Latest Release

George Varnell: The Life and Times of a Pioneering Sportsman

 


George Varnell’s story once was stored in bits and pieces of bits and bytes—online mentions in newspaper articles, on sports websites, and in digitized archives of the many universities whose athletic teams he either cursorily or profoundly impacted. Now pulled together in George Varnell: The Life and Times of a Pioneering Sportsman, those individual mentions tell the more-than-noteworthy tale of a silently influential man. This meticulous biography illustrates the life of Varnell as a star athlete, groundbreaking Gonzaga University basketball coach, record-setting Rose Bowl referee, renowned sports writer, and dedicated family man whose unheralded life story appeals to sports fans as well as those who find themselves intrigued by the impressive power of the humble human spirit.

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Photo courtesy of Stanford University Special Collections

What others are saying about GEORGE VARNELL:

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A PIONEERING SPORTSMAN

Daniel James Brown

#1 New York Times – Bestselling Author of The Boys in the Boat

“Much of what I was able to learn about the 1936 University of Washington crew team came to me through the detailed and vibrant reportage of two outstanding sports writers—Royal Brougham and George Varnell. What many readers of The Boys in the Boat may not realize is that both men lived extraordinarily interesting lives. In this well-researched and compeling biography, Jeff Burlingame does a marvelous job of unveiling the richand intriguing tapestry of George Varnell’s life.”

Charles R. Cross

New York Times bestselling author of Heavier Than Heaven

“George Varnell lived the kind of century-filling life that almost sounds like it’s made up: star athlete, Olympian, coach, sports writer, editor, and Seattle journalism legend. Jeff Burlingame does an excellent job of putting that life into the historical context of the times. With detailed research and skilled writing, Burlingame has crafted a compelling book I couldn’t put down.”

Timothy P. Brown

Author of How Football Became Football: 150 Years of the Game’s Evolution

“George Varnell stood with the tallest of American football giants. The story of his playing for Amos Alonzo Stagg at Chicago, then becoming a sportswriter and leading football official—handling a record eight Rose Bowls—is nicely captured by Jeff Burlingame. This deeply researched book relays the facts about Varnell while imparting the essence of the man, particularly his love of sports and sportsmen.”

Eric Cohen

University of Washington Rowing historian

“Rowing is the quintessential team sport and for decades at the University of Washington that team included George Varnell. Jeff Burlingame has wonderfully captured the energy and spirit of a man who defined our community and did as much for the sport through his writing as anyone.”

Jim Price

Pacific Northwest Sports Historian

“From football star, Olympic athlete, and multi-sport coach, George Varnell became one of the nation’s foremost authorities on college football as he devoted almost half a century to dual careers as a sports editor and record-setting West Coast football referee. This thoroughly researched, comprehensive, very readable account has it all—and details of his personal life, as well.”

About Jeff Burlingame

Jeff Burlingame is the author of more than thirty nonfiction books, winner of the NAACP Image Award for Best Literary Work, a two-time Image Awards nominee, and recipient of the Society of Professional Journalists’ prestigious Sigma Delta Chi award.

Photo by Rodrigo DeMedeiros

Selected Works

Jesse Owens

“An engaging biography of a significant American athlete.”

– Booklist

Malcolm X

“Highlights the development of the human-rights activist’s philosophy by exploring the impact of several childhood tragedies, causing him to question authority and to encourage others to do so. A welcome addition.”

— School Library Journal

Olympic Peninsula

“An easy-to-define geographic area, but a hard place to squeeze everything worthy into a book. Jeff Burlingame has done it with this title. Buy this book and start planning.”

The Oregonian 

Kurt Cobain

“An unusually intimate account of the rock legend. (A) detailed title that stands out because of its insider’s appreciation for the musician and his legacy.”

— Booklist 

Across the Aisles: Sid Snyder’s Remarkable Life in Groceries & Government

Streets. Sometimes they slice across peninsulas until their pavement is overtaken by sand and saltwater. Sometimes they cut through well-manicured lawns, where squirrels scamper in the spring, until they bump into big buildings where debates can become contentious and bills become law. Sometimes they are named after giants or gentlemen. Sometimes one name can symbolize both.