Review of "Lombardi Dies, Orr Flies, Marshal Cries"

This book on sports and society in 1970 was one that was not only easy to read, it was a quick one as it was one of the rare books I read in one sitting, despite being over 300 pages long.  Of course it helped I was on vacation with little else to distract me, but it still is very rare that I do that.  Here is my review of "Lombardi Dies, Orr Flies and Marshal Cries".

Title/Author:

“Lombardi Dies, Orr Flies, Marshall Cries: The Sports Legacy of 1970” by Brad Schultz

Tags:

Sports, politics, society, history

Publish date:

November 5, 2015

Length:

336 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

1970 was a year in which dramatic change was taking place in the United States. Protests about the war in Vietnam became more numerous and violent.  Many boundaries for minorities, women, hair length and other norms were being challenged. The world of sports reflected these changes as well as undergoing some changes of its own.  The connection between them is captured in this excellent book by Brad Schultz.

Three of the biggest sports stories of the year are named in the title, but the book covers much more than them.  Sports events are chronicled by month and the importance of them is captured in well-written paragraphs. From Curt Flood’s refusal to report to the Philadelphia Phillies thereby challenging baseball’s reserve clause to Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes keeping the peace at his school in the aftermath of the Kent State shootings that left four students dead, Schultz captures the mood of the sports community and the nation with his prose.

A reader doesn’t have to have been alive during these events to feel like he or she knows about them after reading this book. Even if one only knows about them through old news footage or in other media, a reader will enjoy these passages about the sports and social movements of 1970.  It is one that is highly recommended for readers who enjoy books on sports, politics or society.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Lombardi-Dies-Flies-Marshall-Cries/dp/144225629X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525982683&sr=8-1&keywords=lombardi+dies

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lombardi-dies-orr-flies-marshall-cries-brad-schultz/1122136555?ean=9781442256293