cover image Lombardi Dies, Orr Flies, Marshall Cries: The Sports Legacy of 1970

Lombardi Dies, Orr Flies, Marshall Cries: The Sports Legacy of 1970

Brad Schultz. Rowman & Littlefield, $40 (320p) ISBN 978-1-4422-5629-3

In the solid history, Schultz (The NFL, Year One) identifies 1970 as a defining year in sports, with major stories including Vince Lombardi’s death; Bobby Orr’s Stanley Cup winning goal; the tragic plane crash that killed 75 members of the Marshall football family, including 36 players; and Willis Reed playing hurt in game 7 of the NBA finals. Heavily researched and written with a clean style, the book nicely balances the big picture with the little details. Starting with the Cotton Bowl on January 1 and following chronologically through to the death of Sonny Liston in December, Schultz paints a picture of a world very different and yet no so different from ours. For instance, Schultz discusses Jerry Smith, the first openly gay retired NFL player, and wonders what life would have been like if he had come out during his playing days. Stories like these juxtapose today’s issues with the nostalgia that permeates this sports history, making it feel as connected to the present as it is to the past. B&w photos. (Nov.)