Hard Luck: The Triumph And Tragedy Of "Irish" Jerry Quarry Hardcover – April 1, 2011

Any boxing fan who lived through the 1960's and 1970's will never forget heavyweight boxer Jerry Quarry. Any boxing fan regardless of their age, or what generation of boxing they lived through... should know about Jerry Quarry. Quarry was without a doubt one of the best heavyweights who never won the championship. The time period that encompassed Jerry's career... just may have included the most talented overall bunch of heavyweights active at one time in history. And as the reader will find out... Jerry is probably the only one who didn't shy away from fighting these behemoth bombers. Before I go any further in this review... my opening statements can easily be confirmed by no greater an authority than former Heavyweight Champ and master-blaster George Foreman. Big George states in the foreword he so graciously wrote for this super-well-documented Quarry biography: "JERRY QUARRY WAS THE BEST HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHTER NEVER TO HAVE A CHAMPIONSHIP BELT. WHEN I BECAME HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, I DODGED HIM PURPOSELY."In hindsight... what can rightfully be called "The Golden Age Of Heavyweights" Jerry fought at least FIVE DIFFERENT MEN WHO AT SOME POINT WERE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONS! Jerry's opponents included among others, MUHAMMAD ALI (TWICE), SMOKIN' JOE FRAZIER, KEN NORTON, RON LYLE, EARNIE SHAVERS, MAC FOSTER, FLOYD PATTERSON, THAD SPENCER, JIMMY ELLIS AND GEORGE CHUVALO. Many of these fighters were avoided by other fighters by any means necessary. Jerry never avoided anyone... and he always came to fight.I grew up in Southern California during the Quarry years... and I even went to some fights with my boxing loving Dad, and yet I still learned an awful lot of behind the scenes information about the Quarry clan. The reader will learn about his tough as nails Father, Jack... who was the epitome of a relentless-street-fighting-give-no-quarter-depression-era-grapes-of-wrath-hardass. He had all his sons boxing each other from an early age. That included younger brother Mike who wound up fighting for the Light Heavyweight Championship and getting knocked into outer space by one of the greatest Light Heavyweight Champions of all-time, Bob Foster. One of the most surprising things I learned was how even as professional fighters, Jack had Jerry and Mike spar against each other in such no-holds-barred battle royals... that other professional boxers almost couldn't bear to watch. And if that wasn't bad enough... many times they both fought each other without headgear. Many believe that is one of the reasons they both wound up dying from dementia pugilistica.The author provides a wonderfully detailed roadmap of Jerry being a great athlete in high school who ran the 100 yard dash in 9.9 seconds (That blew me away... a heavyweight boxer with that type of speed!) through his Golden Glove years and on through the pro's. A local Los Angeles fight favorite with his original home base the famed Olympic Auditorium (Where my Dad and I went.)... and then the biggest stage of them all... *MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK*. Among others, Jerry fought Muhammad Ali in Atlanta in his now infamous first bout back after his refusing the military draft. Jerry was thrown into a role that he never liked... that of *THE GREAT WHITE HOPE*. Jerry never backed down in any fight regardless of the outcome. From a job changing tires on Greyhound busses to being close personal friends with *ELVIS*, Jerry... just like "THE KING" loved his Mother more than anything else, and always took care of her.The reader will have no punches pulled, as Quarry starts drinking... doing drugs... and starts to rapidly decline... almost assuredly from all the blows to the head he received... as he never stepped backwards... whether in victory or defeat. The end is exceedingly sad... and is like a modern day "REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT". The author at times goes overboard with his metaphors and analogies, such as: "AT THE END OF THE ROUND, JERRY HAD FINALLY FORCED ALI TO TASTE WHAT HE HAD IN THE KITCHEN, BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS ALI HAD A RAVENOUS APPETITE THAT JERRY COULD NOT SATE." Or, "JERRY HUNGERED FOR ANOTHER TITLE SHOT, JACK THREW HIM A STEAK, BUT IT WAS AS TOUGH AS HELL. THE STEAK WENT BY THE NAME OF "SMOKIN" JOE FRAZIER. A GUY COULD LOSE A MOLAR OR TWO BITING INTO THAT GRADE OF MEAT." And, "FRAZIER STAYED ON QUARRY LIKE A COUCH ON A FURNITURE DELIVERYMAN'S BACK." At first you think it was just a coincidence... but then you think it may be an inside tongue-in-cheek-joke... but by the end you just don't know.Either way, the author did a great job and really defined this tough as nails boxer to the "T", including when "IN 1995 DR. PETER RUSSELL, JERRY'S NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST DURING THIS PERIOD STATED, "JERRY QUARRY'S BRAIN LOOKS LIKE THE INSIDE OF A GRAPEFRUIT THAT HAS BEEN DROPPED DOZENS OF TIMES."Jerry always loved his fans... and we still love you Jerry.

