Book Report: George H. Brooke's The Story of a Football Season (1907)

At the end of July, I submitted a book report concerning James Church's University Football, published in 1893. Church's nonfiction book documented the state of Eastern collegiate football. Today, we look at a work of football fiction by reviewing George H. Brooke's The Story of a Football Season, published in 1907, which you can download for free from the Library of Congress. There was a genre of football books targeted at the youth market back then. Those books still take up space in used bookstores across the country. I don't recall ever reading one of the golden oldies, but George Brooke's book is different since he was a well-known coach with a fine pedigree, having spent eight years on one college roster or another.

Brooke was the head coach at Swarthmore, and he also advised and helped coach Penn during his spare time.

I took a chance reading his fictional account of a college team during the 1906 season because he published more than anyone else about how he expected the new forward pass and other rule changes to affect the game in 1906. In ten lengthy Philadelphia Inquirer articles, he outlined his expectations for passing techniques (see the grenade toss throwing technique on the book’s cover), play designs, and many other game elements. So, his article provides a window into the thinking of at least one well-connected coach.