Cinderella Man Page #7

and to the point.

We're gonna

start off with Frank Essex.

Frank Essex.

All right, take it easy,

Petey, jeez.

Frank Essex, Daily News.

You got a lot of reporters

here today.

A lot of people are interested

in this fight.

What do you got to say

to your fans today, Jimmy?

I guess I'm grateful

for the opportunity.

I know that these days not

everybody gets a second chance.

You know, I have a lot

to be grateful for.

You know, I have three beautiful,

healthy, troublemaking kids.

You know, I have the prettiest

wife a man could wish for...

Bob Johnson, Boston Globe.

Two days ago, we ran a story about

you giving your relief money back.

Can you tell our readers why?

I believe we live

in a great country.

A country that's great enough

to help a man financially...

when he's in trouble.

But lately I have had some good

fortune and I'm back in the black.

And I just thought

I should return it.

Wilson, you're up.

Yeah, over here.

Listen, what's the first thing

you're gonna do...

if you make world champion?

First thing, I'm gonna have

to go and buy some turtles.

What's that? Turtles?

Yeah, well,

I said to the kids when...

I was leaving the house

this morning...

that I was gonna

bring back the title...

and they thought

I said "turtle. "

Yeah.

So naturally,

I don't want to let them down.

But if I could bring home

the title and a turtle...

they sure would be tickled.

You got that?

"Title, turtle," right?

Jake Greenblatt

from Chicago Trib.

Hello, Jake.

It's been a while.

What's changed, Jimmy?

I mean, you couldn't win a

fight for love or money, right?

How do you explain

your comeback?

Well, you know,

the truth is, Jake...

for a number of years there

we was fighting injured.

I broke my hand

more than once.

I got in a car accident one

time, we was on the road...

and I had to get that fixed.

I had a run of bad luck.

And, this time around,

I know what I'm fighting for.

Yeah? What's that, Jimmy?

Milk.

Milk?

Sporty Lewis,

New York Herald.

Sporty.

Actually, my question's

for Mrs. Braddock.

Mrs. Braddock, my readers

would love to know...

how do you feel

about the fact that...

Max Baer's killed two men

in the ring?

So how do you feel

about that, ma'am?

Are you scared

for your husband's life?

She's scared for Max Baer, is

who she's scared for, Mr. Lewis.

Okay, how about

one more question, folks?

Said downstairs you wanted

to see us.

Joe, Jim, come on in.

Have a seat.

Right here.

Editorial says

this fight is good as murder.

And everybody associated with

it should be hauled into court...

and prosecuted afterwards.

They say the paper's getting

all sorts of letters...

from people saying

you're their inspiration.

Like you saved their lives

or something.

If you ask me,

it's a lot of crap.

But if I'm gonna

promote this fight...

I'm not getting hung out to

dry if something happens to you.

You're all heart.

My heart's for my family, Joe.

My brains and my balls

are for business...

and this is business.

You got me?

Gotcha.

You will know exactly

what you're up against.

And my attorney,

Mr. Mills...

will witness that I've done

everything in my power to warn you.

You know,

I seen the Carnera fight.

Carnera's height saved him.

He was knocked down 12 times.

Exactly. Would've been worse

if he was shorter.

Baer had to punch up to hit

him. Took a little something off.

That's Frankie Campbell.

Stand-up fighter,

knows how to take a punch.

His style familiar, Jim?

Like looking in a mirror, huh?

Hey, he don't need to see this.

He'll see it

or I'll call off the fight.

You see that combination?

Campbell didn't go down

on the first punch.

He was a tough guy.

Second one killed him

on the spot.

Just cut it off, will you?

The autopsy said that his

brain was knocked loose...

from the connecting tissue.

Consider your ass

fully covered, okay?

Run it again.

Remember Ernie Schaaf?

Nice guy.

You lost one to him in '31.

Ernie took one of those

on the chin from Baer.

He was dead

and didn't know it.

Next fight, first little nothing

jab put him to sleep forever.

Detached brain, they said.

Joe?

No snappy comeback?

It ain't my skull the guy's

gonna try and stove in.

You want to think about it?

You think

you're telling me something?

What, like, boxing's

dangerous, something like that?

You don't think triple shifts or

working nights on the scaffolds...

is just as likely

to get a guy killed?

How many guys died the other

night living in cardboard shacks...

trying to save on rent money?

Guys who were trying to feed their

family. 'Cause men like you...

have not yet quite figured out

a way to make money...

out of watching that guy die.

In my profession,

and it's my profession...

I'm a little more fortunate.

All righty then. You guys

have dinner here tonight.

Take your wives. It's on me.

We'll snap some pics

on your way out.

If you change your

mind tomorrow...

at least we got some

good press out of it.

Good. Come on.

It's gorgeous!

Jimmy, can we get silver

faucets? Of course.

How many you want? A dozen?

Right.

Listen. A little bird told me

to check the evening edition.

So let's see what we got.

"Boxer Jim Braddock

has come back from the dead...

to change the face of courage

in our nation. "

Oh, that's nice.

Yeah.

Sporty Lewis wrote that.

Sporty Lewis?

Yeah. And get this.

"In a land that's

downtrodden...

"Braddock's comeback is

giving hope to every American.

"People who were ready

to throw in the towel...

"are finding inspiration in

their new hero, Jim Braddock.

"As Damon Runyon

has already written...

he's truly

the Cinderella Man. "

Cinderella Man?

Yeah.

Oh, I like it. It's kind of

girly. Yeah, kind of. Yeah.

Oh, brother.

Yeah, this is gonna be fun.

Excuse me.

Jim.

I'm not quite finished yet.

Beg your pardon, sir.

Thank you.

You know what?

I got the bill here. Yeah.

Johnston. He's a big spender.

He's gonna leave a big, big tip.

Yeah.

He's a real peach.

Gotta love the guy.

Right, sweetie?

Look at this.

This is me?

I know it is.

Jimmy.

Oh, boy.

You think Johnston set that

up? Oh, yeah. I think. Maybe.

A few extra pics

for the dailies.

From the gentleman

who just arrived.

Mr. Baer said

to wish you bon voyage.

Don't open it. Put it in a

bag. We'll take it with us.

Hey, Joey?

Yeah?

Get the coats.

Jim.

Well,

if it ain't Cinderella Man.

Thanks for the champagne,

Mr. Baer.

You're doing a great job publicizing

the fight. I really appreciate it.

I hope it's gonna be a very

successful night for both of us.

You keep telling people you're

gonna kill me in the ring.

I got three kids at home.

You're upsetting my family,

particularly my wife.

Listen, Braddock.

I'm asking you sincerely

not to take this fight.

Now, you seem like a decent

fellow. People admire you.

I really don't

want to hurt you.

It's no joke, pal.

People die in fairy tales

all the time.

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