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The Banter Gold Standard: The Impression
On Monday, we ran Pete Dexter’s Inside Sports piece on Larry Holmes. Here is Dexter’s short article on the Holmes-Ali fight, reprinted here with the author’s permission. “The Impression” By Pete Dexter...
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The Banter Gold Standard: The Boxing Gym
Let’s cap off Pete Dexter Boxing week with this beauty. It originally appeared in Esquire and can be found in Dexter’s stellar collection of non-fiction, Paper Trails, as well as the Library of...
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The Banter Gold Standard: Furry’s Blues
“By now there must be in the world a million guitar virtuosos; but there are very few real blues players. The reason for this is that the blues–not the form but the blues–demands such dedication. This...
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BGS: The Strange and Mysterious Death of Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis
Here is Richard Ben Cramer’s chilling Jerry Lee Lewis story. It originally appeared in Rolling Stone (March 1, 1984) and is reprinted here with the author’s permission. First up, a brief introduction...
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The Banter Gold Standard: The End of Lenny Bruce
It’s hard to believe that Dick Schaap died over ten years ago. For sports fans of my generation we knew him as a constant, reassuring presence in a world of TV hype–bright, even-handed, moral, with a...
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BGS 2012: Gold Rush
Bronx Banter turned ten in November and to celebrate I thought it’d be cool to reprint a few classic articles. I figured we’d run five pieces but one thing led to another and now we’ve got a series...
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The Banter Gold Standard: Know Your Way Home
Let’s start the New Year with this gem from our pal Richard Cramer. It first appeared in Esquire (October, 1993) and is reprinted here with the author’s permission. “Know Your Way Home” by Richard Ben...
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BGS: Leonard Stuns Hagler With Split Decision
For years, Richard Hoffer was a stud at Sports Illustrated (where he still contributes the occasional essay), and before that, he worked for the L.A. Times. He is a master stylist and writes lean,...
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The Banter Gold Standard: Bear Bryant’s Miracles
In this piece, published by Playboy in 1979, the author of such street-sharp novels as The Wanderers, Blood Brothers, and Clockers detours from the city to the unfamiliar terrain of Alabama where he...
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The Banter Gold Standard: Fore Play
Here’s a little honey from our man. “Fore Play: A Celebration of Golf the Glorious” By Richard Ben Cramer I play golf, I recommend golf, I celebrate golf—for the exercise. For this I am roundly derided...
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The Banter Gold Standard: The Earl of Baltimore
Here’s another gem from our man John Schulian. This column on Earl Weaver first appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, August 16, 1981 (It can also be found in Schulian’s collection, Sometimes They Even...
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The Banter Gold Standard: Love Song to Willie Mays
Here’s another sure shot from the great Joe Flaherty (reprinted with permission from Jeanine Flaherty). You can find his story on Toots Shor, here; his wonderful piece on Jake LaMotta, here....
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The Banter Gold Standard: Jim Bouton, Reliever
Is it time for pitchers and catchers yet? Almost. In the meantime, dig this: “Jim Bouton, Reliever” By Jack Mann Washington Daily News, 1969 Jim Bouton pitched an inning of relief for the Seattle...
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The Banter Gold Standard: Something To Do With Heroes
Originally published in the Post (April 8, 1969) and reprinted here with permission from the author, he’s a keeper for the Yankee fans out there. “Something To Do With Heroes” by Larry Merchant Paul...
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The Banter Gold Standard: Broadway Sportsman
Here’s a 1958 gem by the great Jimmy Cannon (from The World of Jimmy Cannon). “Broadway Sportsman” By Jimmy Cannon The Broadway sportsman lives in Brooklyn with his widowed mother who would starve if...
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The Banter Gold Standard: Dexter Recalls Jack McKinney
Here’s another sure shot from our pal Dexter. This one is from August 16, 2002 when he remembered his mentor and friend, Jack McKinney. (The piece appears here with the author’s permission.) “Pete...
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BGS: Where Have You Gone, Mickey Mantle?
Let’s stick with baseball now that spring training has begun. Here’s a wonderful Mickey Mantle profile by Diane K. Shah. The story originally appeared in New York Magazine (April 21, 1980) and is...
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The Banter Gold Standard: The Sports Fan
More baseball. This here beaut by Pete Richmond was a “Main Event” takeout for The National Sports Daily back on August 30, 1990. It appears here with the author’s permission. “The Sports Fan” By Peter...
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BGS: Dead Dogs and Manhood
Another beaut from our man Dexter. This one originally appeared in the Philly Daily News on June 2, 1980. It is collected in Paper Trails, a must-read if there ever was one, and is featured here with...
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The Banter Gold Standard: Parker
Here’s our pal Luc Sante on Richard Stark’s Parker. Stark, aka, Donald Westlake, was recently profiled by Michael Weinreb over at Grantland. Luc’s piece is featured in several of the Parker books...
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