The Right Kind of Heroes: Coach Bob Shannon and the East St. Louis Flyers [Hardcover]

Kevin Horrigan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1992

Profiles the career of a high school football coach who has fought for twenty-three years to instill pride in his players, who have grown up in East St. Louis--a city where many young men wind up on the streets, in jail, or dead.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the crime- and drug-infested inner city of East St. Louis, Ill., high-school coach Bob Shannon has welded his football team, the Flyers, into a precision force, leading them to six state championships in 15 seasons. Born in a shack in Mississippi, Shannon, who is black, lectures players about commitment, character and the danger of drugs, promoting the values of hard effort and teamwork in a city rife with unemployment, crack and violence. Football, to this blunt, aloof disciplinarian, is a means to an end--a way for kids to get out of East St. Louis or to stay there on their own terms. Horrigan, a St. Louis radio broadcaster and former sports columnist, takes readers through the Flyers' 1990 and 1991 seasons, interweaving profiles of players, a history of East St. Louis and an account of the outspoken Shannon's run-ins with local politicians and school officials. The result is a quietly inspirational testament to an achiever whose favorite phrase is "Get it done." Author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In Bob Shannon's 15 seasons as East St. Louis High's head football coach, the East St. Louis Flyers brought home the state championship six times. According to Horrigan, a former columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch , Shannon takes what other coaches would consider to be chicken feathers and manages to turn them into chicken salad. He is everything a high school football coach should be: Someone who challenges his players to rise above an environment in which it is easy to fail--East St. Louis, Illinois has the nation's highest murder rate, and 75 percent of the residents are on some form of public assistance. This outstanding coach works to obtain athletic scholarships for his players. He wins games. But most of all, he cares about his players. All high school and public libraries should have this inspiring book.
- William O. Scheeren, Hempfield Area H.S. Lib., Greensburg, Pa.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 332 pages
• Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill; 1st edition (September 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 094557570X
• ISBN-13: 978-0945575702
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,155,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring without being Pollyannish!, September 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Right Kind of Heroes: Coach Bob Shannon and the East St. Louis Flyers (Hardcover)

Two big thumbs up for "The Right Kind of Heroes: Coach Bob Shannon and the East St. Louis Flyers." Although Coach Shannon has apparently moved on, this book is still as -- or perhaps more -- relevant to those facing battles against the odds.

Expertly penned by St. Louis columnist Kevin Horrigan, the book does a remarkable job of putting the reader right in the middle of the dingy and dangerous town of East St. Louis. It's a real "you are there" feeling as you get to know the players and coach of this amazing team. Although the story is heartbreaking at times, you won't hear Horrigan break out the violins and wax overdramatic... just a solid real-life story.

Even if you're not a sports nut -- or only know a little about football -- you will be inspired as you laugh, cry, struggle and celebrate with this courageous coach and champion football team. You just can't put it down until the last page.

Whatever challenges you may be facing in life, this book will move you to "get it done!" I highly recommend it.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tell's the story as it really happened. Very motivating!, September 21, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Right Kind of Heroes: Coach Bob Shannon and the East St. Louis Flyers (Paperback)

Having played against Bob Shannon, I know full well of the East Side mystique. Being a former player at nearby Granite City, I went to nearly every game mentioned in Bob's book. So, I'm over qualified to say that the East Side Flyers's story is a fascinating one. The place just emits an aura that has High School Football all around it! The 'Side was made on big play football, coached by Shannon, a big time coach

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book, May 5, 2009

By 

Aaron Ellis "Developer" (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Right Kind of Heroes: Coach Bob Shannon and the East St. Louis Flyers (Hardcover)

I read this book years ago and I have to say, I thought it was amazing. I have since read it two more times. I seem to have lost my copy and may buy it again to read once more. As I recall the players and the stories are great. It provides a lot of insight into coach Shannon.