CONFESSIONS OF A DIRTY BALLPLAYER

by Johnny Sample ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 30, 1970

Dirty ballplayer?"" Oh no. ""Big mouth?"" Not really. ""Troublemaker?"" Not he. But if all these things mean ONE WHO STICKS UP FOR HIS RIGHTS AND WON'T TAKE ANYONE'S GUFF, then the Jets' big defensive back guesses he is all that. Take for instance the time when he butted Otto Graham in the college All-Stars exhibition. (Otto hit first.) Or the time Weeb threatened to fine him $100 for talking back after missing a kickoff (""You just asked why I dropped the ball and I told you""). Interwoven among his tale of the rise from the segregated community in Cape Charles, Virginia to Maryland State football, and the Colts, Steelers, Redskins, and Jets, are forthright blasts in the direction of Coach Graham, Buddy Parker, Rozelle and others. There are also some convincing statements in regard to the treatment of black athletes. Concluding is Sample's ""rating list"" of players he has confronted, which contains a Sample category: Intimidation (""whether or not I can get a man's goat"").

Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1970

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dial

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1970

Categories: NONFICTION