dragons vs eagles

Reviewed by James Holzmeister, Ashland University

14 june 2015 archive

dragons vs eagles

It is difficult, when first picking up Gareth Jones' Dragons vs. Eagles, to avoid making immediate assumptions about what will be found within. It is easy for the mind to become distracted by many of the longstanding clichés associated with both boxing and Welsh sport. The slender volume, after all, contains a catalogue of noteworthy professional fights between Welsh and American boxers in the years spanning 1894 to 2013. How can it not meet some of our basic expectations? And yes, Jones often presents the boxing ring as a redemptive site for Welsh fighters, a field upon which David could and often did defeat the American Goliath. There are, indeed, stories of hard men drawn from the coal fields and factories of Pontypridd and the Rhondda Valley, and for some of them, the ring did act as vehicle to economic betterment and international fame. And yes, through these fights and fighters, a tiny corner of the British Isles has gained a hard earned respect within the wider boxing world. If we are to believe Gareth Jones' presentation – and there is every reason why we should – these are accurate assertions.

Yet we also find, as we should expect, that the story of Welsh boxing is not merely clichés. As one methodically makes their way through the sixty-two short chapters contained in Dragons vs. Eagles, we find that Jones' presentation also results in a much more complete picture of boxing – Welsh and otherwise. The short monographs provide a diverse set of experiences that defy our expectations as often as they fulfill them. We certainly see Welsh champions drawn from humble, working class roots, but also from the upper class bastions of the public school and the ABA. We learn that Welsh fighters have earned a sterling reputation in the sport's highest levels of competition, yet they were also regularly overlooked by a boxing culture with a decidedly American myopia. The respect that Jones identifies is not based upon wins and losses, but something more ethereal and harder to define.

Although each of the fighters and fights featured in Dragons vs. Eagles contain their own particular interest and charm, the chapters devoted Welsh favorite and folk hero Tommy Farr offer a fair sample of the content and tenor of Jones' presentation. Despite a vaunted status derived from victories over Max Baer in 1936 and a storied battle against Joe Lewis in 1937, Jones begins his treatment of Farr's career not with a celebration of his exploits, but with an acknowledgment that "[a]n astute manager can be worth as much to a boxer as a knockout punch" (62). This theme continues in Farr's next notable bout where a hometown decision gave him a close contest. It was largely circumstance, rather than reputation, that resulted in Farr's most storied contests. Farr's management skillfully positioned their fighter against other European and American contenders, turning Farr from an unlikely choice to the only choice to face Max Baer. Within the fight, Farr would show the mettle and crowd pleasing style for which Welsh fighters had long been famous. Indeed, although Farr would be outpointed by Joe Lewis in his most prominent bout, the Welsh pugnacity and skill were easily noted by both Farr's opponent and the 40,000 fans who filled Yankee Stadium to witness the affair.

Although Farr's career is perhaps more storied than some, Dragons vs. Eagles is littered with comparable narratives of no less interest, and no less insight. While some fighters are featured in only one of the books many chapters, others carry over several, effectively mapping out both a wide history of the sport and specific details on the careers of prominent Welsh fighters. Jones' highly effective writing updates a useful and classic manner of presenting boxing history, adding just enough context to a classically "Eganesque" style that makes individual fights meaningful within a larger cultural context. Although a work written for fight fans and evidencing a Welsh perspective, the work is highly relevant and enjoyable for the American boxing fan as well as the general reader. Ultimately Jones' work highlights the continued importance of Wales as a center of boxing, a place that still produces world class talent and where Americans still come to fight.

And this is the lasting accomplishment of Dragons vs. Eagles, a work that effectively changes our perspectives and shapes our thinking. Utilizing a style evocative of another work reviewed by this writer and published by St. David's press (Call Them to Remembrance), the sparse presentation allows simple narrative to do the real work of history. With little prefacing or concluding information, Jones presents an unstructured history and allows stories to create understanding without scholarly mediation. Evocative of the best of current history, Dragons vs. Eagles represents another enjoyable and useful installment in this innovative series of popular histories by St. David's Press. One can only hope it is not the last.

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