America's Cradle of Quarterbacks


Book Description

Any fan of the Baltimore Colts of my era, any fan of my friend and teammate Johnny Unitas, or, for that matter, any fan of football in general should enjoy Wayne Stewart's book. It contains great stories, statistics, and information on all of the many great quarterbacks who came out of Western Pennsylvania and much more. Raymond Berry NFL Hall of Fame Wide Receiver (Baltimore Colts 1955-67) It's well known that the NFL has been dominated through the years by quarterbacks sown and grown in a relatively small area surrounding the city of Pittsburgh in Western Pennsylvania. In America¿s Cradle of Quarterbacks, author Wayne Stewart not only tells us who they are, he digs deep to explain the nature and nurture behind the rich harvest of signal callers (Montana, Unitas, Marino, Namath, Kelly, Blanda, etc.) who have risen from that fertile soil to claim Lombardi Trophies and dominate the gallery of busts in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Stewart has written a fascinating book that belongs on the shelves of football historians and everyday fans alike. Jeffrey J. Miller Author of Rockin' The Rockpile, Buffalo's Forgotten Champions, and Game Changers




All the Moves I Had


Book Description

Pro Football Hall of Famer Raymond Berry is a true giant of the game. He lacked blazing speed or imposing size, yet he revolutionized the wide receiver position; starred in football’s “Greatest Game Ever Played,” the 1958 NFL Championship; and was part of football’s most legendary pass-catch combination with his quarterback and friend Johnny Unitas. Football wouldn’t be what it is today without “Unitas to Berry.” In All the Moves I Had, Berry brings readers inside a football career that spanned four decades and featured a Who’s Who of the NFL. As a receiver for the Baltimore Colts of the 1950s and 1960s, he nearly scientifically developed an inventory of moves and fakes to get open, and intensely studied defensive backs and their coverage techniques—pioneering these integral parts of today’s passing-game preparation. In this book he breaks down, play-by-play, his historic performance in the contest that secured pro football’s popularity—the 1958 final that was the NFL’s first to end in overtime and first to be nationally televised. He recounts coaching for the Dallas Cowboys and head coaching the New England Patriots, a team he took to the Super Bowl. One of today’s senior members of Pro Football Hall of Fame, Raymond Berry is a national treasure of football history, strategy, technique, and—just as important—friendship, family, love, and faith. “He was his own man. He was poised, as though he had pondered everything a little harder than anyone else. . . .He was deconstructing and reinventing the position of wide receiver.” —Mark Bowden in The Best Game Ever “He didn’t play a game of football, he engineered it.”—legendary Los Angeles Times sportswriter Jim Murray “The best.” —Johnny Unitas




America's Football Factory


Book Description




The Football Book of Why (and Who, What, When, Where, and How)


Book Description

Why is a football field sometimes called a gridiron? Who are some of the best left-handed quarterbacks ever? Who was the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl? Why do players form a huddle when plays are called? When did quarterback sacks become an official statistic? What is the record for the most passes thrown by a quarterback in a game? This book provides a slew of questions and in-depth answers concerning the traditions, rules, records, and history of pro football (and more). From the early days of football to the hugely popular game seen today, Wayne Stewart answers questions even the most knowledgeable fan may have pondered. Whether the topic is quarterbacks or coaches, famous “firsts” or memorable moments, if a Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How? question is on your mind, this is the book for you.




Remembering the Stars of the NFL Glory Years


Book Description

The 1950s and 60s was a golden age for professional football. It was perhaps the toughest and roughest era for the sport, before rules were created to better protect the players, but it was also a time when legends were born. To many football fans this era remains the Glory Years of the NFL, when the stars that roamed the gridiron included the likes of Johnny Unitas, Bart Starr, Jim Brown, and Raymond Berry. In Remembering the Stars of the NFL Glory Years: An Inside Look at the Golden Age of Football, Wayne Stewart tells the story of professional football in the ‘50s and ‘60s through the words of the players themselves. Chapters cover Hall of Famers on both sides of the ball, players who made a lasting impression on the game, and the toughest players on the gridiron. Stewart intertwines profiles of these iconic players with the athletes’ own memories, observations, and anecdotes, including their impressions of teammates and opponents. Two additional chapters consist of humorous quotes and the players’ thoughts on how the game has changed since their heyday. Featuring exclusive interviews with players from the 1950s and ‘60s, Remembering the Stars of the NFL Glory Years provides an inside look at this distinct time in professional football. With a wide range of topics and insights included throughout, this book will both entertain and inform football fans and historians alike.




