49ers Literature

by howtheyscored on May 14, 2008 12:16 PM PDT

I'm a book guy. Now, I don't read as much as I would like to (I'm too far behind in my gaming, dammit), but I'm a book guy. However, when it comes to sports books I'm just completely lost. I haven't made a habit of reading books on football or baseball or whatever since I was a kid figuring out the digital catalog system at JFK Library off of Curtola Parkway in Vallejo. There's so much out there, but unfortunately so many people who write about sports are much more about the sports and much less about the writing, or write with an annoying bias, or are just writing fluff for a check... or something.

But there's so much out there that I know there must be a lot of good stuff. I just don't know where to start to weed out the other stuff. And right now I'm really looking forward to picking up a good book on the treasured history of our 49ers.

So I wanted to come here. The SB Nation has this bizarre sports blog distinction of by and large being pretty darn literate. I know that many of you probably can't get enough 49ers lit, and already know what the really good books are to pick up because you've already read them.

So does anybody have any recommendations on good 49er literature? What books have you read, and how do you like them?

And thanks in advance! I'm excited to get my hands on this. (That's what she said!)

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.

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haven't read them

but if I was looking for niners literature I might start with Maiocco’s books, just because I like him.

Still defending Rich Aurilia, and the Niners' classic unis

by wjackalope on May 14, 2008 2:18 PM PDT 0 recs

The thing with Maiocco for me

Is that most of the books I see from him are pretty much Walsh era and forward. Which is cool, but only does so much for what I want.

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on May 14, 2008 2:34 PM PDT up 0 recs

summer reading list

I think coming up with a summer reading list would be a pretty good idea…49ers and other football/sports-related reading. Mostly I just need reading for myself with the summer off from school!

Niners Nation - The premier 49ers blog on the Internet!

by Fooch on May 14, 2008 2:30 PM PDT 0 recs

Hmmm.

I know you’re looking for more than a Walsh-era and beyond look at the team, but I hear the recent book on Bill Walsh (the title escapes me) is a supposed good read. Haven’t had the chance to pick one up, though.

by sfgfan on May 14, 2008 2:53 PM PDT 0 recs

Reading is for loosers

I got a Barnes and Noble gift card from my sister for my birthday, seriously dude, what the hell am I going to do what that?

"Want me to punchasize your face, for free?" - Rod Farva

by methodrampage on May 14, 2008 3:50 PM PDT 0 recs

Use it?

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on May 14, 2008 3:56 PM PDT up 0 recs

they got

...... no wait, that’s borders.nevermind.

MURS for President!!!!!!!

by jtoj on May 14, 2008 4:18 PM PDT up 0 recs

It'll get you...

... a dictionary for loosers.

by sfgfan on May 14, 2008 4:21 PM PDT up 0 recs

I do hope you realize that was a joke

"Want me to punchasize your face, for free?" - Rod Farva

by methodrampage on May 14, 2008 7:21 PM PDT up 0 recs

I do.

And so was mine.

by sfgfan on May 15, 2008 8:46 AM PDT up 0 recs

I figured as much

"Want me to punchasize your face, for free?" - Rod Farva

by methodrampage on May 15, 2008 11:06 AM PDT up 0 recs

The only book I have which covers any pre-Walsh era stuff is “GAME OF MY LIFE” by Dennis Georgatos. I wouldn’t really call it “literature” as it’s mainly a book of interviews with players, but it is interesting. Basically, the author interviewed many 49er greats - from old-timers like R.C. Owens and Joe Perry to present day guys like Gore and B.Y. - first about their career as a whole, then about what each of them felt was their favorite/best game. For instance, John Taylor’s choice was the Monday Night game in LA in ‘89, when he had two 90+ yard TD catches to help the Niners overcome a huge 2nd half deficit to beat the Rams. It features the big-name guys like Walsh, Rice, Young and craig, but also lesser guys like Gary Plummer and Derrick Deese, and even includes Steve Spurrier(!). Also, a foreword by Brent Jones.

"I been waitin' a long time for this! I been waitin' since the f**kin' amateurs!" --WILL "THE THRILL" CLARK

by Josh from Hollywood on May 14, 2008 5:10 PM PDT 0 recs

I was at Borders today and took a look around

They didn’t have a whole heck of a lot of Niners stuff, but they had a few Dennis Georgatos things, and that was one of them. I picked it up and turned it over a few times, but since buying wasn’t in my itinerary for the day I put it back down in the end. I don’t know anything about Georgatos, though it seems like he’s at least a little Ninercentric.

I also noticed that Maiocco’s book “Where Have You Gone” actually does cover some pre-Walsh stuff. In fact, it’s eerily similar to Georgatos’s “Game of My Life” template in that it covers selected individual players from different (or often similar) eras.

