“Trace[s] the gradual growth in Latino Americans’ participation in US football (not soccer). ...Readers are introduced to many noteworthy but lesser-known Latino players, coaches, and high school teams...The bibliography is solid, packed with extensive references...This book makes a good addition to the body of research on minority issues in athletics and US sports in general....recommended”—<i>Choice</i>
In 1927 Cuban national Ignacio S. Molinet was recruited to play with the Frankford Yellow Jackets of the old NFL for a single season. Mexican national Jose Martinez-Zorrilla achieved 1932 All-American honors. These are the beginnings of the Latino experience in American Football, which continues amidst a remarkable and diversified setting of Hispanic nationalities and ethnic groups. This history of Latinos in American Football dispels the myths that baseball, boxing, and soccer are the chosen and competent sports for Spanish-surname athletes. The book documents their fascination for the sport that initially denied their participation but that could not discourage their determination to master the game.
Introduction: Latinos/Hispanics in “American” Football
1. Latinos Take to the Gridiron: The 1920s–1940
2. Slowly Moving the Ball Down the Field: 1941–1950
3. The McCarthy Era and the Age of Activism: 1951–1970
4. Increased Numbers and Diversity at All Levels, 1971–1990
5. Latinos on the Gridiron from Coast to Coast, 1991–2018
Conclusion: The Historical Significance of Latinos on the Gridiron and Their Future in the Game
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index