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Gophers Illustrated The Incredible Complete History of Minnesota Football Al Papas Jr. EVENTS: PRESS: |
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A unique graphic history of Gopher football—meticulously researched and drawn by Al Papas Jr. Beginning with their first game in the fall of 1882 against Hamline University, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of college football’s oldest and most storied programs, winning six national championships and inspiring countless fans across generations of Minnesotans and university students. What Gophers Illustrated makes abundantly clear is just how fascinating this past century of Gophers football has been. Illustrated by a wealth of original detailed sketches, Al Papas Jr. collects both the well-remembered and long-forgotten moments that have made the Golden Gophers a Minnesota treasure. From the 1903 game against Michigan when the Little Brown Jug was first left behind (and where students were arrested and fined two dollars for practicing their “ski-u-mah” chant at a “nightly hour”) and the golden era of the 1930s and early 1940s under legendary coach Bernie Bierman to the 1962 Rose Bowl and the more recent rushing exploits of Lawrence Maroney and Marion Barber III, Gophers Illustrated highlights the players and games throughout the decades that brought the crowds to their feet. With Gopher football returning to the University of Minnesota campus for the first time since the days of fabled Memorial Stadium, this book does not just celebrate the seasons past but helps usher in a new era of Gopher players, games, and fans. Wonderfully illustrated, painstakingly researched, and full of stats, game charts, and stories both whimsical and poignant, this new and completely updated edition of Gophers Illustrated is a must-have for any fan of the maroon and gold. “Gophers Illustrated is the ultimate book on University of Minnesota football. It takes you through all the history and tradition of our program from the 1800’s right up to the stars of today. This book is a must for anyone who loves Gopher football.” —Tony Dungy “Once in a while something comes along that is absolutely perfect for Gopher fans, and this would qualify; hands down! What made this book incredible was the unexpected. What separates this book from the rest is the details, the uniqueness and the one of a kind sketches that dominate the book. Each page had a unique drawing of the player done by Papas and then had a well written and always interesting bio of the player. The book is outstanding and anyone who considers themselves a Gophers fan should have one in their possession.” —The Daily Gopher “Incredible. Simply incredible. For Gopher fans, I really can’t recommend this book highly enough. It’s like holding the 'M' Football Hall of Fame in your hands. It’s like someone dumped the entire contents of the football archives into your lap. Combine it with the U Libraries Memorial Stadium site, and you need virtually nothing else Gopher football-related in your personal library. Al Papas Jr. has not only written, but drawn by hand, the best Gopher book I’ve ever seen.” —Jon Marthaler, TNABACG “The kind of book you will get hours of entertainment out of. . . . If you are a Gopher football fanatic, you absolutely must own this book.” —Down With Goldy “A fascinating journey through what was once an almost mythical time in our local sporting culture.” —The Minneapolis Observer Quarterly Al Papas Jr. grew up attending Minnesota Gopher football games with his father, who played for coach Bernie Bierman. A one-time sports cartoonist and newsroom artist for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, he has also created artwork for teams in the ABA, the NBA, the NHL, and for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. 224 pages | 200 b&w illustrations | 8 1/2 X 11 | 2009
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