First and Long

Book excerpt: For some football teams, success is about never falling. For others, it is about always getting back up. When Messmer, a predominately black Milwaukee high school, and Shorewood, a white suburban high school, decided to field a joint football team, it tested more than just the players' football prowess. This is the story of that season of dreams. Although the team's won-loss record was dismal, the players gained much more through their understanding of people of another background and race.