Sports Illustrated neurological testing: Details came from the magazine’s special report—Robert H. Boyle and Wilmer Ames, “Too Many Punches, Too Little Concern,” Sports Illustrated, April 11, 1983, and Jeff Wheelwright, “A Conversation with The Greatest,” Sports Illustrated, April 11, 1983. Other Sports Illustrated news and feature articles from 1965 to 1999 also informed accounts of heavyweight fights and of Quarry’s upbringing, career, and dementia pugilistica.
Martland’s landmark punch-drunk paper: Narrative based on the article as read before the New York Pathological Society at the New York Academy of Medicine—Harrison S. Martland, “Punch Drunk,” Journal of the American Medical Association 91:1103–7, 1928. A debt is owed to the protégé who authored the definitive biography—Samuel Berg, Harrison Stanford Martland, M.D.: The Story of a Physician, a Hospital, an Era (New York: Vantage Press, 1978). Background information came from Lois R. Densky-Wolff, “Harrison S. Martland, MD,” Medical History Society of New Jersey, 26:5, 2006, and Deborah Blum, “Will Science Take the Field?” New York Times, February 5, 2010. Nathan Ehrlich’s identification as the parkinsonian patient in the “Punch Drunk” paper came from cross-referencing details in Martland’s 1928 Journal of the American Medical Association article with information contained in boxing references including The Ring Boxing Encyclopedia and Record Book.
Critchley’s chronic traumatic encephalopathy study: Details came from Macdonald Critchley, “Medical Aspects of Boxing, Particularly from a Neurological Standpoint,” British Medical Journal 5015:357–62, 1957.
Roberts’s landmark epidemiological study: Narrative based on the original book-length report, A. H. Roberts, Brain Damage in Boxers: A Study of the Prevalence of Traumatic Encephalopathy among Ex-Professional Boxers (London: Pitman Medical and Scientific Publishing, 1969). Background on genesis of study came from “Medical Notes in Parliament,” British Medical Journal 1:1423–24, 1962, and “Medical News,” British Medical Journal 1:1099, 1963. Perspective on the study’s significance provided by Barry D. Jordan’s chapter titled “Boxing,” which was published in Barry D. Jordan, ed., Sports Neurology (Philadelphia: Lippincott–Raven, 1998); and from Robert H. Boyle and Wilmer Ames, “Too Many Punches, Too Little Concern,” Sports Illustrated, April 11, 1983.
Corsellis’s landmark pathological study: Some details came from J. A. N. Corsellis, “Boxing and the Brain,” British Medical Journal 298:105–9, 1989; T. J. Crow, “Obituary: J. A. N. Corsellis,” Psychiatric Bulletin 20:508–9, 1996; and Robert H. Boyle and Wilmer Ames, “Too Many Punches, Too Little Concern,” Sports Illustrated, April 11, 1983.
Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom: Details came from several sources, notably Jeff Wheelwright, “How Punchy Was Slapsie Maxie?” Sports Illustrated, April 11, 1983, and “Damaging Blows for Boxing,” Newsday, July 10, 1996.
Early CAT scan studies: Discussion based on Ira R. Casson et al., “Neurological and CT Evaluation of Knocked-out Boxers,” Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 45:170–74, 1982; M. Kaste et al., “Is Chronic Brain Damage in Boxing a Hazard of the Past?” Lancet 320:1186–88, 1982; and Ronald J. Ross et al., “Boxers—Computed Tomography, EEG, and Neurological Evaluation,” Journal of the American Medical Association 249:211–13, 1983.
Sugar Ray Robinson: Narrative based on multiple sources. Details and background came from Sugar Ray Robinson with Dave Anderson, Sugar Ray (New York: Viking Press, 1969); Herb Boyd with Ray Robinson II, Pound for Pound: A Biography of Sugar Ray Robinson (New York: Amistad, 2005); Kenneth Shropshire, Being Sugar Ray: The Life of Sugar Ray Robinson, America’s Greatest Boxer and the First Celebrity Athlete (New York: Basic Civitas, 2007); and Wil Haygood, Sweet Thunder: The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson (New York: Knopf, 2009).
Head injury’s link to Alzheimer’s: Statistic from Paul Dash and Nicole Villemarette-Pittman, Alzheimer’s Disease (New York: Demos Medical Publishing, 2005).
Champions with dementia pugilistica: Background on Willie Pep and Sandy Saddler from “The Lonely Fight,” Newsday, July 3, 1994. Details on Wilfred Benítez from “Taking Care of a Favorite Son,” New York Times, May 5, 1996, and “Too Many Beatings,” New York Times, November 12, 1997.
