Mention Chuck Noll’s name to just about anyone in southwestern Pennsylvania and they will say they remember him as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers who led the team to four Super Bowl victories in a little over two decades and raised the morale of Pittsburghers to become a City of Champions.
To share more about Coach Noll and who he was off the field, the Peters Township Public Library welcomes author Michael MacCambridge on Wednesday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss his book Chuck Noll: His Life’s Work. Register online or call 724.941.9430 #1. A book signing will follow the program.
Michael MacCambridge is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on football. His book America’s Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation was named one of the most distinguished works of non-fiction by the Washington Post in 2004, and won the Nelson Ross Award from the Professional Football Researchers Association. He also edited the critically acclaimed ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, hailed by Sports Illustrated as “the Bible” of the sport. In addition to his many books, MacCambridge’s freelance writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, and GQ.
Reviews of Chuck Noll: His Life’s Work:
“Chuck Noll transformed the Pittsburgh Steelers into one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history. Yet, both during his career and after, he was underappreciated, relatively uncelebrated, and—in part by his own choice—not fully understood. Michael MacCambridge’s carefully-researched and beautifully-written biography finally brings into clear focus one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of American sports.” —Bob Costas, NBC Sports
“If Michael MacCambridge wrote a book about the painting of my house, I’d devour it—he’s that good—a master of bringing a complicated and compelling history to life. In Chuck Noll: His Life’s Work, he paints vivid pictures of how Noll ended up in Pittsburgh, why he was perfect for the Steelers, and why he was the right man for his time in steering the Steelers toward African American players. Of all the important figures in the NFL in the last fifty years, we knew the least about Noll—until now.”—Peter King, The MMQB, Sports Illustrated
“MacCambridge goes behind the Steel Curtain and unveils the coach who delivered a football dynasty, Chuck Noll. Having covered Chuck during most of his Steelers career, I learned things I didn’t know about his struggles and his brilliance. Thanks to relentless research and impressive interviews, Michael puts you behind the desk and along the sidelines to show how one of football’s greatest minds executed his successful game plan. A Hall of Fame effort.”—John Clayton, ESPN
“It’s hard to think of any football coaches who were more successful than Chuck Noll. It’s great that a historian as thorough and intelligent as MacCambridge has finally written the book that will galvanize Noll in the rarefied category he deserves.”—Chuck Klosterman
“MacCambridge has given us the definitive look at the life and times of Chuck Noll. More than just the legendary coach of the Steelers, Noll was a renaissance man with widespread interests and loyalties. It all comes alive here thanks to MacCambridge’s inimitable touch and meticulous research.” —Bob McGinn, author of The Ultimate Super Bowl Book
