A Twentieth Century Odyssey: The Bob Mathias Story - Softcover

Bob Mathias; Bob Mendes

9781582613550: A Twentieth Century Odyssey: The Bob Mathias Story

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1582613559 ISBN 13: 9781582613550

Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC, 2001

Bob Mathias is a true 20th-century American hero. The youngest man ever to win the Olympic decathlon gold medal, and the only American ever to win it twice, Mathias was also a movie star, U.S. Marine, writer, four-term congressman, and architect of America's Olympic renaissance. In addition, he was recently named by both ESPN and the Associated Press as one of the century's 100 greatest athletes. In his autobiography, this American original offers incisive comments on many of the famous people and events he witnessed during his long and distinguished career of public service. This book is a lively, well-written account of a unique life, lived to its fullest potential, and includes some never-before-published pictures that can only be described as collectors' items.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

From the Publisher:

This is the authorized autobiography of Bob Mathias!

From the Author:

I decided to write A Twentieth Century Odyssey, partly due to a frustration I was feeling, because there have been a number of books written about me, none of which seemed to show the real Bob Mathias.

None mentions the real and imperfect Bob Mathias, the one who is ashamed that, from his seat in Congress, he supported Nixon for years during the Watergate era. The imperfect Mathias who went through a divorce, who was treated for throat cancer and who even got screwed in business by a very well-known guy.

When Bob Mendes and I began writing A Twentieth Century Odyssey, we decided it would be no-holds barred. I've had a lot of feelings...mostly negative...about today's world of sports. I see journeyman athletes being paid millions. I see kids without a prayer of a degree admitted to colleges just because they are athletes. I see, and abhor, the arrogance and lack of respect showed on the playing field...the sack dance and the in-your-face hubris.

These are just some of the subjects included in my book. We also wrote (to my shame) about how I'm partly responsible for the huge subsidies being paid to amateur athletes.

A Twentieth Century Odyssey is a good and highly readable book. It shows me as a three-dimensional person with real feelings and plenty of disappointments to go with my well-chronicled successes.

If you have any interest in a small-town boy, brought up with mid-century values I urge you to read it.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.