Last Team Standing: How the Steelers and the Eagles--"The Steagles"--Saved Pro Football During World War II Hardcover – January 1, 2006

This enjoyable book relates the story of the merger of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1943, but it should appeal to a much broader audience than football aficionadoes and Steelers and Eagles fans. The author very skillfully puts the 1943 NFL season into the context of the times, delivering a fascinating description of the Steagles' experience from a variety of perspectives. As expected, there is the story of the 1943 season of the Steagles, with captivating portraits of the owners, head coaches (yes, there were two, one of whom was nicknamed "Greasy"), and "star" players of the merged team (one of whose oppponents was named "Hippety" Hopp--no kidding!). But there is also an interesting analysis of how the Steagles were able to field a team of male athletes at a time when Uncle Sam had a direct say in who got to remain home and who was shipped overseas to fight the big war. (The Steagles required most team members to work at "essential" jobs during the work week that were deemed critical to the war effort and draft deferrable. The team practiced in the evenings and on Saturdays.) The book also offers a memorable portrait of what life was like on the Home Front during WW II, from ration books to steel pennies to travel restrictions to scrap drives. And while it is a bit of an overstatement to call the Steagles the team that "saved pro football during WW II," the book ably describes the evolution of professional football during this period. The author writes well, exhibiting a wry wit and an appreciation for the human interest aspects of his story that prevents his book from getting bogged down in a recitation of plays and scores. I found this volume a true page turner and enjoyed every minute of its concise 227 pages.

The book gave history of the NFL

Not only about Steelers, but football. Its history and very interesting points. I read some of it on the internet and thought maybe my husband who is a true Steeler fan would like it. Well he did and found out facts he didn't know about. Anyone who loves football should read this, you have insight of things you never knew about.

I purchased this for my teenage grandson who is very interested in WW11 and loves football. The combination of both his interests in a book makes it a winner.

World War II was a devastating time in American history and the drain of manpower had significantly dire consequences for professional sports. The fact professional sports even survived the war is a testament to the gutsiness of the well off owners of sports teams, and the "luck" of those not able to serve for one reason or another.The National Football League was still not a very established professional sport as World War II hit but it survived by some deft moves by many owners. One of those moves was the combining of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles into the "Steagles" since neither team, especially the Steelers, were likely to be able to field a full compliment of players.This book is about that year, 1943, when owners like Art Rooney and Bert Bell of the Steelers and wealthy Lex Thompson, owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, set aside egos for the survival and betterment of the game. It tells the story of the colorful cast of misfits that made up the team, who for one reason or another were not inducted into the military. Some were old veterans, some newcomers, but all merged into a single team with two coequal head coaches that didn't get along.The book is beyond just about football, however. It is also a bit of social history of the time told through the eyes of sports. And it also brings to light the importance sports had to take people's mind off the war and sacrifices at home. And finally, it's about the survival and perpetuation of the National Football League through one of the most trying times in the nation's history.This is mostly a well written account of the Steagles, who for what it's worth posted a winning record in 1943. While not as scintillatingly told as some accounts of professional sports in that era, it does give a glimpse into pro football of during the war and introduces us to a quirky and usual team in the most unusual of times for professional sports.

Great book that traces the history of the early years of the NFL> If you're into history, WWii, and how the NFL survived, this is a must read. I enjoyed every page.

I bought this as a gift for someone who enjoys both non-fiction and sports writing and he said this book was great. He particularly liked the narrative format, which follows the season as it unfolds game by game.

Although a little slow at times, learning how all these people and players that you have heard about really formed the amazing sport football is today!

Es muy periodístico poco histórico,

Good read for Steelers fans and informative for NFL fans.