Jim James Braddock

Jim James Braddock

Throughout this story, I will be talking to you of a loving father who brought hope and courage to his country. This inspirational man goes by the name of Jim Walter Braddock (Braddock’s trainer changed Jim’s middle name to James to portray past champions). I have chosen this man for my project because I think he is a true hero in my eyes and many others. This man is a hero because he is someone who overcame several amazing thresholds in life and who can be an inspiration to his country and to the world. I think this man fits my definition perfectly. Now to know more about Jim and his heroic story, first of all he had a wife Mae, two sons James and Howard and a daughter named Rosemarie. The profession that brought Jim to be a hero is boxing, which also gave Braddock a name in boxing history.

Jim and Family

Jim was born June 7, 1905, in New York City, New York, to his Irish parents Joseph Braddock and Elizabeth O’Toole. He also has four brothers, Alfred, Joe, Jack, Ralph and two sisters Nellie and Julia. Now a grown man, Braddock had a lovely wife and three children. A couple of hardships during Braddock’s childhood were the neighborhood where he lived in and the road of thrills to get to a professional boxing status. Jim lived through the Great Depression. He had money troubles like many others during that time. Another hardship that Jim faced was his broken arm and losing many of his match ups, which lead to the boxing commission forcing resignation upon him. Following his resignation, Jim had a hard time finding a job to support his family, which was difficult in those times of hardship and poverty.

Courage, determination, inspiration, kindheartedness and caring are the five greatest qualities that I find in my hero, Jim James Braddock. Let’s start with determination; I chose determination because he held on and fought back and never gave up throughout his hardships and thresholds in his boxing career and his life. I also chose kindheartedness and caring because he was always loving and kind to his wife and children, for they were the ones he fought for and worked for. This man is an inspiration to his country and to the world for his courage, determination, kindheartedness and love for his family. One of his biggest qualities was his courage, which gave him the willpower and determination to overcome his obstacles, such as his money troubles and overthrowing the world champ Max Baer.

"Cinderella Man"

This paragraph consists of the story of how Jim Braddock got the name of “Cinderella Man” and the title of hero. Let’s begin. In 1926, a young man named Jim James Braddock, started his career in boxing in the light heavyweight division, surprising everybody with a powerful right punch. On July 18, 1929, Jim fought Tommy Loughran for the light heavyweight championship. Jim ended up losing by decision. On September 3, 1929, was a sad day for all in American, the Great Depression. It also hit Braddock hard, first breaking his arm in a fight then losing his boxing contract. Afterwards Jim had a hard time getting a job, seeing he had a broken arm and because of the hardships at the time. But his luck was about to change, and so was the spirit of every American, for “when America was on their knees one man brought them on their feet.” In 1934, due to a last-minute change, Jim was given a chance to fight John “Corn” Griffin. Jim surprised everybody when he knocked out Griffin in the 3rd round. Given a chance to come back, Jim fought Henry Lewis and Art Lasky, giving Jim another shot to fight for the light heavyweight championship against Max Baer. Being the underdog, Jim won at a ten to one odd. Two years later the “Cinderella Man,” Jim James Braddock lost his championship belt to Joe Lewis. Jim retired after winning against Tommy Farr in 1938. Later this heroic boxer was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1964, the Hudson Country Hall of Fame in 1991 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001. Braddock got the name of “Cinderella Man” because he was a true hero who showed that there was still a glimmer of hope, during those hard times, which gave people something to believe in.

My personal connection to Jim James Braddock is in his inspiration for what I dream to grow up to be. I hope to maybe someday be a hero myself, maybe not in the same way as this inspirational man, but to inspire the people of this world. To conclude, everything I said about this wonderful man shows us to fight for your dreams like Jim did, “a great boxer is a great man who boxed his way out of darkness and defeat and into the stuff of immortality.” Jim would later pass away on November 29, 1974, in North Bergen, New Jersey.