Publisher's Synopsis
Wake Forest was the first major college in what had been the Confederate States of America to integrate college football, offering grants-in-aid to Bob Grant, Kenneth Henry, and William Smith. Too few know.It is a story too rarely told. Within Against All Odds -The Indomitable Spirit of Wake Forest, you will learn the full story - the tribulations and the triumphs, the courage of Wake Forest and the individuals who changed the face of sport and history in the South. Throughout its history, Wake Forest, the smallest school in the ACC, has competed and defeated the behemoths of the conference and the nation.That, too, is a story too rarely told. Too few know Wake Forest was the first school in the ACC: 1) to win an NCAA championship, 2) to play in the NCAA basketball tournament, 3) to play in the Final Four, 4) to start a black quarterback, 5) to hire a black football coach. Year after year, sports "gurus" predict Wake will finish at the bottom of the conference. Year after year, Wake "upsets" the "experts" predictions, leaving them bewildered, asking, "How did that happen?" Why are the "experts" so often wrong about Wake Forest? Most of what is and has been written about Wake Forest is written with an underlying assumption - a bias, if you will - that Wake is an "underdog," unable to compete effectively within the ACC.Why, throughout its history, has Wake overcome all odds, confounding the "experts" with "upset" after "upset?" Within Against All Odds, you'll find the answer: The Indomitable Spirit of Wake Forest. The men and women, the teams competing for Wake Forest do so with a unique sense of passion and pride to perform better than their best. "Forget the Super Bowls. Forget the NFL.The best thing I ever did was playing football at Wake Forest. Now, when I see black athletes take the field at Clemson and Florida State, at schools throughout the South, I feel so fulfilled. I am grateful for the opportunity Wake gave me, says" Bob Grant, Chairman of the Board, Retired NFL Players Congress.
