Third Down and a War to Go

by Terry Frei

On December 11, 1941, All-American football player Dave Schreiner wrote to his parents, “I’m not going to sit here snug as a bug, playing football, when others are giving their lives for their country. . . . If everyone tried to stay out of it, what a fine country we’d have!” Schreiner didn’t stay out of it. Neither did his Wisconsin Badger teammates, including friend and cocaptain Mark “Had” Hoskins and standouts “Crazylegs” Hirsch and Pat Harder. After that legendary 1942 season, the Badgers scattered to serve, fight, and even die around the world.


This fully revised edition of the popular hardcover includes follow-up research and updates about many of the ’42 Badgers, plus a new foreword by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author David Maraniss. Readers and reviewers Terry Frei’s heart-wrenching story of Schreiner and his band of brothers is much more than one team’s tale. It’s an All-American story.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, World War II, Football

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2004

About the author

Award-winning journalist, author, and screenwriter Terry Frei is in his second stint at the Denver Post. He has been sports columnist for the Portland Oregonian, a football writer for the Sporting News, and an ESPN.com hockey columnist. Among his six previous books are Third Down and a War to Go, ’77: Denver, the Broncos, and a Coming of Age, and Olympic Affair. His web site is www.terryfrei.com.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Third Down and a War to Go" is a page turner which chronicles the 1942 University of Wisconsin all-star football team and its college years, heroic service in World War II, and return to unsung ordinary lives. In 1942 the Wisconsin Bagers had a football team that was exceptional, a host of star players coached by Harry Stuhldreher one of the Notre Dame Four Horsemen. But 1942 was a different kind of time for young men. Within a few months these young men were in places like Okinawa, POW camps, the authors father was flying a P-38. Most of these guys hailed from small towns and cities and who played an extraordinary game of football for the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Names like Elroy Hirsh, Pat Harder, Dave Schreiner still resonates. Sadly, the war put an end to this magic, and tragically some of the guys never made it back to pick up where they'd left off. As for the reader, he/she is taken on a journey about teenagers turning into young men during one of the most difficult times in American history. Their heroic exploits as football greats in 1942 gave way to a higher level of heroism on the battle fields of Europe and Asia from 1943-45. The author tells this story in an interesting manner, and he shows us why these men are called "the Greatest Generation." A must read.

[Peter Waack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will appeal to Badger football fans, especially those that grew up in Madison. I was born in 1965 and really started getting into the Badger football team in the early 70s. Even so, many of the names, both places and people were familiar to me and I learned a lot about the history of Madison and the UW. If you are a Badger fan from Madison, this is must read.

[Russ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book interesting because of my interest in Wisconsin Badger football, my familiarity with Madison, and my interest in military non-fiction. I don't think it is particularly well-written, but it was enough to keep me reading. You can tell that Frei isn't an historian, but he clearly did a lot of work to track down the players and their families to get interviews. It was neat to read about football in the 1940s and how very, very different it was from the game we know today with formations and limited substitutions, etc.

Overall, a pretty quick read and definitely of interest to fans of Wisconsin Badger football or alumni.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a bit to get into this book, but by the end it was really compelling and educational. Terry Frei, a popular sports writer (the forward is by David Maraniss, another good sports scribe) has gone back over his Father's war experience, but in a really unique way. His father played on the semi-Legendary Wisconsin Badgers of 1942, who some say were the best for that year, although they shared a Big Ten Title. the book tries to cover the transition from High School Stars to Freshmen to Varsity players, at the same time that these young people(both men and women served in this war and are covered in this book) were also integrating into the armed forces and going off to train, go overseas, and/or go into combat. For those of us used to memoirs or accounts that skip the overall process and focus on either civilian life or Combat, this is a wonderful way to get to understand the war effort through the young people's experiences in the middle areas - the training and last days of school, although there is more than enough war content as well.

By getting to know the characters as they play as upperclassmen in High School, we can see the American naive Neutrality as it was lived, kids heading to College with War Clouds clearly gathering. Then with Pearl Harbor- the book speeds up- but flows into the football season of 1942- as peripheral bench players and alumni are picked into the services, or volunteer (most of these guys are volunteers) and begin to get into harm's way. With the end of the 1942 season- the diaspora into Military Garb really speeds up - and then we get a few really harrowing stories and a few heroics, although, Frei's discussions of his father's war flying Unarmed P-38 Reconnaissance Photo flights are some of the best passages. It's just this meshing of 1940s Americana with the harsh realities of WWII that make for a really thought provoking read.

