Haven’t posted in a while since my health issues started.  It’s time. Thinking of my friend Bill, and it has been eating at me this week as I read the Florida Board of Education Standards about teaching our children that “slavery had some benefits”.  Really? That would have been news to Bill’s grandmother…who was sold Read more »

The passing of Coach Myles on May 14 marked 100 years and 10 days since the playing of the very first Negro National League Baseball Game. David Von Drehle has a very nice column in today’s Washington Post (link below) on the elaborate celebrations that Major League Baseball had planned to commemorate the 100th Year Read more »

Today is Juneteenth, and with the Tulsa Race Massacre in the news, I am reminded of Bill, and our telling of the Tulsa story, and how Bill’s father was trapped in that awful chapter of American History. That story is Chapter 3 in Myles Traveled, and simply titled “Greenwood” I came across a column today Read more »

Friends and Our Many Readers It is with heavy heart that I share with you the passing today of Bill Myles.  You may know Bill as the subject of Myles Traveled: Stories of My American Journey, the book we together wrote about his life.  But I knew Bill as a friend. Bill was ill with Read more »

Like all of you, life is different right now.  With lots of time to read, I stumbled across an article yesterday that reminded me 1) of Coach Myles and 2) that with little fanfare this year, Jackie Robinson day has come and gone. Readers of Myles Traveled will know the part that Jackie Robinson played Read more »

I received a text on Sunday evening from Gary Black. Readers of Myles Traveled will remember Gary as the All City quarterback that Bill Myles once kicked off his team for “slacking”. The text was accompanied by a photo of a very young Bill Myles and a very “repentant and reformed” Gary Black, both in Read more »

Not sure what is going on with our publisher’s website.  The website had been down for several months.  If you want to order a book you can contact them at: [email protected] Phone – 305-900-7597

I visited with Coach Myles in his new “Man Cave” last week.  Bill and Lorita have downsized from the family home to a beautiful one floor condo without stairs.  After the stroke, it will make it so much easier.  Every square inch of the walls in Bills new “room” is covered with awards, trophies, pictures.  Read more »

He’s dead.  Those words title the very first story in Chapter 14 of Myles Traveled. Fifty years ago today Coach Myles was driving some of his players home from practice.  They were at the corner of Thirty-First and Indiana, a block from Central High School, in Kansas City Missouri, when word came over the radio.  Read more »

I opened my New York Times today to a story about a modern day Bill Myles.  Suicides, Drug Addiction, and High School Football is a well written but heart retching column by Juliet Macur about football coach Patric Morrison, and today’s challenges of small town Madison, Indiana.  In Coach Myles’ day the disease was racism Read more »

If you watched the Buckeyes Saturday, you know our fearsome defensive line is yet again a pride of the Buckeyes. Doug Lesmerises has an inspiring column in today’s Cleveland Plain Dealer about the greatest source of the strength of that unit.  No, is not the weight room.  Rather that source is defensive line coach Larry Johnson. Read more »

Readers of Myles Traveled well know the important inspiration and trailblazing that Jackie Robinson and the Kansas City Monarchs provided in forming the life of a young Billy Myles in the 1940’s.  Two days from now, on April 15th, all of baseball will wear “42” and celebrate Jackie Robinson Day, commemorating the 70th anniversary of Read more »

There was a lot of history in the room when I spoke to the Summit County OSU Alumni Club this past Tuesday evening in Akron.  It was a long journey for me, but I hope a good time was had by all.  Both the history and the journey parts are fitting though.  As I stood Read more »

April 29, 2016.   Not quite 18 months after Coach Myles’ stroke, and after Doctors removing a one inch blood clot from his brain, and after months and months of relearning to talk and walk and use his extremities, Coach Myles did an amazing thing.  But then I wouldn’t expect anything less from Bill!Coach and I Read more »

In my last post I explained Coach Myles’ road to recovery from his stroke. We reached a huge milestone on that road this past week, when I took Bill to do a Black History program at the Downtown Columbus Federal Building. Coach spoke to a group of about 40 Federal Employees about his life story Read more »

There is another chapter to Myles Traveled, one that some of you may not yet know, and that is still being written.  Now that chapter is coming together it is time to share it.About 14 months ago, the week of OSU’s big win over Wisconsin for the Big ten Championship, Coach Myles was driving to Read more »

I have been quiet on here, but not because things have not been happening with Myles Traveled! On January 30, 2016 the OSU Alumni Association flew me to Orlando Florida, to be featured speaker at annual meeting of the Tri-County OSU Alumni Club. When they asked me to go, I told the Alumni Association that Read more »

Yesterday was one of those balm sunny bluebird sky fall days on which it is good to be alive.  (Especially since I spent 3 days in the hospital last week with a serious viral infection….) I spoke to the Findlay Ohio Kiwanis club yesterday noon and perhaps the high pressure outside carried over to the Read more »

Though fall is not yet in the air (thank goodness!), Buckeye football is here, as is another “season” for Myles Traveled.  Like the Buckeyes, Bill and I are looking for another Championship Year.  We sold the first printing of the book out (wahoo!) and there has been a second press run.  There are stacks of Read more »

