PFRA member Ralph Hickock's book on John McNally is now out.
"Vagabond Halfback: The Saga of Johnny Blood McNally"
I know a few people here have been looking forward to reading this book.
https://www.createspace.com/3333721
Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
"Now, I want pizza."
- Ken Crippen
- Ken Crippen
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rhickok1109
- Posts: 1491
- Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 8:57 am
Re: Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
You beat me to the punch, Ron 
For the record, here's the post I wrote just for the PFRA forum.
If I were a movie producer in Hollywood's Golden Days, the headline would have been "45 Years in the Making!!!!!" My long-awaited (by me) biography of Johnny Blood is now available from CreateSpace. And it all began in February of 1972. I thought some of you might be interested in the back story.
I heard so many stories about Johnny Blood when I was growing up in Green Bay that I long felt someone should write a book about him. After my first book, Who Was Who in American Sports, was published in late 1971, I felt I had the credentials, so I wrote to Blood's alter ego, John V. McNally Jr., in St. Paul and suggested collaboration. I mailed the letter on a Tuesday afternoon in February. At the time, I was the Sunday magazine editor for the Standard-Times in New Bedford, MA. Five days later, on Sunday afternoon, I got a phone call. "Ralph, this is John McNally. You know me as Johnny Blood." Of course, I was thrilled that he responded so quickly. He went on, "I'm parked outside your newspaper office, but the building's all locked up. How do I get to your house from here?"
He was about eight blocks away. I gave him directions and a few minutes later he was at the house. That was the first of many meetings over the next four years. He'd visit New Bedford five or six times a year for a week or so at a time. In 1972, we traveled what I call the "Johnny Blood Trail," from Green Bay to New Richmond (his birthplace) to Minneapolis-St. Paul to Duluth to Ironwood, Michigan, then back through Green Bay and down to Milwaukee. I interviewed people ranging from his first-grade teacher(!) to Mike Michalske and Ole Haugsrud, the owner-manager of the Duluth Eskimos.
A year later, we spent four days in Canton for the Hall of Fame's 10th anniversary celebration. During that visit, I interviewed George Halas, Red Grange, Ernie Nevers, and Duke Osborn. (Years earlier, in anticipation, I had interviewed Cal Hubbard at the American League offices in Boston, where he served as the AL's supervisor of umpires.
After I finished writing the book in 1976, John told me that he didn't want it published until after his death, so I put it aside. He died in November of 1985, so I got the manuscript out, reworked it a little, and sent it to my literary agent. He couldn't sell it to a publisher, though, so I put it aside once more. (The publishers were just about unanimous in saying that the book would never sell because he had never played for the Giants or the Jets.)
A couple of years ago, I was asked to be the featured speaker at my high school reunion and I was told I could talk about anything I wanted to do. I chose to talk about my experiences with Johnny Blood and the talk was well received. Several classmates were interested in the book and it occurred to me, belatedly, that I could now publish it myself. Thanks largely to the Internet, I was able to do research in some sources that hadn't previously been available, so I did some more rewriting and now it's an actual book.
Incidentally, the front cover illustration was done by John Gordon, who was my best friend when we were kids and our families lived next door to one another, a couple of blocks from Tony Canadeo’s house. John is an outstanding artist; he designed the original Packer logo in 1961.
The book is available directly from CreateSpace or the Amazon website. Here are the links:
https://www.amazon.com/Vagabond-Halfbac ... 434830306/
https://www.createspace.com/3333721
For the record, here's the post I wrote just for the PFRA forum.
If I were a movie producer in Hollywood's Golden Days, the headline would have been "45 Years in the Making!!!!!" My long-awaited (by me) biography of Johnny Blood is now available from CreateSpace. And it all began in February of 1972. I thought some of you might be interested in the back story.
I heard so many stories about Johnny Blood when I was growing up in Green Bay that I long felt someone should write a book about him. After my first book, Who Was Who in American Sports, was published in late 1971, I felt I had the credentials, so I wrote to Blood's alter ego, John V. McNally Jr., in St. Paul and suggested collaboration. I mailed the letter on a Tuesday afternoon in February. At the time, I was the Sunday magazine editor for the Standard-Times in New Bedford, MA. Five days later, on Sunday afternoon, I got a phone call. "Ralph, this is John McNally. You know me as Johnny Blood." Of course, I was thrilled that he responded so quickly. He went on, "I'm parked outside your newspaper office, but the building's all locked up. How do I get to your house from here?"
He was about eight blocks away. I gave him directions and a few minutes later he was at the house. That was the first of many meetings over the next four years. He'd visit New Bedford five or six times a year for a week or so at a time. In 1972, we traveled what I call the "Johnny Blood Trail," from Green Bay to New Richmond (his birthplace) to Minneapolis-St. Paul to Duluth to Ironwood, Michigan, then back through Green Bay and down to Milwaukee. I interviewed people ranging from his first-grade teacher(!) to Mike Michalske and Ole Haugsrud, the owner-manager of the Duluth Eskimos.
A year later, we spent four days in Canton for the Hall of Fame's 10th anniversary celebration. During that visit, I interviewed George Halas, Red Grange, Ernie Nevers, and Duke Osborn. (Years earlier, in anticipation, I had interviewed Cal Hubbard at the American League offices in Boston, where he served as the AL's supervisor of umpires.
