Pinball : The Making of a Canadian Hero

"In 2004, Michael "Pinball" Clemons became the first black coach in the history of the Canadian Football League to hoist the Grey Cup in victory, or even to coach in the annual championship." "In a sudden twist in his story, Clemons was thrust into the role of head coach of the Toronto Argonauts midway through the 2000 season when he was still active as a player. It was a job to which he never aspired, but he accepted it out of duty to the organization that first signed him to the CFL. He went on to turn his athletic prowess into coaching excellence." "Clemons's 2004 Grey Cup win as a coach was the culmination of an experience that began when he came to Canada in 1989 as an unheralded American football player deemed too small to make it in the National Football League. The smallest football player some of the Toronto Argonauts staff had ever seen, Clemons played big and always found a way to make something positive happen." "Not only did Clemons make it big - literally and figuratively - in the CFL in a career that spanned 11 1/2 seasons, but he cultivated a reputation as an enduring Canadian figure and a true hero in an age when they are increasingly scarce." "Pinball - nicknamed for his ability to bounce off players far bigger than him and still keep his feet - dazzled everyone with his on-field exploits, setting multiple records for cumulative yardage. He quickly became the face of the Argos, and one of the most popular athletes in Toronto, winning three Grey Cups as a player, two Tom Pate Awards for his outstanding contribution to his team and the community, and the Most Valuable Player in the Canadian Football League in 1990." "Clemons became a Most Valuable Person off the field, too, giving generously of his time to charity, worthy causes, and his legions of fans. And through the years, the Florida native began to realize that he wanted to make Canada his full-time home, embracing the country that, in turn, had embraced him."--BOOK JACKET.

Perry Lefko has been a sports writer for the Toronto Sun since 1985, reporting on amateur sports, curling, horse racing and football. He is the three-time Sovereign Award winner for outstanding writing about Canadian horse racing, has twice received honourable mention in the Sun Media category of sports writing, and was awarded Ontario Curling Association writer of the year. He is the author of five previous books, The Greatest Show On Turf: The History of the Breeders’ Cup, Flutie, Sandra Schmirler: The Queen of Curling (national bestseller and optioned by CBC to turn into a television movie), Bret Hart: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be, and Thoroughbred Racing’s Greatest Day.