INDEX

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ABC, 84, 164, 176–77

African-Americans, 56, 65, 227

Ali–Frazier fights and, 230

and Ali’s attempts to book fights, 163–64

and Ali’s conflicts with Frazier, 190–91

Ali’s politics and, 159, 161–62

Baldwin on, 107

blaxploitation films and, 176

and campaign for Clark County sheriff, 148, 151

Gandy and, 251

“heavyweight jinx” and, 140

Liston’s comeback and, 66

Liston’s drug dealing and, 83

Liston’s physical appearance and, 71

Liston’s relationship with, 40, 42, 46

and Liston’s relationship with Louis, 135

Louis–Schmeling fight and, 135–36

and racism and segregation in Las Vegas, 3–4, 31–33, 35–39, 109, 148–51, 276

Sleeper’s demotion and, 91

in St. Louis, 26

Agnew, Spiro, 146

Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, 137

Aladdin (hotel/casino), 107

Albany-Troy Celtics, 48

Albright, Karl, 210, 278

Alcorn, Manuel, 150–51

Alden, Bill, 17–20, 29, 278

Cage’s arrest and, 17, 19, 123, 268

Liston investigation and, 124

Liston’s arrest and, 18–20

Ali, Muhammad (Cassius Clay), 34–36, 44n, 46, 49, 78, 128–29, 159–72, 196

Atlanta exhibition rounds of, 166–67, 170

attempting to book fights, 163–65

Bonavena’s fight with, 186–89

boxing disavowed by, 161–62

closed-circuit technology and, 59, 168–69

college lectures of, 161, 163

draft-dodging charges against, 160, 164–65, 186, 230

finances of, 62–63, 161, 163, 168, 193–94, 208, 212, 273

Frazier’s conflicts with, 189–91

Frazier’s fights with, 7, 186–93, 205, 208, 230

Jackson’s relationship with, 35–36

Liston–Wepner fight and, 102–3

Liston’s fights with, 5–7, 14, 53–64, 67–68, 72, 74, 102, 159, 161, 166, 168–71, 190, 193, 232, 273

