Football's Last Iron Men

August 1, 2010

Macht here re-creates an Ivy League gridiron showdown of yore. While neither college has had much of a football presence for several decades, the undefeated Princeton Tigers had received National Championship recognition in 1933 and were working on a 15-game unbeaten streak when they met Yale in November 1934. The game is worth remembering for the result and for marking the last time in major college football that one team (Yale) used only 11 players ("iron men") for the full game. Also of note are the team's Hall of Fame coaches, Fritz Crisler for Princeton and Greasy Neale, lead assistant at Yale. Macht interviewed most of the principal players over the past years and weaves together the story of both teams in a culmination that retells the game itself. Readers see how vastly different football was in an era of 165-pound linemen, quick kicks, few passes, and low scores. A final chapter reveals what the future held for these student athletes. Well written, this will be of interest to readers of football's past, rather than followers of today's NFL.

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.