Everybody's All-American
Encyclopedia
Everybody's All-American is a novel
by longtime Sports Illustrated
contributor Frank Deford
and later made into a motion picture
directed by Taylor Hackford
.
player at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
during the early 1950s. The setting of the novel was changed to Louisiana State University
for the movie adaptation. The main character, Gavin Grey, wins the Heisman Trophy
and then goes on to a professional career, but is sidetracked by alcoholism, failed business ventures, and marital difficulties among other misjudgments.
The novel is narrated by Grey's nephew, Donnie McClure, a historian who has written a biography of Confederate war hero J.E.B. Stuart
. During his college career, Grey's heroics are often compared to Stuart's actions. Both are celebrated not only for their actions, but for their gentle behavior and consideration for others around them.
Grey's greatest moments came away from the football field. At a fraternity party, a carelessly-placed cigarette ignites the dress of a young coed, who staggers back in fear and nearly starts a much larger fire by lighting a set of drapes. Despite a strong fear of fire, Grey saves the woman by leaping forward and dousing the flames. A few weeks later, Grey, McClure and a UNC teammate, Lawrence, venture into a black neighborhood where Grey meets Narvel Blue, another one-time football star whose greatness was never realized due to bad grades, segregation and bad luck. Blue and Grey compare attributes but decide that a foot-race must be held to determine which is the faster runner. Despite falling behind initially, Grey eventually overcomes Blue by a shade at the end of the race.
General Stuart died at the age of 31, thus being spared the indignity of growing old. Grey is not so fortunate. After a serious knee injury cuts short his professional career, he is miserable in retirement and returns to accept a lesser role with the Baltimore Colts
. However, his season, and ultimately his football career, end after a knee injury in his third game. Grey is left calling every team in the NFL, begging for one more chance.
Grey is left to constantly reminisce about his glory days on the football field, boring and embarrassing those around him. His once-gawky and awkward nephew Donnie becomes a respected scholar and biographer. His beauty queen wife, Babs, becomes a successful career woman. His teammates move towards their life off the gridiron with infinitely more grace. Blue overcomes racism in the South to become a successful restaurateur.
As each day passes, Grey falls farther away from his moments of glory. And with each passing day, his relevance, sense of place and his grasp of the world around him fade until he is diminished to little more than a ghost.
, there were rumors that Deford had based Gavin Grey on LSU
's All-American running back, Billy Cannon
. Deford has always vigorously denied that the character of Gavin Grey was based on any real person, but was, in fact, a composite of many college stars he had known in several sports. "Never met Justice or Cannon, and hardly knew anything about them." he says.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by longtime Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
contributor Frank Deford
Frank Deford
Benjamin "Frank" Deford, III is a senior contributing writer for Sports Illustrated, author, and commentator for National Public Radio and correspondent for Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO....
and later made into a motion picture
Everybody's All-American (film)
Everybody's All-American is a 1988 motion picture directed by Taylor Hackford and based on the novel Everybody's All-American by longtime Sports Illustrated contributor Frank Deford.The film covers 25 years in the life of a college football hero...
directed by Taylor Hackford
Taylor Hackford
Taylor Edwin Hackford is an American film director, and the current president of the Directors Guild of America.-Early life:Hackford was born in Santa Barbara, California, the son of Mary , a waitress, and Joseph Hackford...
.
Plot summary
The novel tells the story of a fictional famous college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
player at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
during the early 1950s. The setting of the novel was changed to Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
for the movie adaptation. The main character, Gavin Grey, wins the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
and then goes on to a professional career, but is sidetracked by alcoholism, failed business ventures, and marital difficulties among other misjudgments.
The novel is narrated by Grey's nephew, Donnie McClure, a historian who has written a biography of Confederate war hero J.E.B. Stuart
J.E.B. Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart was a U.S. Army officer from Virginia and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb", from the initials of his given names. Stuart was a cavalry commander known for his mastery of reconnaissance and the use...
. During his college career, Grey's heroics are often compared to Stuart's actions. Both are celebrated not only for their actions, but for their gentle behavior and consideration for others around them.
Grey's greatest moments came away from the football field. At a fraternity party, a carelessly-placed cigarette ignites the dress of a young coed, who staggers back in fear and nearly starts a much larger fire by lighting a set of drapes. Despite a strong fear of fire, Grey saves the woman by leaping forward and dousing the flames. A few weeks later, Grey, McClure and a UNC teammate, Lawrence, venture into a black neighborhood where Grey meets Narvel Blue, another one-time football star whose greatness was never realized due to bad grades, segregation and bad luck. Blue and Grey compare attributes but decide that a foot-race must be held to determine which is the faster runner. Despite falling behind initially, Grey eventually overcomes Blue by a shade at the end of the race.
General Stuart died at the age of 31, thus being spared the indignity of growing old. Grey is not so fortunate. After a serious knee injury cuts short his professional career, he is miserable in retirement and returns to accept a lesser role with the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
. However, his season, and ultimately his football career, end after a knee injury in his third game. Grey is left calling every team in the NFL, begging for one more chance.
Grey is left to constantly reminisce about his glory days on the football field, boring and embarrassing those around him. His once-gawky and awkward nephew Donnie becomes a respected scholar and biographer. His beauty queen wife, Babs, becomes a successful career woman. His teammates move towards their life off the gridiron with infinitely more grace. Blue overcomes racism in the South to become a successful restaurateur.
As each day passes, Grey falls farther away from his moments of glory. And with each passing day, his relevance, sense of place and his grasp of the world around him fade until he is diminished to little more than a ghost.
Speculation on sources
Some have said that the main character in the novel is based on Charlie "Choo-Choo" Justice, a real-life North Carolina football star. Then, after the movie was released, simply because the film had been relocated to LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, there were rumors that Deford had based Gavin Grey on LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
's All-American running back, Billy Cannon
Billy Cannon
William Abb "Billy" Cannon is an All-American, 1959 Heisman Trophy winner and 2008 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and one of the American Football League's most celebrated players.He was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and moved...
. Deford has always vigorously denied that the character of Gavin Grey was based on any real person, but was, in fact, a composite of many college stars he had known in several sports. "Never met Justice or Cannon, and hardly knew anything about them." he says.