Books with author Joseph Archibald

Excerpt from The CitadelAndrew descended. The next minute, while he was gathering himself for the ordeal of his entrance, the front door was flung open and he was in the lighted hall being welcomed effusively by a short, plump, smiling woman of about forty with a shining face and bright bold twinkling eyes.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Hal McBain has always been the underdog. Growing up in the shadow of his cousin, star-athlete Lance McCabe, Hal and his widowed mother scraped along with the little they had—with occasional, grudging help from his wealthy uncle. Hal enters Buell College with a warning from that same uncle echoing in his ears: “Study hard, but no frills. You’re not an athlete.” Used to being the odd man out, Hal takes those words to heart and exiles his desire for football glory to his own fleeting daydreams. But the football gods are fickle and the Buell College Bobcats are in a bind. The team, decimated by a tragic accident that ended the lives its best players, is looking to rally under the leadership of a new coach—a coach who recognizes the talent of blazing speed and sure hands buried deep in the man that is Hal McBain. Squarely in the spotlight that he had dreamed about, but had always been too afraid to grasp, Hal and the rest of the underdog Bobcat squad set about overcoming the powerful and determined teams of the Little Six conference. Fame, glory and the Kingsbury Trophy are the possible rewards, but Hal himself stands to gain something far more valuable—and learn a lasting lesson about the true meaning of success.

Excerpt from The CitadelAndrew descended. The next minute, while he was gathering himself for the ordeal of his entrance, the front door was flung open and he was in the lighted hall being welcomed effusively by a short, plump, smiling woman of about forty with a shining face and bright bold twinkling eyes.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Neil and Ray Kilbourn are a familiar sight on the stately and storied campus of Bushnell College. They are also equally recognizable as Numbers 33 and 35 on the football field, carrying the ball and crashing aside would-be tacklers for the Pioneers. Affectionately known as the ‘Touchdown Twins,’ most students and likely some professors would swear that the jersey numbers are the only way to tell Neal and Ray apart. However, although they may be dead ringers on the outside, the Kilbourn brothers have taken two very different paths since arriving at Bushnell. Neil is hardworking, firmly aware of his humble background, and determined to make his own path. Ray, on the other hand, is an Alpha Zeta and confidently ensconced in the inner circle of the school’s social elite. With Bushnell fielding their best team in decades, football mania has reached a new pitch. An undefeated season and a victory over the Pioneers’ archrival, Sparta, seemingly within reach, students, alumni and big money boosters have filled the home stadium to bursting. But trouble is lurking, and Neil is forced to investigate his own suspicions that all is not right with the team. What he uncovers not only threatens to rip the Pioneers apart, but also to drive an irreparable wedge between the twins themselves.Original Book: 192 pages

College players are breaking into the big leagues of baseball far faster than ever before. These so-called Bonus Babies, spared the grueling climb through the minor leagues, enjoy immediate access to the glitz, glamour and wealth that accompany the storied teams of America’s national pastime. Press clippings and a live arm alone do not make a player, and not every veteran player or manager is so readily accepting of these young hotshots. Ernie Kimball, ace pitcher for Austin College, and now the newest bonus baby for the Houston Longhorns, is arrogant, brash and ready to blaze his fastball past the best that the league has to offer. However, his self-predicted rise to stardom is abruptly interrupted by harsh reality when Ernie is sent packing to the Class B Jayhawks to gain some humility and learn the finer aspects of the game. From dimly lit minor league ballparks to bumpy bus rides, Ernie begins his journey back to the majors. It will take the people he meets—a determined landlord, a broken-down veteran pitcher and a Cuban refugee with stakes far higher than Ernie’s own—to mature and mold him into a true major league pitcher.

After years of continued mediocrity, Van Buren College, never known for its prowess on the football field, has finally reached a tipping point. In a time when Nuclear Disarmament and World Peace are the watchwords, Mr. Farnsworth, chancellor of the small Missouri school, believes that the human battlefield of the gridiron has no place in this new era. It is time for the brutish game of football to yield before academics and science. Caught in the tension is Pete Krasnik, son of a coal miner, and in his final year as the tough-as-nails stalwart of the Bobcats’ defensive line. Up to now, his job has always been simple—get to the opposing quarterback and hit him as hard he can—and it is a job he does well. However, this new threat to football at Van Buren may make it impossible for Pete to carry out a promise he had sworn to fulfill in a moment of great tragedy. Doing well in college football means the possibility of playing in the pros, and a professional contract means money to pursue medical school—the factor upon which his promise rests. Now, with the Bobcats fighting for a winning season and Pete called to play better than ever, it is not only the future of Van Buren’s football that hangs in the balance—but his own.

Dave Burnell is a coach in a tough spot. Hailed as the wave of the future just two short years before when he took over the struggling Sanborn College football team, success has proven to be far from easy. Finally, as his third year ends, a glimmer of hope has arisen among the Sanborn faithful as the team ties the mighty Tulare Crimson and assures a winning record for the first time in a decade. On paper, Dave and the Sanborn Purple seem ready to take that next crucial step in the upcoming season. A bevy of talented transfer players have arrived and may be the missing feature that can lift Sanborn back to its football glory of old. However, success on the collegiate football field brings its own pitfalls and something is rotten within the ivy-covered walls of Sanborn. Dave will have to battle internal team strife, shady boosters and his own ambitions as a young coach as the pressure mounts with each new triumph. Ultimately, he will have to weigh the cost of setting aside his principles for the sake of victory or risk paying a price that would spell the end of his coaching career.