A Fire to Win - by John Lombardo (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The honest and revealing biography of legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes, a leader whose fierce drive shaped college sports.

Woody Hayes is one of the greatest, and most fascinating, coaches in football history. A former history teacher who preached democracy while ruling his program as an absolute monarch, Hayes was a man of intense contradictions. Behind his fiery public persona lay a deeply altruistic side: he quietly visited local hospitals, donated time and money, and demanded that his players complete their degrees. A Fire to Win goes beyond standard sports statistics to explore the complex mind and motivations of a legendary leader.

Above all, Hayes achieved staggering success on the field. During his tenure at Ohio State, he captured five national championships, earned thirteen Big Ten titles, made eight Rose Bowl appearances, and won two national Coach of the Year awards. Honed by his World War II service commanding a Navy destroyer escort in the Pacific, his fierce competitive drive propelled him to a lifetime coaching record of 238-72-10--securing his place in the first rank of college coaching immortals.

Drawing on extensive interviews with former players, assistant coaches, administrators, and close friends, veteran sports journalist John Lombardo crafts a rich portrait of Hayes and his career spanning the mid-1940s through the late 1970s--an era of profound change in American society.

Review Quotes

"This is a sympathetic yet evenhanded examination of a modern coaching giant." --Booklist

"An easy-to-read, objective look at one of Ohio's most powerful, complex, admired, feared, and contradictory figures."-The Columbus Dispatch

"Insightful and comprehensive biography."- The New York Sun

"Contradictions, of course, are what make Hayes fascinating. And Lombardo delves into those contradictions with a cell biologist's eye for detail and a landscape painter's eye for perspective." -Chicago Tribune

About the Author

John Lombardo, a sportswriter based in Chicago, is the author of Raiders Forever: Stars of the NFL's Most Colorful Team Recall Their Glory Days. Lombardo lives in Winnetka, Illinois, with his wife and two daughters.