After I finished writing the book in 1976, John told me that he didn't want it published until after his death, so I put it aside. He died in November of 1985, so I got the manuscript out, reworked it a little, and sent it to my literary agent. He couldn't sell it to a publisher, though, so I put it aside once more. (The publishers were just about unanimous in saying that the book would never sell because he had never played for the Giants or the Jets.)
A couple of years ago, I was asked to be the featured speaker at my high school reunion and I was told I could talk about anything I wanted to do. I chose to talk about my experiences with Johnny Blood and the talk was well received. Several classmates were interested in the book and it occurred to me, belatedly, that I could now publish it myself. Thanks largely to the Internet, I was able to do research in some sources that hadn't previously been available, so I did some more rewriting and now it's an actual book.
Incidentally, the front cover illustration was done by John Gordon, who was my best friend when we were kids and our families lived next door to one another, a couple of blocks from Tony Canadeo’s house. John is an outstanding artist; he designed the original Packer logo in 1961.
The book is available directly from CreateSpace or the Amazon website. Here are the links:
https://www.amazon.com/Vagabond-Halfbac ... 434830306/
https://www.createspace.com/3333721
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JeffreyMiller
- Posts: 827
- Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:28 am
- Location: Birthplace of Pop Warner
Re: Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
Ordering as soon as I get home. Been looking forward to this one, Ralph!
"Gentlemen, it is better to have died a small boy than to fumble this football."
Re: Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
Good stuff, Ralph.
Book is on the "to get" list.
Book is on the "to get" list.
Re: Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
Yeah, but you likely would have spelled your name correctly.rhickok1109 wrote:You beat me to the punch, Ron
Looking forward to reading it, Ralph.
"Now, I want pizza."
- Ken Crippen
- Ken Crippen
Re: Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
Received my copy from Amazon today - just read the introduction which is a story in itself - a few years back I read Denis Gullickson's book of the same title - it was before the movie Leatherheads came out - the book was better than the movie. At this point in my life my memory is such that Ralph's book will be all news to me.
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rhickok1109
- Posts: 1491
- Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 8:57 am
Re: Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
Funny that you mention "Leatherheads." I just recently found out that my Sports Illustrated article about the Duluth Eskimos inspired the movie.Moran wrote:Received my copy from Amazon today - just read the introduction which is a story in itself - a few years back I read Denis Gullickson's book of the same title - it was before the movie Leatherheads came out - the book was better than the movie. At this point in my life my memory is such that Ralph's book will be all news to me.
Here's a link to my article in the SI Vault:
https://www.si.com/vault/1987/09/09/116 ... ---27-away
And here's the article about the movie:
https://www.si.com/vault/2008/04/07/105 ... hnny-blood
I didn't get any of that Hollywood money, though
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JeffreyMiller
- Posts: 827
- Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:28 am
- Location: Birthplace of Pop Warner
Re: Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
Jerks!rhickok1109 wrote:Funny that you mention "Leatherheads." I just recently found out that my Sports Illustrated article about the Duluth Eskimos inspired the movie.Moran wrote:Received my copy from Amazon today - just read the introduction which is a story in itself - a few years back I read Denis Gullickson's book of the same title - it was before the movie Leatherheads came out - the book was better than the movie. At this point in my life my memory is such that Ralph's book will be all news to me.
Here's a link to my article in the SI Vault:
https://www.si.com/vault/1987/09/09/116 ... ---27-away
And here's the article about the movie:
https://www.si.com/vault/2008/04/07/105 ... hnny-blood
I didn't get any of that Hollywood money, though
"Gentlemen, it is better to have died a small boy than to fumble this football."
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TanksAndSpartans
- Posts: 1166
- Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:05 am
Re: Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
Ralph, best of luck with the book, I'll put it on my list.
Like Mike, I also read Denis Gullickson's book, but I don't remember it that well either. I recall he put some emphasis on myth busting like the "Blood and Sand" names coming from a movie marquee.
Leatherheads I barely remember - I saw it with my wife, and not only I wasn't impressed from a football point of view, I remember thinking it didn't even work that well as a romantic comedy. I'm going to read some of the links posted here - maybe if I went back and watched it now, I'd appreciate things I missed?
Like Mike, I also read Denis Gullickson's book, but I don't remember it that well either. I recall he put some emphasis on myth busting like the "Blood and Sand" names coming from a movie marquee.
Leatherheads I barely remember - I saw it with my wife, and not only I wasn't impressed from a football point of view, I remember thinking it didn't even work that well as a romantic comedy. I'm going to read some of the links posted here - maybe if I went back and watched it now, I'd appreciate things I missed?
Re: Hickock's book on Johnny Blood McNally out
I love all this information - I've thought of myself as the only fan of Leatherheads - I have my ticket stub from opening night, the deluxe DVD with extra features that include, if I remember rightly, scenes of PFRA member CoachTJ consulting on the style of play, plus a nice poster, a couple of movie stills, and storyboard copies for the crew from scenes 132-133 which someone retrieved from the dumpster and sold on eBay. There was also the book Leatherheads of the North: The True Story of Ernie Nevers and the Duluth Eskimos by Chuck Frederick, which I thought was also a source for the film. I remember corresponding with Frederick about a "slugfest" between the Eskimos and the Frankford Yellow Jackets that involved my father. I have an interesting letter on behalf of Art Rooney to an author doing some fact checking - with comments about McNally
