Kristine Setting Clark

About the Author – Dr. Kristine Setting Clark

University of San Francisco graduate and author Dr. Kristine Setting Clark was a long-time feature writer for the San Francisco 49ers’ and Dallas Cowboys’ Gameday Magazine. A gifted athlete in her own right, physical education teacher, wife, mother, and later, a high school administrator and college professor, Dr. Clark has never let anything stand in the way of her goals; not even a life threatening bout with Hodgkin’s Disease, blindness in both eyes for ten months, and the resulting partial blindness, at age 26. Her passion for life, her incredible optimism, and her drive to live life to the fullest has endeared her to her former students, friends and to those on whom she’s written, including her childhood football hero and close friend, Bob St. Clair former San Francisco 49er and Pro Football Hall of Fame member.

Besides Undefeated, Untied, and Uninvited: A Documentary of the 1951 University of San Francisco Dons’ Football Team, she has authored nine other books: Legends of the Hall: 1950s, Lilly: A Cowboy’s Story – The life of former Dallas Cowboys and Hall of Fame member, Bob Lilly (foreword by Roger Staubach) ,Tittle: Nothing Comes Easy - The life of former football great and Hall of Fame member, Y. A. Tittle (foreword by Frank Gifford, The Fire Within - The life of former Green Bay Packer and Hall of Fame member, Jim Taylor (foreword by Bart Starr) and Controlled Violence with former New York Giants/Washington Redskins and Hall of Fame member, Sam Huff (foreword by Frank Gifford) .

Released in July 2014 is he book, The Fighting Donovans - A family history of world boxing champion and Hall of Fame boxer, Mike Donovan, world champion boxing referee and Boxing Hall of Fame referee Arthur Donovan, Sr. and former Baltimore Colt defensive tackle and Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Arthur Donovan, Jr. (forewords by Gino Marchetti and Frank Stallone).

In September 2015 her book Cheating Is Encouraged! with former Oakland Raider tight end Mike Siani was released through Skyhorse Publishing (an imprint of W. W. Norton in New York) and in March 2016 her book entitled Football's Fabulous Fifties - When Men Were Men and the Grass Was Still Real, was released.by St. Johann’s Press.

In March 2016 her Simply English 3-book curriculum for English As a Second Language and Special Education students was published by Rowman and Littlefield. The following year her Eight Parts of Speech book was released, again, by Rowman and Littlefield. In 2019 her latest book, Sports For All Intramural Sports Program will be released in October. (Rowman and Littlefield).

In April 2021 Kristine took a different route and wrote an educational book for children entitled: Callie the Calico Cat & Friends: Callie’s Favorite Seasons and American Holidays. This book is an educational children’s story on teaching your child on the four seasons and the American holidays. Beautifully illustrated, follow Callie and her friends as they celebrate and teach your child about the beauty of the seasons and our traditional holidays through customs, culture and fun.

Over the years, Kristine has also held a number of book signing events with the many celebrities from her books at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. She has also been a keynote speaker for many corporate, sports and educational venues.

Dr. Clark’s personality, close relationships with the subjects of her books, and engaging writing style allow her to reach the subject matter on a deeper level, taking the reader to otherwise unavailable territory: the sometimes humorous, always intriguing backstory of the famous events and players in the world of sports. In addition, her achievements have led to an offer to host a sports talk radio show and invitations as a keynote speaker for many corporate, sports and educational venues. 


In 1977 Kristine was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Disease and was given three months to live. She eventually beat the disease after enduring ten months of blindness caused by the grueling chemotherapy treatments. In December 2015 she wrote her memoir entitled: Death Was Never An Option! A Humorously Serious Story on Defeating Cancer and Blindness.

. In February 2015 ESPN produced a documentary entitled The ’51 Dons’ which was narrated by Johnny Mathis and based on her first book, Undefeated, Untied and Uninvited: A Documentary of the 1951 University of San Francisco Dons Football Team.

Kris’ newest project has paired her up with Joe Unitas, son of the great Johnny Unitas. The book is entitled, Unitas to Unitas: Life’s lessons passed down from father to son. This book will complement the film, Unitas that is currently in pre-production and is scheduled for release sometime in 2023.

Dr. Clark resides in Stockton, California, has two grown children and four grandsons. Her oldest grandson, Justin, is the godson of former 49er All-Pro and Hall of Fame member Bob St. Clair.