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The Athlete: Greatness, Grace and the Unprecedented Life of Charlie Ward by [Jon Finkel]

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Jon Finkel

The Athlete: Greatness, Grace and the Unprecedented Life of Charlie Ward Kindle Edition

by Jon Finkel (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

36 ratings

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It takes a once-in-a-generation athlete to win a national championship as a quarterback for Florida State, reach the Elite Eight as a point guard for his school, and then go on to become a starting guard for the New York Knicks in an NBA Finals. Yes, Charlie Ward’s athletic accomplishments truly know no peer. Combine an eleven-year NBA career with a College Football Hall of Fame career and the portrait of a humble, magnanimous leader takes shape.

The Athlete is the first definitive biography of Charlie Ward. Culled from hundreds of articles, clippings, books and original interviews with those who know Charlie best, this story begins with a foundation of college athletic excellence laid down by his father. From there, Jon Finkel traces Ward’s background from small-town Thomasville, Georgia to football-crazed Tallahassee to basketball Mecca Madison Square Garden in New York City. Ward’s remarkable journey includes staggering setbacks—from a near career-ending leg injury in high school, to academic obstacles prior to attending Florida State, to not being drafted by an NFL team after winning the Heisman Trophy. Through it all, Charlie’s calm demeanor, high character and unshakeable faith buoyed his belief that be it basketball or football, grades or career, he was going to succeed and set a strong example along the way.

As electrifying as Charlie Ward’s highlight reel, The Athlete is a towering sports biography, epic in scope and triumphant in its portrayal of one of the greatest modern athletes the world has ever seen.

Print length

302 pages
Language

English
Publication date

December 1, 2017
Reading age

14 - 18 years
Grade level

5 - 12
File size

7116 KB
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Warrick Dunn
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Jon Finkel
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Myron L. Rolle
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Bobby Bowden
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Bobby Bowden
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David Ritz
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Charlie Ward

"Charlie Ward is not only a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, he's a once-in-a-lifetime person. The Athlete is the remarkable, page-turning biography his story deserves." - Tony Dungy, Super Bowl Champion Head Coach

"I can't imagine if you're a high school parent and your son is being coached by a man with the combination of athletic success, personal character and competitive spirit that Charlie has. I still don't think people properly grasp what this guy has done. And now to pass all that knowledge and experience on to high school kids? It's perfect."

- Jeff Van Gundy, ex-NBA Coach, NBA Analyst

"His leadership transcended offense, defense and special teams. It transcended the basketball court. The way he goes about his life with such integrity. The way he's remained grounded after all he's accomplished. I've learned as much from him as he ever did from me."- Mark Richt, University of Miami Head Coach

"I lived with Charlie during the height of his college football popularity and I have so much respect for how he carried himself. He was the biggest star in college and he was so humble. His teammates respected him. His leadership was so unique. He had such a quiet strength and he treated people so well. You can achieve all of your dreams and goals and treat people with the utmost respect!" - Warrick Dunn, National Champion, 3x NFL Pro Bowler

"I became a believer in Charlie Ward the person before I became a believer in Charlie Ward the football player. We were neighbors for two years at Florida State. As a quarterback, he changed the college game as we know it with his speed and passing. As a man, he's almost beyond reproach." - William Floyd, National Champion, Super Bowl Champion

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

Jon Finkel's books have been endorsed by everyone from Oscar-winner Spike Lee and NFL MVP Kurt Warner, to Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones and ArtofManliness.com founder Brett McKay. He has published with legends who have won a combined 14 Super Bowl titles, 25 NBA Championships, 4 NBA Slam Dunk contests and two Heisman Trophies. As a feature writer, he has written for GQ, Men's Health, Men's Fitness, The New York Times and many more. He is the Publisher at Beckett Media and co-host of the Life of Dad Sports Show. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B077L9675M
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 1, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 7116 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 302 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #1,993,419 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #193 in Teen & Young Adult Football Nonfiction eBooks
- #563 in Basketball Biographies (Kindle Store)
- #716 in Football Biographies (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
36 ratings

About the author

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Jon Finkel

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Jon Finkel’s books have been endorsed by everyone from Kevin Durant and Tony Dungy, to Spike Lee and Mark Cuban. He is the author of the recent books:

Hoops Heist: Seattle, the Sonics, and How a Stolen Team's Legacy Gave Rise to the NBA's Secret Empire

The Life of Dad: Reflections on Fatherhood from Today’s Leaders, Icons and Legendary Dads

The Athlete: Greatness, Grace and the Unprecedented Life of Charlie Ward on Heisman Trophy winner, National Champion and New York Knicks star, Charlie Ward.

