Minnesota has produced its share of championship athletes in a wide variety of sports. From curling (Pete Fenson) to motocross (Ryan Dungey) to women’s soccer (Briana Scurry), stories about more than three dozen athletes, or people who have worked in sports such as broadcasters, who have called Minnesota home are told in this book by Patrick C. Borzi.

The format of the book is straightforward – short biographies of more than three dozen athletes in many different sports. They are presented in alphabetical order from golf legend Patty Berg to basketball star Lindsey Whalen. Whalen is in a class by herself as she won championships for her teams in Minnesota at the high school, college and professional level. In addition to the lesser known sports listed above, there are stories about star athletes in major sports that many people know. Stars such as Larry Fitzgerald (football), Paul Molitor and Tony Oliva (baseball) and Zach Parise (hockey) are also portrayed.

The stories are short but complete as the reader will learn more about the person in their professional and private lives. Some stories are understandably longer than others, but much of that depended on how much the athlete wanted to share with the author. It should also be noted that not every person portrayed is a Minnesota native. For example, the above noted Tony Oliva was born in Cuba but was signed by the Minnesota Twins as a teenager and once he came to Minnesota, it was his home.

While I was hoping to learn a little more about some of these athletes, especially those in the fringe sports that get little or no coverage from the media, this was a decent book that readers who hail from Minnesota (like this reviewer) or want to read about a wide variety of sports will enjoy it.

I wish to thank Press Box Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Note: egalley provided by the publisher for review through Netgalley. Thank you Press Box Books!

On with the review...

Sometimes I find collected biographies dull and repetitive. Patrick C. Borzi's book was much the opposite. The profiles are written in a way that highlights the person's achievements while also providing engaging stories and statistics without feeling repetitive. I loved seeing some fan favorites (Lindsay Whalen, Jim Peterson, the Parises), lamented a few missing (why no Joe Mauer?), and discovered some folks I had never heard of or forgotten had Minnesota connections. This is a volume that celebrates the diversity of Minnesota sports and the personalities while not shying away from the complexities of the people profiled. This is very much a celebration of a state and the work hard, play hard attitude. Minnesota made me, too, and I loved discovering more "hometown" heroes through this book.

As a Minnesota native, I was intrigued by the title of this book. It includes chapters about various Minnesota athletes (not all native-born, but who at least lived a large part of their lives in the state). Included are some very inspiring stories of how athletes overcame barriers facing them and eventually became athletes who are well-respected in their sport. It's very up-to-date, including some of the stars of the 2018 Winter Olympics, as well as some older stars. A very interesting read! The only thing I'd criticize is that sometimes the story of an individual athlete is not told in a chronological fashion, and skips around various points in their life. It would be easier to follow if it were chronological.