name change, 159–60

paranoia of, 55–56

politics of, 159–64, 191

Quarry’s fight with, 168–72, 186, 192

religious beliefs of, 160–63, 191, 230

stripped of his title, 83n

style and method of, 166–67, 187, 230

training of, 170, 186–87, 189

Amie-Pilot, Ruby, 35, 39–40

Anka, Paul, 12–13, 153

Arkush, Michael, 164n, 168, 187, 192

Armstrong, Stan, 1, 149

Arrington, Robert, 37

Arum, Bob, 193

Atlanta, 159, 164–72

Ali–Quarry fight in, 168–72, 186

Ali’s exhibition rounds in, 166–67, 170

Ali’s press conference in, 165–66

Bailey, Bob, 91

Bailey, Pearl, 11

Baker, Barney, 208

Baldwin, James, 107

Banker, Lem, 99–100, 207

Liston–Wepner fight and, 103, 105

Liston’s comeback and, 70, 84–85

on Liston’s funeral, 218

on Liston’s injuries from car accident, 178–79

on Liston’s relationship with Louis, 138

on Liston’s womanizing, 107–8

Barbara C., 107–9

Barlett, Donald L., 115, 181

Barnes, H. Lee, 88–89, 252–53, 260, 263

Basie, Count, 152

Batdorf & Rodney, 272

Bates, Gary, 107–9, 209

Bayonne, N.J., 95, 97

Beatles, 2, 88, 146, 155

Beckman, Pete, 251

Beckwith, Gary, 226–30, 232–43

drug investigations of, 227–28, 232, 235, 240–41

Gandy and, 228–29, 233, 235–39, 241–42, 250, 253, 263

Lamb and, 88

Liston’s alleged murder and, 234–35, 240–43, 245

Liston’s death and, 224, 227–28, 232

Liston’s last days and, 210–11, 278

Peters interviewed by, 232–36, 243

Peters’s death and, 250

Bell, Tom, 185

Beverly Wilshire, 71

Big Brothers, 43

Biltmore Hotel, 209–10

Black Panther Party, 148, 162

Black Scholar, The, 161, 163, 190

Bonavena, Oscar, 163, 186–89

Bond, Julian, 170

Boston Garden, 57

Boston Globe, The, 231

Boyle, Robert, 242

Braddock, James, 62

Brassell, Rufus, 167

Braverman, Al, 97–100

Liston–Wepner fight and, 97–98, 103–4

Breslin, Jimmy, 61

Brooks, Fred, 59

Browning, Richard, 269–70

Bufano, Dominick, 100–101

Bugner, Joe, 106

Burbank, Jeff, 153n

Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD), 20, 93, 148, 215

Cage’s arrest and, 17, 123, 268

history of, 120–21

Liston investigated by, 124, 141, 197

Liston’s last day and, 278

Sutton and, 121, 123–24, 140–43, 195–97, 210, 278

and war on drugs, 30, 172–73

Byrne, Garrett, 58–59

Caesars Palace, 11–12, 107, 134, 141, 190, 195, 212

FBI’s investigation of, 199, 274–75

Liston’s alleged murder and, 274

Liston’s death and, 4, 214

Louis’s dementia and, 138

Resnick and, 47, 49–50, 74, 244

Sinatra at, 153–54, 199

Cage, Earl, 16–17, 147, 211–12, 262–63

arrest of, 17, 19, 27–29, 87, 123, 263, 268, 270

drug dealing of, 17, 262

Liston’s alleged murder and, 263, 270–71, 279

Peters’s death and, 262

California State Athletic Commission, 67–68, 84

Cambodia, 29, 119–20

Campbell, Glen, 107, 192

Campbell, William, 146–47

Canby, Vincent, 125n

Carbo, Frank, 41, 59n

Carlin, George, 119, 152

Carson, Johnny, 78, 81

CBS, 12, 176

Chamberlain, Wilt, 50–51

Chargin, Don, 70, 106

Chicago Outfit, 227

Chicago Tribune, 65, 159–60

Chudnick, Robert (Red Rodney), 147, 211–12, 281

and drugs, 75–76, 78–83, 133, 271–72

Liston employed by, 75–76, 80

Liston mistrusted by, 131–32

Liston’s alleged murder and, 271–72

Liston’s relationship with, 78–79, 271

musical career of, 78–82, 132–33

Pittman raid and, 131

civil rights movement, 42, 151

Clancy, Gil, 186–87

Clark, Gene, 216

Clark, Henry, 70

Clay, Cassius. See Ali, Muhammad

Clay, Rudolph, 58

Cohen, Carl, 153

Cole, Nat King, 33

Collins, Bud, 231

Collins, Gene, 193–94

Como, Perry, 107

Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act, 173

Congress, U.S., 49, 59n, 174, 269

Armed Services Committee of, 164

on banning prize fighting, 61

Cambodian invasion and, 119–20

Liston’s testimony for, 40–41

Cooke, Jack Kent, 192–93, 208

Cosell, Howard

Ali–Bonavena fight and, 187–89

Ali’s relationship with, 163

Liston’s comeback and, 84–86

Cove Hotel, 36–37, 194

“Criswell Predicts,” 113–14, 175

Crocetti, Joe “The Crow,” 37, 251–52, 276–79

Liston’s alleged murder and, 277

Liston’s last days and, 278–79

Culinary Workers Union, 108n

Daily Worker, 136

Damone, Vic, 106

Dardis, Martin, 242–45, 274

Davis, Sammy, Jr., 3, 13, 79

Liston’s comeback and, 66–69, 84

Dawson, James P., 135

Denver, 54, 89, 139, 218

Liston harassed by police in, 43–44

Liston’s arrest in, 58

Liston’s home in, 64

Denver Post, The, 43–44

DePaula, Frankie, 96–97

Desert Inn, 13, 115–16, 180, 182–83, 185

Devil and Sonny Liston, The (Tosches), 100

Ducharme, Eric, 235–37, 246

Dundee, Angelo, 56–57, 170, 187

Durante, Jimmy, 106

Durham, Yancey “Yank,” 187–88, 190

Earl’s Beauty Cage, 16–17, 19