The prose is straightforward, but there are some adult concepts discussed, so a Junior reader should be at least 11 to get the most out of this book. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast, I think this is a good read. The Gamer might be looking for background, but the Modeller will read some diorama concepts, and the Military Enthusiast will learn more about the training and logistical side of America's WWII. But I also think a sports fan can dip their toe in the War book area- and anyone interested in the 1940s will find some good content. A good read.

[Jody Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In these weeks as all the world hunkers down in face of a virus that has ground to a halt all economic activity, sports fans around the world (myself included) are hungering to see competition. The Kentucky Derby, March Madness, opening day of MLB, the Premier League, Six Nations rugby (which I recently wrote about) are all victims of Covid-19. So, we must seek outlets in other areas. For college football fans and history buffs, I highly recommend Terry Frei’s book Third Down and a War to Go.

Frei is a sports reporter for ESPN and The Denver Post. His father Jerry piloted a P-38 in the Pacific theater of operations in World War 2. Frei became curious one day while looking at a photo of his father’s college football team, the 1942 Wisconsin Badgers. After his father’s passing Frei set about piecing together the moving story of a group of young men having their last hurrah on the gridiron before most of them went off to fight the war.

The heart and soul of the story is the friendship between Mark Hoskins, a halfback, and Dave Schreiner, a two-time All-American end, who grew up together in Lancaster, Wisconsin. Together with Elroy ‘Crazylegs’ Hirsch, under the direction of Coach Harry Stuhldreher (one of Knute Rockne’s ‘Four Horsemen’), these young men put together a magical season in the fall of 1942, beating both Ohio State and perennial Big 10 power Minnesota, and playing to a draw with mighty Notre Dame. All the while, they knew they were headed for combat on distant shores.

Frei describes a very different America, still innocent, though well on its way to becoming a world power. It’s a sports version of The Greatest Generation. Frei follows the course of the memorable season, and then goes on to describe in subsequent chapters each of the teammates’ journey through the war, culminating in the tragic ending for two Badgers (Schreiner and Bob Baumann) on Okinawa in the spring of 1945. In all twelve college football players from around the nation lost their lives on Okinawa. Many of the ‘42 Badgers who survived the war went back to college to continue their playing days, and some ended up in the NFL. ‘Crazylegs’ Hirsch became an All-American at Michigan after the war and had a storied career with the Los Angeles Rams. Mark Hoskins survived as a German POW after his bomber was shot down over Hungary in 1944. Frei’s description of the morning Hoskins learned of Schreiner’s death is heart-wrenching. Jerry Frei survived the war and became a long-time assistant coach and ended up working in the front office for the Denver Broncos, helping them to win their first Super Bowl in January 1998.

Frei’s tells the story well, and even those who don’t follow college football will enjoy it. And for those college football fans who do read this book, it will leave you with a soft spot for the Wisconsin Badgers from here on out.

[Arlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This WWII story is the best I've ever read, and I have read quite a few. It certainly helps to have some kind of connection to the people and places in which this story takes place. The author skillfully maneuvers the reader into the Pacific Island Hopping war, and provides clear evidence of the Badger tragedies of this segment of the war. The details are overwhelming and readers respond with emotion.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I very much liked the beginning and end of this book, but the middle lagged quite a bit. I loved reading about how the football players had to earn their keep. Oh, this was way before the days of scholarships and high status. I actually wanted to know more about their time in the military and less about the games of that season.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the All-American 1942 Wisconsin Badgers football team members, following them through WWII and beyond. After hearing Terry Frei speak at a Highlands Ranch Historical Society meeting I wanted to read some of his books, especially this one. It's obvious he did much research and many interviews to compile this historic record.

[John Dorcey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was drawn to this work due to its title, subject and its obvious Wisconsin theme. I found the book only OK as Frei is obviously a sports writer and did a good job of sharing the story of the 1942 Badger football team, but failed in his telling of the war portion of the story.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed.

[Ryan Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for any college football fan or WWII buff.