Mark Allen Baker

Mark Allen Baker (born March 27, 1957), is a former business executive, and American biographer, historian, known for his work on American culture, history and sports.
Baker has written twenty-five books including biographies on three members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame: Battling Nelson, The Durable Dane , The Fighting Times of Abe Attell and Lou Ambers: A Biography of the World Lightweight Champion and Hall of Famer.
Early life and education
Born in Binghamton, New York and raised in both Virginia Beach, Virginia and central New York, Baker graduated from Fayetteville-Manlius High School before earning a B.A. from the State University of New York at Oswego.
Life and career
Following graduation, Baker was hired by the General Electric Corporation. His post-graduate work centered on computer graphics and digital imaging for his employer, and its Genigraphics Division (Microsoft PowerPoint). When the corporation sold Genigraphics (computer-graphics) to a group of venture capitalists, Baker he with the new corporation. There he held a variety of positions including Trainer, Program Manager, Art Director, Marketing Research Manager and Executive Assistant to the CEO. Baker decided to leave the Genigraphics Corporation shortly after their acquisition by Pansophic Systems, Incorporated, a Lisle, Illinois software firm.
Baker has also been the co-owner of numerous businesses-while employed by the Genigraphics Corporation- including "Bleachers" of Liverpool, New York - an . sports bar and museum. Opened in 1990, the restaurant hosted many significant events from a reception for "Stars on Ice" featuring Scott Hamilton and Debbie Thomas to a Monday Night radio show, broadcast by WAER hosted by broadcaster Mike Tirico.
Writing career
While employed by the Genigraphics Corporation, Baker began writing and illustrating technical articles, trade periodicals and books. This led to columns in other fields and even his first book. His diverse interests are perhaps best exemplified by the individuals who have contributed introductions to his numerous books including: Joe Sewell (Baseball Hall of Fame, Lou Gehrig's roommate), Max Patkin (Cleveland Indians coach, Clown Prince of Baseball, actor "Bull Durham"), and Kermit "Shine" Forbes (Ernest Hemingway's boxing sparring partner ). Additional contributors have also included: Charles Gehringer (Baseball Hall of Fame), A. Bartlett Giamatti (Baseball), Bobby Doerr (Baseball Hall of Fame), Jeff Gordon (Racing), Paul Newman (Actor, Racing), Mario Andretti (Racing) and Andrew Wyeth (Art).
The author's numerous radio appearances have included: Bridgeport, CT (WICC), New York, NY (WFAN), Santa Rosa, CA (KXXY), Syracuse, NY (WSEN, WHEN), and Tampa, FL (WNBA). As a television guest he has been seen on Metro TV, New York, NY and numerous local channels. Following his 1997 book, Goldmine's Price Guide to Rock & Roll Memorabilia, he appeared as a co-host on the VH-1 series Rock Collectors. As a speaker, Baker has attended many events including the Hemingway Days Festival & Writers Conference in Key West, Florida.
From 2007 until 2010 Baker was Editor for "The Pen & Quill," a journal for historical manuscripts.
Gaining recognition
Baker turned his interest to regional history in 2010, with the release of four titles:
The award-nominated Title Town, USA, Boxing in Upstate New York, published by The History Press examines the rich history of Boxing in central New York. It is the first book to truly establish this region as the epicenter of pugilism. The book's foreword was written by Edward P. Brophy, Executive Director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York.
In October 2010, the author released Basketball History in Syracuse, Hoops Roots, also published by The History Press. The book was an introduction to professional basketball in Syracuse and includes teams like (Vic Hanson's) All-Americans, the Syracuse Reds and the Syracuse Nationals (1946-1963). Contributions to the work include over a dozen former NBA players, along with members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
"Spies of Revolutionary Connecticut: From Benedict Arnold to Nathan Hale,” published by The History Press in 2014, introduced readers to the role the state played in intelligence gathering during the American Revolution. From coded messages and invisible ink, to early submarines with the first exploding torpedoes, the book incorporates chapters on key individuals such as: Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold, and David Bushnell.
“Connecticut Families of the Revolution, American Forebears from Burr to Wolcott", Baker's second book of 2014, also published by The History Press, takes readers inside of the homes of the state's most patriotic families. The work features the relatives of many American patriots including: Oliver Ellsworth, Nathan Hale, and Roger Sherman. Women, such as Eunice Burr, Lucretia Shaw, Mary Silliman, and Elizabeth Hull are also featured for their valuable contribution to the American Revolution.
Mark Allen Baker has spoken at many historical sites including the Nathan Hale Schoolhouse in New London, Connecticut and even given the 2015 Keynote Address at the annual meeting of the Norwich Historical Society inside the Slater Memorial Museum in Norwich, Connecticut. On May 16, 2015, Baker was awarded a certificate of appreciation "For Outstanding Preservation and Promotion of American History" by the Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
Biographies
Turning his focus toward biography in 2016, Baker released, Battling Nelson, The Durable Dane. It is the author's eighteenth book and his first biography for McFarland & Company. The incredible story of Oscar Battling Matthew Nelson is a "rags, to riches, to rags" tale. As the toughest and most durable professional boxer ever to enter a ring, Battling Nelson held the World Lightweight Championship from 1908 until 1910. Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, Battling Nelson is often recalled for his boxing trilogy with Joe Gans which is still considered one of the greatest in sports history. With the release of this book, Baker holds the distinction of being the only person to serve the International Boxing Hall of Fame as an author, historian, chairperson, sponsor, volunteer, and biographer.
