Tough Stuff: The Man in the Middle

Huff played with the New York Giants when they were the kings of the NFL in the 1950s and '60s. The future Hall of Famer was coached by Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry, and among his teammates were Frank Gifford, Pat Summerall, Rosey Grier and Y. A. Tittle, all of whom play major roles in this fine autobiography, written with Washington Post sports editor Shapiro. Huff, who came from an impoverished background in the coal-mining region of West Virginia, stresses that he had special motivation to be a successful athletehe dreaded going back to work in the mines. The book covers not only his college career and his playing years in New York but also his trade to Washington, which Huff notes still shocks him, and his time with the Redskins, reunited with a dying Lombardi, and in the broadcast booth. Photos not seen by PW. 20,000 first printing; $20,000 ad/promo. (September)