James J. Braddock - Guestbook

Welcome to the official guestbook of the James J Braddock website. Due to spam, we have been forced stop guestbook entries.

What a great site for James Braddock. I, like many others here, recently saw the movie, "Cinderella Man", and learned a great deal more about a wonderful man and great American. Hat's off to the Braddocks' for allowing us the opportunity to get to know James and his family a little better.

thank you for sharing the wonderful story of your grandfather. what an amazing man, and amazing movie. my husband and i were moved to tears, weeping actually, many times, by james' sacrifice and love for his family.

I have been working in the theatre industry for almost 7 years and out of all the movies i have seen in that time none have had the effect that this one did. I have found a new inspiration a new hope to make myself a better man. I know i will never win in a boxing match or be champion of the world but for a brief time i felt i could do as James Braddock did. Thank you so much for being my inspiration James J. Braddock thank you.

I have been waiting to see this movie for a few months but like many other on this site my wife wasn't as enthusiastic about going. We finally did and there is no doubt there should be an oscar somewhere in the future for this great film. Beyond the great acting this is a film that makes you want to be a better man. If Mr. Braddock lived his life close to that of the man in this movie then he is still an inspiration. I plan to take my parents to see Cinderella Man, they were raised in the thirties & forties so they will relate to the great depression & it will probly take them back to there youth in way. All I can say is thanks for an up lifting movie.

It was a Saturday night, lots of new movies to see, I told my wife I wanted to see Cinderella Man. I drug her to the show kicking and screaming. WOW! Neither of us were ready for this emotional, insperational, Oscar worthy epic of a movie. If any movie deserves the current admision price, this one does. I can't wait to tell everyone I know......see this movie at the theaters!!!!

I read, and enthusiastically agree with all of the many, impassioned, positive responses here on your website, after my wife and I saw Cinderella Man tonight for the first time. Clearly, from your website, this teriffic film has struck a chord with people worldwide. I hope it is soon translated into other languages and re-distributed, where it can receive a more universal airing. It is a universal story that goes back thousands of years and has been told many times. Sophocles could not have written the story better. And yet, when it comes to fight films, and there have been many very good ones -- The Harder They Fall, Requiem for a Heavyweight, Raging Bull, Hard Times, and to a lesser extent Rocky -- this film has now set a new standard of what the best of the breed is, because it does something none of the others did well. First, it shows what it is like to be a has-been, and then what it means to later be a has-been hitting bottom for the second time, under the most crushing, defeating, impossible circumstances imaginable. And second, where, in spite of your talents and hard work you then hit rock bottom really, really, hard (near starvation, near death of a child) this film and this story goes straight to the core of what is to be a human being struggling to be a human of the first order. None of the ealier films have achieved this. Hard Times captures a bit of the desperation of the Great Depression, but Cinderalla Man serves it up to you, straight into your face, like no other contemporary film has. I admire this because both sides of my Midwest family were traumatized by the Great Depression to an extent that I could not describe here, but yet they suffered and I bore the brunt of what the Depresion did to them. This is the first American film I've seen that accurately portrays that era, with the excepton of The Grapes of Wrath, but that film was made in 1939. Some movie critics say the film is too depressing because of that. I say the story could not have been accurately told without showing the devastating effect of the Great Depresion on Jim Braddock and his family. The visual aspect of the film was totally authentic. The acting, directing and editing were first class. And my audience, too, cheered and clapped at the end of the film. All that said, James Braddock was a real man and this was a true story. And he was a remarkable and important man in 20th century America. Our nation lacks heroes of this stature today, and this film demonstrates that. If Jim Braddock were in the White House today, I wonder how much better our citizens and our children would be. Stated another way, how many leaders today have been through the mill, as Jim Braddock had? How can they relate to us common citizens as Jim Braddock obviously could and did? I hope someday our country and our leaders can re-attain those heights.

Thanks for listening.

My wife and I just saw the movie last night (August 5, 2005). We just saw it because I am frugal (cheap), and I only see movies at the $1.50 theatre. Anyway, we enjoyed the movie, the crowd clapped at the end (which is unusual today), and I will recommend it to friends. I thought that my friend Smokey might enjoy the movie, as he is a real old fashioned Dad. He works hard to support his wife and two daughters who are in college. He has been laid off with the technology bust, but would look for jobs for 8 hours a day, eventually landing a number of jobs that he contracted for, and has now landed a "permanent" job. Smokey was a college level wrestler, and though small, is a pretty tough cookie. I know the movie would be an inspiration to Smokey and many others. I hope Jim was very much like he was portrayed in the movie, and I suspect he was. Very nice website. Thanks. You and your family should be proud of it.

WOW!! What a great American story. We just got out of the movie, which was filled with cheering fans.