Ebony, 140

El Rancho Vegas, 48

Ellington, Duke, 11

Ellis, Jimmy, 83–84, 162, 170, 191–92

Esquire, 4, 134

Fabulous Las Vegas (magazine), 113–14, 175

Farrar, Reginald, 102, 104–5

FBI, 145, 147, 182, 185

Caesars Palace investigated by, 199, 274–75

Chamberlain and, 50–51

Liston–Ali fights and, 53, 57, 72, 74

Liston’s alleged murder and, 273

Liston’s comeback and, 68

Louis and, 49–51

Magids and, 51–54, 57, 68, 73

Peters’s death and, 249

Resnick and, 47–54, 57, 68, 72–74, 117, 275

wiretaps of, 47, 157

Felix, Barney, 102–4

Fight of the Century, The (Arkush), 164n, 168, 192

Flamingo Hotel, 11–12, 108, 116–17

Fleischer, Nat, 60, 162

Forbes, 118n

Foreman, George, 86–87, 230–31

Wepner’s fight with, 96, 100

Forrest City, Ark., 23–24

Foster, Bob, 168

Foster, Mac, 162

Foxx, Redd, 27, 71, 139, 152, 257

Franklin, George, Jr., 92, 154, 156

on Hughes, 181–82

Frazier, Joe, 162–64, 230–31

Ali–Bonavena fight and, 186–88

Ali’s Atlanta exhibition rounds and, 167

Ali’s conflicts with, 189–91

Ali’s fights with, 7, 186–93, 205, 208, 230

closed-circuit technology and, 168–69

Ellis’s fight with, 83–84, 162, 170, 191–92

finances of, 168, 189, 191–93, 208

Liston’s comeback and, 69, 78, 86

Quarry’s fight with, 170

training of, 189

Freedom Riders, 42

Friedman, Bruce Jay, 134

Friendly Liquor Store, 34, 37–38, 193–94, 276

Frontier Hotel, 11, 106, 115, 119, 134, 152, 195

Gallender, Paul, 208

Galloway, Roger, 128–29

Gandy, Larry, 228–30, 234–35, 237, 249–63, 274–75

arrest and sentencing of, 237–39, 245, 246–47

Assael’s meeting with, 254–63, 270, 275–76

Barnes and, 252–53

Beckwith and, 228–29, 233, 235–39, 241–42, 250, 253, 263

burglaries/robberies committed by, 233–38, 240, 242, 246, 250–51, 261, 276

drug investigations by, 228–29, 233, 252–53, 256–60, 275, 277

drugs and, 233, 238–40, 246, 251, 260, 263, 275–76

Liston’s alleged murder and, 234, 240–42, 245, 255, 263, 270–71, 274, 276–77, 280

Liston’s death and, 277

Peters and, 232–38, 241–42, 246, 249–50, 253, 260–62, 274–78, 280

Gandy, Terri, 239

Garafola, Gary, 96–97, 99–100

García, José Luis, 106

Gardner, Ava, 153

Gay, Frank William “Bill,” 183–85

Gay, Jimmy, 282

Genovese crime family, 49, 96

Giardello, Joey, 102

Gilbert’s Liquor Store, 32, 35

Gillespie, Dizzy, 79

Godfather, The, 176

Golden West Shopping Center, 34, 37–39

Goodell, Charles, 120

Gordy, Berry, 139

Great Depression, 31, 114

Greene, Abe, 102

Greenspun, Hank, 180

Gregory, Dick, 42

Griffin, Merv, 12–13

Griffith, Andy, 176

Hamill, Pete, 49n

Harris surveys, 148, 151

Harry’s (eatery), 209

Hatfield, Mark, 120

Head, 125

Hells Angels, 88, 227

Herman, Mark E., 220–21, 268–70

Hill, George, 167

Hilton family, 118–19

Hilton, Barron, 118

Hoover, J. Edgar, 49n, 51, 74, 128

Hsieh, Tony, 266

Hudgins, Johnny, 167

Huggins, Max, 19, 215–16, 250–51

Hughes, Howard, 87, 180–85, 266

Ali and, 163

disappearance of, 180, 183–85, 280

finances of, 115, 180–83, 185

gaming license of, 181–82

Maheu and, 22, 182–85

paranoia of, 182

pneumonia of, 185

rivalry between Kerkorian and, 14, 114–18

Sinatra’s relationship with, 153

Ink Spots, 1, 22

Intercontinental Promotions, 59, 169

International Hotel, 11, 13–15, 107, 152, 178, 197, 209

Kerkorian–Hughes rivalry and, 115–18

as Liston’s base, 15, 78–79, 196–200, 202–3, 205

Liston’s comeback and, 84–85

IRS, 147n, 169

Jackson, Wilbur, 3, 35–36, 39–40, 162

Jerry’s Nugget Casino, 194

Jet, 166

Johnson, Jack, 128

Johnson, Leroy, 164–65

Johnson, Lyndon, 3, 203

Joiner, Billy “Willie Swift,” 16, 70

Justice Department, U.S., 73, 141, 156, 160

Kane, Martin, 167

Kassel, Robert, 166

Kefauver, Estes, 40–41, 51, 128

Kennedy, Edward “Ted,” 59n

Kennedy, John F., 42, 59n

Kennedy, Robert, 59n

Kerkorian, Kirk, 114, 116

finances of, 13–14, 114, 116, 118

government investigations of, 116–17

International and, 13–15, 115–18

Liston’s relationship with, 14–15

rivalry between Hughes and, 14, 114–18

Ketchum, Willie, 171

Kilroy, Gene, 49, 63, 136

King, Martin Luther, Sr., 167

King, Martin Luther, Jr., 26, 42, 164n, 166

Kirk, Claude, 163

Knockouts, 190

Kram, Mark, 44–45, 242

La Fontaine, Barbara, 45

Lamb, Floyd, 87

Lamb, Ralph, 87–90, 281–82

campaign for sheriff of, 146–47, 151–52, 155, 211

Liston’s first meeting with, 88–89

Pittman raid and, 90, 92

Sinatra case and, 155

Sleeper and, 30, 90, 92, 156

tax evasion charges against, 147n, 155n

Landmark Hotel, 115, 153n

Lansky, Meyer, 49n, 117

Las Vegas, 2, 44–52, 70, 139, 148–57, 193–96, 207, 225–28, 231–32, 236, 240, 246, 250, 273

