Sayers: My Life and Times [Hardcover]

Gale Sayers (Author), Fred Mitchell (Author), Dick Butkus (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 25, 2007

Four decades ago, Gale Sayers allowed his remarkable running ability on the football field to speak for him. Today, Sayers has a powerful and poignant message to pass along not only to athletes, but to everyone, and it's a message straight from his heart. Sayers, who grew up in modest surroundings in Omaha, Nebraska, chose to attend the University of Kansas, where he became an All-American halfback before being selected by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1965 draft. He later became the youngest man ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at age 34. The story of Sayers's friendship with former Bears teammate Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer in 1970, was immortalized in the 1971 made-for-TV movie Brian's Song, starring James Caan as Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Sayers. The loss of Piccolo helped Sayers put his life in proper perspective. He later realized his serious knee injury was just a minor blip on the radar when it comes to life and death matters. Since leaving pro football, his enduring message to young athletes is to respect the game, give back to the community, and prepare for the future. Those are words he has lived by his entire life, and they make Sayers one of the most compelling sports memoirs in recent years.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In 1971, a made-for-TV movie moved millions to tears: the friendship between two football teammates—both running backs, one white, one black—is put to the test and strengthened when one discovers he has terminal cancer. The movie was Brian's Song, and the story was real. The cancer victim was Chicago Bear Brian Piccolo, and his teammate was Gale Sayers, a Hall-of-Famer who would become known as one of the best running backs of all time. In this as-told-to autobiography, Sayers tells his own story, paying modest homage to his own career while looking back at professional football at a time when every player wasn't a millionaire. Without sounding preachy, Sayers imparts his message that players ought to respect the game, give back to the community, and have a plan for postfootball life, and he candidly expresses his opinion that many of today's players fall short on all of these scores. An appendix in which he assembles his All-Time Bears Team is sure to give Chicago fans something to talk about. An enjoyable memoir from one of the class acts of the NFL. Wilkens, Mary Frances

From the Inside Flap

The images still capture the imagination--Gale Sayers, the Kansas Comet, streaking down the sidelines en route to another touchdown as an All-American at Kansas. Hurtling past would-be tacklers as the electrifying running back of the Chicago Bears. Forming a bond with teammate Brian Piccolo that would become one of the most famous friendships in sports history.

In just seven remarkable seasons, Gale Sayers created an on-the-field legacy that made him the youngest man ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A knee injury early on could have taken him out of football, but instead Sayers persevered, setting records for rushing yardage and field goal attempts. A second knee injury in 1970 eventually forced the man who could seemingly outrun and outmaneuver any player to retire.

Although he was out of the game, Sayers was not out of opportunities, and went on to earn a masters degree, start his own computer company, and found the Gale Sayers Center, among other philanthropic ventures. More than three decades after his playing career ended, Gale Sayers continues to expand upon his standing as a true sports icon.

Written in collaboration with Chicago Tribune columnist Fred Mitchell, Sayers gives new insight into what has motivated Gale on and off the field, his friendship with Brian Piccolo, and his thoughts on football, past and present.

Detailing his playing days and punctuated by his enduring message to young athletes--respect the game, give back to the community, and prepare for the future--Sayers is one of the most compelling sports memoirs to come along in recent years. The words, memories, and personal photos of one of the NFL's all-time greatest players make Sayers a must-read for any serious football fan.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Triumph Books (October 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572439955
• ISBN-13: 978-1572439955
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #342,340 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EVERY FOOTBALL FAN OF ANY AGE NEEDS THIS BOOK, October 10, 2007

By 

Richard Rosen (Glen Rock, NJ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sayers: My Life and Times (Hardcover)

Wow !! This is the best football book I have read in 20 years, and I have read a lot of them. It is so refreshing to hear the truth from a great hall of Fame player about today's spoiled players. Gale Sayers never had to come off the field to catch his breath after every long run he made like the 2007 NFL running back. He is now a huge success in the business world, so every high school and college athlete should read this book. If they don't make it in the NFL they should have an education to fall back on to get them a good job for the rest of their life. If they do play in the NFL, they have to think about setting themselves up in the business world for when their playing days end. I will be using this book for Christmas gifts for all my friends who love the game-- Great job Gale!!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars football like it oughta be..., October 17, 2007

By 

F. Levy (amagansett, ny) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sayers: My Life and Times (Hardcover)

awesome...buy this book if you are a fan of old time football, back when men were men...it made me nostalgic for the way the game used to be played...no football fan will be disappointed by this book...plus, I read in the paper that all proceeds of sayers' book sales are going to the gayle sayers center, which is an after-school care program for Chicago's underprivileged youth...to me, that's unselfishness seldom seen in athletes today...

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and Insightful, October 15, 2007

By 

Karen Lewis - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sayers: My Life and Times (Hardcover)

I recently purchased the book for my husband, but I ended up reading it when he wouldn't stop talking about it. It was well written and really captured what goes on behind the scenes. It's a great gift for all the football fans in your life!