One of my heroes growing up. And following the fight game. Best counter puncher there ever was! Great read as expected

The author quotes Dickens "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times", a most accurate description of the exciting but violent 1960's through the middle 70's. Jerry Quarry was a star then, as much a public figure star as any known entertainer, movie actor or athlete of his time. "The Great White Hope", an unfortunate title cast upon him that he loathed, but had no control over. George Foreman said that " Jerry Quarry was the greatest heavyweight never to win a title", and in an era that boxing exerts refer to as "the golden age of heavyweights". And not only was the overall competition at it's highest level ever, but Quarry who was an undersized heavyweight who nearly always had to give away physical advantages also had to compete with two guys named Ali and Frazier. Imagine if you can, a heavyweight boxer today having more than 80 professional fights during their careers as both Jerry and his light-heavy brother Mike did, it would be unheard of. And in the tragic and very sad end both brothers lost their lives to the brutality of the profession that was mapped out for them from childhood.Having done some boxing myself and having been raised during that time period in the Southern California area, I was a fan and like so many others followed the Quarry careers. I saw the two brothers train several times and sat ringside at a couple of Mike's Anaheim Convention outings. In 1983 I was still training and working with amateurs in Southern Calif. and had the opportunity to meet the man that guided George Foreman to the title, Dick Sadler. At that time Sadler was working with a local middleweight that was due to fight on a nationally televised event. Sadler asked me if I'd spend a couple of evenings sparring with his charge, I gladly said yes. On one of those early evenings I asked Sadler if, in fact, when Foreman was world champion if they had actually turned down offers for over a million dollars to risk their title against Jerry Quarry ? Sadler's reply was, " yes, on a given night Quarry's style wasn't right for us". The books forward by George Foreman has George stating, " I dodged him purposely". For many years I had and have been telling any boxing fan who would listen that a fight with Foreman was Jerry Quarry's real chance at the biggest prize in sports. And who would know better than George and his former trainer ?"Hard Luck", engraved into the hands of the abusive Quarry father, is the real life and ending legacy of Jerry and his younger brother Mike. It is a tragic story that needs to be remembered. My only regret is that the book was not longer as there were many more sagas during the complicated Quarry lives that aren't covered. But that said, this is a long overdue book, a terrific effort and must read .

As a boxing fan during the Golden Age of Heavyweights, I watched Quarry on many televised bouts. Although I was a Frazier fan, I rooted for Quarry in the tournament to replace Ali and was astounded at his final loss to Ellis. Quarry was a mainstay in that class and took on all fighters - Ali and Frazier twice each! Upon reading this book, I discovered the driving force behind much of his career. Sadly, Jerry’s final years were horrific. I checked out videos of his story and can only wonder what might have been. This is a cautionary tale of drive, success, and downfall due to head injuries.

Jerry Quarry was a relatively undersized heavyweight who backed down from no-one. He was a brilliant counterpuncher who very much could have been the heavyweight champion. His list of opponents reads as a who's-who of top heavyweights in the 1960s-70s: Floyd Patterson (2x), Joe Frazier (2x), Muhammed Ali (2x), Mac Foster, Jimmy Ellis, Thad Spencer, George Chuvalo, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton--he fought them all. Only George Foreman is missing from this list of top heavyweight opponents, and that was because Big George wanted no parts of Quarry. The story of Irish Jerry Quarry would be incomplete if it didn't delve into the engine that drove him--father "Hard Luck" Jack Quarry, who was arguably a despicable person who dominated his entire family. The book explores Jerry's relationship with his father as well as his close bond with little brother Mike. Both Jerry and Mike met unfortunate, early ends due to pugilistic dementia. In many ways this book is both a long-overdue tribute to a gallant warrior and a cautionary tale This book is for you if you are a fight fan, especially of the 1960s-70s.

Been a avid 1970 's boxing fan from childhood , and this book gives a excellent description how Jerry Quarry was part of this era .

High quality read this. Well researched and put together. It covers the whole Quarry clan story from beginning to end. I read boxing biographies galore and this is a good one. Read it with Youtube handy and the words all match up to the pictures. Only gripe is there is no fight record at the end but it's easily found on the net. Well worth the money in my view.

Rather moving sad story of the folly of boxing

An often difficult and troubling read , but very well researched and very well writen.

exellent biography of one of the most the most exciting and tragic heavyweights to ever lace on a pair of boxing gloves