Football History

Aliquippa, Pennsylvania is famous for two things: the Jones and Laughlin Steel mill, an industrial behemoth that helped win World War II; and football, with a high school team that has produced numerous NFL stars, including Mike Ditka and Darrelle Revis. But the mill, once the fourth largest producer in America, closed for good in 2000. What happens to a town when a dream dies? Does it just disappear?

Today, sports arenas have been transformed into staging grounds for American patriotism and the hero worship of law enforcement. Teams wear camouflage jerseys to honor those who serve; police officers throw out first pitches; soldiers surprise their families with homecomings at halftime. Sports and politics are decidedly entwined. But as journalist Howard Bryant reveals, this has always been more complicated for black athletes, who from the start were committing a political act simply by being on the field.

On November 23, 1968, near the end of a turbulent and memorable year, there was a football game that would also prove turbulent and memorable: the season-ending clash between Harvard and Yale. Both teams entered undefeated and, technically at least, came out undefeated. The final score was 29-29. To some of the players on the field, it was a triumph; to others a tragedy. George Howe Colt’s The Game is the story of that iconic American year, as seen through the young men who lived it and were changed by it.

In his latest book, bestselling author Cass Pennant takes an engaging and unparalleled look at some of the most volatile and violent scenes of fans following their football clubs to have unfolded over the past five decades, and examines the lengths to which many will go to put one over their local rivals. Here is history that also examines everything from the changing face of football violence, to who gets involved—and why.

Mastering the Pitch: A History of Soccer in America offers an in-depth analysis of the growth and development of soccer in the United States. The narrative begins with the first instances of soccer-like games played by Native American tribes, then traces the sport's journey as it was introduced by immigrants and gradually took root in the nation. The book delves into the establishment of the United States Football Association (now U.S. Soccer Federation) and explores the country's participation in the first FIFA World Cup. The readers are guided through the ups and downs of soccer in ...

This book has 106 questions of interesting trivia and fun facts on baseball, basketball, American football, and Olympic questions to keep you entertained.

* Which England player found a way to cheat in the fat testing before the 1987 World Cup? * How did Fiji manage to get themselves to the World Cup despite all the planes in and out of the country being grounded? *Which French player sat on the bench smoking a cigarette while his team won a place in the 1999 final? Real Men Drink Aftershave is the behind-the-scenes story of the first 20 years of the Rugby World Cup: the funny, the irreverent and the quite unbelievable players' tales about what really happened. It tells the story of the biggest change in the history of modern sport - as rugby...

As Don Shula and Johnny Unitas elevated the brutal game of football, the world around them clashed about Vietnam, civil rights, and sex. Collision of Wills looks at the complicated relationship between Don Shula, the league's winningest coach of all time, and his star player Johnny Unitas, and how their secret animosity fueled the Colts in an era when their losses were as memorable as their victories.

Auburn Tigers football legends recall their greatest moments - newly updated to include the Tigers' recent BCS championship. What creates a championship team? Spirit, determination, and a legacy that refuses to die. Game of My Life: Auburn Tigers is a collection of the greatest Tigers moments from past and present as seen through the eyes of the players themselves. In this vivid collection of sports moments, Mark Murphy has brought together passionate Auburn football players to share their fondest experiences and memories.

The US Women’s National Soccer Team has won three World Cups and four Olympic gold medals, set record TV ratings, drawn massive crowds, earned huge revenues for FIFA and US Soccer, and helped to redefine the place of women in sports. But despite their dominance, and their rosters of superstar players, they’ve endured striking inequality: low pay, poor playing conditions, and limited opportunities to play in professional leagues.

In Angels with Dirty Faces, Jonathan Wilson chronicles the operatic drama of Argentinian soccer: the appropriation of the British game, the golden age of la nuestra, the exuberant style of playing that developed as Juan Perón led the country, a hardening into the brutal methods of anti-fútbol, the fusion of beauty and efficacy under César Luis Menotti, and the emergence of all-time greats.

Are you searching for the perfect book to ignite your child’s love for soccer, even if they’ve never kicked a ball before? Look no further than A Kid’s Guide to Soccer Legends! This engaging, fun-filled guide is packed with captivating stories, powerful lessons in perseverance, and motivational heroes both on and off the pitch.

It's a scandal that began in a place called Happy Valley. But it's not as happy as it once was, as the child-sex-abuse charges against a longtime coach and the conspiracy of silence surrounding the allegations have rocked America and Division 1 college sports. In Game Over, journalists Bill Moushey and Bob Dvorchak investigate claims of a startling cover-up within the Penn State hierarchy that attempted to protect its football legacy, quite possibly at the expense of disenfranchised children.

Endzone tells the story of how college football's most successful and respected program nearly lost it all in less than a decade and entirely of its own doing. It is a story of hubris, greed, and betrayal, a tale more suited to Wall Street than the world's top public university.

In 2015, FIFA - the multibillion dollar governing body of the world's most-loved sport - was brought down by allegations of industrial-scale bribes, kickbacks, money laundering, racketeering, and tax evasion. Beginning with early morning raids in Zurich and the indictment of 27 executives by the US Department of Justice, the rottenness at the core of FIFA seemed to extend throughout all of soccer, from the decision to send the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar to lesser known cases of embezzlement from Trinidad to South Africa.

The authors of the New York Times best seller 50 Years, 50 Moments celebrate the first 100 years of the National Football League, interweaving history, personal stories, memories, and observations of some of its greatest players, coaches, and advocates to chronicle football’s amazing evolution from a fledgling regional fly-by-night operation into a multi-billion global brand and one of America’s leading franchises.

Soccer Coaching: The Impact of VAR in Professional Soccer is an insightful exploration of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system's journey in the realm of professional soccer. It starts with the initial conceptualization of VAR, its global adoption, and the mechanics of its operation. The book delves into how VAR has been integrated by soccer's governing bodies, including FIFA and UEFA, supported by case studies from notable tournaments. Readers will find a candid discussion on the controversial moments in VAR history and their influence on the sport and public opinion. Furthermore, the ...

The numbers appear to be incongruous. The University of Michigan has won more football games than any other Division I-A school, yet the program has only produced three Heisman Trophy winners and precious few winners of other individual awards. The numbers are understandable, however. The focus of Michigan football has always been on the team rather than the individual. "The Team, The Team, The Team" has for decades been one of the program’s best known mantras.

Any number of writers could spend an entire season with an NFL team, from the first day of training camp until the last pick of the draft, and come up with an interesting book. But only Roy Blount Jr. could capture the pain, the joy, the fears, the humor - in short, the heart - of a championship team.

The most popular college football team in the early 20th century belonged to an institution called the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Its story begins with Lt. Col. Richard Henry Pratt, a fierce abolitionist who believed that Native Americans deserved a place in American society. In 1879, Pratt made a treacherous journey to the Dakota Territory to recruit Carlisle's first students. Years later, three students approached Pratt with the notion of forming a football team.