Whether opening saloons raising cattle or promoting sporting events George Lewis Tex Rickard (1870-1929) possessed a drive to be the best. After an early career as a cowboy and Texas sheriff Rickard pioneered the largest ranch in South America built a series of profitable saloons in the Klondike and Nevada gold rushes and turned boxing into a million-dollar sport. As the Father of Madison Square Garden he promoted over 200 fights including some of the most notable of the 20th century: the Longest Fight the Great White Hope fight and the famous Long Count fight. Along the way he rubbed shoulders with some of history s most renowned figures including Teddy Roosevelt Wyatt Earp Bat Masterson John Ringling Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney. This detailed biography chronicles Rickard s colorful life and his critical role in the evolution of boxing from a minor sport to a modern spectacle.