Sports Idols' Idols

About the Book

You probably had a childhood idol—that one special person who meant the world to you. It might have been a family member, a teacher or a coach. It’s also quite possible you were first drawn to a professional athlete you saw on television or read about in a magazine or newspaper. Many of us once dreamed of becoming a pro athlete just like our first childhood hero. But, do the athletes we idolize have someone they considered to be extra special when they were kids? In Sports Idols’ Idols, nearly 150 past and present athletes—including dozens of Hall of Famers—share stories about their very first childhood heroes. They discuss what it was like the first time they met their idols. Many experienced euphoria. However, a few were crushed when their encounters did not go as anticipated. In this oral history, some of the most well-known sports figures from yesterday and today tell you about their idols and about special moments in their lives and careers. Go ahead! Reach for the stars! In Sports Idols’ Idols, sports fans of all ages will learn about the heroes of their heroes.

About the Author

Scott Lynn has worked in radio and television for nearly forty years, covering amateur and professional sports in Portland, Oregon; Tampa, Florida; and Decatur, Illinois. The trusted journalist was named Oregon Sportscaster of the Year seven times and earned three prestigious Edward R. Murrow regional awards. The Lincoln, Illinois, native has called the play-by-play of hundreds of high school, college, and professional games on regional and national television. He has called the action on the radio networks of the Portland Trail Blazers and Oregon State University Beavers. Now in semiretirement in the Tampa Bay area, Lynn calls basketball and baseball games for the University of Tampa on TampaSpartans.TV. Scott Lynn’s first book—THORNRIDGE: The Perfect Season in Black and White—was highly acclaimed. This is the second book he has written since surviving stage 3 colon cancer in 2008.