About the Book
In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the 1942 Rose Bowl was moved from Pasadena to Durham, North Carolina, out of fear of Japanese attacks on the West Coast. It remains the only Rose Bowl game to ever be played outside of Pasadena. Duke University, led by legendary coach Wallace Wade Sr., faced off against underdog Oregon State College, with both teams preparing for a grueling fight on the football field while their thoughts wandered to the battlefields they would soon be on.
As the players and coaches prepared for the game, America was preparing for war. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met to discuss the Allied strategy in Europe; a discussion that would change the lives of the boys and men on the field in Durham.
Finally, on New Year s Day 1942, under dark gray skies and occasional rain, the two teams clashed on the gridiron in front of a crowd of 56,000, playing one of the most unforgettable games in history. Shortly afterward, many of the players and coaches entered the military and would quickly become brothers on the battlefield. Scattered around the globe, the lives of Rose Bowl participants would intersect in surprising ways, as they served in Iwo Jima and Normandy, Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Bulge. Four players from that Rose Bowl game would lose their lives, while many more were severely wounded. In one powerful encounter on the battlefield, OSC s Frank Parker saved the life of Duke s Charles Haynes as he lay dying on a hill in Italy. And one OSC player, Jack Yoshihara, a Japanese-American, never had the chance to play in the game or serve his country, as he was sent to an internment camp in Idaho.
In this riveting an emotional tale, Brian Curtis sheds light on a little-known slice of American history and captures in gripping detail an intimate account of the teamwork, grit, and determination that took place on both the football fields and the battlefields of World War II. It was a game created by infamy and a war fought by ordinary boys who did the extraordinary.
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About the Author :
BRIAN CURTIS is a New York Times bestselling author who has contributed to Sports Illustrated. He is the author or coauthor of several books, including The Legacy Letters: Messages of Life and Hope from 9/11 Family Members and Go Long!: My Journey Beyond the Game and Fame (with Jerry Rice). Curtis was nominated for two local Emmys for his work as a reporter for Fox Sports Net and served as a national reporter for CBS College Sports.
Review :
In this remarkable book, Curtis masterfully connects two seemingly unrelated events: the 1942 Rose Bowl and WWII This book has much in common with Laura Hillenbrand s best-selling Unbroken (2014) and should evoke similar strong emotions. Booklist
"A fine sports book with a stirring extra dimension." Kirkus Reviews
"Fields of Battle is a compelling true tale of how a Pacific wind blew the Rose Bowl from the West Coast to the East Coast and scattered its participants around the world to win history s largest war." James Bradley, Flags of Our Fathers and The China Mirage
Brian Curtis s gripping story about the Greatest Generation reminds us that the freedom we enjoy today came at a steep price. Fields of Battle vividly captures the uncertainty, fear, sacrifice, and heroism of a critical time in our history, and serves as a tribute to those who carried the scars of war with them and to those who never came home. Senator John McCain, author of Faith of My Fathers
"With meticulous research and elegant writing, Brian Curtis has put together a page-turning narrative about a group of football players turned war heroes, men who entered gridiron lore and then did their part as members of the Greatest Generation. Football fans will enjoy reading about the unusual circumstances that enveloped the 1942 Rose Bowl, but all readers will appreciate the chance to learn about the times these men lived in and the sacrifices they made for all of us. This is a terrific piece of work." Seth Davis, CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated and author of Wooden
"College football aficionados know that the 1942 Rose Bowl was played in North Carolina, but the stories of the men who played that game and went on to fight in World War II were, until now, largely unknown. In Fields of Battle, Brian Curtis brings the WWII generation alive through the stories of these young men who moved so rapidly from the big game to the war to defeat the German, Japanese, and Italian fascists. Curtis gives us a vivid, invaluable portrait of life as it was lived in the face of so much uncertainty and danger, when nothing less than the fate of the free world hung in the balance." Jeremy Schaap, author of Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler s Olympics and Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History
