Million Dollar Baby: Stories from the Corner

Written by F. X. Toole

Narrated by David Colacci and JD Jackson

F. X. Toole knew boxing. Between bouts, he wrote, and two years before his death he published this collection of stories, giving readers an unprecedented look at the gritty life around the ring. He tells of a cutman with a sweet tooth, young fighters with dreams of celebrity, and a talented boxer who goes to Atlantic City for his biggest bout, only to be humiliated by the prejudices of a callous promoter. In "Million $$$ Baby," the inspiration for the Oscar-winning Clint Eastwood film, an aged trainer takes on a female fighter, guiding her through disappointment, pain, and tragedy. And in "Rope Burns," Toole realizes his epic vision, showing that even the purest fighter can succumb to the pressures of the world outside the sport. Throughout these stories, boxing's violence is redeemed by the respect these men and women share, as they strap on gloves and prepare their bodies for the ultimate test.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: May 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9781705204528

F. X. Toole

F. X. Toole was the pseudonym of Jerry Boyd (1930–2002), a boxing trainer and author whose work inspired the award-winning film Million Dollar Baby. In 1988, Boyd began writing about boxing, using the pseudonym F. X. Toole to keep his hobby secret from his colleagues in the boxing world. One of his stories caught the eye of a literary agent, who sold Rope Burns, a collection of Boyd’s stories, in 2000. Boyd died two years later, but before he passed he wrote the posthumously published Pound for Pound (2006) and sold the film rights to his story “Million $$$ Baby.” Clint Eastwood’s adaptation, Million Dollar Baby, won four Academy Awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture.