Headslap: The Life and Times of Deacon Jones

by Deacon Jones, John Klawitter

"This book's going to raise a howl," promises Deacon Jones. "You wait and see!" From a small rural town in Florida to the NFL Hall of Fame, this is the story of Deacon's rise to the top of the heap in the National Football League. "Headslap" refers to the lightning move popularized by Jones in the early days of the game, when a player could rattle the cage (or at least the helmet) of a blocker by belting him alongside the head. And Deacon did this better than anyone in the game. They weren't jabs; they were full left hooks and right crosses. So devastating was this move that the League outlawed it.More than a simple sports story, Headslap brings to full view the NFL during the 1960s and 1970s - a time of incredible social upheaval and change in the United States. Deacon's story reveals the difficulties that all black players confronted trying to break into the NFL.

Genres: Football, Sports, Biography

570 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

similar to embry's book. combines sports and social policy to describe the US culture of the 20th century from a black male athlete perspective. very inspiring. and fun - it's the deacon - one of the game's most colorful characters.

#deaconjones

[Nick Hussong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was life-changing for me. It was an easy read and Deacon's life and perspective are unique and worth learning about, to say the least. This book altered my perception of many aspects of United States' history and I recommend it be read by everyone.

[Bigred · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book...was really all about football and Deacon's relationship with players and coaches, and not so much oh his personal life.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deacon Jones was the Minister of Defense, and this is his story.