Sociological Perspectives: Analyzing 'The Real All Americans' Book

This essay summarizes Sally Jenkins' book 'The Real All Americans', focusing on the Carlisle Indian School football team and the broader themes of racism, equality, and the impact of sport on society. The book highlights the team's pioneering role in football, their innovative strategies, and the strong bonds formed among players from diverse backgrounds. It recounts anecdotes from the team's experiences, including their record-breaking performance in 1912 and humorous incidents involving key players like Jim Thorpe. The narrative emphasizes the team's fight for recognition and identity in a prejudiced society, showcasing how sport can influence mindsets and challenge societal norms. The essay concludes by underscoring the book's exploration of voice, equality, and identity for Native Americans.

Running head : SUMMARY WRITING
SUMMARY WRITING
Name of the Student :
Name of the University:
Author Note :

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Sally Jenkins has authored many books in the past, including bestsellers like ‘Sum
It Up : 1098 Victories’, ‘A Couple Of Irrelevant Losses’ and ‘ A Life In Perspective’. Her book
‘The Real All Americans : The Team That Changed A Game, A People, A Nation’, was
published in the year 2007. The central theme of the book is the evils of racism in the modern
society (Baron). Jerkins revives the football teams of the fictional Carlisle School located in
Pennsylvania (Jenkins).
The story that unfolds, is not just about the soccer game or the brutal treatment of the
native American children but it is about the fight for equality, justice and acceptance in a world
of white men against their prejudiced xenophobia. The generation at Carlisle lived at a great time
in American history. It was their call to prove themselves in front of the ever dominating and
arrogant Ivy League powerhouses (Demers). Chapter eleven of the book gives us an overview of
the life of students at Carlisle Indian School. Apart from football, life at Carlisle was also about
“rampant high spirits and collective banter”. Often Jim Thorpe would prank on other students
standing at the dining hall in an attention position. One such student, James Garvie, became a
victim of Thorpe’s pranks. He was standing in the dining hall, saying his prayer before the meal
when suddenly he felt something in his hands and as soon as he squeezed it, “a soft prune
exploded”. Carlisle was never short of wit and humor. The group was conservative but most of
its members possessed an “incendiary wit”. A fine instance would be of the quarterly magazine
that the school printed in which caricatures or “lampoons” appeared of any player who played
against Harvard. The team took pride in their solidarity and team spirit as all of them came from
different regions, backgrounds and cultures (Larsen). There was oneness even in diversity and it
was a sure fact that they “would remain friends all their lives and serve as best men at each
other’s weddings”. Such was the bonding between the young men at Carlisle.

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In 1912, the team set a record by becoming the “highest scoring team in the country”.
The boys at Carlisle was aware that they were “making a record for their race”.The team paved
its way to become a pioneer of the game and the inventor of some of the finest soccer games in
the country (Coulson). The deal breakers for them were the “crack timing and cutting-edge
stratagems”. An uncommon thing that the Indians did was that they maintained “a hurry-up
offense” which left the opponents off balance and breathless. The Indians played at a “lightning
speed” as they received “audible signals and hand gestures” from Welch in order to make
adjustments. We find Warner introducing new tricks and changing rules. For instance, we find
Warner introducing the “hiddenball” method and telling Charles Dillon to untuck his shirt. The
team was upgraded by the introduction of two new boys, Pete Calac and Joe Guyon. According
to the school physician Guyon’s heart was the best he ever examined and his it was scribbled in
his enrollment card that he was “splendidly developed”.
An interesting and funny incident took place during the match against Washington and
Jefferson. After the game, Thorpe and Welch decided to go a saloon at Pittsburgh. After an hour,
Welch was on time for dinner but Thorpe was nowhere to be found. Warner went to the saloon
and managed to bring him on the road. However, Thorpe “created a lot of excitement by his
shouting and loud talking”. The following day, the incident made headlines in Pittsburgh’s
leading newspapers.
Thus, amidst all the rivalry, fun, practice, teaching, football matches- the writer manages
to keep the emotions intact. The book is about seeking a voice, equality and identity for the
Indians in a foreign land.

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References :
Baron, Sally JF. "Inaction speaks louder than words: The problems of passivity." Business
Horizons 56.3 (2013): 301-311.
Coulson, Art. Unstoppable: How Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Defeated the Army.
Capstone, 2018.
Demers, Daniel J. "The game: Carlisle Indian School vs West Point-November 9,
1912." Whispering Wind 44.5 (2016): 15.
Jenkins, Sally, and Sports Illustrated. "The Team That Invented Football." Sports
Illustrated (2007): 60-73.
Jenkins, Sally. The real all Americans: The team that changed a game, a people, a nation. Anchor
Books, 2008.
Larsen, Travis Matthew. From Carlisle to Bradford: the Media, Stereotypes, Football, and
American Indians. Diss. Oklahoma State University, 2013.