The Stone Thrower: A Daughter's Lessons, a Father's Life

by Jael Ealey Richardson

A daughter discovers herself while uncovering her father's legendary past in football.

At the age of thirty, Jael Ealey Richardson travelled with her father--former CFL quarterback Chuck Ealey--for the first time to a small town in southern Ohio for his fortieth high school reunion. Knowing very little about her father's past, Richardson was searching for the story behind her father's move from the projects of Portsmouth, Ohio to Canada's professional football league in the early 1970s. At the railroad tracks where her father first learned to throw with stones, Jael begins an unexpected journey into her family's past.

In this engaging father-daughter memoir, Richardson records some her father's never-before told stories: his relationship with his absentee father, memories of his high school and college football victories--including a winning record that remains unbroken to this day--and his up-and-down relationship with the woman he would one day marry.

As Richardson begins unravelling the story of her father's life, she begins to compare her own childhood growing up in Canada, with her father's US civil rights era upbringing. Along the way, she also discovers the real reason--despite his athletic accomplishments--her father was never drafted into the National Football League.

The Stone Thrower is a moving story about race and destiny written by a daughter looking for answers about her own black history. Using insightful interviews, archival records and her personal reflections, Richardson's journey to learn about her father's past leads her to her own important discoveries about herself, and what it really means to be black in Canada.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Sports, Canada, Picture Books, Book Club

256 pages, Paperback

Published September 8, 2012

About the author

Jael Richardson has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph. Her first book, The Stone Thrower: A Daughter’s Lesson, a Father’s Life, came out in 2012 and was the subject of a TSN documentary. In 2013, the book received a CBC Bookie Award. Richardson received a My People Award that same year, recognizing her as a new and up-and-coming writer.

Excerpts from her first play my upside down black face are published in the anthology T-Dot Griots: An Anthology of Toronto’s Black Storytellers.

Richardson is currently working on a children’s book and a novel. She helped kids in the Toronto District School Board as one of the TDSB’s 2013-14 Writers-In-Residence.

In her free time, she teaches communications at Humber College.

Reviews

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book for free from the Goodread's First Reads giveaway.

The rating for this book is a deserved 5/5! I love this book and I'm very happy that I won it! This book is a MUST-READ!!!

The author is very skilled at blending the past and present so well. This book jumps around a lot to different times (Jael's life, her father Chuck's life, bits of other history, etc). Jael is the author of this book and wrote it as a memoir for her father, Chuck Ealey. Chuck Ealey is a football star. It was well written and easy to follow.

This book made me experience a wide variety of emotions: joy, sad, rage, disgust, admiration, etc. Some of the parts of the book that touched me the most were the stories of Chuck Ealey. It was heartbreaking to hear the story told by Al that in Portsmouth, after the football games, the parents had to escort the black players to the bus. "Fans" were throwing objects at the black players and trying to physically attack them. Another story that was upsetting was when Chuck and Sarah were innocently hanging out with two friends during a dance. They left for a car ride and parked the vehicle to talk. A police officer approached them, told them to take the girls home, and the police office then told Sarah's father. Sarah's father dragged her out of the dance later that night. Why? She was simply talking and hanging out with a black man.

I also enjoyed Jael's stories; it was interesting to see how racism has affected the generations in different ways. Whereas, she did not have white people trying to physically harm her she had different struggles to overcome. I really felt for her when she was growing up, feeling like she could never be herself. Not fitting in with the black people and getting by with the whites. I also really felt for her when her soccer coach implied that her and her coloured teammates "were not really black."

I also loved how the author (Jael) included tidbits of American Black History. I learned a lot more about it in this book and found myself researching many of these events afterwards. I knew that Dr. Martin Luther King was murdered in 1968; I did not know that many riots occured afterwards and 39 more people ended up dying as a result. I also learned of the heroes John Carlos & Tommie Smith. When they were receiving their medals at the Olympics they held up their hands during the anthem in a display of black unity and human rights. The Olympic Committee afterwards took their medals and expelled them from the games. The Olympics fills me with disgust.

I was worried that this book would involve too much football, but it didn't. Everything was in a perfect balance and I was interested from beginning to end. I really respect Chuck Ealey and he sounds like an amazing person.

I recommend this book to everyone!!! It will appeal to football fans, to people interested in black history, and to anyone that just enjoys an amazing read!

[Juniper · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5-stars, really.

unfortunately, i liked the idea of this book more than its execution. i found the writing inconsistent, and it felt quite clunky while reading. i really admire what richardson was going for here - she is working through her own issues as she reflects on growing up a black canadian, and where/how she fit in (she comments often about her lighter skin colour (which she mentions she shares with her mum), describes how she was told she 'wasn't really black' by a university coach, struggles with her black identity, and is constantly balancing her life between her white friends and her black friends - seemingly playing a part depending on which group she was hanging out with).

richardson was also trying to learn more about her dad growing up as a black american. her dad was a star quarterback in high school and college, then had a great career in the CFL. while discovering her own place in the world, richardson also looks at black history and pivotal historical moments from her parents' earlier lives. they were coming up at the time of martin luther king jr., the black panthers, malcolm x, and the unrest of those times. richardson's dad, i guess, never really spoke much about what things were like when he was young. he seemed to downplay things and was never one to show pride, or be boastful. i could relate to richardson's curiosity as she probed her parents with questions, and even, with her dad's permission, contacted people who knew her dad back in the day. supplemented with her historical research, and newspaper reports, i hope richardson ended up feeling more connected to her family and their past as a result of this project.

there are a lot of really interesting things going on in this book, it just didn't come together very well for me in how it was written.

