Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I noticed there are two different pub dates for Zimmerman's book A Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football.

Did he do any revising for the 1971 publication date or is it a second printing. I remember reading this book a decade or so ago and most of the examples were from the 1969 season if I remember correctly. I was wondering if the 1971 publication used examples from 1970.

1970 pub ISBNs 10 digit 0525217320 13 digit 9780525217329
1971 Pub ISBNs 10 digit: 052521735 13: digit 9780525217350

I have the 1971 version. Many years later, it is still one of the best books on pro football that I've ever read.
Joe Zagorski

Joe Zagorski wrote:I have the 1971 version. Many years later, it is still one of the best books on pro football that I've ever read.

I also have '71 and agreed that it's one of the best football books I've ever read (and still skim through from time to time) ... Must have.

There's also a 1984 edition (or maybe 1985), which is about 50 percent new material to reflect changes in the game over the previous decade. It includes stuff about Bill Walsh's 49ers, Joe Gibbs' Redskins, and so on, and it's just as good as the original book. Both are just excellent.

Bob Gill wrote:There's also a 1984 edition (or maybe 1985), which is about 50 percent new material to reflect changes in the game over the previous decade. It includes stuff about Bill Walsh's 49ers, Joe Gibbs' Redskins, and so on, and it's just as good as the original book. Both are just excellent.

1984 and the title is "The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football."

Bob Gill wrote:There's also a 1984 edition (or maybe 1985), which is about 50 percent new material to reflect changes in the game over the previous decade. It includes stuff about Bill Walsh's 49ers, Joe Gibbs' Redskins, and so on, and it's just as good as the original book. Both are just excellent.

I've got both of them.

Still the best book ever written that explained basic offensive and defensive formations and terminology in layman's terms.

Apbaball wrote:I noticed there are two different pub dates for Zimmerman's book A Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football.

Did he do any revising for the 1971 publication date or is it a second printing. I remember reading this book a decade or so ago and most of the examples were from the 1969 season if I remember correctly. I was wondering if the 1971 publication used examples from 1970.

1970 pub ISBNs 10 digit 0525217320 13 digit 9780525217329
1971 Pub ISBNs 10 digit: 052521735 13: digit 9780525217350

hardback and softback? I have both, but don't know if there are differences, all i can see is one is pocketbook size, the other, larger

Not to get all 1960's on everyone, but where have you gone Dr. Z?

Great writer. The vacuum left by his professional absence makes it easy to forget that the man is still With us.

They've replaced him with a business and politics columnist.

Z put his *ss on the line every week. Not just straight up, but against the spread. That's where the big boys live.

JohnTurney wrote:

Apbaball wrote:I noticed there are two different pub dates for Zimmerman's book A Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football.

Did he do any revising for the 1971 publication date or is it a second printing. I remember reading this book a decade or so ago and most of the examples were from the 1969 season if I remember correctly. I was wondering if the 1971 publication used examples from 1970.

1970 pub ISBNs 10 digit 0525217320 13 digit 9780525217329
1971 Pub ISBNs 10 digit: 052521735 13: digit 9780525217350

hardback and softback? I have both, but don't know if there are differences, all i can see is one is pocketbook size, the other, larger

Thank you. That is what I was wondering was what is the difference between the two. I was somewhat confused by a picture that said revised edition which seemed odd since I was under the impression that was the first edition.

http://www.amazon.com/thinking-mans-gui ... o+football

I'm guessing there wasn't much of a revision since nobody was able to identify any differences.