George Toma: Nitty Gritty Dirt Man [Hardcover]

George Toma (Author), George Brett (Foreword), Alan Goforth (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2004

This is the story of George Toma, who climbed from his roots in a poor coal-mining town in Depression-era Pennsylvania to the top of his profession as a groundskeeper. Toma learned his craft from the pioneer of the profession, Emil Bossard, before getting his big-league break at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium in 1957. Since then, Toma has become the foremost authority in his profession, preparing the field for every Super Bowl that has ever been played. Toma was recently inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2001, and although he has made his reputation in football and baseball, he also has been groundskeeper for the Kansas City Spurs of the old North American Soccer League and has been in charge of Soldier Field in Chicago and soccer's World Cup in Pontiac, Michigan. Through his work, Toma has made friends with baseball and football legends such as Ted Williams and John Madden, yet through it all he has remained the kid from Edwardsville, Pa., who has a passion for sports and a drive to give athletes the best playing surface possible.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alan Goforth has written dozens of articles for local, national, and regional publications and recently authored the University of Missouri MenÂ’s Basketball Media Guide for the 2000-2001 season and Tales from the Missouri Tigers for Sports Publishing L.L.C.

Goforth earned a masterÂ’s degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, and after working for several newspapers, magazines, and advertising agencies, started Veritas Communications in 2000. He writes and edits for a variety of publications and corporate clients and now lives in LeeÂ’s Summit, Missouri, with his wife, Sheri, and their two children.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 206 pages
• Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582616469
• ISBN-13: 978-1582616469
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,922,793 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Biography I've ever read, March 25, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: George Toma: Nitty Gritty Dirt Man (Hardcover)

I don't think I've ever read any biography that did a better job painting a picture of a person. I laughed. I cried. I couldn't believe with which the art that Goforth used to paint his words. I especially liked reading about Toma's tales about getting the football field ready for the Super Bowl. That's probably why I liked this book--there was something in it for everybody--sports fans, George Toma fans, or anybody else who just wants to read a colorful, delightful book. This is one tome that should make any Toma lover happy. There should be more books out there by Goforth and other journalists like him. What a talent!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read, February 24, 2005

By 

J. Loyet "STL Reader" (Saint Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: George Toma: Nitty Gritty Dirt Man (Hardcover)

George Toma has inspired so many people with his great work ethic and dedication. This book does a fine job of detailing the life of a great man.