BNDD in, 124, 140–43, 148, 195–96, 210, 215

Bonanza section of, 16, 32, 35

Cage’s arrest and, 123

campaign for Clark County sheriff, 147–48, 152, 155

Charleston Heights section of, 75–76, 82–83

crime, violence, and rioting in, 3–4, 37–39, 149–50

drug use and dealing in, 76, 78, 80, 82–83, 123

FBI and, 47–51, 53–54

finances and efficiency of casinos in, 12–13

Hughes and, 114–18, 163, 180–85, 266, 280

and investigation of Liston, 196, 203

Kerkorian and, 13–14, 114–18

Lamb and, 87–88, 152

Liston’s alleged murder and, 242, 268, 280, 282–83

Liston’s arrest in, 19

Liston’s comeback and, 84

Liston’s death and, 8

Liston’s enemies in, 7

Liston’s finances and, 66

Liston’s homes in, 14–15, 21–23, 25–26, 65, 72, 81, 88–89, 97, 106, 132, 163, 198–201, 210–11, 213–16, 227, 277

Liston’s move to, 88–89

and Liston’s relationship with Chudnick, 78–79

and Liston’s relationship with Louis, 5

Liston’s training in, 44, 52, 98, 135

Louis’s life in, 136, 138

Magids and, 51–52

Mob Museum in, 266

nostalgia of, 118–19

Paradise Palms section of, 21–23, 25–27, 31, 74, 89–90, 93, 131, 182

Pittman raid and, 90–93

racism and segregation in, 3–4, 31–33, 35–39, 109, 148–51, 276

show business in, 11–14, 27, 80, 106–7, 116, 118–19, 152–55, 195, 207

Sleeper’s demotion and, 92

Sutton and, 157

Westside section of, 3–4, 27, 31–39, 76, 99, 152, 162, 178, 227–28, 256, 258–59, 262, 271, 281

wiretaps in, 47–48, 157

Las Vegas Babylon (Burbank), 153n

Las Vegas Police Department (LVPD), 27–28, 88, 225, 246–47, 271, 279

Cage’s arrest and, 27

drugs dealt by officers in, 243

Gandy and, 228–29, 233, 236–41, 250–63, 275–76

Liston arrested by, 18–20

Liston and drugs and, 152, 215

Liston’s alleged murder and, 240–41, 244, 267, 280

Liston’s death and, 213–15, 224, 281

Liston’s last day and, 211–12

Peters’s interviews and, 232, 235

Pittman raid and, 90–92

and racism and segregation in Las Vegas, 35

and violence in Las Vegas, 37–39

Las Vegas Review-Journal, 150–51

Las Vegas Sun, 12, 118–19, 145, 184

Cage’s arrest and, 27

and campaign for Clark County sheriff, 148, 156

Hughes’s disappearance and, 180

Liston’s acting career and, 176

Liston’s alleged murder and, 270–71

Liston’s car accident and, 179–80

Liston’s death and, 216

Liston’s last day and, 210, 278

mob and, 140–41

Moulin Rouge and, 33

Pittman raid and, 90–91

Sleeper’s Justice Department letter and, 156

Las Vegas Voice, 150

Laxalt, Paul, 118, 163, 174, 185

Lemmon, S., 214

Lewiston, Me., 59, 61, 63, 67–68, 273

Life, 29, 186

Lincoln, Amos “Big Train,” 16, 70

Lipsyte, Robert, 68–69, 231

Liston, Arletha (stepdaughter), 64, 127

Liston, Charles “Sonny”

acting career of, 2, 112, 124–27, 175–77, 179, 209–10, 220

alleged murder of, 234–35, 240–45, 255, 263, 267–68, 270–77, 279–80, 282–83

arrests of, 14–15, 18–20, 24–26, 40–41, 43, 58, 88, 205

autopsy of, 216, 220–21, 234, 268–70

awards and honors of, 3, 15, 18–19, 25, 43, 58, 75, 77, 129, 134, 140, 216–17, 231, 243, 267, 273, 280

