Go Joe Bruin brings you a special interview with Spencer Stueve, the author of the book, ‘UCLA Football Encyclopedia: From Tears to Touchdowns’ which chronicles the history of your favorite college football program.
There is once again a reason to be excited Bruin fans! On Tuesday, November 1, UCLA Football Encyclopedia: From Tears to Touchdowns will be released to the general public and we have first look.
The book is a detailed history of the UCLA Football program from their most successful years to those we’d like to forget and we are able to preview it with author Spencer Stueve.
Go Joe Bruin: From the title, it is obvious what your book is about, but to get a little more in-depth, tell us what UCLA Football fans will get from reading your book.
Stueve: UCLA football fans who choose to read my book will hear about many of the stories that have been lost in time. History is a continuous story, but with each passing year and each passing generation, more gets lost in the shuffle. Readers will be exposed to many stories that they have never heard.
They will read about UCLA’s first great player, Bert LaBrucherie, and his final, dying wish. They will read about Pepper Rodgers and his eccentric character. They will read about Dick Vermeil and how he became the hardest working man in sports. They will read about the greatest victories and the most crushing defeats.
My goal is that every reader becomes a better fan because of this book. Armed with information and a thorough understanding of the past, I believe UCLA fans, coaches, players, and administrators will have a better understanding of how to reach the ultimate goal, winning the national championship.
GJB: What was the motivation for writing this book?
Stueve: I enjoy writing, I am a long time UCLA season ticket holder, and consider myself a history buff. I thought about this book for a long time before deciding I was going to write it.
I had two goals when I started the writing process. 1) I wanted to learn more about UCLA football myself. When I started studying the earliest UCLA teams, I found it fascinating and thought it best to share with others. 2) I wanted to create a central source for UCLA football debate. What is college football without debate?
As a fan, I’m always debating someone about something when it comes to college football. I wanted to help others settle arguments with one source. While working on the book, a new goal became apparent. I want every reader to find a story or a team from the past that gives them hope for the future.
The 2016 UCLA team has undoubtedly been a disappointment, but there is historical precedent for a quick turnaround. I hope UCLA fans can stay positive and hopefully the book will help them do that.
GJB: As an “encyclopedia”, how much information do you have in the book and how did the research process go? How long have you been working on this?
Stueve: This is the most detailed UCLA football book ever written. I used over 500 sources and spent about 15 months putting the book together. The research process was strenuous. There has been very little written about UCLA’s earliest years. I relied heavily on old UCLA yearbooks, small newspaper clippings, and information written in later biographies and autobiographies.
GJB: With football occurring every year, will you be updating your book or making updated editions?
Stueve: Yes, I will be updating the book, but I have other projects scheduled before any update. Next year, I will be releasing another book, titled “UCLA vs. USC: A Rivalry of Hate.” In 2018, I will be releasing “College Football’s Greatest Brands,” and I am considering writing an encyclopedia on UCLA basketball in 2019. The next edition of the football encyclopedia will likely not be written before 2020.
GJB: What would you like to see happen with your book? Any goals or do you just want to spread the love of UCLA Football?
Stueve: Like most authors, I’m hoping to sell as many copies as possible (and of course make money). I am hoping to get on multiple best seller lists. The minimum required for most best seller lists is 1,000+ copies in the first week and 2,000-3,000 in the first month. I understand these are lofty goals, but it’s a win-win situation. The more I sell, the better it is for me, and the more fans get to read about UCLA football.
GJB: Where can your book be purchased and where do some of the proceeds go?
Stueve: My book will be available in multiple places. It will be on Createspace.com, Amazon, the Barnes and Noble website, and most eReader platforms. It will also be in the UCLA Store on campus, though probably not for a few more weeks.
For those looking to purchase a hard copy of the book, I suggest going through Createspace because they are the distributor. Amazon and all other providers are used as middle men and take a larger cut, as well as deliver much slower. As for the proceeds, 5% of all proceeds from the book will be donated to the Wooden Athletic Fund and an additional 5% will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
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You can follow Stueve and get information about his book on his Facebook or follow him on Twitter @UCLASpencer44. Check out the Createspace website HERE. To pre-order on Amazon Kindle click HERE.
Next: The 30 Greatest UCLA Football Players of All Time
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And a very special thank you to Spencer Stueve for sharing the information about his book. Go Bruins!