Physics of boxing: Data on force of heavyweight punches came from J. Atha et al., “The Damaging Punch,” British Medical Journal 291:1756–57, 1985, and Peter Stoler, “Medicine: Ali Fights a New Round,” Time, October 1, 1985.
Muhammad Ali’s story: A special debt is owed to the definitive authorized biography, Thomas Hauser, Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991). Also indispensable were books authored by Ali’s ringside physician—Ferdie Pacheco, Fight Doctor (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1976); Ferdie Pacheco, Muhammad Ali: A View from the Corner (New York: Birch Lane Press, 1992); and Ferdie Pacheco, Blood in My Coffee: The Life of The Fight Doctor (Champaign, Ill.: Sports Publishing, 2005). Additional details and background came from multiple sources, including David Remnick, King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero (New York: Random House, 1998); Mark Kram, Ghosts of Manila: The Fateful Blood Feud between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier (New York: HarperCollins, 2001); “Fans, Friends Worried, But Ali Says ‘I’m Fine,’ ” Jet, October 8, 1984; Rick Telander, “Facing Facts about Ali,” Sports Illustrated, July 1, 1991; and Wallace Matthews, “Fighting Spirit,” Neurology Now, March/April 2006.
Quarry brothers: Details of careers and family legacy based on multiple sources, notably Steve Wilstein’s October 24, 1995, Associated Press feature on Jerry Quarry. Other helpful sources included William Plummer, “A Life on the Ropes,” People, February 19, 1996; “Mike Quarry, 55; Had Boxing-Induced Dementia,” New York Times, June 14, 2006; Jonathan Mahler, “Staying in the Ring,” New York Times Magazine, December 31, 2006; and the Jerry Quarry Foundation for Dementia Pugilistica.
Genetic research: Discussion based on an interview with Barry Jordan, M.D. Details of his seminal apoE 4 study came from Barry D. Jordan et al., “Apolipoprotein E E4 Associated with Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury in Boxing,” Journal of the American Medical Association 278:136–40, 1997. Information on TBI raising risk for Alzheimer’s in people with apoE 4 came from R. Mayeux, “Synergistic Effects of Traumatic Head Injury and Apolipoprotein-4 in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease,” Neurology 45:555–57, 1995. Background on Jordan’s study came from “Research Hints at a Gene Link to Brain Afflictions of Boxers,” New York Times, July 9, 1997. Background information on Jordan came from “Rebel Neurologists Say Boxing Can Be Safe,” New York Times, May 22, 1990, and James Thornton, “A Genetic Link to Boxing Impairment?” Physician and Sports Medicine, September 1997.
Medical opposition to boxing: AMA editorial position came from George D. Lundberg, “Boxing Should Be Banned in Civilized Countries,” Journal of the American Medical Association 249:250, 1983, and background information came from Maurice W. Van Allen, “The Deadly Degrading Sport,” Journal of the American Medical Association 249:250–51, 1983. Details of smoking gun study came from Ira R. Casson et al., “Brain Damage in Modern Boxers,” Journal of the American Medical Association 251:2663–67, 1984. Details on international crusade to ban boxing came from the British Medical Association’s 1993 report titled “The Boxing Debate.” AAN position came from multiple sources, notably an October 6, 1984, Associated Press story published in numerous newspapers. Fatality statistics came from multiple sources based on figures published annually in The Ring Boxing Encyclopedia and Record Book.
Safety reforms: Based on an interview with Barry Jordan, M.D. Additional information came from Arthur Allen, “Cruel Blows,” Salon, April 30, 1999, and “Rebel Neurologists Say Boxing Can Be Safe,” New York Times, May 22, 1990.
Floyd Patterson’s story: Narrative based on multiple sources, notably Thomas Hauser, Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991); David Remnick, King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero (New York: Random House, 1998); “No More Excuses: It’s Time to Ban Boxing,” Holland S
entinel, April 11, 1998.
Chapter 10: Ticking Time Bombs
Bennet Omalu’s story: Narrative based on an interview with Bennet Omalu, M.D. Discussion of his seminal CTE case studies based on Bennet I. Omalu et al., “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in a National Football League Player,” Neurosurgery 57:128–34, 2005; Bennet I. Omalu et al., “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in a National Football League Player: Part II,” Neurosurgery 59:1086–93, 2006; Casson et al., “Correspondence: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in a National Football League Player,” Neurosurgery 58:E1003, 2006. Some details came from Bennet Omalu, Play Hard, Die Young: Football Dementia, Depression, and Death (Lodi, Calif.: Neo-Forenxis Books, 2008); “ ‘Brain Chaser’ Tackles Effects of NFL Hits,” Washington Post, April 25, 2007; and Jeanne Marie Laskas, “This Is Your Brain on Football,” GQ, October 2009.
