Hold 'em, Wyndham!

About this book

"Hold 'Em, Wyndham!" by Ralph Henry Barbour is a schoolboy sports novel written in the early 20th century. It centers on the Wyndham School football team as they train, bond, and chase an ambitious, possibly undefeated season under the hard-driving coach “G. G.” Otis. The story follows players like Clif Bingham and his friend Tom Kemble, mixing gridiron strategy with dorm life, humor, and loyal friendship, all building toward the rivalry with Wolcott.

The opening of the story finds Clif summoned by Coach Otis, who hints at shifting him from end to tackle and sketches a tough schedule that demands relentless work. Clif reunites with Tom amid comic antics at the station, the boys settle into their new room, and we meet their circle, including the witty, wheelchair-bound Loring Deane and his devoted attendant, Wattles. Early practices are sweltering and then stern, with Otis’s blunt speech setting the tone; the first game against Freeburg High turns into a ragged, often humorous affair, while Clif struggles to learn tackle play. Between plans for a modest dorm “housewarming,” Clif reconnects with his former roommate Walt and befriends Lemuel John Parks, a shy, outsized newcomer from Wyoming, signaling new alliances as the season begins.