To My Readers:

Norman Selby was born on October 13, 1872 in Moscow, Rush County, Indiana. Norman was the youngest of four brothers. Rush County was predominately made up of folks who had migrated from England. Norman spent his youth being picked upon by his older brothers and learned how to defend himself as a young man. By the time he was sixteen years of age watching a cat move in his barn he established the cork screw punch. This devastating punch played havoc on opponents in the bare knuckle boxing ring because the way he twisted his hand as a punch hit his opponent, it caused cuts on the opponents face.

Between 1891 and 1896, Selby, who changed his name to Kid McCoy amassed over a half a million dollars taking on all comers at state fairs and carnivals. If an opponent could last three rounds with him he would pay that opponent $500 dollars. The entry fee for the contest was $100. McCoy worked fairs and carnivals every night with this approach, fighting all comers and was known to use any method to win. As he once told a reporter who inquired as to his so called cheating methods; “We don’t fight under the Marquis of Queensbury rules, this is a street fight to the finish.”

McCoy’s story and his interaction with the other great prize fighters of his time is the basis of this book. My Arizona Grandfather Kenny Harris met McCoy at a fair when he was playing music. When I was twelve years old I trained at a boxing gym. I came home with a black eye and Kenny asked me how it happened. I told him I got my butt kicked. He took me out back and taught me the corkscrew punch that McCoy showed him. He also gave me one of McCoy’s boxing cards. I would like to say that the punch made a difference to me but I realized that I would be better served following another path in life rather than my face being a punching bag.

Zeke Crandall Author & Historian

This book will be released in digital and book form sometime in 2015