Mike Webster’s story: Details came from multiple sources, notably Greg Garber’s five-part series on ESPN.com (“A Tormented Soul,” January 24, 2005; “Blood and Guts,” January 25, 2005; “Man on the Moon,” January 26, 2005; “Wandering through the Fog,” January 27, 2005; “Sifting the Ashes,” January 28, 2005), “Former Steeler’s Family Wins Disability Ruling,” New York Times, December 14, 2006; Jeanne Marie Laskas, “This Is Your Brain on Football,” GQ, October 2009; “Research Finds Football Hits May Lead to Brain Injury,” ABCNews.com, October 16, 2009; Bennet Omalu, Play Hard, Die Young: Football Dementia, Depression, and Death (Lodi, Calif.: Neo-Forenxis Books, 2008); and congressional testimony on June 26, 2007, by Cyril V. Smith, a partner in Zuckerman Spaeder, the law firm representing Webster.
Terry Long controversy: Details came from “Wecht: Long Died from Brain Injury,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 14, 2005; “Surgeon Disagrees with Wecht That Football Killed Long,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 15, 2005; “Steelers Doctor Says Concluding Football Led to Long’s Demise Is Bad Science,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 16, 2005; “Document Says Former Steeler Drank Antifreeze in Suicide,” New York Times, January 27, 2006; and Bennet Omalu, Play Hard, Die Young: Football Dementia, Depression, and Death (Lodi, Calif.: Neo-Forenxis Books, 2008).
Chris Nowinski’s story: Narrative based on interviews with Chris Nowinski. Some details came from Christopher Nowinski, Head Games: Football’s Concussion Crisis (East Bridgewater, Mass.: Drummond, 2007).
Andre Waters’s story: Details came from “Expert Ties Ex-Player’s Suicide to Brain Damage from Football,” New York Times, January 18, 2007; “Brain Chasers,” ESPN’s Outside the Lines, August 12, 2007; and Bennet Omalu, Play Hard, Die Young: Football Dementia, Depression, and Death (Lodi, Calif.: Neo-Forenxis Books, 2008).
Justin Strzelczyk’s story: Details came from multiple news sources, notably “Lineman, Dead at 36, Sheds Light on Brain Injuries,” New York Times, June 15, 2007, and “Brain Chasers,” ESPN’s Outside the Lines, August 12, 2007. Background information came from interviews with Bennet Omalu, M.D., and Julian Bailes, M.D.
Chris Benoit’s story: Details came from interviews with Nowinski and Omalu as well as from newspaper accounts.
Sports Legacy Institute and Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy: Details came from interviews with Nowinski, Cantu, and Robert Stern, Ph.D.
Ann McKee’s research: Discussion based on interviews with Ann McKee, M.D., and on Ann C. McKee et al., “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Athletes: Progressive Tauopathy after Repetitive Head Injury,” Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology 68:709–35, 2009. Additional background came from “What Football Did for Us and . . . What Football Did to Us,” Chicago Sun-Times, June 25, 2010, and Caleb Daniloff, “Game Changers,” Bostonia, Fall 2010.
Paul Pender’s story: Details on announced cause of death came from an Associated Press obituary published in numerous newspapers on January 14, 2003. His identification as CTE patient came from cross-referencing details in Ann C. McKee’s 2009 Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology article with information contained in numerous boxing books including The Ring Boxing Encyclopedia and Record Book.
John Grimsley’s story: Details came from “Deadly Aftershocks,” Philadelphia Daily News, May 28, 2009.
Rival labs: Details on the West Virginia University lab came from interviews with Brain Injury Research Center co-founders Julian Bailes, M.D., and Bennet Omalu, M.D. Details on the scientific rivalry came from Jeanne Marie Laskas, “This Is Your Brain on Football,” GQ, October 2009, and Peter Keating, “Coming to a Head,” ESPN The Magazine, January 10, 2011.
