Lonesome End

Lonesome End. Tod Ross had never gone out for football---the chores on his father’s ranch always filled his spare time---but when the coach convinced him that Prairie High’s team badly needed someone at right end, he decided to try for it. Tod had not anticipated the satisfaction he would feel from his involvement in football: the close teamwork, the pleasure of shared triumphs, the growing exhilaration of being part of the daily practice sessions and the Saturday afternoon games. Even the bruising pile-ups on a muddy field gave him a sense of participation and a new view of himself. By the end of the hard-fought but victorious season, Tod was happy that he had played a part in the team’s success. Football fans will rejoice in the immediacy with which Mr. Meader conveys the color and noise of the game, the intricate details of plays, and the gathering tensions that sweep across field and stands.