By Peter Silkov
"From Boxing Ring To Battlefield:The Life Of War Hero Lew Jenkins"
By Gene Pantalone
The life of a boxer is seldom a dull one, but some fighters lives are more exciting than others. The life of Lew Jenkins reads more like a work of fiction than reality, yet as is often the case, when it comes to Jenkins’ life story, the truth is often stranger than fiction. Lew Jenkins lived a chaotic, rambunctious life, both in and out of the ring, which saw him become Lightweight champion of the world in 1940, only to lose it after just 18 months, as his life and boxing career imploded. He had a meteoric rise to the top, and an even faster fall into boxing oblivion. However, he found a redemption that often eludes ex-fighters and ended his life in a kind of respectable comfort which would have seemed impossible for him, given his lifestyle during most of his boxing career.
Gene Pantalone has done a marvelous job in bringing Lew Jenkins’ life to the written page. It is a biography that reads like a fast-moving movie, with Gene’s vivid writing painting a multitude of colourful scenes inside your head. Indeed the overwhelming feeling that you are left with after reading this biography is the question of why there wasn't a book written about Lew Jenkins earlier.
If ever a fighter had a fan-friendly life story, that man is Lew Jenkins. He was an inveterate smoker and drinker, who got into as many unscheduled fights outside of the ring as he did inside of it. He became a sensation with the journalists of the day, picking up such nicknames as 'The Living Death' 'The Sweetwater Swatter', 'The Texas Tarantula','The Texas Thumper', 'The Medical Freak' and in the latter part of his career, 'Looney Lew'.
Born on December 4, 1916, in Milburn, Texas, Lew grew up in Sweetwater, Texas, where he experienced the poverty of the 1930s depression first hand. As a child, Lew spent more time picking cotton with the rest of his family than he did attending school.
''I wore cardboard in my shoes'', Jenkins is quoted as saying by Gene Pantalone; ''I had one pair of patched overalls. I don't know how we survived''.
Growing up at such a time, it should be no surprise that Jenkins, like so many other young men of his age, would seek to escape the poverty of the cotton fields by using his hands in the boxing ring.
Part of the charm of Jenkins is that he never looked much like a fighter (at least not to the trained eye.) He was lanky and scrawny, even when he was well-fed. Yet inside the ring he was the stereotypical 'hungry fighter', who fought every round as if his life depended on it. He was also one of the most devastating punchers ever seen in the lightweight division. Referee Arthur Donovan is quoted by Gene Pantalone upon the subject of Lew's punching prowess:
''That Jenkins, what a puncher he was. He was skinny, and he looked half-starved all the time, but he'd hit you a hook, and you'd just cave in, crumble to your knees. I think he was the hardest of all the punchers''.
Jenkins’ freakish physique was also possessed of uncanny speed, that allowed him in his short prime to fight like a wildcat.
Although Lew's official boxing record has him beginning his boxing career in 1935, at the age of 18, his introduction to the ring actually took place years earlier when he became a carnival fighter. Like many fighters of his era, Lew had many more fights than appear on his 'official' boxing record.
If ever a fighter had a fan-friendly life story, that man is Lew Jenkins. He was an inveterate smoker and drinker, who got into as many unscheduled fights outside of the ring as he did inside of it. He became a sensation with the journalists of the day, picking up such nicknames as 'The Living Death' 'The Sweetwater Swatter', 'The Texas Tarantula','The Texas Thumper', 'The Medical Freak' and in the latter part of his career, 'Looney Lew'.
Born on December 4, 1916, in Milburn, Texas, Lew grew up in Sweetwater, Texas, where he experienced the poverty of the 1930s depression first hand. As a child, Lew spent more time picking cotton with the rest of his family than he did attending school.
''I wore cardboard in my shoes'', Jenkins is quoted as saying by Gene Pantalone; ''I had one pair of patched overalls. I don't know how we survived''.
Growing up at such a time, it should be no surprise that Jenkins, like so many other young men of his age, would seek to escape the poverty of the cotton fields by using his hands in the boxing ring.
Part of the charm of Jenkins is that he never looked much like a fighter (at least not to the trained eye.) He was lanky and scrawny, even when he was well-fed. Yet inside the ring he was the stereotypical 'hungry fighter', who fought every round as if his life depended on it. He was also one of the most devastating punchers ever seen in the lightweight division. Referee Arthur Donovan is quoted by Gene Pantalone upon the subject of Lew's punching prowess:
''That Jenkins, what a puncher he was. He was skinny, and he looked half-starved all the time, but he'd hit you a hook, and you'd just cave in, crumble to your knees. I think he was the hardest of all the punchers''.
Jenkins’ freakish physique was also possessed of uncanny speed, that allowed him in his short prime to fight like a wildcat.
Although Lew's official boxing record has him beginning his boxing career in 1935, at the age of 18, his introduction to the ring actually took place years earlier when he became a carnival fighter. Like many fighters of his era, Lew had many more fights than appear on his 'official' boxing record.
Jenkins won the World Lightweight championship at New York's Madison Square Garden, on May 10, 1940, with a violent 3rd round stoppage of Lou Ambers. At the age of 23, he had fought his way from poverty to the top of the boxing world and found himself a celebrity in the process. Unfortunately, like many other fighters from similar backgrounds, Jenkins found success overwhelming. The hunger that had previously exerted some control over his wild ways evaporated seemingly overnight, and life for Jenkins became one long unending party, which became ever more chaotic.
