The Collected Works in five Volumes
THE MASTERPIECES OF EUSTACE COCKRELL, Collected Works, Volume I, 1936-1946
The two-volume Masterpieces of Eustace Cockrell have been organized to reflect a division within Cockrell’s writings. His early stories in Volume I (1936-1945) portray the darkness of the Great Depression and the coming of World War II. Here, orphans, ex-cons, and soldiers often serve as heroes and sources of inspiration. There are no villains in Cockrell’s works, however. Everyone gets a second chance.
The MASTERPIECES OF EUSTACE COCKRELL, Collected Works, Volume II, 1946-1957
Cockrell’s later stories (1946-1957) express greater awareness of social issues and a rebellion against restrictive attitudes, especially those limiting the role of women and minorities. An example is “Beauty and the Drop Kick,” Cockrell’s 1948 story in Collier’s magazine featuring the first woman to play football for a major college team.
While Cockrell’s short stories cover a broad range of fiction categories – detective, adventure, romance, and even science fiction – he was also a major contributor to sports stories with the boxing ring being his favorite setting.
REFUGEE SMITH AND OTHER STORIES OF THE RING, Collected Works, Volume III, 1936-1957
The third volume in Cockrell’s collected writings, Refugee Smith and Other Stories of the Ring features one of the first African American fictional heroes in the person of Refugee Smith. Smith, who is saved from drowning in the Mississippi River by another lost soul, his soon-to-be manager Willie Wurtzel, goes on to become the middleweight boxing champion of the world. Included in this volume are 16 Refugee Smith tales plus an additional ten “stories of the ring” written by Cockrell between 1936 and 1957.
GAME AS THEY MAKE ‘EM: THE SPORTS STORIES OF EUSTACE COCKRELL, Collected Works, Volume IV, 1934-1950
Game As They Make ‘Em is a collection of 22 sports tales written by Cockrell that feature a variety of settings including football, baseball, wrestling, tennis, golf, and horse racing. Cockrell writes about the game of life – a challenge in which those who often view themselves as losers, in the long run, are the first to cross the finish line – with self-respect being the ultimate prize.
THE LOST STORIES OF EUSTACE COCKRELL, Collected Works, Volume V, 1936-1951
Included in The Lost Stories of Eustace Cockrell is a collection of the author’s unpublished manuscripts. These never-before-seen tales, though perhaps not as polished as his published works, are more autobiographical, more emotional, and more believable, in part because they have not been shaped by magazine editors to fit the specific needs of their publications. These “lost stories” further reflect Cockrell’s contribution as one of Hollywood’s master storytellers.
Cockrell was a gifted writer for whom everyone, even the most hard-hearted and downtrodden, received a second chance. Hope came not from the power of wealth or prestige but from the innocence of children, the integrity of women; and the insights of those often on the fringes of society.
These five volumes of Cockrell’s Collected Works further define Cockrell’s importance as an American writer, whether read in print or watched on the home screen.