Of Town and Gown: The Life and Times of John F. McCarthy Jr. 1921-2012

Princeton, New Jersey, can be seen as having two parts: its residents and businesses, and the famed Ivy League university-the town and the gown. Probably no one straddled those two worlds better than Jack McCarthy Jr. Born in the town's old Irish neighborhood and educated in local schools, Jack achieved his dream of attending the university and starring on its greatest baseball team. World War II cut college short, and Jack took the dangerous assignment of artillery forward observer in the fight against Nazi Germany. Wounded and decorated, Jack returned to Princeton after the war to marry his hometown sweetheart and raise his family.

He built a law practice and personal life that brought him close to the most prominent figures of business, politics, and sports in New Jersey and beyond.

Of Town and Gown describes Jack's extraordinary life. It is a story of dedication, hard work, bravery, and faith . . . and loyalty to a place he loved