Freddie Steinmark
Freddie Steinmark
Faith, Family, Football
Freddie Steinmark tells the story of a legendary University of Texas football player whose courage on the field and in battling cancer still inspires the Longhorn nation.
Freddie Steinmark started at safety for the undefeated University of Texas Longhorns in 1969. In the thrilling “Game of the Century,” a come-from-behind victory against Arkansas that ensured Texas the national championship, Steinmark played with pain in his left leg. Two days later, X-rays revealed a bone tumor so large that it seemed a miracle Steinmark could walk, let alone play football. Within a week of the Arkansas game, his leg was amputated.
A gritty, undersized player, Steinmark had quickly become a fan favorite at Texas. What he endured during the Longhorns’ memorable 1969 season, and what he encountered afterward, captivated not only Texans but the country at large. Americans watched closely as Steinmark confronted life’s ultimate challenge, and his openness during his battle against savage odds helped reframe the national conversation surrounding cancer and the ongoing race for a cure.
Written with unfettered access to the Steinmark family and archives, Freddie Steinmark: Faith, Family, Football is the exploration of a brief but full life, one that began humbly but ended on a grand stage. It is a fitting tribute to a legendary Longhorn whose photograph, emblazoned with the word “Heart,” flashes on the Freddie Steinmark Scoreboard’s Jumbotron prior to each home football game in UT’s Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium at Joe Jamail Field.
The authors . . . capture Freddie's cheerful essence, vividly recreate key games and posit his life against the canvas of history. . .Yousse and Cryan . . . have written a deeply informed and proper tribute to the little Texas Longhorn with Heart.
A universal journey of hope and heart, Freddie’s story transcends the game.
Freddie Steinmark was an inspiration not just to the players on his team, but to anybody who knew his story. An incredible person, one of the most courageous people ever to put on a football uniform.
When we measure the life of Freddie Steinmark with the unyielding definition of a calendar, his time was short. But his story is nonetheless timeless. When we measure by the passion and purpose displayed on the pages of this book, the story of Freddie Steinmark will never go away.
So few athletes have a lasting legacy, and even fewer leave the world a better place than they found it. Now, in the hands of born storytellers, Bower Yousse and Thomas Cryan, the legend of Freddie Steinmark will continue to do his good work.
On and off the field, Freddie always lit it up.
The 1969 Champion Texas Longhorns were a special team for many reasons, but the biggest one was the remarkable, unforgettable relationship between Coach Royal and his All-American, Safety Freddie Steinmark.
Bower Yousse and Thomas Cryan tell Freddie Steinmark’s story so well—faith, family, football, and the incredible impact of courage.
- Authors' Note
- Part One: 1929–1967
- Chapter 1: The All-American Boy
- Chapter 2: Rough Riders and Farmers
- Chapter 3: He's My Brother
- Chapter 4: The Most Important Game of Our Lives
- Part Two: 1967–1969
- Chapter 5: The Silent Heart
- Chapter 6: You Have No Friends on the Field
- Chapter 7: Nobody Does It Better
- Chapter 8: Worlds Collide
- Part Three: 1969–1970
- Chapter 9: Running His Own Ship
- Chapter 10: Like Parachuting into Russia
- Chapter 11: The Game of the Century
- Chapter 12: The Game Changer
- Part Four: 1970–1971
- Chapter 13: No Time to Lose
- Chapter 14: The Greatest Day
- Chapter 15: On the Road Again
- Chapter 16: The Rainbow
- Chapter 17: This Endless Life
- Epilogue: September 1, 2012
- Acknowledgments
- Appendix: The Fred Steinmark Award
- Notes
- Index
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