Overview
The Miracle in Miami began when a small group of men returned to Ohio after World War II. Some were old enough to coach football; others were young enough to play, going to school on the GI Bill. There, in a tiny community at Miami University of Ohio, the men, the character, and the modern game of football were created. Sid Gillman coached Woody Hayes, who coached Ara Parseghian, coached John Pont, coached Bo Schembechler, coached Bill Mallory. This is the story of the big, brawling family of men who formed college football. Written by John Pont's niece, their interconnections, affections and rivalries, their innovations, and their weaknesses are all beautifully portrayed, combining football history and strategy with family stories.
Watching the Superbowl and focusing on the million-dollar ads, we yearn for the bravery and the loneliness of the original players. Come back to a time when the helmets had no face guards, when the men played without padding, and when strategy and sportsmanship ruled the gridiron.
Synopsis
The Miracle in Miami began when a small group of men returned to Ohio after World War II. Some were old enough to coach football; others were young enough to play, going to school on the GI Bill. There, in a tiny community at Miami University of Ohio, the men, the character, and the modern game of football were created. Sid Gillman coached Woody Hayes, who coached Ara Parseghian, coached John Pont, coached Bo Schembechler, coached Bill Mallory. This is the story of the big, brawling family of men who formed college football. Written by John Pont's niece, their interconnections, affections and rivalries, their innovations, and their weaknesses are all beautifully portrayed, combining football history and strategy with family stories.
Watching the Superbowl and focusing on the million-dollar ads, we yearn for the bravery and the loneliness of the original players. Come back to a time when the helmets had no face guards, when the men played without padding, and when strategy and sportsmanship ruled the gridiron.
Library Journal
Whittingham's book is a larger and much more objective study of the game. The chapters correspond to series episodes, with each focusing on broad issues such as great teams, great games, great players, etc. There are some errors (in one place Whittingham says that in the 1963 Rose Bowl, University of Southern California quarterback Pete Beathard passed for 401 yards, but in another he correctly says it was Wisconsin's Ron VanderKelen who put on that aerial show), but in a work of this magnitude all but the scholar can cut the author some slack. There will be demand for Rites of Autumn generated by the ESPN series. Pont's work might generate regional interest, but all but larger public libraries should be able to skip it. Jim Burns, Ottumwa P.L., IA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.