He also wrote “Mean” Joe Greene: Built By Football with 4x Super Bowl Champion Joe Greene, Heart Over Height with 3x NBA Dunk Champion Nate Robinson and Forces of Character with 3x Super Bowl Champion and Fighter Pilot Chad Hennings. In addition, he authored the Mario Lopez-endorsed fatherhood fitness book, The Dadvantage.

His book, Jocks In Chief: Forty-Four Essays Ranking the Most Athletic Presidents, from the Fight Crazy to the Spectacularly Lazy, is the first book in US History to rank every single president - athletically.

As a feature writer, he has written for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, The New York Times, GQ, Details, Yahoo! Sports and many more. His NBA book series, ‘Greatest Stars of the NBA’ won several American Library Association awards and the twelve books were a part of the NBA’s famous ‘Read to Achieve’ program. His feature writing also received a notable mention in the 2015 Best American Sports Writing Anthology.

Jon has been a live TV guest on CBS: This Morning and Good Morning Texas and has appeared on hundreds of radio stations, podcasts and live-streams promoting his work.

He is also the co-host of the Life of Dad Show podcast (600k downloads) and the Lunch Break Facebook Live Show (1M viewers).

Customer reviews

5 star		76%
4 star		15%
3 star		5%
2 star		5%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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WJH

Great Read about a Great Athlete

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2017

Verified Purchase

"The Athlete" is a definite page-turner as Finkel provides a great courtside seat for the chronicled athletic career of Charlie Ward. By providing a link to the athletic legacy that Ward inherited, the reader gains an increased appreciation for the skill and demenour that would propel him to the Heisman, the NBA, and ultimately a life of leadership and service. Finkel also does a good job of highlighting the faith that serves as the foundation of Charlie Ward, the man on and off the field (and court). Definitely an inspiration, this is not only the story of an athlete, but of a son, brother, husband, and father.

3 people found this helpful

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Jayson

Really great but easy read

Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2018

Verified Purchase

Really great but easy read. I grew up in the 80's in Tallahassee and Finkel's writing made me feel like I was reliving my childhood. The opening chapters read like I was sitting in Ward Sr's living room listening to him talk. If you're an FSU fan, fan of Charlie's, or sports fan in general, you'll enjoy this book. Also, there are several references to FCA and to Ward's Christian faith that has guided him in life, but it's not overpowering or awkward for the non-spiritual person. Highly recommended!

3 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Great book

Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2022

Verified Purchase

This was a great book about one of the greatest athletes ever, who is often forgotten. He was a quiet athlete who needed this book to get the recognition he deserves.

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Kimberly Thomas

Charlie Ward is indeed a TRUE Athlete!

Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2018

Verified Purchase

Wow! That's the word I will use to describe the book: The Athlete Charlie Ward. This was one of the best well written biographies I have read to date. Maybe it's because I feel I have a personal connection to the Ward Family. Charlie Ward and Tonja Harding Ward I have laughed, cried, and laughed more. People on the flight were looking like ... One even asked what I was reading. Don't be surprise if book sales increase Lol! From the fire extinguisher sales to waiting on Bowden's decision, it took me from high to low. And Mrs. Williard's interventions immediately made me think about what I would do with my own son. Without telling too much, I highly recommend this read! #yourdadwastoofunny #TrueAthlete #TonjaWomanofGraceandClass

2 people found this helpful

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Judy Chambers

Charlie Ward is first and foremost a model for all men.

Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2018

Verified Purchase

This was an outstanding book! Being an FSU fan, I have admired Charlie Ward for a long time! It was a blessing to learn more about him, his family, and, not least, his Christianity. This book was easy to read, not full of typos, and poor grammar. It was very well written. My compliments to Jon Finkel and his presentation of a man who should be a model to all men in the way he lived and is living his life!!

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

A truly great read.

Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2018

Verified Purchase

A truly great read. Charlie Ward is truly one of the greatest humans to have ever walked this earth. As great an athlete as he was, he's an even better human. This book did an awesome job of getting to the true person Charlie is.

One person found this helpful

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Dwight Schuh

Charlie Ward has always been one of my heroes, ...

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2018

Verified Purchase

Charlie Ward has always been one of my heroes, for both his character and his athletic ability. Reading this book only heightened my respect for him. Big fan. However, the author let me down a little, as he wrote much of this as a newspaper report rather than an in-depth profile. He could not have found a more worthy subject, but he could have presented the subject in a more interesting way.

One person found this helpful

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Security

It was great to see how God used him so often to ...

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2018

Verified Purchase

I just finished the Athlete about the life of Charlie Ward. It was so well done and very inspirational. It was great to see how God used him so often to impact his teammates, coaches, fans, family and friends. His humility, calmness, competitiveness and character drew so many to him. It reminded me of St. Francis saying "Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words". Charlie actions were much more effective than any words.

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