A Good Read

[ngineer]

I am currently reading a book entitled The Real All-Americans by Sally Jenkins. Some excerpts, I believe appeared in Sports Illustrated a month or so ago.
Excellent book on the background of the creation of Carlisle Indian School and it's rise to fame in the early 1900's. The book starts and ends by focusing on one of the greatest games of all time--the 1912 game between two undefeated national powers: Army and Carlisle. The game was played at West Point with Jim Thorpe on the field for Carlisle and players such as Dwight D. Eisenhower on the field for Army. Not only were both teams considered the best in the country, it was a meeting between various Carlisle students whose parents and grandparents had fought the 'Long Knives' 35 years earlier in the mid-west and upper plains. Now was 'payback' time on the gridiron. The coach of Carlisle was the famous 'Pop' Warner.
The author delves deeply into the background of the different students tracing their ancestory to The Little Big Horn, Wounded Knee, and other battles, as well as the Superintendent of Carlisle school R.H. Pratt, who fought in the Army after the Civil War and saw the great injustices heaped upon the Indians and eventually got the Administration and Congress to open Carlisle.
As one commentator said, 'this is a book that should have been written years ago'...and it finally has. xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

[Seawolf97]

Sounds Good

[furpal87]

Just finished a great one myself: Echoes of the Green about the lives of several of the major players around the 1951 Giants and Dodgers up to and past the famous Bobby Thomson HR. Tells about the Giants' stealing signs. Great book!!!

[Eyes of Old Main]

Both sound like good books. I'll have to check them both out.

[Cobblestone]

I am currently reading a book entitled The Real All-Americans by Sally Jenkins. Some excerpts, I believe appeared in Sports Illustrated a month or so ago.
Excellent book on the background of the creation of Carlisle Indian School and it's rise to fame in the early 1900's. The book starts and ends by focusing on one of the greatest games of all time--the 1912 game between two undefeated national powers: Army and Carlisle. The game was played at West Point with Jim Thorpe on the field for Carlisle and players such as Dwight D. Eisenhower on the field for Army. Not only were both teams considered the best in the country, it was a meeting between various Carlisle students whose parents and grandparents had fought the 'Long Knives' 35 years earlier in the mid-west and upper plains. Now was 'payback' time on the gridiron. The coach of Carlisle was the famous 'Pop' Warner.
The author delves deeply into the background of the different students tracing their ancestory to The Little Big Horn, Wounded Knee, and other battles, as well as the Superintendent of Carlisle school R.H. Pratt, who fought in the Army after the Civil War and saw the great injustices heaped upon the Indians and eventually got the Administration and Congress to open Carlisle.
As one commentator said, 'this is a book that should have been written years ago'...and it finally has. xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

Speaking of Jim Thorpe and injustices, I think one of the greatest injustices in the history of sports was when his Olympic medals were taken from him, all because he played one summer of low level minor league baseball. When you see what the Olympics are today it really makes you shake your head. xsmhx xnonono2x

That book does indeed sound like a good read.

[ngineer]

Speaking of Jim Thorpe and injustices, I think one of the greatest injustices in the history of sports was when his Olympic medals were taken from him, all because he played one summer of low level minor league baseball. When you see what the Olympics are today it really makes you shake your head. xsmhx xnonono2x

That book does indeed sound like a good read.

The book does touch upon Thorpe's summer of playing semi-pro ball--about $15/month, and many other players were doing it as well to survive. I do believe Thorpe's medals were restored well after his death. His grave and memorial are about 40 minute drive from my house, in Jim Thorpe, PA.