Research Catalog

Title

Passing game : Benny Friedman and the transformation of football / Murray Greenberg.

Author

Greenberg, Murray.

Publication

New York : PublicAffairs, ©2008.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

viii, 358 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations; 24 cm

Summary

Benny Friedman, the son of working class immigrants in Cleveland's Jewish ghetto, arrived at the University of Michigan and transformed the game of football forever. At the time, in the 1920s, football was a dull, grinding running game, and the forward pass was a desperation measure. Benny would change all of that. In Ann Arbor, the rookie quarterback's passing abilities so eclipsed those of other players that legendary coach Fielding Yost came back from retirement to coach him. The other college teams had no answer for Friedman's passing attack. He then went pro--an unpopular decision at a time when the NFL was the poor stepchild to college football--and was equally sensational, eventually signing with the New York Giants for an unprecedented $10,000, bringing fans and attention to the fledgling NFL. Passing Game rediscovers this little-known sports hero and tells the story of Friedman's evolution from upstart to American celebrity, in a vivid narrative that will delight and enlighten football fans of all ages.

Subjects

• Football players
• Friedman, Benny, 1905-1982
• Biographies
• History
• collective biographies
• Michigan Wolverines (Football team)
• Michigan Wolverines (Football team) History
• United States
• Football players > United States > Biography

Genre/Form

• collective biographies.
• Biographies.
• History.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 339-348) and index.

Contents

The kid from Glenville -- Michigan -- Grange open the door -- Benny takes command -- "We got the little badgers' skin to wrap the baby bunting in" -- Benny to Bennie -- "The greatest team I ever coached" -- Senior year -- "Benny Friedman passed all afternoon like only Benny Friedman can" -- King of the Big Ten -- The pros come calling -- "One sweet tough racket" -- "Friedman has six threats instead of three" -- New York -- "That redoubtable descendant of Palestine" -- Benny and Rockne -- "The greatest football player in the world" -- Transition -- Coach and commander -- Brandeis -- Passed over.

ISBN

• 9781586484774
• 158648477X

LCCN

2008033117

OCLC

• ocn191926349
• 191926349
• SCSB-1487587

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library