Description
Book SynopsisBorn to an Irish Catholic working-class family on the Northside of Pittsburgh, Art Rooney (1901-88) dabbled in semipro baseball and boxing before discovering that his real talent lay not in playing sports but in promoting them. This book shows how Rooney saw professional football through the Depression, World War II, the ascension of TV, and the development of the NFL.
Trade Review"Rooney: A Sporting Life is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn about a true American success story in sports. This book fully captures the early life of Art 'the Chief' Rooney Sr., an American icon who is known for the legacy he left in the Steelers but isn't known as well for his amazing accomplishments in racing and as an athlete. The Chief is to sports what Seabiscuit is to horse racing, and this book captures the man and the legend."-John Clayton, ESPN -- John Clayton "Filled with incredible details, Rooney gets behind the man and the legend who founded the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1933."-frommersports.blogspot.com frommersports.blogspot.com "One of the best books on football written so far this century... Assiduously researched, Rooney is more than a biography."-Allen Barra, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -- Allen Barra Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "An authoritative look at one of the most iconic figures in the history of the NFL, Rooney, A Sporting Life, is both a critical chapter in the story of football in the United States and a thoroughly engaging, in-depth introduction to a character unlike any other in the annals of American sports."-Pennsylvania Heritage Pennsylvania Heritage
Table of ContentsList of IllustrationsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionArthur J. Rooney's Family Tree1. Coming to Pittsburgh2. The Young Athlete: The Northside3. On Life's Learning Fields: 1922-284. Dreams, Depression, and Commitment: 1929-335. Pittsburgh Joins the NFL: 1933-366. Rooney's Ride: 19377. Between the Races and the Fights: 1937-388. Returning to the Ring: 1939-419. Season of Reckoning: 1940-4110. The World at War: 1941-4511. The Sutherland Years: 1946-4712. Shamrock Farm13. Same Old Steelers: 1948-5614. Buddy, Bobby, and Bert: 1957-5915. Renaissance for Pittsburgh, Not the Steelers: 1960-6416. Not the Same Old Steelers--Worse: 1965-6817. Changing History: 1970-7118. 197219. Football's Promised Land: 1973-7420. Super Redux: 197521. City of Champions: 1976-7922. The Fourth Quarter: 1980-88NotesBibliographyIndex