banned from boxing, 64, 101–2

belligerence of, 36, 40, 69

birth and birthplace of, 23, 45

books on, 23, 40n, 56, 59n, 100

boxing learned by, 24–25

brawling of, 14–15, 19, 25, 126

Cadillacs of, 4, 15, 34, 44, 65–66, 72, 89, 98, 106–8, 178–79, 196, 200–201, 204, 209, 265, 267

car accident of, 178–80, 196, 203, 205, 269

cemetery plot of, 282–83

childhood and adolescence of, 23–24, 79

and children, 64–65, 82, 127, 128–29

closed-circuit technology and, 168–69

comeback of, 64, 66–72, 78, 84–87, 231

death of, 2–6, 8, 212–21, 224, 227–28, 230–32, 234, 242, 268–72, 276–77, 279–81, 283

discovery and transporting of corpse of, 2–3, 6, 213–15, 220, 271, 279

drinking and, 2, 4, 15, 19, 27, 34–35, 37, 40, 58, 71–72, 83, 193–94, 204–5, 209–12

drug use and dealing of, 5–7, 15–17, 37, 40, 76–78, 82–83, 99, 126, 132–34, 136, 152, 174, 178, 196, 199, 202–5, 208, 211, 214–17, 221, 227–28, 232, 234, 243–44, 262, 267–71, 273–76, 279–82

education, lack of, 24, 40–42, 82, 177

entourage of, 4, 53, 71, 135, 205

epitaphs for, 219–20

fame and popularity of, 2–4, 14–16, 70–71, 84–85, 99, 128–29, 199, 203–4, 218

finances of, 5, 7, 14–15, 25, 41, 62–67, 70, 72, 76–77, 99–100, 105–6, 126–27, 135, 168–69, 177, 193–94, 200, 202, 205, 208–9, 211, 232, 244, 273

funeral of, 1, 6, 8, 217–19, 268, 282

gambling of, 2, 15, 34, 105, 134–35, 178, 212

gravestone of, 220

gun carried by, 6, 36, 76–77

heavyweight rankings of, 163, 179

homes of, 14–15, 21–23, 25–26, 31, 40, 54, 64–65, 72, 81, 88–89, 93, 97, 106, 132, 163, 178–79, 198–201, 209–11, 213–16, 227, 234, 243, 272, 277–81

illnesses of, 84–85

imprisonments of, 15, 24–26, 70

injuries of, 56–57, 66, 85, 126, 178–79, 184–85, 193, 203, 269

investigated by law enforcement, 7, 51, 124, 129, 141, 143, 195–205, 210, 217, 275

last days of, 1, 4, 208–12, 266–67, 278–79

media on, 4, 24, 41–45, 57–59, 61, 64–66, 68–72, 101–2, 107, 134, 140, 176, 179–80, 196, 199, 205, 220, 231, 242, 245, 267, 270–71, 278

mellowing of, 65–66, 69

moodiness of, 86, 99, 177, 205–6

optimism of, 207–9

parties and partying of, 27, 81, 86–87, 216

physical appearance of, 1–2, 4–5, 8, 15, 18, 55, 57, 71, 76, 77, 82, 85–86, 101, 103, 105, 132–33, 177–79, 198, 201–2, 213–14, 217, 219–20

police harassment of, 43–44

power of, 1–2, 4, 8, 25, 43, 57–58, 66, 76–77, 85, 103–4, 231

pride of, 71–72, 140

secrecy of, 6

sense of humor of, 4, 82, 127, 209, 220

speeches of, 43

in Sweden, 64, 66

temper of, 44–45, 72, 128

threats against, 7

training of, 43–44, 52, 57, 98, 101, 126, 135, 218

womanizing of, 2, 4, 7, 52–53, 64, 70–71, 107–9, 126–29, 135, 201, 208, 211, 218, 277, 281

worries and fears of, 67–68, 211–12

Liston, Daniel (son), 1, 7, 22, 34, 127–29

father’s death and funeral and, 212, 218, 219

father’s first meeting with, 64–65

Liston, Eleanor (stepdaughter), 64, 127

Liston, Geraldine (wife), 1–3, 7, 16, 25, 34, 43, 52, 97, 107, 126–29, 179, 199, 205–9, 212–20

