey" Kaunfer welcoming cold patrons to the Old Mechanics Building to the sweaty, bloody, and crowded confines of the Boston Arena dressing room, Sweeney does an exceptional job... If you are considering this book for its wrestling content, you will certainly enjoy what you find."--Slam WrestlingNewspapers
called him the "the man with the cast-iron toes," "the best drop-kicker in
wrestling," and "one of the mat game's biggest box office attractions." But Dr.
John "Dropkick" Murphy's legacy extends far beyond the wrestling ring. Decades
before the Betty Ford Center became a household name -- and long before the band
the Dropkick Murphys named themselves in his honor -- the phrase going to
Dropkick's meant a person struggling with addiction needed help and would soon
get some. This book chronicles for the first time the unbelievable life of Dropkick Murphy, a professional
wrestler who put himself through medical school during the Great Depression and
then opened Bellows Farm, a one-of-a-kind institution that served as both a facility
where elite athletes could train as well as a secluded place where
down-on-their-luck alcoholics could go to sober up discreetly. The
celebrities who frequented Dropkick Murphy's farm were many, and numerous professional
athletes would go there to focus on their training and work out in his
state-of-the-art gymnasium. As a result, Bellows Farm featured an unrivaled and
revolving cast of colorful characters who brought it to life. Drawing on years
of research and interviews, author Emily Sweeney goes behind the scenes to
reveal the untold story of Murphy's life, his farm, and the legendary events
that unfolded there.
Book Details
- Publisher: Hamilcar Publications
- Publish Date: May 23rd, 2023
- Pages: 232
- Language: English
- Edition: undefined - undefined
- Dimensions: 8.90in - 5.90in - 0.70in - 0.88lb
- EAN: 9781949590647
- Categories: • Wrestling• Sports• United States - State & Local - New England (CT, MA, ME, NH,
About the Author
Casey, Ken: - Ken Casey is the bass guitarist, primary songwriter, and one of the lead singers of the Boston Celtic punk group the Dropkick Murphys.
Sweeney, Emily: - Emily Sweeney is a staff reporter at The Boston Globe and author of the books Boston Organized Crime and Gangland Boston. A proud native of Dorchester, she also appears in Bloody Boston, a two-part documentary special on the Reelz channel; Stranger Than Fiction: The True Story of Whitey Bulger, Southie, and The Departed, a bonus feature on the DVD of the Oscar-winning movie The Departed; and the forthcoming Netflix series How To Become A Mob Boss.
Praise for this book
"The original Dropkick Murphy has long deserved a biography worthy of his legendary life and name, and now he has one-thanks to Emily Sweeney and her wry fascination with all things Old Boston."--Howie Carr, New York Times bestselling author of The Brothers Bulger and Hitman"This is not only a stupendous biography of a
fascinating, multilayered American hero. It is also a vividly detailed and
riveting account of life in mid-twentieth-century America, the world where our
parents or grandparents rubbed shoulders with Dropkick."
--Walter V. Robinson, Editor-at-Large at the Boston
Globe "Here is a tale that seizes your attention, and
grapples with your soul, from the slam of the ring to the terror of rehab. To
steal a phrase from the very gifted Emily Sweeney, it is one 'colossal bully'
of a book!" --John A.Farrell, author of Ted
Kennedy: A Life and Pulitzer Prize finalist "Pioneer, iconoclast,
legend. Dropkick Murphy broke societal barriers with the same intensity as he
broke choke holds. Author Emily Sweeney examines one of history's most underrated and
fascinating characters whose compassionate mission is more relevant today than
it ever was before. Sweeney's book is life-affirming and well told!" --Casey Sherman, New York
Times Bestselling author of The Finest Hours and Helltown
"Emily Sweeney
is Boston through and through and has emerged as a storytelling force in a city
with no shortage of legendary raconteurs. In Dropkick Murphy she has
delivered a stouthearted tale of the nexus of sport and recovery, as well as
the untold story of one of the godfathers of the working-class fighting spirit
that still resonates in Boston today."--Dave Wedge New York Times bestselling
author of Hunting Whitey"A wonderful cast of characters make this a deeply entertaining read."--All Sports Book Reviews
fascinating, multilayered American hero. It is also a vividly detailed and
riveting account of life in mid-twentieth-century America, the world where our
parents or grandparents rubbed shoulders with Dropkick."
--Walter V. Robinson, Editor-at-Large at the Boston
Globe "Here is a tale that seizes your attention, and
grapples with your soul, from the slam of the ring to the terror of rehab. To
steal a phrase from the very gifted Emily Sweeney, it is one 'colossal bully'
of a book!" --John A.Farrell, author of Ted
Kennedy: A Life and Pulitzer Prize finalist "Pioneer, iconoclast,
legend. Dropkick Murphy broke societal barriers with the same intensity as he
broke choke holds. Author Emily Sweeney examines one of history's most underrated and
fascinating characters whose compassionate mission is more relevant today than
it ever was before. Sweeney's book is life-affirming and well told!" --Casey Sherman, New York
Times Bestselling author of The Finest Hours and Helltown
"Emily Sweeney
is Boston through and through and has emerged as a storytelling force in a city
with no shortage of legendary raconteurs. In Dropkick Murphy she has
delivered a stouthearted tale of the nexus of sport and recovery, as well as
the untold story of one of the godfathers of the working-class fighting spirit
that still resonates in Boston today."--Dave Wedge New York Times bestselling
author of Hunting Whitey"A wonderful cast of characters make this a deeply entertaining read."--All Sports Book Reviews