You're the Ref


Book Description

When you watch football games, do you feel as if you know as much—maybe more—than the actual refs? Here's your chance to prove it, with Wayne Stewart’s You’re the Ref. You’re the Ref, first published in 2011 and now newly revised, is divided into five exciting sections covering all three phases of the game—offense, defense, and special teams. From basic holding and pass interference calls to more complicated rules such as roughing the kicker, illegal touching and those governing fumbles, it examines just about every scenario that could unfold on a football field. Most of the situations in this book come from real games—many that diehard fans will be sure to remember—so don your zebra stripes, grab your whistle, and take your position in the offensive backfield. After all, you're the ref! Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.




Remembering the Greatest Coaches and Games of the NFL Glory Years


Book Description

The NFL in the 1950s and 1960s was full of iconic players and legendary coaches. Future Hall of Famers battled it out on the gridiron and roamed the sidelines, making for incredible games and memorable moments. In Remembering the Greatest Coaches and Games of the NFL Glory Years: An Inside Look at the Golden Age of Football, Wayne Stewart tells of the men and events that made this era unforgettable. Through dozens of interviews with players such as Tom Matte, Mike Ditka, Raymond Berry, Don Maynard, Chuck Mercein, and Rick Volk, Stewart shares the players’ unique perspectives on the Greatest Game Ever Played, the Ice Bowl, the Heidi Game, and Super Bowl III. The second part of the book features profiles of the Hall of Fame coaches who led their teams to victory—including George Halas, Vince Lombardi, Tom Landry, and Don Shula—with the players reflecting on the impact these coaches had on and off the field. Remembering the Greatest Coaches and Games of the NFL Glory Years not only shares anecdotes that reveal the warm and humorous sides of the Hall of Fame coaches but also includes breakdowns of the key decisions they made during the featured games. With exclusive insight provided by the players, this book offers readers a deeper understanding of professional football during this era directly from those who lived it.




You're the Umpire


Book Description

Do you think you have what it takes to be a Major League umpire? Well, now you can test your knowledge of the game with Wayne Stewart’s You’re the Umpire. Divided into three sections, this unusual handbook, now in its second edition, offers "Routine Calls," which deal with scenarios and rules that typically come up in games and deal with clear cut rules—fair and foul, strike zone questions, and the like. The next section, "Basic Situations," deals with umpiring matters and rules that are just a bit more unusual or, for the casual fan, obscure. Interference and obstruction calls, for example, don’t come up too often, but they remain standard stuff involving rules that umps and many fans know quite well. In the final section, "Obscure Rules and Situations," you will be presented with what many baseball people call “knotty” problems. Here, you will be asked questions involving the complex infield fly rule and other arcane matters. This section, then, is the ultimate test of your umpiring skills and knowledge. Most of the situations in You’re the Umpire come from real games, but some scenarios are made up to illustrate specific points or rules. Test yourself against your friends or against the famously iconic baseball rulebook. It’s a challenge and it’s fun. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.




Black in the Pocket


Book Description

Dedicated to all the African American Quarterbacks that persevered and struggled in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s to create a level and fairer playing field that exists today in Pro Football for Black Quarterbacks. So, a ten-year-old Black youngster in his backyard throwing a football through a tire hanging from a tree limb can not only dream of being a Pro Quarterback but can do it. The struggle was real.




The 100 Greatest American Athletes


Book Description

From Babe Ruth to Michael Phelps, Billie Jean King to Tony Hawk, American athletes have been a source of pride and accomplishment throughout the nation’s history. While there have been plenty of athlete biographies, sports profiles, and behind-the scenes looks at various professional sports, no book has attempted to rank the greatest American athletes of all time. Until now. In The100 Greatest American Athletes, Martin Gitlin ranks the best of the best using a point system to assess each individual’s achievements, versatility, and athleticism, as well as the physical requirements of the sport or sports in which they participated. The final tally of these points provides the ranking for each athlete in the book, which is sure to spark lively conversation. Some of the most iconic names in sports history can be found here, including Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Larry Byrd, LeBron James, Mickey Mantle, Joe Montana, Jesse Owens, Mark Spitz, Tiger Woods, and Babe Didrikson Zaharias. It can be difficult to compare bobsledders to boxers, figure-skaters to football players, shot-putters to skiers. This book, however, attempts to do just that in an accurate, fair manner that honors those who made valuable contributions to American sports and culture. Sports fans will undoubtedly enjoy debating the ranking of these remarkable individuals, making The100 Greatest American Athletes a must read.