and adopted son, 64–65

employment of, 231

finances of, 5, 64–67

Sonny’s acting career and, 126

Sonny’s alleged murder and, 268

Sonny’s comeback and, 66–67, 69, 85–87

Sonny’s corpse discovered by, 2–3, 6, 213

Sonny’s death and, 2–3, 5–6, 212–15, 219–20, 227, 231–32, 281

Sonny’s drug use and, 5, 203, 215

Sonny’s funeral and, 1, 6, 8, 217–18, 268

Sonny’s last days and, 1, 208–9, 212

Sonny’s moodiness and, 205–6

Sonny’s parties and, 81

Sonny’s womanizing and, 2, 64, 201

Liston, Helen (mother), 23–24

Liston, Tobe (father), 23–24, 41, 79

Little Caesar, 58

Los Angeles, 13, 21, 32, 50, 71, 106, 135–37, 154, 156, 192, 209

BNDD in, 123, 140, 210

Hughes and, 183–84

Liston’s acting career and, 126, 177

Liston’s comeback and, 70

and Liston’s drug use and dealing, 203–4, 217

Los Angeles Lakers, 50–51, 192

Los Angeles Sentinel, 204

Los Angeles Times, 61

Louis, Joe, Sr., 2–5, 45, 128, 136, 166, 193, 196

Braddock’s fight with, 62

comparisons between Ali and, 160

comparisons between Liston and, 25, 134–36, 139–40

dementia of, 137–40

drugs and, 5, 136–37

FBI and, 49–51

finances of, 135, 168

gambling of, 218

Liston–Ali fights and, 54, 61

Liston’s death and, 4–5, 214, 218–19

Liston’s relationship with, 2–3, 5, 119, 134–35, 138–39

Resnick’s relationship with, 49–50, 52

Schmeling’s fight with, 135–36

Louis, Joe, Jr., 61, 139

Louis, Martha, 136–39

Lovato, Craig, 214, 267–68

Love, American Style, 177, 179

Loves Cocktail Lounge, 34, 218

Lucchese crime family, 41

Lyle, Ron, 231

Madison Square Garden, 44n, 83, 96, 162, 186, 189, 191, 193, 208, 231

Magids, Barnett, 51–57

gambling of, 52–54, 73

imprisonment of, 73

Liston–Ali fights and, 53–57

Liston’s alleged murder and, 273

Liston’s comeback and, 68

Maheu, Robert

Gay’s relationship with, 183–85

Hughes and, 22, 182–85

Malcolm X, 55–56, 59

Marciano, Rocky, 136

Margolin, Arnold, 177

Margolis, Sam, 63

Markson, Harry, 186

Markus, Robert, 159–60

Martin, Leotis, 84–86, 162

Massachusetts, 57–59

Masterana, Frank, 22, 199

Maule, Tex, 61

McKinney, Jack, 45, 53

McMurray, Bill, 68

McNair, Barbara, 81

Merchant, Larry, 43

Merrick, Jim, 210

Mexico, 122, 128–29, 163, 227, 232

and war on drugs, 29–30

MGM Grand, 118n

MGM Studios, 114–15, 116

Miami, 137, 167, 170

Liston–Ali fight in, 53–56, 72, 168–69, 190, 273

Miami Beach Boxing Commission, 54

Miller, Jerry, 39

Mitchell, John, 29, 199

mob/mobsters, 16, 27, 96, 118, 140–42, 147n

Hughes’s gaming license and, 181–82

Kerkorian’s ties to, 116–17

Lamb and, 88

in Las Vegas, 12–13, 227

Liston–Wepner fight and, 100

Liston’s ties to, 26, 41–42, 44, 51, 59n, 63, 65–68, 75, 99–100, 169, 242

Moulin Rouge and, 33

Resnick’s ties to, 48–49, 53, 67, 117

Tocco’s ties to, 98

Mob Museum, 266

Monkees, 2, 69, 125

Montgomery Improvement Association, 26

Moonfire, 112, 175, 219

Moore, Sonny, 70

Morehouse College, 166

Morgan, Stanley, 22

Mormons, 28, 87, 91, 151

Mother Cabrini Shrine (Golden, Col.), 57, 218

Motown, 139

Moulin Rouge, 32–33, 50, 91, 265–66

Muhammad, Elijah, 63, 163

Mulkins, Ryan, 249

Murphy, Edward, 218–19

My Life (Louis), 137–38

NAACP, 35, 170, 194

Nack, William, 212

Nagler, Barney, 137–38

Napier, Chuck, 126

Napoli, James, 96, 100

Nation of Islam, 259, 265–66

and Ali, 7, 55–56, 59, 62–63, 160, 193

NBC, 176

Neon Museum, 266

Nevada, 12–13, 84, 163, 174, 193–94, 245–46

crime rate in, 145–46

drug war in, 146

Gandy’s arrest and, 238

Hughes and, 115, 180–84

Nixon’s drug war and, 173

Nevada, University of, 181

Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, 267

Nevada Gaming Control Board, 118

New York (magazine), 243

New York Herald Tribune, 136

New York Times, The, 29, 61, 125n, 135, 266

Liston’s comeback and, 68–69, 231

New Yorker, The, 53, 170

Nicholson, Jack, 125n

Nilon, Jack, 57

Nixon, Richard, 117, 139

demonstrations against, 173–74

drug war of, 29–30, 120–21, 146, 172–73

