Blocking for the Gipper, Lawrence "Buck" Shaw was one of Knute Rockne's star players at Notre Dame during 1919 through 1921. However, it was his nearly four decades of college and pro coaching that earned him esteem. Viewed as a "player's coach," Shaw was talented at relating to young men and molding them into a winning team. His college teams won two Sugar bowls. Shaw's successful coaching with the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles also played an integral role in helping the NFL grow into a billion-dollar business. A contemporary of Vince Lombardi, Shaw's Eagles won the NFL championship in the pre-Super Bowl era. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Shaw never received serious consideration for enshrinement at Canton for his professional career. This complete biography tells the colorful story of Shaw's college and pro years, shedding light on Shaw's over-looked achievements in the professional ranks, which saw him earn a higher winning percentage a half-dozen Hall of Fame coaches.

Prizes

Winner of New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards 2023 (United States)

“Well written excellently researched work…Mr. Carroll has once again done a fine job of covering the life and career of a relatively unknown former major coach, and this biography certainly would be a worthwhile addition to any football historian’s library.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Kevin Carroll is a history teacher at Albuquerque Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He also served as their head football coach for 30 years.