Fighting Blood

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Fighting Blood

William Heyliger

248 pgs

The Goldsmith Press (1932)

Subject Matter: football, leadership, coaching, team captain

Tarly Ball came into high school with the attitude of making something of himself. The school football team has not won a game in many years and is coached by a teacher who would rather be writing scientific papers than out on the field yelling orders. Sophomore year Tarly is elected captain of the team and makes them work hard enough to win. He continues to be captain through to his senior year and coaches with that title. He spends his time thinking football and making up plays in his free time. His senior year the school hires a real coach who Tarly is intimidated by because he fears the control he has being taken from him. Tarly feels he has ownership over the team because he brought them from the dust but he learns that there is still much to be learned. Through a long, hard fight, Tarly is humbled and his leadership crumbles as he becomes a member of the team rather than the head lion.

Review: Definitely written in the 30's. It is not clear, concise language and takes a little bit to get into the roll of it. Interesting plot line and a boy who enjoys football I think could wrestle through it.

Now You Know: There is nothing in this book that needs to be censored. Just a good book about football and being humble enough to learn football and not just play.