Hughes and, 182

invasion of Cambodia and, 119–20

North American Boxing Federation (NABF), 84

Norton, Ken, 106

Operation Intercept, 29–30

Overdrive, 124

Owens, Jesse, 137

Palermo, Frank “Blinky,” 59n, 65

Palmer & Krisel, 21–22

Paramount Studios, 71, 125, 177, 209–10

Parker, Charlie, 79

Parkhurst, Michael, 112, 124–27, 219–20

Parks, Gordon, 176

Patterson, Floyd, 3, 40, 44n, 46, 106, 201

closed-circuit technology and, 168

Liston’s fights with, 18, 34, 42–44, 52–53, 59n, 134–35, 168, 218

Peabody, Endicott, 58, 59n

Pearl, Davey, 97–99, 179, 207, 209

Liston–Wepner fight and, 97–98

Pearl, Ralph, 118–19, 176

Pearson, Cordell, 237–40

Perenchio, Jerry, 192–93, 208

Perez, Tony, 172

Peters, Irwin, Jr., 225–26, 232–33, 236, 245–46, 262

Beckwith’s interviewing of, 232–36, 243

burglary reports of, 225, 233–37, 261

Dardis’s interview with, 242–45

death of, 245, 247, 249–50, 260–62, 283

drug dealing of, 243

Gandy and, 232–38, 241–42, 246–47, 249–50, 253, 260–62, 274–78, 280

Liston’s alleged murder and, 234–35, 241–42, 244–45, 273–74, 276, 279–80

Liston’s last days and death and, 277, 279

and Liston’s relationship with Resnick, 243–44

nephew of, 245–47

paranoia of, 246–47

Peters, Kathi, 247, 250

Pett, Harry, 165

Phantom Punch, The (Sneddon), 40n, 55–56, 59n

Philadelphia, 26, 43, 79, 102, 159, 162, 189–92, 267

Philadelphia Daily News, 43, 45

Philadelphia 76ers, 50

Pileggi, Nick, 243

Pittman, Ava, 89–93, 131, 271

Pittman, Vail, 90

Pittsburgh Courier, 41

Plimpton, George, 169–70

Powell, Lowell, 205–6

Presley, Elvis, 12, 14, 80, 152–53

Price, Paul, 148

“Prognosis for the 1972 Election,” 120

Quarry, Jerry

Ali’s fight with, 168–72, 186, 192

Liston’s fight with, 231

Rafelson, Bob, 125n

Rag Doll (club), 96–97, 100

Rancho High School, 148–50

Ravenholt, Otto, 269

Reid, Harry, 174

Remnick, David, 53

Reno, 68–70, 253

Resnick, Ash, 47–58, 99, 147, 199

celebrities courted by, 49–52

FBI and, 47–54, 57, 68, 72–74, 117, 275

finances of, 48, 52

gambling of, 52–53, 57, 66, 73, 273

Las Vegas wiretaps and, 47

Liston–Ali fights and, 53–58, 62–63, 72, 74

Liston–Wepner fight and, 97

Liston’s alleged future-earnings deal and, 62–63

Liston’s alleged murder and, 244–45, 273–75, 279

Liston’s comeback and, 67–68, 71

Liston’s death and funeral and, 4–5, 214, 218

Liston’s injuries before Ali fight and, 56–57

Liston’s relationship with, 52–55, 57–58, 66, 74, 207–8, 243–44, 273–75

Louis’s dementia and, 138

Louis’s relationship with, 49–50, 52

Magids and, 51–57, 68, 73, 117

mob ties of, 48–49, 53, 67

Reuters, 19, 65

Ring, The, 60, 189

on Ali, 162, 166–67

heavyweights ranked by, 162–63, 179

Rischer, Roger, 70

Rivers, L. Mendel, 164

Riviera, 11, 13, 106, 152, 231

Sutton’s investigations at, 141–42

Robinson, Dick

and campaign for Clark County sheriff, 147–48

and investigation of Liston, 196

Liston’s drug stash and, 215

Liston’s last days and death and, 210–11, 217, 278

Sutton’s missions and, 142

Robinson, Edward G., 58, 176

Robinson, Jackie, 42

Rodney, Mark, 75–78, 80–83, 271–72

Chudnick’s drug business and, 75–76, 81

Chudnick’s musical career and, 80–81

Liston’s death and, 272

and Liston’s drug use and dealing, 82–83, 133–34

Liston’s first meeting with, 81–82

Liston’s relationship with, 75, 82–83, 131–34

Pittman raid and, 131

warned about Liston, 131–32

Rodney, Red. See Chudnick, Robert

Ross, Diana, 11

Rothstein, Edward, 266

Rowe, Bill, 69

Russo, Anthony, 147n

Sadler, Dick, 84–85

Sahara Health Club, 70, 99, 138

Sahara Hotel, 11, 33, 141, 146

Sands, 13, 33, 66, 106

Gay and, 184–85

Sinatra and, 152–54

Saturday Evening Post, The, 26

Savold, Lee, 168

Scherer, Bradley, 245–47

Schmeling, Max, 135–36

Schoeninger, Ray, 43–44

Seamon, Mannie, 166–67

“secret percent theory,” 61–63

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 116–17

Senate, U.S. See Congress, U.S.