Thanks Braddock family for sharing this with America.

My husband I just came from seeing this wonderful movie!!! I had to know more about this man and his family and here is a wonderful web site! I love all the pictures! You have done a great job. What a loving , warm man Jim was!! A grest job by Russell Crow and Renee, I love them both, and anything Ron Howard makes you can count on to be great also!! Thank you so much!

I have heard of James J. Braddock from my grandfather telling stories of listening to the fights on the radio. I saw the movie at the base theater this evening ... what a good story and I'm so glad to learn more of a real sports hero ... a good man that held family first and did not cheat on his wife, he truly was an inspiration to true sports fans ... thank you for taking the time to maintain this wonderful site.

Just saw the movie today and thought it was a wonderful movie as well as a wonderful tribute to James J Braddock! Russell Crowe and Ron Howard did him proud! I didn't know a thing about him before today but was inspired by his life story. I'm sure anyone whose life he touched is proud to have known him!

The best movie I have ever seen!!!! My wife and I saw this together at a local movie theater. My wife hardly ever goes to the Theater to see a new movie, but in this case I was ablr to persuade her. She LOVED it, and so did I. The movie was so full of Spirit and emotion that I could almost hear the entire theater "sniffling" There were also a number of times when I heard sobing coming from inside the theater. I have never seen anyting like this before and I go to the movies all the time. Unbelievably perfect movie.

My wife and I just came in from seeing the Cinderella Man and we were so inspired by James Braddock's spirit and love for his family. Thanks for sharing this story with the world. Question; did he maintain a relationship with God throughout his life? The movie seemed to lead the viewer away from that when he "gave up on prayers". I hope the portrayal of his life will inspire more people to work hard, never give up and always put family first. May our God Bless You and Yours...

I just saw the movie Cinderella Man. It was truely amazing. People actually clappped during the fight scenes. It makes me appreciate my grandparents so much more. They lived during this time and raised my mother. What a touching and wonderful movie. It is a great web sight too. I enjoyed learning more about Jim Braddock. You must be so proud of him!

I especially like biographies and enjoyed "Cinderella Man" immensely. I had to know more about Jim Braddock after the movie and was so happy to find so much info on him on this website. I admired his
character during those hard depression times with so many challenges to take care of his family and put food on the table.
Everyone can learn a lesson from this movie.

I just saw the movie "Cinderella Man" and was amazed at how wonderful it was. I'm sure I wasn't the only one in the theater who's heart sank when things went badly, sat on the edge of my seat during fights, and nearly clapped out loud during the triumphs. I just had to learn more about the man that inspired such a inspiring movie.

PEOPLE HAVE THE REALIZE ONE THING , JAMES BRADDOCK IS THE ORIGINAL UNDERDOG AND THE GREATEST STORY IN SPORTS HISTORY , WITHOUT HIM THERE WOULD BE NO ROCKY....WHICH CERTAIN PARTS OF THE MOVIE DREW UPON BRADDOCK'S STORY , THERE ALSO WOULDN'T BE " ON THE WATERFRONT" WITH MARLON BRANDO AS THE DOCKS BRANDO WORKED ON IN THAT MOVIE ARE THE HOBOKEN DOCKS THAT BRADDOCK REALLY WORKED ON , THEY'RE ALSO WOULDN'T BE A LOT OF OTHER MOVIES OR THEY'RE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN INSPIRATION FOR OTHER BOXERS THAT CAME AFTER HIM , FOR JAMES J. BRADDOCK IS THE ORIGINATOR

What a great man and website honoring him !!!!!

Just watched the movie Cinderella Man, all I could say is what a great man. Even at the most difficult situations he was a brilliant father, excellent husband and a terrific friend.

My wife and I just returned from the "Cinderella Man", and what a man he was. Thank you!!! What a great movie! WHAT A GREAT MAN!!! May God bless you and yours always.

My husband and I watched the Cinderella Man this weekend, and it left us both so awed and amazed at the true life values and morals and such courage Mr. Braddock had. He's a real tribute to how men can and should be! I applauded the movie at the end and shouted for joy when he won! It's a great movie!

I have just bought the book The Cinderella Man and look forward to seeing the film. What an inspirational story. This website is a wonderful tribute to a great man. Many thanks

I thought the movie was fantastic. The fights looked realistic as did the time of the depression. Kudos for jobs well done. Oscar material.

My boyfriend and I just saw the movie "Cinderella Man". Even though I am a history major and I love history, I hesitated to go see the movie because I was afraid it would be sad. It was sad - but it was also very inspirational and uplifting and shows the triumph of the American spirit.

family background of James J. Braddock.........where was his father born? Grandfather? Were there any connections to Braddocks in Union Co. Ky.? Our family always claimed to be related. I can understand the pride in being related but wonder if it is true.