The Book
Eddie Root Gets A Raise (an excerpt)
The only person known to wrangle a pay raise from Chapman was
Flossie Root, a gorgeous former showgirl, on behalf of her
husband Eddie Root, who had paid his dues with victories in
eight Sixes, including three in a row between 1904 and 1906 in
the Garden. This one-time bonus took place when Eddie’s career
was winding down. Chapman wanted to groom young Reggie McNamara
of Australia and paired him with Eddie for the December 1913
Garden Six.
Root had often complained to his wife about how tight Chapman
was with money. One frosty morning over bacon and eggs, she told
him she would talk with Chapman while Eddie went out on his
training ride.
Flossie had been a member of the Flora Dora Sextet with
Evelyn Nesbit, legendary as The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing for
her dalliance with architect Stanford White (Architect of
Madison Square Garden). According to Jack and Bill Brennan,
Flossie put a revolver in her handbag and visited Chapman in his
downtown Newark office. She swept in, strode to where he sat at
his roll-top desk, and pulled out the handgun. It was heavy and
required both her hands to hold it. Chapman was so surprised
that all he could do was stare at the petite woman. She rested
the barrel on his forehead and suggested that Eddie deserved a
good-paying contract. Chapman, sensitive to the cold steel on
his skin, heard the hammer click back, and agreed that whatever
was good for Eddie Root was fine with him.
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