"In Fields of Battle, Brian Curtis takes you back to a time when honor and duty were more than mere video game taglines and athletes placed their patriotic duty above sport. Yes, it's a football story. But really, it's an American story." Jeff Pearlman, New York Times bestselling author of Sweetness and Showtime
"Where another, less careful observer might have found coincidence in these events, Brian Curtis's keen eye found a confluence of historical circumstance. In Fields of Battle, Curtis chronicles, contextualizes, and makes meaning of the meeting of boys and men on both the ball field and the battlefield...Where Curtis most profoundly succeeds is in never once allowing the reader to forget that what happens on the gridiron isn't war, and that what war has never been and never will be is a game. It's a timely message." Julie Checkoway, author of The Three-Year Swim Club
Fields of Battle is a riveting account of the men who faced off against each other in the 1942 Rose Bowl; the only [one] to be played outside of Pasadena as a result of the Pearl Harbor attack. Tossing aside football rivalries, the men who played went on to fight alongside each other on WWII s battlefields. Football fans and military buffs will enjoy this powerful tale of courage, leadership, grit, and greatness. Bobby Bowden, former head coach of Florida State University s football team
"
In this remarkable book, Curtis masterfully connects two seemingly unrelated events: the 1942 Rose Bowl and WWII This book has much in common with Laura Hillenbrand s best-selling "Unbroken "(2014) and should evoke similar strong emotions. " Booklist"
"A fine sports book with a stirring extra dimension." "Kirkus Reviews"
""Fields of Battle" is a compelling true tale of how a Pacific wind blew the Rose Bowl from the West Coast to the East Coast and scattered its participants around the world to win history s largest war." James Bradley, "Flags of Our Fathers "and "The China Mirage"
Brian Curtis s gripping story about the Greatest Generation reminds us that the freedom we enjoy today came at a steep price. "Fields of Battle "vividly captures the uncertainty, fear, sacrifice, and heroism of a critical time in our history, and serves as a tribute to those who carried the scars of war with them and to those who never came home. Senator John McCain, author of "Faith of My Fathers"
"With meticulous research and elegant writing, Brian Curtis has put together a page-turning narrative about a group of football players turned war heroes, men who entered gridiron lore and then did their part as members of the Greatest Generation. Football fans will enjoy reading about the unusual circumstances that enveloped the 1942 Rose Bowl, but all readers will appreciate the chance to learn about the times these men lived in and the sacrifices they made for all of us. This is a terrific piece of work." Seth Davis, CBS Sports and "Sports Illustrated" and author of "Wooden"
"College football aficionados know that the 1942 Rose Bowl was played in North Carolina, but the stories of the men who played that game and went on to fight in World War II were, until now, largely unknown. In "Fields of Battle, "Brian Curtis brings the WWII generation alive through the stories of these young men who moved so rapidly from the big game to the war to defeat the German, Japanese, and Italian fascists. Curtis gives us a vivid, invaluable portrait of life as it was lived in the face of so much uncertainty and danger, when nothing less than the fate of the free world hung in the balance." Jeremy Schaap, author of "Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler s Olympics" and "Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History"
"In "Fields of Battle"," "Brian Curtis takes you back to a time when honor and duty were more than mere video game taglines and athletes placed their patriotic duty above sport. Yes, it's a football story. But really, it's an American story." Jeff Pearlman, "New York Times "bestselling author of "Sweetness "and "Showtime"
"Where another, less careful observer might have found coincidence in these events, Brian Curtis's keen eye found a confluence of historical circumstance. In "Fields of Battle, "Curtis chronicles, contextualizes, and makes meaning of the meeting of boys and men on both the ball field and the battlefield...Where Curtis most profoundly succeeds is in never once allowing the reader to forget that what happens on the gridiron isn't war, and that what war has never been and never will be is a game. It's a timely message." Julie Checkoway, author of "The Three-Year Swim Club"