[Nadia L. Hohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful novel and tribute to a father. I like how this was much a story about Chuck Ealey as it was about Jael Ealey Richardson.

[S.K. Conaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poignant look at growing up black in Canada, this touching biography is filled with well-balanced research into a personal history indelibly marked by the Civil Rights Movement in America, an immigration to the North, and the golden thread of American Football.

Jael’s honesty about her own adolescent struggle for identity is weaved into the larger narrative, a tapestry of persistence designed to give power to the next generation, and more power still to the next one after... as she tells her story, entwined with the stories of so many others, ripples spread across two nations...

This is a love story—love for a game, certainly—but of love for people too, at their fiery and dichotomised cores and all along the skins they’re in, and loving both with conviction and passion. It tells of how a romance turns into a deep running river of love when tested by obstacles and hardships. It is of one life but it is of so many lives, and as a Canadian born of immigrants, raised among immigrants, it tells part of my life, too.

Whether read like a whip in one sitting or in thoughtful pieces over pensive days, this story is a treasure for our generation.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I started to read this book because I am waiting to be at the top of the library list for Jael's new book, Gutter Child. I have frequently heard Jael speak about books on the CBC, but this is the first time I have read something she has written.
A recent theme in my reading, without any intentional efforts on my part, is the theme of identity. And this book is another with that theme. I appreciated the way Jael wove together her identity with the story of her father. I was fine with the non-linear, interconnected style of the book. This is not a book about football despite what the title and description might have you think, it really is a book about exploring family and personal history as part of finding identity.

[Amy Roebuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck Ealey grew up in the same southern Ohio town that I did, but in the early to mid 60's, the railroad tracks made a line that wasn't crossed. Ealey used those tracks, and the trains that ran on them, to hone his athletic skills.
When he could consistently hit the N in Norfolk and Western, he knew he wanted to play football. Not just play, but quarterback, and a few perceptive coaches and athletic directors shared his confidence in his abilities. Notre Dame High School in Portsmouth, then the University of Toledo.
Then, the refusal of the NFL to give a qb contract to a person of colour.
Then, the migration to Canada, and a career in the CFL.
Ealey's daughter Jael tells this story, and tells it very well.

[Marilyn Letts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading unique stories. The author grows up privileged, Canadian, and black (ish). She masterfully examines her father's history (football celebrity) and US & Canadian civil rights history. Then she weaves in her own story. You gotta read this one.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story. I liked her thoughts on being black in US vs Canada.

[Dianne Koebel-Pede]

This book is a must for all elementary classrooms! It's the true story of Canadian Football League quarterback, Chuck Ealy. Born in Ohio in 1950, Chuck overcame adversity with hard work and perseverance. He wasn't able to play in the NFL because of the colour of his skin. What makes this inspirational story super-special is the author. Jael Ealey Richardson is Chuck's daughter.

[Barbara Brydges · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant enough read. In learning about her earlier life of her father, well-known quarterback, Chuck Ealey, Richardson learns the historical context of his growing up Black in the United States, and reflects on the similarities but big differences she encountered in growing up Black in Canada. I would imagine some Canadian Blacks might not share her relatively rosy picture of the latter.

[Jeanette Grimshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book which i would highly recommend reading

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic memoir! This book went back and forth between two equally important and intriguing stories - one the story of a black football player who overcame incredible obstacles to succeed, and the second of his daughter, who is trying to understand her black heritage.

Chuck Ealey was born in 1950 in Portsmouth, Ohio. His mother was very poor, and his father was nonexistent. He knew his way out of Portsmouth was through sport and education. He went undefeated as a high school quarterback and was given a scholarship to the University of Toledo. While there, he went on a STILL UNBROKEN NCAA football record of 35 consecutive victories. 35-0 record in college football. After his completion of college, Chuck was passed by in the 1972 NFL draft, and decided to come to Canada to play in the CFL. He won Rookie of the Year, as well as the Grey Cup, and Grey Cup MVP in his first season. He still lives in Ontario to this day.

Jael Ealey Richardson is Chuck’s youngest child. Her journey is much different than her father’s. Hers is a personal journey of understanding herself as a black woman living in Canada. Although born and raised Canadian, she eventually realizes that her history comes from her father and mother’s history as well. They are intertwined.

I learned a lot by reading this book. A big sign for me of a good biography/memoir is that I am keen on searching for more information. As I read this, I continually was searching people and places mentioned in the book. Events like the 1968 Olympic Black Power salute (which I had barely heard of) was brought to my attention as a historically important event in the USA.

