He shoots and scores!: George Plimpton once again dons a uniform and plays a game. This time he tackles hockey while training with the Boston Bruins.
Plimpton does a wonderful job of painting a realistic view of life as a goalie. He uses the voices of other players to help the story along, rather than as just filler from big names. He also tells his tale without a lot of false excitement. You can tell he totally loves the experience, yet at times, you can see the effort does drain him (naturally).
His comments about and conversations with the likes of 'Seaweed' Pettie, Garry Cheevers and Don Cheery really add a lot of depth to the book. In conversations I have had with some of these men, I clearly got the point that they enjoyed this as much as Plimpton did and as much as I did as a reader.
This is a great read for the unfulfilled athlete in all of us.

Plimpton returns to professional sports as a participatory journalist this time playing goal with the Boston Bruins in training camp and in an exhibition game in Philadelphia. Set in the 1970’s with follow-ups into the 1980’s and has an old-time hockey feel. While Plimpton’s participation is a big part and humorous I like that he keeps it from getting gimmicky and focus on learning about his teammates, their stories and the culture of hockey. Hockey players come out as a quirky, violent, but loveable bunch. I’m impressed in the improvement in writing style from Out of My League, albeit 20 years and other books such as Paper Lion separate them. At least he’s gotten over the shyness of talking to star athletes and here he seems able to blend into the camaraderie of the team and be accepted as one of them. ( )

As a diehard Boston Bruins fan, I couldn't resist this classic. George Plimpton, one of the world's best participatory journalists and sports writers, is at it again as he realizes every fan's nightmare by getting in goal for the Bruins in the late 1970s. From training camp in Fitchburg, Massachusetts to a five-minute exhibition game in Philadelphia against the Flyers, Plimpton encounters it all, from his rookie initiation to reminiscing about Bobby Orr to discovering the origins of a questionable odor that permeated his pads. He never missed a beat, and his writing is entertaining, funny, and insightful. The personalities that he befriends are truly unique, and his account affords an exceptionally up-close-and-personal look at what transpires on and off the ice in generations past and present. He examines every aspect of the sport itself and the life of a hockey player. I strongly recommend this book for hockey fans, especially those with a sense of humor.