Sylvia Mackey’s and Eleanor Perfetto’s stories: Narrative based on an interview with Eleanor Perfetto. Details came from numerous newspaper and magazine articles. A debt is owed to Alan Schwarz for a series of articles on long-term consequences of concussions, notably “Wives United by Husbands’ Post-N.F.L. Trauma,” New York Times, March 14, 2007; “N.F.L. Meeting Irks Wives of Ill Retirees,” New York Times, December 13, 2008; “Worker Safety Case on Dementia Tests N.F.L.,” New York Times, April 6, 2010; “In N.F.L., Women Lead the Way,” New York Times, April 11, 2010. Also helpful were a host of newspaper stories, notably “A Trailblazer’s New Path,” Baltimore Sun, November 23, 2003; “NFL Neglect of Mackey Belongs in Hall of Shame,” Baltimore Sun, December 27, 2005; and “ ‘88 Plan’: Honor for a Declining NFL Warrior,” Associated Press, March 23, 2007. Some details came from radio and television broadcasts, including “John Mackey: From the NFL to Dementia,” CBSNews.com, April 28, 2007; “Head On,” HBO’s Real Sports, May 14, 2007; “Concussions and the NFL,” NPR’s On Point, December 19, 2008; Frank Deford, “The Cautionary Tale of John Mackey, NFL Star,” NPR’s Morning Edition, January 6, 2009; and “A Blow to the Brain,” CBS’s 60 Minutes, October 11, 2009.
Chapter 11: Seeds of Change
NFL concussion summit conference: Based on multiple news accounts, including “Compromise Reigns at Summit on Concussions,” Washington Post, June 20, 2007; “Player Silence on Concussions May Block N.F.L. Guidelines,” New York Times, June 20, 2007; and Jeanne Marie Laskas, “This Is Your Brain on Football,” GQ, October 2009. Background information came from an interview with Julian Bailes, M.D., and from multiple news stories, including “Concussion Panel Has Shakeup As Data Is Questioned,” New York Times, March 1, 2007; “Concussions Tied to Depression in Ex-N.F.L. Players,” New York Times, May 21, 2007; “Update on Concussions and the NFL: Medicine Fast Framing Theories with Hard Data,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 17, 2007.
Dementia research: Details came from interviews with Kevin Guskiewicz, Ph.D., and from the following studies—Kevin M. Guskiewicz, “Recurrent Concussion and Risk of Depression in Retired Professional Football Players,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39:903–9, 2007, and Kevin M. Guskiewicz, “Association between Recurrent Concussion and Late-Life Cognitive Impairment in Retired Professional Football Players,” Neurosurgery 57:719–26, 2005.
Ira Casson controversy: Details came from multiple print and broadcast sources, notably “Head On,” HBO’s Real Sports, May 14, 2007.
Ted Johnson controversy: Details came from “Dark Days Follow Hard-Hitting Career in N.F.L.,” New York Times, February 2, 2007; “ ‘I Don’t Want Anyone to End up Like Me,’ ” Boston Globe, February 2, 2007; and “N.F.L. Culture Makes Issue of Head Injuries Even Murkier,” New York Times, February 3, 2007.
Roger Goodell’s concussion challenge: Characterization of the exploding epidemic from column by Michael Wilbon, “NFL Facing the Truth about Head Injuries,” Washington Post, August 8, 2010.
NFL’s 2007 policy changes: Announcement of policies and quotes from informational pamphlet came from the NFL’s August 14, 2007, press release titled “NFL Outlines for Players Steps Taken to Address Concussions.”
Super Bowl press conference: Narrative based on multiple news stories. Ann McKee’s reaction to finding CTE in an eighteen-year-old brain came from “Parents, Doctors Prod NFL on Brain Injuries,” Boston Globe, February 2, 2010.
NFL MTBI Committee meeting: De
tails came from an interview with Chris Nowinski and from Caleb Daniloff, “Game Changers,” Bostonia, Fall 2010.
NFL dementia survey study: Details came from a report titled “Study of Retired NFL Players,” which was prepared by David R. Weir and colleagues at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research and submitted to the NFL Player Care Foundation on September 10, 2009. Background information came from “Dementia Risk Seen in Players in N.F.L. Study,” New York Times, September 30, 2009.
NFL’s 2009 policy changes: Details came from the NFL’s December 2, 2009, press release announcing stricter concussion guidelines.
Ben Roethlisberger concussion controversy: Details came from multiple news stories, including “With Roethlisberger’s Injury, Team Goals and Player Safety Collide,” New York Times, December 1, 2009.
NFL’s change of direction: Details on overhaul of concussion committee came from “Leaders of N.F.L. Head Injury Study Resign,” New York Times, November 25, 2009, and “N.F.L. Suspends Its Study of the Effect of Concussions on Retired Players,” New York Times, December 20, 2009.
NFL’s funding of outside research: Details on the NFL underwriting the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy’s research came from “N.F.L. Gives $1 Million to Brain Researchers,” New York Times, April 21, 2010. Establishment reaction to Chris Nowinski’s advocacy came from an interview with Nowinski and from “What Football Did for Us and . . . What Football Did to Us,” Chicago Sun-Times, June 25, 2010. Reaction to Ann McKee’s CTE discoveries came from Caleb Daniloff, “Game Changers,” Bostonia, Fall 2010.
The Concussion Crisis Page 37