I’m still hoping to find something more along the lines of a straight history, but I think I’ll probably pick up at least one of these two.

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on May 15, 2008 3:01 AM PDT up 0 recs

Dennis Georgatos

Not a very big fan of his news writing… haven’t read any of this books though.

by sfgfan on May 15, 2008 8:48 AM PDT up 0 recs

Not really a Georgatos fan, either.

That’s why I shied away from calling it “literature”. I didn’t mention this one earlier, because it doesn’t seem to meet Howie’s needs, but the best book on the Niners I’ve ever read was “GREAT EXPECTATIONS” by Dennis Pottenger, about the Niners pursuit of a 3-peat in 1990. Obviously, it doesn’t have a happy ending, but the book reveals several classic stories from behind the scenes which are very interesting and very telling.

My favorite story from the book is about the big matchup the team had with the Giants on a Monday Night game. Both teams had been 10-0, then each lost the week before (looking ahead?). It was a HUGE matchup, especially for Jim Burt, the Niners DL who had been released by Parcells and the Giants the previous year. He really wanted to beat the Giants, so he offered to give Ronnie Lott a ride to the game, and spent the whole trip making up lies about how much Phil Simms disrespected him, and thought he couldn’t cover the pass. Burt said he could see the rage building within Lott, who of course, then played like a mad man. I always remembered how Lott played like a man possessed that game, and especially how when the Giants final 4th down pass fell incomplete, Lott ran up and got right in Simms’ face, talking smack. I recall thinking, “That’s not like Ronnie, to talk smack after a game’s already won”, not realizing he’d been goaded into it - and into playing one of his great games - by Burt.

"I been waitin' a long time for this! I been waitin' since the f**kin' amateurs!" --WILL "THE THRILL" CLARK

by Josh from Hollywood on May 15, 2008 11:41 AM PDT up 0 recs

Gary Plummer

I am a big fan of reading. I just haven’t read much about the Niners. Shame on me.

I’m posting because anytime anyone mentions Gary Plummer, I have to chime in with one of my greatest Niners memories of all-time.

It was that play against Buffalo years back. Buffalo was at the Niners’ end of the field on the goal line. Buffalo ran a run play up the middle. The runningback leaped over the the pile. And Gary Plummer, seemingly from out of nowhere, came in for the flying stuff. Damn that was sweet!

Plummer made the play, sure. But it seems to me that anytime a big play like that happens, it’s because someone else did the grunt work, or it’s possible that someone just missed an assignment.

Those little little intracacies of the game fascinate me.

Anybody else remember that? Any insight into that particluar play would be welcomed.

"To know clearly what pleases the world is but a brief dream." --Machiavelli

by jfainsf49 on May 15, 2008 7:49 AM PDT up 0 recs

I remember it

Wasn’t that the one on a Sunday night in ‘95, where after Plummer stuffed the runner (Thurman Thomas’ back-up, Darick Holmes) at the goal line, he fumbled the ball, and Lee Woodall scooped it up and took it 95+ yards for a TD the other way? If so, I remember well.

"I been waitin' a long time for this! I been waitin' since the f**kin' amateurs!" --WILL "THE THRILL" CLARK

by Josh from Hollywood on May 15, 2008 11:26 AM PDT up 0 recs

Bro you just gave me nostalgia like a mofo

and thanks for reminding me. You are absolutely right about it being a primetime game. As those are the only games I could see in Texas. Besides the Cowboys’ games, because those were obviously aired locally. And I was thinking it was the Super Bowl year.

"To know clearly what pleases the world is but a brief dream." --Machiavelli

by jfainsf49 on May 15, 2008 12:13 PM PDT up 0 recs

Not a book...

... but it really seems like something worth watching if you have Netflix or Blockbuster Online:

NFL Films presents: The San Francisco 49ers, The Complete History

by sfgfan on May 15, 2008 8:50 AM PDT 0 recs

Here's what you need

It’s a large illustrated book by Glenn Dickey called “San Francisco 49ers: The First 50 Years.”

It’s out of print but you can easily get a used copy at Amazon. It’s got all the history you’d ever want, plus an s-load of amazing photos.

http://www.amazon.com/San-Francisco-49Ers-First-Fifty/dp/1570361991

by sonomanate on May 15, 2008 1:44 PM PDT 0 recs

I should add...

The book was published in 1995, so the story ends in Miami with the 5th Super Bowl win (which is covered extensively). Just dumb luck on the part of the publishers, but you couldn’t ask for a better ending.

by sonomanate on May 15, 2008 1:50 PM PDT up 0 recs