Wil the Thrill: The Untold Story of Wilbert Montgomery (Sport in the American West) - Hardcover

Robinson, Edward J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0896728471 ISBN 13: 9780896728479

Publisher: Texas Tech University Press, 2013

Synopsis

When Wilbert Montgomery earned his Super Bowl XLVII ring as running-backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens in 2013, he was no stranger to glory. In Philadelphia and elsewhere his legacy still looms large. Montgomery was the halfback whose touchdown on the second play from scrimmage and total 194 yards against a stout Cowboy defense helped spur the Eagles to the 1981 NFC title and Super Bowl XV. But perhaps even more enduring should be the story of how this shy but courageous athlete broke down barriers throughout his life, even before the his time in the NFL. Escaping an oppressive and impoverished environment in his home state of Mississippi in the early 1970s, he became one of the first African Americans to play for what was then Abilene Christian College, after its all-white coaching staff lured him away from the gridiron at historically black Jackson State College. Although leading ACC to a 1973 national title would help catapult Montgomery to a remarkable pro career, no one before has illuminated the complex interplay of race relations, sports, and religion in Montgomery’s heroic accomplishments in West Texas and beyond.

About this title

About the Author:

Edward J. Robinson teaches history and Bible at Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas, while serving as the director of the Center for Student Success. He is the author of several other books, including Show Us How You Do It: Marshall Keeble and the Rise of Black Churches of Christ in the Lone Star State.

Review:

Wilbert Montgomery arrived in Philadelphia in 1977, his eyes fixed on his shoe tops, his voice turned down to a Sunday school whisper. He was painfully shy and not at all sure he belonged in an NFL training camp. The Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the sixth round of the draft, the 154th player chosen overall. . . . Most pro scouts felt he was too brittle to last in the NFL, but the Eagles figured that far down in the draft they had nothing to lose. –Ray Didinger, from the foreword

About this edition

• Publisher: Texas Tech University Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0896728471
• ISBN 13: 9780896728479
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128