Many other fighters have seen their careers derail in the wake of 'the good life', yet few have derailed their careers as spectacularly as Jenkins. More interested in drinking, chasing women and racing motorbikes, Jenkins boxing career fell into free-fall almost from the moment he won the world championship. It was a decline that only accelerated after he lost the title eighteen months after winning it. Jenkins alcoholism became such, that he was barely sober for a fight after his world title victory.
With his life out of control, Jenkins found salvation in perhaps the most unlikely arenas of all, World War 2. With his boxing career and personal life in tatters, Jenkins signed up to join the Coast Guard. Jenkins had actually enlisted in the army years earlier when he was just a fledgling fighter, and he would find that his re-enlistment would be the saving of him.
Jenkins would carry on fighting in the ring, on and off, until 1950. But his fighting spark in the ring was burnt out. It was on the battlefield that Lew would mark himself out now. Lew Jenkins became a teetotal, career soldier, and a full-fledged War Hero.
Many other fighters have seen their careers derail in the wake of 'the good life', yet few have derailed their careers as spectacularly as Jenkins. More interested in drinking, chasing women and racing motorbikes, Jenkins boxing career fell into free-fall almost from the moment he won the world championship. It was a decline that only accelerated after he lost the title eighteen months after winning it. Jenkins alcoholism became such, that he was barely sober for a fight after his world title victory.
With his life out of control, Jenkins found salvation in perhaps the most unlikely arenas of all, World War 2. With his boxing career and personal life in tatters, Jenkins signed up to join the Coast Guard. Jenkins had actually enlisted in the army years earlier when he was just a fledgling fighter, and he would find that his re-enlistment would be the saving of him.
Jenkins would carry on fighting in the ring, on and off, until 1950. But his fighting spark in the ring was burnt out. It was on the battlefield that Lew would mark himself out now. Lew Jenkins became a teetotal, career soldier, and a full-fledged War Hero.
As he did in his previous book “Madame Bey's Home To Boxing Legends” Gene Pantalone weaves a vivid and entertaining narrative in this biography of Lew Jenkins (who himself was one of the many legendary fighters who used Madame Bey's training camp.)
“Boxing Ring To Battlefield” is meticulously researched, with excellent use of historical interviews and quotes. As well as featuring many quotes of Jenkins himself, there are also quotes from his son and many others who knew him personally during his life. This book also contains very useful ‘notes’ and ‘Bibliography’ sections, which further informs the reader.
While Jenkins is perhaps the ultimate 'colourful character' himself, he is hardly alone in this book, which is just about overflowing with interesting characters. From his fellow fighters to the managers and promoters of the day, perhaps the most intriguing character of this biography, aside from Jenkins himself, is his first wife, Katie, who at one point was Lew's manager, trainer, and promoter, and had much to do with his spectacular climb to the top.
Like his previous work, Gene Pantalone instills the atmosphere of the time in “From Boxing Ring To Battlefield”. You can almost smell the sweat and the smoke of the gyms and the area's, and hear the thump of the leather upon flesh. You can most certainly hear the clink of glasses and bottles as Lew drinks himself into a stupor between fights.
This is a book that shows why boxers are without a doubt the most 'fan-friendly' of all sports stars when it comes to interesting life stories. Yet even a good story can come over poorly if it is not told well, however, the story of Lew Jenkins is in great hands here with Gene Pantalone.
“From Boxing Ring To Battlefield” is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the 'Golden Age' of boxing that existed between 1920 and 1950. It is also a great read even for those who might not class themselves as a boxing 'fan', but still enjoy a good story. The most impressive thing perhaps about Lew Jenkins’ life story is that it really did happen. What a tale it is indeed.
“Boxing Ring To Battlefield” is meticulously researched, with excellent use of historical interviews and quotes. As well as featuring many quotes of Jenkins himself, there are also quotes from his son and many others who knew him personally during his life. This book also contains very useful ‘notes’ and ‘Bibliography’ sections, which further informs the reader.
While Jenkins is perhaps the ultimate 'colourful character' himself, he is hardly alone in this book, which is just about overflowing with interesting characters. From his fellow fighters to the managers and promoters of the day, perhaps the most intriguing character of this biography, aside from Jenkins himself, is his first wife, Katie, who at one point was Lew's manager, trainer, and promoter, and had much to do with his spectacular climb to the top.
Like his previous work, Gene Pantalone instills the atmosphere of the time in “From Boxing Ring To Battlefield”. You can almost smell the sweat and the smoke of the gyms and the area's, and hear the thump of the leather upon flesh. You can most certainly hear the clink of glasses and bottles as Lew drinks himself into a stupor between fights.
This is a book that shows why boxers are without a doubt the most 'fan-friendly' of all sports stars when it comes to interesting life stories. Yet even a good story can come over poorly if it is not told well, however, the story of Lew Jenkins is in great hands here with Gene Pantalone.
“From Boxing Ring To Battlefield” is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the 'Golden Age' of boxing that existed between 1920 and 1950. It is also a great read even for those who might not class themselves as a boxing 'fan', but still enjoy a good story. The most impressive thing perhaps about Lew Jenkins’ life story is that it really did happen. What a tale it is indeed.
If you would like to purchase this book it is available on Amazon:
"Madame Bey’S: Home to Boxing Legends
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0794R61C4/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i1
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