America's Trailblazing Middle Linebacker - by Joe Zagorski (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book explores the life and times of pro football's first African-American middle linebacker, Willie Lanier. Lanier was a Super Bowl champion, an eight-time All-Pro, and NFL's Man of the Year in 1972. This book delves into Lanier's college and NFL exploits and discusses hi...

Book Synopsis

This book explores the life and times of pro football's first African-American middle linebacker, Willie Lanier. Lanier was a Super Bowl champion, an eight-time All-Pro, and NFL's Man of the Year in 1972. This book delves into Lanier's college and NFL exploits and discusses his many successes off the gridiron, providing an inspiration for others.

Review Quotes

Willie Lanier is one of the greatest players in pro football history. He is also a great man. He applied the lessons learned from the game--commitment, integrity, courage, respect, and excellence--to his very successful life after football.

Willie Lanier was the consummate teammate. He was as agile and as tough of a middle linebacker that has ever played the game. His agility and quickness were complimented by his intuitiveness. He just had a natural knack for the game. And he was a tremendous force on the field. Author Joe Zagorski is an experienced sports writer who has written this book about America's first African-American player starting at middle linebacker in professional football.

About the Author

Joe Zagorski has been a member of the Pro Football Researchers Association since the mid-1980s. He has written numerous articles for their monthly publication, The Coffin Corner, and for the blog Pro Football Journal. His first book, The NFL in the 1970s: Pro Football's Most Important Decade, was rated by Library Journal as one of the top ten football books in 2016. Zagorski is a former sportswriter for The Coatesville (Pennsylvania) Daily Record and The Evening Phoenix in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He currently resides in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.