Johnny Unitas

October 1, 2004
Johnny Unitas won his fame in leading the Colts to a 23-17 win over the New York Giants in the 1958 "greatest game ever played." From humble beginnings in Depression-era Pittsburgh, he found his niche in Baltimore, leading the Colts to two more National Football League (NFL) titles. In 17 seasons with the Colts and Chargers, he won Hall of Fame honors and records and also was named the All-Time NFL team's quarterback. Sadly, his final years were marked by illness, bankruptcy, and displeasure with the current game before his death in 2002. Sahadi (Autobiography of Willie Mays ) gives Johnny U a glowing portrait that is suitable for popular collections, especially in the Baltimore area.--Morey Berger, St. Joseph's Hosp. Lib., Tucson

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2004
Anyone who saw Unitas play quarterback in his salad days--an era when quarterbacks called their own plays, and "roughing the passer" was the goal of the defense rather than grounds for a 15-yard penalty--uses him as the benchmark by which all other quarterbacks are judged. Veteran sports journalist Sahadi combines game accounts and interviews with teammates and coaches to tell Unitas' story, which makes ideal fodder for the daydreams of aspiring athletes: skinny kid gets cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers, plays semipro ball for a year, gets a second chance with the Baltimore Colts, and rides to the rescue--and immortality--when the starter gets hurt. He also recounts Unitas' last years, when surgery left his formerly golden right arm virtually useless and the National Football League turned its back on his medical issues. Pro-football fans of a certain age will relish every word of this biography, which asks us to celebrate a skinny kid who threw touchdown passes in 47 straight games and will always be known as America's quarterback.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)