“The Real All-Americans” is a gem for history and sports buffs in that it combines both almost effortlessly, and is written in such a way that you don’t need to understand football terminology (i.e.-what is a “wish-bone” formation?) or be familiar with the often dark period of time in american history known as the “Indian Wars”.

The book tells the story of the founding of the Carlisle school and an imaginative- if not unscrupulous- football coach, “Pop” Warner.  While the book advertises that that the story ultimately is about the 1903 game between Carlisle and West Point Academy, the book is more about the football players of Carlisle and how their inventiveness and fortitude would ultimately change early american football from a “run first” mentality, to the game of forward passing that it is known as today.  While many of their early “trick plays” would be deemed illegal today (i.e.-one play called “the hunchback”), the tenacity and fortitude of men such as David Exendine and the future olympian Jim Thorpe, would forever change the game of football. 

What is interesting about this book is how it speaks about  issues that still haunt football today, namely that of violence in the game.  Early American college football was so violent that in one season, seven people lost their lives.  The book also examines the issue of players being given “preferential treatment” over other students and other issues in College Football that still have yet to be resolved today.

Sally Jenkins does an amazing job of putting together an extensive background on not only the descendants of the men and women of Carlisle, but also paints a picture of Carlisle’s founder, Richard Henry Pratt, as a complicated and oft-misunderstood charachter and an individual who often was full of contraditctions. 

In short, “the Real All-American’s” is a book that speaks volumes about the birth and nature of American Football as well as the men who helped to create the game that many know and love today.  I HIGHLY recommend this book to any and all who are interested in American history, football or Native American Biographies. 

5 out of 5 stars.