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 twenty-five books including biographies on five 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), and Tony Canzoneri, The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion (2023).
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
* 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, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Sample Book Performance
*Over twenty-five nonfiction titles... over 9,000 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.
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| 1476685525
* Tony Canzoneri, The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion (2023) SKU: 9781476689630
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