Book Recommendation: Twelve Mighty Orphans

Some of my favorite memories are the times I spent with my dad listening to his stories of playing football in Texas in the mid 1950s. He drove me to school everyday from 7th to 9th grade and we spent a lot of time talking about his experiences and teammates from Waco High. He told me about the greats that he played with and against during that era. Guys like Paul Dickson (who went on to play for the Minnesota Vikings and was part of the 'Purple People Eaters' defense) and Wahoo McDaniel (who went on to star for the Miami Dolphins before becoming a famous professional wrestler!). This book, Twelve Mighty Orphans, brings to mind those stories that dad used to tell.

It is the incredible story of the orphans from the Fort Worth Masonic Home who captured the interest of the entire nation during the 1930s. Led by a half blind coach and fielding a team of only 12 players who were so poor that they often practiced without shoes, the team from the Masonic Home rose to the highest level of high school football in Texas and, in the process, received national attention and acclaim. The story is primarily about the successes the 'Mighty Mites' enjoyed on the football field, but it also tells the sad stories of many of the kids who were orphaned or given up by their parents during the Depression.

Verne Lundquist is quoted as saying that this book may be the single greatest sports book ever. I definitely would not go that far (I can think of 3 or 4 off the top of my head that I liked better), but it's an interesting book and a remarkable story.