Spartan Football: 100 Seasons of Gridiron Glory

By Ken Hoffman

Book Overview

In this book, newcomers and veterans alike can relive the century of excitement that is Michigan State football. From Henry Keep's first M.A.C. team in 1896 to Nick Saban's 1996 Spartan edition, Spartan Football contains more than 300 photographs. Travel back in history with authors Ken Hoffman and larry Bielat to those very first battles between Michigan State and Michigan. Experience the growth of Spartan Football from its first site at Lansing's Elton Park to today's double-decked Spartan Stadium. Learn about the 20 men who've directed MSU football fortunes over the past century.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1571670408
• ISBN13: 9781571670403
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Sagamore Publishing
• Weight: 3.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.3" x 1.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

The key to Spartan gridiron history!

Here is a book that tracks the success and disappointments of the Michigan State University football team from the years 1896-1995. The first "official" team was in 1884, but for some reason it did not compete in any games. Founded as Michigan Agricultural College (MAC), then known as Michigan State College and finally MSU, here is a record of its football teams down thru the ages.This anthology of football history contains the proud years from the early parts of this century when State fielded some of the finest defenses in all of college football history. It also pays credence to the 1950s and 60s when MSU was a legitimate national football power. Those teams routinely hammered the likes of Nortre Dame and the university of Michigan. It is no wonder that the enthusiastic Spartan football crowd was used to voice the "war cry" of the gladiator army in the movie SPARTACUS. Those were fervent days in MSU football lore.The book is also full of a lot of "Did you knows" that only a handfull of sports buffs might be aware of, such as:Jim Crowley, one of Nortre Dame's legendary "four horsemen" was the head coach of the Lacedamons for the better part of a decade.Knute Rockne nearly became head coach of the Spartans before Nortre Dame lured him to South Bend.Barry Switzer almost became the head coach in the early 70s, only to change his mind at the last minute.Joe Paterno's brother George Paterno, as well as Marty Shottenheimer's son Kurt were both assistant coaches for the Laconians.For any MSU football fan, this book is a virtual must to have on your bookshelf. From the early days of obscurity thru to the glorious "game of the century" vs ND in 1966 and the victory in the 1988 Rose Bowl, the text is filled to the brim with team photos, stats and an assortment of facts. So buy this book Spartan fans, then get out your highlighter and enjoy!