John H Roberts
9/12/13
AMS 300 While reading this book, it became very clear to me that Lars Andersons goal was not to just inform the reader about the early ages of football, but instead, describe in vivid detail the trials and tribulations that each key character i.e. Pop Warner, James Thorpe, and Dwight Eisenhower had to overcome to become the leaders/authority figures that history remembers them by. As children/young adults, Warner, Thorpe, and Eisenhower had to overcome challenges that many people of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds can relate to. Warner was the chubby kid on his “block” who faced constant ridicule and later would grow up to one of the most iconic football coaches in the history of the sport. Once he finally grew into his body, he became a force to be reckoned with on and off of the field. People in the community had a great respect for him and his Carlisle players. Prior to Thorpe’s arrival to the school, Warner had gained the respect of his players who viewed him as a father figure. Had Warner not possessed the innate ability to communicate with his players, the Carlisle Indian School probably would not have gained such notoriety, which in turn could have never allowed the white man to realize that these Indian players were much more than heathens. Warner showed the world that his players were equivalent to the white man both on and off the field. While growing up in Oklahoma, Jim Thorpe’s youth was filled with many traumatic events that many can relate to, but none have ever experienced. With the death of his brother, and shortly after the death of his mother, Thorpe could have easily been consumed entirely in the depression that plagued his youth. He was very much an anti-authority figure who resisted being transformed into what the called a “civilized” individual. Upon arrival at Carlisle, Warner realized that Thorpe