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Rocket Men: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football

Rocket Men: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football

by John Eisenberg

Basic Books ·2023 ·416 pages ·Sports
Maybe Someday
Maybe Someday
I Index
28/99
Bottom of the Pile

21/99

Critics

Maybe Someday

36/99

Readers

n/a

Scholars

27/99

Rating

15/99

Volume

61/99

Rating

11/99

Volume

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About This Book

An acclaimed sportswriter offers an inside look at the Black quarterbacks whose skill and grit transformed the NFL In Rocket Men, John Eisenberg offers the definitive history of Black quarterbacks in the NFL—men who shaped not only the history of football but the cause of civil rights in America. From early pioneers like Fritz Pollard to groundbreaking modern standouts like Marlin Briscoe and James "Shack" Harris, Black quarterbacks had to be twice as good as their white counterparts to get playing time—and even then, many never got that chance. That didn't begin to change in earnest until the 1990s and the 2000s, when racist notions about what Black quarterbacks supposedly couldn't do began to fade, paving the way for today's stars like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. Drawing on deep historical research and exclusive interviews with Black quarterbacks and players, coaches, and talent evaluators who have worked alongside them, Rocket Men is a celebration of the athletes and activists who transformed the game.


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Reviews

Library Journal Read review ↗ Near the Top

"A vigorously told story of the battle for equity on the gridiron, a battle that is still playing out."

Kirkus Read review ↗ Near the Top

"Eisenberg's indictment of the pro leagues is scathing, and he makes clear the personal toll racism took on Black quarterbacks."

Publishers Weekly Read review ↗ Near the Top

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