Sayers: My Life and Times
Gale Sayers, Fred Mitchell (With), Dick ButkusBooks.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
Four decades ago, Gale Sayers allowed his remarkable running ability on the football field to speak for him. Today, Sayers has a powerful and poignant message to pass along not only to athletes, but to everyone, and it's a message straight from his heart. Sayers, who grew up in modest surroundings in Omaha, Nebraska, chose to attend the University of Kansas, where he became an All-American halfback before being selected by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1965 draft. He later became the youngest man ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at age 34.The story of Sayers's friendship with former Bears teammate Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer in 1970, was immortalized in the 1971 made-for-TV movie Brian's Song, starring James Caan as Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Sayers. The loss of Piccolo helped Sayers put his life in proper perspective. He later realized his serious knee injury was just a minor blip on the radar when it comes to life-and-death matters. Since leaving pro football, his enduring message to young athletes is to respect the game, give back to the community, and prepare for the future. Those are words he has lived by his entire life, and they make Sayers one of the most compelling sports memoirs in recent years.
Synopsis
Four decades ago, Gale Sayers allowed his remarkable running ability on the football field to speak for him. Today, Sayers has a powerful and poignant message to pass along not only to athletes, but to everyone, and it's a message straight from his heart. Sayers, who grew up in modest surroundings in Omaha, Nebraska, chose to attend the University of Kansas, where he became an All-American halfback before being selected by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1965 draft. He later became the youngest man ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at age 34.
The story of Sayers's friendship with former Bears teammate Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer in 1970, was immortalized in the 1971 made-for-TV movie Brian's Song, starring James Caan as Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Sayers. The loss of Piccolo helped Sayers put his life in proper perspective. He later realized his serious knee injury was just a minor blip on the radar when it comes to life-and-death matters. Since leaving pro football, his enduring message to young athletes is to respect the game, give back to the community, and prepare for the future. Those are words he has lived by his entire life, and they make Sayers one of the most compelling sports memoirs in recent years.
John Maxymuk - Library Journal
Sayers, an NFL Hall of Famer, was a running back for the Chicago Bears in the 1960s, noted for having an elusive running style unlike anyone else's. He became an even greater pop culture figure because of the spectacularly successful 1971 TV movie Brian's Song, adapted from his autobiography (with Al Silverman), I Am Third. It depicted the moving relationship between the quiet African American Sayers and his ebullient Bears roommate, Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer. Sayers's second book, authored with Mitchell (Cubs: Where Have You Gone?), is, unfortunately, much less stimulating than his first. It is uneven and jumps around illogically from chapter to chapter. He focuses on how athletes need to "prepare to quit" during their careers so that they can live successful, fulfilling lives. It is an admirable message for which Sayers is a fine role model, but most readers would prefer more focus on Sayers's years with the Bears and his views of notable opponents and the NFL today. For Chicagoland libraries only.
Editorials
Library Journal
Sayers, an NFL Hall of Famer, was a running back for the Chicago Bears in the 1960s, noted for having an elusive running style unlike anyone else's. He became an even greater pop culture figure because of the spectacularly successful 1971 TV movie Brian's Song, adapted from his autobiography (with Al Silverman), I Am Third. It depicted the moving relationship between the quiet African American Sayers and his ebullient Bears roommate, Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer. Sayers's second book, authored with Mitchell (Cubs: Where Have You Gone?), is, unfortunately, much less stimulating than his first. It is uneven and jumps around illogically from chapter to chapter. He focuses on how athletes need to "prepare to quit" during their careers so that they can live successful, fulfilling lives. It is an admirable message for which Sayers is a fine role model, but most readers would prefer more focus on Sayers's years with the Bears and his views of notable opponents and the NFL today. For Chicagoland libraries only.
—John Maxymuk