Starr: My Life in Football (Inscribed First Edition, First Printing)

The author, a former quarterback and coach of the Green Bay Packers, looks back on his career, recounts memorable games, and shares impressions of fellow players

Starr was an undistinguished quarterback at the University of Alabama and with the Green Bay Packers until Vince Lombardi arrived in Wisconsin. Even then, it seemed as if the new coach accepted Starr only with reluctance, but the gamble paid off and the outstanding play of the young man helped lead the Packers to five championships in seven years plus several other winning seasons. Starr and Olderman (The Pro Quarterback) present a picture of Lombardi at variance with the general image; they show a man driven to push his players to the level of excellence he was sure each of them could achieve, certainly not a tyrant or a monster. The second part of the book, about Starr's disappointing years as the Green Bay coach, is less absorbing and comes as something of an anticlimax, particularly in its detailing of the games he masterminded. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

As a player and later a coach for the Green Bay Packers, Starr experienced both the extreme highs and lows of the game. His reflections on his two careers revolve around his struggles on and off the field. Among his trials were a demanding father, the death of a brother at an early age, a North/South culture clash, a son addicted to drugs, and an owner unimpressed with his coaching efforts. Generally, he has only kind words for players and coaches regardless of their reputations. Like his playing style, this is a skillful effort, in many ways comparable to Jerry Kramer's Instant Replay (1968) and Distant Replay ( LJ 10/1/85). William H. Hoffman, Ft. Myers-Lee Cty. P.L., Fla.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.