I Play to Win by Freddie Steinmark - 1971

Boston, Massachusetts: Little, Brown and Company, 1971. AW4 - A first edition (stated) hardcover book in very good condition in good dust jacket that is mylar protected. Dust jacket has wrinkling, chipping, crease and some tears on the edges, corners, and some sides, scattered foxing, stains, scratches, and rubbing, tanning, and light shelf wear. Book has some bumped corners, scattered foxing and stains on the page edges (mostly on the top). previous owner's long inscription written on the front free endpaper, light tanning and shelf wear. 8.25"x5.5", 272 pages. Satisfaction Guaranteed. On December 6, 1969, millions of Americans were watching Freddie Steinmark play in one of the most hair-raising, hard-fought games in the history of collegiate football. The Texas Longhorns and the Arkansas Razorbacks were battling each other before a capacity crowd, including the President of the United States, and one of the largest television audiences in history, for the title of No. 1, for the glory and honor of being national champions on the one hundredth anniversary of college football. Six days later, on December 12, after he and the Longhorns won that game and that title, Freddie Steinmark lost his left leg to cancer. From that day to his ultimately death on June 6, 1971, Freddie became a national symbol of courage and determination and an inspiration to the thousands of young people struggling, as he was, against cancer. I Play to Win is his story - an extraordinary personal story of this young man, his indomitable spirit, and his faith in God, which became his greatest ally against despair. In it Freddie looks frankly at the intensity of topflight college football, recounting his years as starting defensive safety for Texas, especially the fabulous 1969 season; analyzing the desire for perfection and the drive to win which enabled him to succeed despite his small size and which helped him to face the trauma of a crippling disease. His portraits of the many people who surrounded him are warm and intimate: Darrell Royal, Longhorn coach, who became a second father to him; Father Bomar, the "football priest," who was with him in the operating room and who became one of his closest friends; his father, who instilled in him the desire to win; his childhood sweetheart, Linda Wheeler; and his many teammates and friends at the University of Texas. I Play to Win vibrates with this exceptional young man's energy and determination - the kind of determination which enable Freddie to arrive on crutches for the Cotton Bowl game only weeks after his operation to cheer his team to victory from the sideline; the kind of determination which helped him to master an artificial leg in three weeks rather than three to six months. In its honesty and unwavering faith, it is truly an inspirational story.. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.