Akron High School Football


Book Description

A complete history of high school football in Akron, Ohio from the first game in 1892 through the season of 1999. Every school, both public and parochial, past and present, is represented. Included are the scores of every game, coaches records, all-city teams, photos, and thousands of words of text.




Coach of a Different Color


Book Description

Ray Greene was the first black football coach in Division I-A football. Coach of a Different Color tells the story of his childhood, his playing career, and his rise through the coaching ranks - from high school to college to the pros. The book will appeal to anyone interested in the history of football and in the important life lessons we can take from the story of his achievement.




Shooting Stars


Book Description

The celebrated memoir from LeBron James - a poignant, thrilling tale of the power of teamwork to transform young lives, including his own "A book that will incredibly move and inspire you.” —Jay-Z "A heartwarming story of boys who became men, teammates who became brothers, players who became champions, wonderfully told through the maturing eyes of basketball's greatest star." — John Grisham Before LeBron James was an NBA superstar, he was just a kid from Akron, Ohio, who loved to play basketball on a team called the Shooting Stars. This is the story of how this motley group of ten-year-olds grew into a team and became men together - surviving the challenges of inner city America and enduring jealousy, hostility, exploitation, and the consequences of their own overconfidence in their quest to win a national championship. Shooting Stars is a poignant, thrilling tale of the power of teamwork to transform young lives.




Powerhouses of Ohio High School Football: The 50s and 60s


Book Description

By the middle of the twentieth century, Ohio high school football ranked among the mightiest in the nation. Dynastic programs Massillon and Canton McKinley dominated the 1950s. Not to be outdone, Barberton, Portsmouth, Cleveland Cathedral Latin and Jackson staked their claims to greatness, and championship squads from Benedictine to Marion Harding and Alliance fought their way to the top of the rankings. Ever-steady Massillon continued their winning ways in the '60s. Along the way, determined newcomers like Niles McKinley, Toledo Central Catholic, Wyoming, Sandusky, Bishop Watterson and Marion Catholic snatched their share of gridiron glory. At the decade's close, the fierce Golden Bears of Upper Arlington forged their own dynasty. Join author Tim Raab as he presents the champions, contenders, heartbreaks and heroics of this thrilling era of Ohio pigskin history.




TIGERS! - Falls Hi Football


Book Description

A complete history of football at Cuyahoga Falls High School from 1893 through 2005. Every game, every player, the coaches, records, photos and much more.




World War II Akron


Book Description

When World War II engulfed the nation, the men and women of Akron dutifully played their part in the epic struggle. Keyes Beech ducked grenades as marines raised the American flag at on Iwo Jima. Newspaper magnate John S. Knight watched the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri just five months after his son was killed in Germany. On the homefront, Goodyear manufactured blimps used to hunt down Nazi submarines, and noted Beacon Journal cartoonist Web Brown pledged his talent and his pen to boosting morale at home and abroad. Replete with more than one hundred images, including many of Brown's wartime drawings, this thrilling account by local author Tim Carroll recalls all that Akron gave for freedom.




The Massillon Tigers


Book Description

After playing 4 quarters of hard-fought football games, the Massillon Tiger football team gathered in a circle at the center of every football field they played on in 2019 to do 15 pushups--a pushup for every game it would take to lead them to the State Championship game. The mantra for the season became: 15 for 15. Each pushup is represented as a chapter in this book and a different piece of the puzzle that explains the football town of Massillon, Ohio. In this dramatic and entertaining book, Author and Tiger running back coach, David Lee Morgan, Jr. shares stories that offer a unique and unequaled perspective into the 2019 season and the Tigers' quest for that elusive state championship. The Massillon Tiger football program isn't a typical high school football program. It's a ministry of football with the first season dating back to 1894. The Massillon Tigers: 15 for 15 is the powerful tale of one of the most storied high school football programs anywhere in the country and their magical 2019 season, as told by an award-winning author and journalist who enjoyed unlimited access to the players, coaches, and families through his role as the running backs coach.




The View from Pluto


Book Description

Now in paperback. The best columns from one of Northeast Ohio's most popular sportswriters ever. Terry Pluto has twice been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, has been named Ohio Sportswriter of the Year six times, and has won more than 50 national and state writing awards. This book collects his best Akron Beacon Journal columns about Northeast Ohio sports -- Indians, Browns, Cavs, high school, and more -- from the past decade. It's his first column collection. (He is author of 18 other sports books, including "The Curse of Rocky Colavito.")




I Promise


Book Description

An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller! An Instant Indie Bestseller! *An Amazon Best Book of the Year * A B&N Best Book of the Year* A great gift for tiny go-getters and big dreamers, including for back to school! NBA champion and superstar LeBron James pens a slam-dunk picture book inspired by his foundation’s I PROMISE program that motivates children everywhere to always #StriveForGreatness. Just a kid from Akron, Ohio, who is dedicated to uplifting youth everywhere, LeBron James knows the key to a better future is to excel in school, do your best, and keep your family close. I Promise is a lively and inspiring picture book that reminds us that tomorrow’s success starts with the promises we make to ourselves and our community today. Featuring James’s upbeat, rhyming text and vibrant illustrations perfectly crafted for a diverse audience by #1 New York Times bestselling and Geisel Honor winning artist Nina Mata, this book has the power to inspire all children and families to be their best. Perfect for shared reading in and out of the classroom, I Promise is also a great gift for graduation, birthdays, and other occasions. Plus check out the audiobook, read by LeBron James's mother and I Promise School supporter Gloria James!




What Have You Done Now, Eugene?


Book Description

Gene Mingo grew up as a mischievous kid in Akron, Ohio, with a challenging childhood and love for high school football. After a stint in the US Navy, he found his way back to football. In 1960, he joined the American Football League as a placekicker, halfback, and return specialist for the Denver Broncos but that was just the beginning. Gene has been inducted into the America Football League Hall of Fame, reflecting an illustrious career that included the first punt return for a touchdown in the AFL and two years spent leading the AFL in scoring. History considers him to have been the first African American placekicker in the AFL. Life isn't lived only on the football field, however; outside the game, number twenty-one had troubles. Perhaps due to finding success too quickly, Gene developed a tendency to fall in with a bad crowd. His poor choices led to near tragedy, but he always found a home on the football field. Gene Mingo's story isn't simple. It wasn't easy being a black man in a white man's world, and Gene had some internal demons of his own as well. Still, his story is that of legend, and the trials and tribulations of this spectacular athlete deserve to be remembered forever.