• Age: 12 to 17
• Grade: 4 to 6
• Reading age: 12 to 17

The sons of Icelandic immigrants and friends since boyhood, the Winnipeg Falcons were a superbly talented team of just eight players who brought home Canada's first Olympic gold medal in hockey in 1920. But before they became world champions, the Falcons endured years of prejudice on and off the ice.

Author and renowned hockey historian Eric Zweig brings to life the fascinating story of the little team that wouldn't quit.

Fry Reading Level - 4.6

Éric Zweig
est né à Toronto et habite maintenant à Owen Sound, en Ontario. Dès l'âge
de 10 ans, il était passionné de sports. Il écrit des articles à propos du
sport ou de l'histoire du sport depuis depuis qu'il a obtenu son diplôme en
sciences politiques de l'université Trent, en 1985. Il écrit également pour
les médias.

ERIC ZWEIG has been writing about sports since his days on the school newspaper desk. His books for kids include The Big Book of Hockey for Kids, On This Day in Hockey and MVP Superstars. Awesome Hockey Trivia for Kids is the fifth book in his Hockey Trivia for Kids series. Eric is also a noted author of adult sports books, most recently Hockey Hall of Fame Heroes and Stanley Cup: The Complete History (with Phil Pritchard); he was a contributor to The Official NHL Hockey Treasures, Centennial Edition.

He belongs to the Society for International Hockey Research and lives in Owen Sound, Ontario.

Eric Zweig's profile page

• Commended, Best Books for Kids & Teens - Canadian Children's Book Centre

Eric Zweig brings his experience as a sports journalist and hockey historian to Long Shot, which is aptly described in the subtitle that appears on the cover, How the Winnipeg Falcons Won the First Olympic Hockey Gold. In 15 short chapters, the reader is taken for an exciting journey from hockey crazy Winnipeg in 1896 to the creation of the Winnipeg Falcons in 1909 and eventually to the 1920 Olympic Games when the team made up almost exclusively of Icelandic-Canadians from Manitoba became Olympic champions and the toast of the nation. Excerpts from contemporary newspaper reports provide a sense of immediacy to the Olympic action.

The Falcons' story wasn't always so glorious. Prejudice against the working class sons of Icelandic immigrants kept them from playing in the Winnipeg Hockey League, but fortunately a couple of other teams joined with the Falcons in other amateur hockey leagues. After their rise to international victory, members of the Falcons moved on to professional hockey with the National Hockey League and the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. Frank Fredrickson had the greatest success in the professional leagues and was eventually elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The excerpt illustrates Zweig's ability to succinctly capture historical details about the evolving nature of hockey in Canada. A basic understanding of current hockey rules is all that is required to appreciate the differences explained. A two-page glossary includes terms, like blocked shot and combination play, that may be unfamiliar to some readers. Most chapters include one sidebar that contains interesting facts such as the origin of the Allan Cup, the amateur hockey trophy first presented in 1908. Also included are nine black and white photos of various Falcons teams or members and related images.

Recommended.

Val Ken Lem is a member of the Collection Services Team at Ryerson University in Toronto, ON, and liaison librarian for history, English and Caribbean studies.

Canadian Review of Materials - Voulme XIV, Number 3 - September 28,2007

Canadian Review of Materials - Vol. XIV, No. 3

"...Zweig uses his extensive research to great effect in recreating the emotions of the era. He also works in interesting detials baout early hockey rules that will appeal to young fans."

Quill & Quire

"...Zweig uses his extensive research to great effect in recreating the emotions of the era. He also works in interesting detials baout early hockey rules that will appeal to young fans."

Quill & Quire

Long Shot: How the Winnipeg Falcons Won the First Olympic Hockey Gold (Recordbooks)