Out of Their League

By: David Meggyesy

Narrated by: Thomas Stephen Jr.

Dave Meggyesy had been an outside linebacker with the St. Louis Cardinals for seven years when he quit at the height of his career to tell about the dehumanizing side of the game - about the fraud and the payoffs, the racism, drug abuse, and incredible violence.

The original publication of Out of Their League shocked readers and provoked the outraged response that rocked the sports world in the 1970s. But his memoir is also a moving description of a man who struggled for social justice and personal liberation. Meggyesy has continued this journey and remains an active champion for players’ rights through his work with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).

©1970 David M. Meggyesy (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Back to the future

Well, written insightful. If you didn’t look at the published date, it could be as fresh as today’s headlines. Dave Megassey was an NFL player a little bit before my time. He had been mentioned in a Hunter S Thompson book that I was listening to called Kingdom of Fear, so I decided to check out Megasseys story.
Wow, sports fans we have come a long way or maybe we haven’t. Megassey went from a humble upbringing in Ohio to earning a football scholarship at Syracuse. The ‘Cuse must’ve at one time been a national power in the late 50s (before they moved into the Carrier dome Syracuse played in the largest concrete style stadium in America). Through pure grit, drive determination and hustle, Megassey was a stand out at Syracuse, and was then drafted into the NFL by the St. Louis Cardinals. his rookie salary with the Cardinals was $9500. think about that for a minute and then compare it to someone like Patrick Mahomes or Tom Brady or really anybody else in any professional sport. chump change doesn’t even begin to describe it. but Megassey was one of those guys that played for the love of the game with money, accolades, and the like being just a byproduct. Again he succeeds on the professional level by grit drive, and determination. Along the way we meet some pretty big NFL stars of the past, including Jim Brown, who held the record for the most rushing yards gained by a running back for a very long time until he was passed by more recent players, who played more games in a season than Brown. Megassey gives us a look inside the NFL of the early to mid 60s. lots of racism of the separate but equal kind. all this with the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Megassey becomes interested in politics, the war movement, equal rights, the women’s movement along with other distractions from the 60s, including plenty of dope acid amphetamines. Megasseys involvement in the political side of things eventually ended his pro career. He probably got a little too
swept up in the politics of the day but it’s tough to pass judgment on a guy caught up in the moment he found himself in the middle of. Entertaining and original in a nice tight seven hour audio package. Joe Lilley

Fantastic

A great listen, although someone needs to inform the narrator about the pronunciation of people’s names (e.g., Jim Bakker). All in all, an excellent listen.