Serpico, Frank, 92

Severinsen, Doc, 81

Sgt. Pepper, 2, 82

Shaft, 176

Siegel, Bugsy, 12, 117, 182

Silver Slipper, 65, 115, 195, 226, 243

Sinatra, Frank, 12–13, 27, 50, 152–55, 199, 274, 280

Sinatra at the Sands, 152

Sleeper, John

Cage’s arrest and, 27–28, 87

campaign for sheriff of, 92–93, 146–48, 151–52, 155–56, 211, 279

demotions of, 91–92, 211

Justice Department letter of, 156

Lamb and, 30, 90, 92, 156

Liston’s alleged murder and, 270, 279

Liston’s last days and, 211–12, 279

and Peters as informant, 233

Pittman raid and, 89–92

Smith, Red, 61, 136

Sneddon, Rob, 40n, 55–56, 58, 59n

Sonny & Cher, 11

Sonny Liston (Young), 23

Spilotro, Tony, 227

Sports Illustrated, 4, 44–45, 65–66

Ali’s Atlanta exhibition rounds and, 167

Liston–Ali fights and, 57, 61

Liston’s alleged murder and, 242, 245

Liston’s comeback and, 71–72

Liston’s finances and, 66

Liston’s mellowing and, 65

St. Ignatius Loyola Church (Denver), 218–19

St. Louis, 1, 205, 208

Liston’s arrests in, 15, 24–26

Liston’s life in, 24–25, 32, 42, 68

St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 25

St. Louis Golden Gloves, 25

Stardust Country Club, 14, 22, 88, 208

Steele, James B., 115, 181

Streisand, Barbra, 80, 116

Sullivan, Ed, 1, 66–67, 84

Supreme Court, U.S., 162, 186, 230

Supremes, 11, 152

Susman, Morton, 161

Sutherland, Donald, 22

Sutton, John, 121–24, 140–43, 156–57, 201

cover story of, 197, 201

drug investigations of, 122–23, 141–42, 157, 196, 202–5, 210, 217

gambling of, 198

Liston investigated by, 124, 141, 143, 195–205, 217

Liston’s home and, 198, 201

Liston’s last days and death and, 210, 217, 278

Tampa Tribune, The, 163

Taylor, Elizabeth, 125–26, 192

Theater Network Television, 54

Thomas, Danny, 118–19, 176

Thunderbird (hotel), 13, 51–53, 55, 73

Tiger, Dick, 102

Time, 148

Tocco, Johnny, 98–100, 105, 212

Today, 78

Tolbert, Norma, 33

Tolson, Clyde, 49n

Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The, 78, 81

Torch, The, 39

Tosches, Nick, 100, 205–6, 268

Tourine, Charlie “The Blade,” 49, 117

Town Tavern, 4, 8, 32, 72, 208, 259

Tropicana, 33, 48

Troy, N.Y., Times Record, 48

Turner, Ike, 152, 257

Union Plaza, 142

United Press International, 173

Vietnam War, 118–20, 150, 256, 274–75

Ali and, 160–61

Nixon and, 29, 173–74

Villa Roma, 141–42, 197

Volpe, John, 58

Walcott, Jersey Joe, 60–61

Washington Post, The, 70, 135, 205, 230

Waterman, Sanford “Sandy,” 154, 199

Watkins, Clyde “Rabbit,” 72

Ali’s alleged future-earnings deal and, 194

Liston’s alleged murder and, 282

Liston’s last days and death and, 4–5, 8, 208–9, 213–14

Weise, Agnete, 65

Wepner, Chuck, 95–105

bleeding of, 96, 102, 104–5

Liston’s fight with, 97–98, 100–105, 124, 129

Wepner, Phyllis, 105

Wichter, Paul, 91

Wide World of Sports, 84, 164

Wingate, William, 267

Winston, Henry, 66–68

World Boxing Association (WBA), 57, 83n, 84, 162, 170

World War II, 128, 160

Worley, Jo Anne, 106

Young, A. S. “Doc,” 23–24