Sports Legends

LOUISIANA SPORTS LEGENDS
AND HEROES: LEAVING A LEGACY

By Earl B. Heard
and David Moormann

BIC Media Solutions,
$25 hardcover, $15 softcover

At first blush, this book appears to follow a well-worn formula — create a list of “greatest-ever” sports figures, focusing solely on their athletic accomplishments and letting readers debate who should or shouldn’t be on the list.

Louisiana Sports Legends and Heroes goes partway down that road, then takes a worthwhile detour.

While there are names that would be required of any compilation of the state’s sporting greats — Skip Bertman, Drew Brees, Billy Cannon, Pete Maravich, Dale Brown and Shaquille O’Neal, to name a few — those whose stories are told were selected for more than wins, scores and championships. These 25 coaches and athletes also became examples of giving to society.

Many, like Brees, have created foundations that support charitable causes. Cannon, whose post-athletic status collapsed into disgrace, now provides dental care to the state’s most hardened criminals. Cannon’s teammate, Johnny Robinson, runs a home for boys.

Not all of the names are universally known. Professional fisherman Dwayne Eschete, 1948 Olympian Herb Douglas and high school coach Sid Edwards are some of the stories that even avid sports fans may not be aware of, but should.

Long-time Advocate readers may remember Moormann’s byline from when he wrote here and for other Louisiana publications.

Moormann always has been more interested in the people he covered than the athletic exploits themselves, so this book is a natural for him. Fans who want to read about sporting role models will want to add this to their bookshelves.