"Fields of Battle" is a riveting account of the men who faced off against each other in the 1942 Rose Bowl; the only [one] to be played outside of Pasadena as a result of the Pearl Harbor attack. Tossing aside football rivalries, the men who played went on to fight alongside each other on WWII s battlefields. Football fans and military buffs will enjoy this powerful tale of courage, leadership, grit, and greatness. Bobby Bowden, former head coach of Florida State University s football team"
""Fields of Battle" is a compelling true tale of how a Pacific wind blew the Rose Bowl from the West Coast to the East Coast and scattered its participants around the world to win history s largest war." James Bradley, "Flags of Our Fathers "and "The China Mirage"
Brian Curtis s gripping story about the Greatest Generation reminds us that the freedom we enjoy today came at a steep price. "Fields of Battle "vividly captures the uncertainty, fear, sacrifice, and heroism of a critical time in our history, and serves as a tribute to those who carried the scars of war with them and to those who never came home. Senator John McCain, author of "Faith of My Fathers"
"With meticulous research and elegant writing, Brian Curtis has put together a page-turning narrative about a group of football players turned war heroes, men who entered gridiron lore and then did their part as members of the Greatest Generation. Football fans will enjoy reading about the unusual circumstances that enveloped the 1942 Rose Bowl, but all readers will appreciate the chance to learn about the times these men lived in and the sacrifices they made for all of us. This is a terrific piece of work." Seth Davis, CBS Sports and "Sports Illustrated" and author of "Wooden"
"College football aficionados know that the 1942 Rose Bowl was played in North Carolina, but the stories of the men who played that game and went on to fight in World War II were, until now, largely unknown. In "Fields of Battle, "Brian Curtis brings the WWII generation alive through the stories of these young men who moved so rapidly from the big game to the war to defeat the German, Japanese, and Italian fascists. Curtis gives us a vivid, invaluable portrait of life as it was lived in the face of so much uncertainty and danger, when nothing less than the fate of the free world hung in the balance." Jeremy Schaap, author of "Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler s Olympics" and "Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History"
"In "Fields of Battle"," "Brian Curtis takes you back to a time when honor and duty were more than mere video game taglines and athletes placed their patriotic duty above sport. Yes, it's a football story. But really, it's an American story." Jeff Pearlman, "New York Times "bestselling author of "Sweetness "and "Showtime"
"Where another, less careful observer might have found coincidence in these events, Brian Curtis's keen eye found a confluence of historical circumstance. In "Fields of Battle, "Curtis chronicles, contextualizes, and makes meaning of the meeting of boys and men on both the ball field and the battlefield...Where Curtis most profoundly succeeds is in never once allowing the reader to forget that what happens on the gridiron isn't war, and that what war has never been and never will be is a game. It's a timely message." Julie Checkoway, author of "The Three-Year Swim Club"
"Fields of Battle" is a riveting account of the men who faced off against each other in the 1942 Rose Bowl; the only [one] to be played outside of Pasadena as a result of the Pearl Harbor attack. Tossing aside football rivalries, the men who played went on to fight alongside each other on WWII s battlefields. Football fans and military buffs will enjoy this powerful tale of courage, leadership, grit, and greatness. Bobby Bowden, former head coach of Florida State University s football team"
Brian Curtis s gripping story about the Greatest Generation reminds us that the freedom we enjoy today came at a steep price. "Fields of Battle "vividly captures the uncertainty, fear, sacrifice, and heroism of a critical time in our history, and serves as a tribute to those who carried the scars of war with them and to those who never came home. Senator John McCain, author of "Faith of My Fathers"
"Fields of Battle" is a riveting account of the men who faced off against each other in the 1942 Rose Bowl; the only [one] to be played outside of Pasadena as a result of the Pearl Harbor attack. Tossing aside football rivalries, the men who played went on to fight alongside each other on WWII s battlefields. Football fans and military buffs will enjoy this powerful tale of courage, leadership, grit, and greatness. Bobby Bowden, former head coach of Florida State University s football team"