[Kelsey Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: Chuck Ealey was born in a time of segregation and racism. He grew up in hard times. Chuck had big dreams that being poor and black was not going to stop. One day as a train went by, he picked up a rock and threw it until he made a perfect hit on the letter N. He got into football and the coach thought he was really good. At a game one day, right before he threw, he thought about the train when he was little. He threw the ball and scored a touchdown. Now he is a professional football player.
Evaluation: This is a very sweet story about coming out of struggle and overcoming. The little boy had a dream and he worked towards that dream and made it come true. This would be a fun book to read if the student knew who Chuck Ealey is.
Teaching ideas: The best teaching idea is teaching overcoming. No matter what background a student comes from, they can always improve their situation with willpower. Dreams can come true with hard work and dedication.

[Rachel Greening · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jael tells the story of her father's (Chuck Ealey) journey to the CFL that started in America in the middle of the civil rights movement. She tells of not just his legacy, but her own journey to find her roots as a Canadian Black woman who was raised in a primarily white environment. Raised in an affluent Canadian home, her own upbringing strikes a glaring contrast from the poor and racially-stratified community of her father's hometown of Portsmouth, Ohio. She reflects on how he overcame the many social barriers of racism in his time, and in doing so, broke the cycle of poverty for their family. Her compelling voice and reflective anecdotes creates a moving memoir of hope, triumph, and righteous justice for the horrific and often violent systemic inequality against the Black community. ⁠

This memoir is a beautiful addition to the chorus of Black writers and artists opening eyes and minds to the racist culture North America has cultivated, and in many ways, has yet to remedy. ⁠

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent memoir in which a daughter goes back to research her father's early childhood and life as a college and professional football player. There's a lot of history in this book, and the author conveys the history of her father's experience growing up black in America and contrasts it with her own experiences growing up Black in Canada. Jael has succeeded in blending the personal with the historical, which is not always an easy task. She also manages to accomplish this in a moving, lyrical way.

I learned a lot about Afro-American history and a little about football from reading this book.

Nice work, Jael!

[Jane Mulkewich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met this author through her role with the Festival of Literary Diversity, and was intrigued to read her memoir about her father, Chuck Ealey, who was once a quarterback with the Hamiton Tiger Cats. He became the first black quarterback to win the Grey Cup when he led Hamilton to the title in 1972. This book is an exploration of how a daughter learns to interpret her father's silences about his own struggles, about learning about her parents' lives before she was born, and about coming to understandings about being black in the US like her parents, versus being black in Canada where she was raised. Interesting read.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jael tells the story of her father, a CFL quarterback in the 70's, and his struggles growing up as a black youth in small town America. She contrasts this with her own life growing up in Canada as she searches for her own identity as a young black woman. The book is wonderful on so many levels: the father/daughter relationship, race relations in U.S. And Canada, coming of age in society, etc. This is a compelling book that is both insightful, inspirational, and thoughtful. I highly recommend it.

[Jessika Brokel]

This book is about a black family who grew up during the segregation and civil rights movement. He began to throw stones at the train that travels near his neighborhood. At first, he was trying to throw it at the letter n and missed. He kept practicing until he got to his end goal. He ended up joining a football team that was all white, he was the only black player on the team, and succeeded. This book teaches kids to go for their end goal, and when they hit a road bump to work through it and to not give up.

[Benjamin Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read. Richardson explores her father's past, and in doing so, comes to terms with her own identity as a black Canadian. There are a lot of layers to this book - her dad's story, her mum's story, her own struggles with identity. Richardson writes in a straightforward and engaging manner and lets the reader discover major events and surprises along with her. I discovered this book while searching CFL players in the library's database and am glad I did. A fascinating read.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look at a daughter discovering her father and his past, as well as deeper connections between them. She weaves in elements of the political instability and racism that framed his early years; and how his determination to live on his own terms helped him create a better life for himself and his family. Really enjoyable read.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this e_book because it was about a great CFL player from my younger days as a CFL fan. This book was not what I expected! It is a football story and yet not a football story. Jael, the author explores her family's past, compares the 1960's and 1970's of her parents in the US, to her life growing up in Canada. A very good read and kudos to the author.

[Branchsuper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The daughter of a black former CFL quarterback journeys with him to the US, and discovers her father's background and the reasons why he made his career in Canada despite being an unbeaten high school and university quarterback in America. It also gives her insight into some differences between black Canadians and black Americans, and why this may be so. Extremely interesting.

[Donna Hawker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book, as it was chosen by the token male in our book club. I didn't expect to like it, as I am not a football enthusiast. I did enjoy it, and learned a lot about black history in Canada and the US. (and a bit about football as well!)

[Mélissa Romulus lisanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant glimpse into the reality that is reconciling "Black Canadian" identity juxtaposed to the struggle of "Black America".

[Amit Mehrotra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Despite many differences between my life and hers, somehow they are so similar. Reads very much like a work of fiction. Well done.

[Mary-Esther Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A feel-good memoir that imparts its lessons with subtlety and grace.