Jim Braddock....Quest. for Adam W ?

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Adam W.

Just picked up this 1930's card of James J. Braddock. I understand it is
his very 1st card.......please confirm ?

A more important question I have for you (and I'm guessing that you saw it).
Why didn't the recent movie of Braddock's life story (Cinderella Man) do
better at the Box Office ? It is just a great real life story and Russell Crowe,
Renee Zellwiger, and Bart Giamatti's son provided excellent performances.

My family really enjoyed it. Also, we grew up in NJ not too far from Jim's
residence and that endeared us to this story.

T-Rex Ted

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Braddock had many card preceding this 1935 British issue, including a 1928 Exhibit which is the earliest one I know of.

As far as the movie goes, beats me.

Edited to Add:

and no, his win was not a frame-up (fix). Baer broke his right hand in training shortly before the fight but kept it secret to avoid a monetary penalty for pulling out.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Adam W.

Thanks....it was advertised as such....but, I figured I better check with
the "boxingcardman". Anyhow, it's a nice card to add to my boxing card
collection.

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Posted By: Scott Gross

The Braddock story is a great one, but I think why the movie did not do so well is it combined two inherently opposing aspects of life:

Those who wanted to see a "true/struggle/love" story might not want to see the "boxing/sports/blood&guts" aspect of the film.

And, conversely, those who wanted to see a "boxing/sports/blood&guts" story might not want to see the "true/struggle/love" aspect of the film.

A tough combination. That's probably why those who liked it, really liked it.


Oh, and Ted, thst IS the first Braddock card issued by Godfrey Phillips "In the public eye" series !!!!!

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Adam W and Scott G

Thanks for your information regarding Braddock. I grew up a 1/2 mile away
from the Twin City Boxing Arena (Elizabeth-Newark, NJ) open-air stadium.
During many a summer nite's events in the late '40s we could hear the cheering,
jeering crowd at this arena from our home. It held some big name events; but,
I cannot recall them. But, as a 9-year old kid I knew all the "big names" in
the boxing world.

And, my very 1st sports cards (before BB) were the 1948 Leafs. I still have my
original sets of 49 cards (one printed on white cardboard & a 2nd on gray).

I was disappointed, however, that James J. Braddock was not in this set. Leaf
included all the major champions from Jack Johnson to Tony Zale.

Can either one of you explain why Braddock was not in this set (his nemesis Baer
was) ?

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

I think a large reason as to why Cinderella Man tanked was due to the fact that right before the release Russell Crowe was arrested for throwing a phone at a hotel clerk in NYC. The resultant bad press - and it was bad - turned off a lot of people to Crowe and the movie.

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Posted By: Glenn

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Jeff L.

Sorry, but I have to somewhat differ with your comments with respect to the
incident Russell Crowe was involved in. First, of all Crowe is not one of the
"media darlings" (or Hollywood, either). Sure, he threw a phone, but it was
at a wall, not at this consierge at the Mercer Hotel. The "media" then blew
it out of proportion and were hyping up a multi-million $$ law suit. Well, the
bottom-line settlement was about 1/2 million to this hotel employee.

Trust me, I do have insight into this matter since my younger Daughter, Zoe,
lives in Coffs Harbor, Australia; and, in fact her ranch borders on Crowe's
property. Calling that part of Australia can be quite problematic at times,
and compound that with a 14 hour (ahead) time difference. So, believe me, I
can appreciate what Russell was experiencing that nite when he was trying
to call his wife. And, apparently ran into an employee that wasn't too under-
standing.
No, I cannot accept that as a reason for this movie doing poorly at the
movies. It has to be something else, because it is a great true life story.
Russell Crowe is a darn good actor, and he has proven it....he is akin to
the old time actors, such as Richard Burton, etc.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Ted, no doubt the movie was great and Crowe was great in it, but the trashing he got in the press was real. In fact, the phone hit the concierge in the head -- he had the cut face to show for it. In addition, any hype piled on the incident had nothing to do with trying to jack up any settlement, that's just the NY and national press for you. As for the actual settlement, the concierge's attorney offered to settle for an apology from Crowe but was rebuffed. Only after Crowe realized how dumb he looked for attacking the hotel worker did he go on Letterman's show and apologize for his actions - without apologizing to his victim.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Jeff L.

Zoe has met Russell Crowe and she says he is a "tough" dude, but a very
likeable guy. Not unlike another Australian actor, Paul Hogan, of Crocodile
Dundee fame. They are a tough lot "down-under" and they do not have much
patience for people who they perceive are "b..s..ing" them. So, I am not too
surprised that he didn't apologize to this guy; after all, what's 1/2 Million
to Crowe.

To us....we could buy lots of our cardboard fantasies with that amount.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

instead of a big star and he battered a hotel clerk, at the least he'd be forced into anger management counseling, a fine that would hurt him a heck of a lot more, and trash-picking on the freeway for oh 200 hours or so.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Great movie. Historical/Biographic films like this one and "Seabiscuit" don't do huge box office because they lack the special fx and hype of movies like "X-Men III", "DaVinci Code" or "MI: III".

Frank

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Posted By: Bob Donaldson

I thought it was a great movie and Russell Crowe was great.

I think for a movie to do well at the box office it has to be geared torwards 15 year olds and this movie obviously wasn't. Plus a lot of women (at least my wife) are turned off bhy the violence of boxing.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Frank & Bob

Both your explanations are good ones. Certainly he "pi....off" the media and
to some extent the usual Hollywood crowd. Crowe gave a tremendous acting
performance in "The Beautiful Mind" which was filmed in Princeton (and some
scenes were filmed in the bldg. my wife works in). It too, was a true life story
about John Nash. Yet, Hollywood slighted Crowe when the Oscar Awards were
given out. And, this past year it seemed to me like a "backhanded" slap at him
when they gave Giamatti's son the Oscar (supporting role) in the Braddock movie.

But, I am not so sure that the fight scenes (which were terrific) kept the
moviegoers away.....consider the huge success of all the Rocky movies. And.
there were some real brutal scenes in those movies.

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Posted By: Erik Varon

Wife and I loved the movie. She bought me the CD. I in turn, found this on E-Bay and bought it for her. (Sorry for the poor quality scan, somethings wrong with my scanner.)