The author's nineteenth book, The Fighting Times of Abe Attell, was published in the fall of 2017. Known for his record-setting, six-year consecutive reign as World Featherweight Champion from 1906-1912, Abraham Washington Attell (1883-1970) was among the cleverest, most scientific professional boxers ever to enter the ring. Attell's success inspired his brothers Caesar and Monte to take up the sport—Abe and Monte both held simultaneous world titles for a time. This first-ever biography covers Attell's life and career. Growing up poor and Jewish in a predominantly Irish neighborhood, he faced his share of adversity and anti-Semitism in and out of the ring. He was charged for alleged involvement in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. The charges were dropped but Attell was branded by association for the remainder of his life. During the third week in January 2017, The Fighting Times of Abe Attell hit #1 on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxer Biographies-the book also hit #1 New Release in Jewish Biographies in December 2017.
Social Science
As a category of academic disciplines, social science has always fascinated the author. Between the Ropes at Madison Square Garden, The History of an Iconic Boxing Ring, 1925-2007, is the author’s twenty-first book and was published in July 2019. As a cultural symbol, this historic boxing ring now rests majestically at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. Hosting championship fights, historic main events, and memorable undercards, it not only wrote boxing history punch-by-punch, it recorded world history one round at a time. Baker believes there was no better portrait of a sport or our society than the (New York) City Ring, and there never will be. The International Boxing Research Organization noted, “Between the Ropes at Madison Square Garden combines a crucial aspect of boxing history with a portion of American History. It’s a book written with a narrative that unfolds in a clear and relaxed manner and should be read and relished.”
The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876-1937, was published by McFarland & Company in 2020. The title was a leverage mechanism, or tool, used as a technique to counter a social element, “the color line.” While the title certainly proved useful, it took some extraordinary individuals, both Black and White, to step into the limelight and challenge the existence of the color line. This book traces the advent and demise of the Championship, the stories of the incredible professional athletes who won it, and the demarcation of the color line both in and out of the ring. From the second week in September 2020, until the end of the month, The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876-1937, occupied the Top Ten on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxing Books. The book was also an Award-Winning Finalist in the Multicultural Non-Fiction category of the 2020 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest. The USA Boxing News noted, “Baker takes no prisoners in his indictment of the white Heavyweight Champions who used the ‘Color Line’ to cover up their own racist ideals, or just plain cowardice.”
Personal life
As an active member of the community, Baker regularly contributes organic fruits and vegetables to local food banks. He served as a member of the Hebron (Connecticut) Charter Revision Commission (2018-2019), and was elected to the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (2019).
Mark Allen Baker lives in New England and Florida. He has three children: Aaron (b. 1985), Elizabeth (b. 1986) and Rebecca (b. 1990).
Selected Books
Biography
* Battling Nelson, The Durable Dane (2016)
* The Fighting Times of Abe Attell (2017)
* Lou Ambers: A Biography of the World Lightweight Champion and Hall of Famer (2021)
Sports & Social Science
* Between The Ropes at Madison Square Garden, The History of an Iconic Boxing Ring, 1925-2007 (2019)
* The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876-1937 (Drawing The Color Line) (2020)
Photography
* Connecticut in World War II (Images of America) (2017, softcover) ; (Images of America) (2017, hardcover)
National and Regional History
* Connecticut Families of the Revolution, American Forebears from Burr to Wolcott (2014, softcover) ; (2014, hardcover)
* Spies of Revolutionary Connecticut: From Benedict Arnold to Nathan Hale (2014, softcover) ; (2014, hardcover)
* Basketball History in Syracuse, Hoops Roots (2010, softcover) ; (2010, hardcover)
* TITLE TOWN, USA, Boxing in Upstate New York (2010, softcover) ; (2010, hardcover)
Reference and Popular Culture
* The Official Autograph Collector Price Guide (2004)
* Celebrity Autographs, SECOND EDITION (2000)
* Advanced Autograph Collecting (2000)
* The Standard Guide to Collecting Autographs (1999)
* Goldmine's Price Guide to Rock & Roll Memorabilia (1997)
* Celebrity Autographs (1996)
* Auto Racing (1996)
* All-Sport Autograph Guide (1994)
* Team Baseballs (1992)
* Baseball Autograph Handbook, SECOND EDITION (1990)
* Baseball Autograph Handbook (1990)
Contributions
* Boxing Legends of All-Time by Robert Cassidy, Jr. and Steve Nicolaisen. Publications International, 1996.
* Baseball Memorabilia by Mark Larson. Krause Publications, 1992.
* Mickey Mantle Memorabilia by Mark Larson and Dave Platta. Krause Publications, 1993.
* Antique Golf Collectibles by Chuck Furjanic. Krause Publications, 2003.
* Computer Graphics for Designers and Artists by Isaac Kerlow and Judson Rosebush. Van Nostrand and Reinhold Company, 1986.
* Computer Graphics by John Lewell. Van Nostrand and Reinhold Company, 1983.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu