Biography
A former business executive, Mark Allen Baker is an American author, biographer and historian.
Known for his work on American culture, history and sports, Baker has written over thirty books including biographies on seven members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame: 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), Willie Pep, A Biography of the 20th Century's Greatest Featherweight (2022), Tony Canzoneri, The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion (2023), Johnny Kilbane: The Boxing Life of a Featherweight Champion (2024), and Jack Dillon, A Biography of Boxing's Giant Killer (2024).
Recent works, in the area of Sports and Social Science include: Between The Ropes at Madison Square Garden, The History of an Iconic Boxing Ring, 1925-2007, and The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876-1937 (Drawing The Color Line).
Background
Born in Binghamton, New York and raised in both Virginia Beach, Virginia and central New York, Mark Allen Baker graduated from Fayetteville-Manlius High School before earning a B.A. from the State University of New York at Oswego.
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 stayed 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.
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.''
Recognition
* Lifetime Donor Membership National Baseball Hall of Fame
* Historian International Boxing Hall of Fame
* Board of Directors Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame
* For Outstanding Preservation and Promotion of American History – DAR
* Lifetime Award of Merit (2022) - State University of New York
* Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (2023)
* Award-Winning Finalist in the Multicultural Non-Fiction category of the 2020 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest.
* Represented in over 1,400 library holdings including The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, International Boxing Hall of Fame, Museum of African American History, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Smithsonian Institution Libraries.
* International holdings include: German National Library, National Library of France, National Library of the Netherlands, NII (Japan), and the National Library of Israel.
Sample Book Performance
* Thirty nonfiction titles... over 10,000 published pages in book form... largest book - 768 pages... smallest book - 128 pages.
* 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.
* 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.
* On June 8, 2021, Lou Ambers: A Biography of the World Lightweight Champion and Hall of Famer, occupied #1 on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxing Books.
* On June 15, 2021, Connecticut Boxing, The Fights, The Fighters and The Fight Game, occupied #1 on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxer Biographies.
* On April 15, 2022, A Guide to Hemingway's Key West, climbed to #62, on Amazon's List of New Releases in U.S. State & Local History.
* During the third week of May 2022, Willie Pep, A Biography of the 20th Century's Greatest Featherweight, climbed into the Top Ten (#3) on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxing Books and remained there until October.
* On December 13, 2022, the author had two different titles on Amazon's Best Sellers in Boxer Biographies:Willie Pep, A Biography of the 20th Century's Greatest Featherweight and Lou Ambers: A Biography of the World Lightweight Champion and Hall of Famer.
* On February 25, 2023, Tony Canzoneri: The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion moved into the Top Ten (#10) on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxing Books.
* On May 9, 2023, Tony Canzoneri: The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion moved into the Top Five (#5, paperback), and in the Top Fifteen (#15, Kindle Edition) on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxing Books.
* On May 9, 2023, Tony Canzoneri: The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion reached Number ONE (#1, paperback), on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxer Biographies.
* On May 19, 2023, Tony Canzoneri: The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion reached Number ONE (#1, paperback), on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxer Biographies.
* On February 19, 2024, Johnny Kilbane: The Boxing Life of a Featherweight Champion moved into the Top Five on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxer Biographies. It returned to the Top Five on Amazon's List of Hot New Releases in Boxer Biographies during the the fourth week of March 2024. The title remained in the Top Twenty-Five until June 2024.
* During the first week of June 2024, Johnny Kilbane: The Boxing Life of a Featherweight Champion entered Amazon's Top Ten List of New Releases in Boxer Biographies.
* On June 28, 2024, Johnny Kilbane: The Boxing Life of a Featherweight Champion reached Number ONE (#1, paperback), on Amazon's Top Ten List of New Releases in Boxer Biographies.
* On August 8, 2024, the author had three biographies––WilliePep, Johnny Kilbane and Battling Nelson–– in the Top 100 Best Sellers in Boxer Biographies on amazon.com.
Selected Books
Biography
* Battling Nelson, The Durable Dane (2016) ISBN|978-1-4766-6372-2
* The Fighting Times of Abe Attell (2017) ISBN|978-1476664323
* Lou Ambers: A Biography of the World Lightweight Champion and Hall of Famer (2021) ISBN|978-1476682204
* Willie Pep, A Biography of the 20th Century's Greatest Featherweight (2022) ISBN| 978-1-4766-8552-6
* Tony Canzoneri, The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion (2023) ISBN|978-1-4766-8963-0
* Johnny Kilbane: The Boxing Life of a Featherweight Champion (2024)ISBN|978-1-4766-9398-9
* Jack Dillon, A Biography of Boxing's Giant Killer (2024) SKU: 9781476695907
Sports & Social Science
* Between The Ropes at Madison Square Garden, The History of an Iconic Boxing Ring, 1925-2007 (2019) ISBN| 978-1-4766-7183-3
* The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876-1937 (Drawing The Color Line) (2020) ISBN| 978-1-4766-7765-1
Photography
* Connecticut in World War II (Images of America) (2017, softcover) ISBN|978-1-4671-2698-4; (Images of America) (2017, hardcover) ISBN|978-1-5402-2672-3
National and Regional History
* A Guide to Hemingway's Key West (2022, softcover) ISBN|978-1467151023
* Connecticut Boxing, The Fights, The Fighters and The Fight Game (2021, softcover) ISBN|978-1-4671-48085
* Connecticut Families of the Revolution, American Forebears from Burr to Wolcott (2014, softcover) ISBN|978-1-62619-664-3; (2014, hardcover) ISBN|978-1540211361
* Spies of Revolutionary Connecticut: From Benedict Arnold to Nathan Hale (2014, softcover) ISBN|978-1-62619-407-6; (2014, hardcover) ISBN|978-1540223210
* Basketball History in Syracuse, Hoops Roots (2010, softcover) ISBN|978-1-59629-983-2; (2010, hardcover) ISBN|978-1540229533
* TITLE TOWN, USA, Boxing in Upstate New York (2010, softcover) ISBN|978-1-59629-769-2; (2010, hardcover) ISBN|978-1540234605
Reference and Popular Culture
* The Official Autograph Collector Price Guide (2004) ISBN|0-9669710-9-4
* Celebrity Autographs, SECOND EDITION (2000) ISBN|0-87341-838-7
* Advanced Autograph Collecting (2000) ISBN|0-87341-632-5
* The Standard Guide to Collecting Autographs (1999) ISBN|0-87341-613-
* Goldmine's Price Guide to Rock & Roll Memorabilia (1997) ISBN|978-0-87341-490-6
* Celebrity Autographs (1996) ISBN|0-87341-464-0
* Auto Racing (1996) ISBN|0-87341-437-3
* All-Sport Autograph Guide (1994) ISBN|0-87341-316-
* Team Baseballs (1992) ISBN|0-87341-316-4
* Baseball Autograph Handbook, SECOND EDITION (1990) ISBN|0-87341-169-2
* Baseball Autograph Handbook (1990) ISBN|0-87341-125-0
Contributions
* Boxing Legends of All-Time by Robert Cassidy, Jr. and Steve Nicolaisen. Publications International, 1996. ISBN|9780785316909
* Baseball Memorabilia by Mark Larson. Krause Publications, 1992. ISBN|0873411900
* Mickey Mantle Memorabilia by Mark Larson and Dave Platta. Krause Publications, 1993. ISBN|0873412613
* Antique Golf Collectibles by Chuck Furjanic. Krause Publications, 2003. ISBN|0873496728
* Computer Graphics for Designers and Artists by Isaac Kerlow and Judson Rosebush. Van Nostrand and Reinhold Company, 1986. ISBN|9780442014308
* Computer Graphics by John Lewell. Van Nostrand and Reinhold Company, 1983. ISBN|978-0442260453