Gosh, it seems so long since I posted.  My quietness on here doesn’t mean things aren’t a happening with Myles Traveled, just that it has been a busy time!  The first printing is all but gone and we are working on getting more books.  I have several new testimonials I will share with you in Read more »

Bob Ball is a transplanted Buckeye graduate, from Caldwell  Ohio to Columbia, Missouri.  A die hard Buckeye Fan, he is known as “Buckeye Bob” by those in our agency in the Show Me State.  Having  lived in Missouri for about 20 years however, and with a wife that works at U of Missouri, Bob is Read more »

When I delved into Bill’s story, one of things I brought to the effort was the vision that this should be more than an Ohio State book.  Could we tell Bill’s story in a way that appealed to an audience broader than Ohio Staters?  Could we pull in the American history, the sports history, the Read more »

Sorry that it’s been awhile since a post.   My soil conservation work cleaning up Lake Erie has kept my occupied.   Christmas came, and there was the rush to sign books and get them under Christmas Trees everywhere (including the nice lady who drove 30 miles to my house to pick one up at Read more »

Every author reads with apprehension what an individual writes when a person comments on or reviews the author’s book.  Is it good?  Or is it not?  One needs a thick skin in this business, and Bill and I have that.  But even the thickest of skins love a little tender, warm, gentle massaging now and Read more »

While it won’t fit in a traditional stocking, Myles Traveled makes an enduring gift for that Buckeye still remaining on your shopping list.  Go to the home page on this website and click the link to Barnhardt & Ashe to have one delivered to your door. Or, if you are in my area, you can Read more »

It was a small, but enthusiastic, and appreciative, crowd at the Bluffton, Ohio Community Library reading and discussion of Myles Traveled last Thursday evening.  That’s okay… it made the setting all the more intimate and I love to talk about Coach Myles, and the back story of how the book came about.  Better yet, by Read more »

Now is the perfect time to get all your Buckeye Christmas Shopping done in one easy click.  Go to our home page on this site and hit the get the book link.  a copy can be shipped right to your door.  Better yet come to one of the book signings or contact me in Pandora Read more »

Wow!  Can you ever remember seeing the Buckeye’s put on a more thorough thrashing on a better team in a bigger game than Saturday’s Big Ten Championship!  Wow!   I am still in shock. So were Mark Kunz and Mike Miller, in the wee hours of the morning in a deserted Lucas Oil Stadium, as they Read more »

As Mark Kunz and Mike Miller stood in a deserted Ohio Stadium Saturday after the Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines, well it only seemed fitting to talk about Buckeye Victories over the Team Up North.  This weeks video deals with the blocked punt and the Urban legend – That is who the media reported blocked a Read more »

Well it’s here.  Michigan week!  We devote an entire chapter to The Rivalry in Myles Traveled. In”Tick Tock of The Michigan Clock” Coach Myles explores what it means to be on the inside of the OSU Locker Room during Michigan week.  If you have read the book, you know Coach Myles has a long affiliation Read more »

Received this email today from Curtis Townsell who asked me to post his kudos for the book: What a wonderful story of the journey of the friend I played ball with in high school. True to his character Bill had nothing but positive things to say about the personalities that crossed his well traveled path. Read more »

I lost a good friend and the Buckeyes lost a good fan this week with the passing of Harry Slawter.  Harry lost a long and courageous six-year battle with ALS.  I mention Harry because this friend and good man played an important part in the incubation of Myles Traveled.  Bill and I had just finished Read more »

American Dream Real for Former Coach, Administrator is the title of the full page book review of Myles Traveled that appeared on page 21 in the November 15 issue of Buckeye Sports Bulletin. “Bill Myles has packed a lot of living into nearly eight decades, and that life lived in full is chronicled by the Read more »

I have never met Annie-Marie Garraway, but a quick Google search turned up she is a renowned mathematician.  Apparently numbers aren’t the only thing she knows, as she left a very nice review of the book on the publisher’s website.  Thank You Annie!   Whether or not you are an avid sports fan, whether or Read more »

The Friday night before the big MSU win, I was doing a book signing with 1500 rabid Buckeye fans at the OSUMB Band Concert in Lakeside at Marblehead.  It was a rocking good time and a great prelude to the big win at Spartan Stadium.  On top of that, I found out that Brutus likes Read more »

This week’s WOSN installment of Myles Traveled is about the “Young Pups”, those three graduate assistants on the staff when Bill Myles was with Coach Bruce:  Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, and Nick Saban.  Talk about a stable of future thoroughbred coaches!  That’s the message of this weeks video clips.  Check it out aand learn about Read more »

It’s Sunday morning and I’ve read (and reread) every news story I could find on the Buckeye’s dismantling of the nationally renowned Spartan Defense last night!  How sweet it is to relish and relive such a statement victory.  Wonder now if this team will get the respect it deserves?  The papers are all describing it Read more »

Yours truly will be signing copies of Myles Traveled at the OSU Marching Band Concert in Lakeside on Friday evening, Nov 7th.  The Best Damn Band In The Land  usually performs a concert on it’s way to one of “Those Games Up North”.  This year the concert will be sponsored by the Ottawa County Alumni Read more »

Myles Traveled recently made the November Issue of the Intercollegiate Football Researchers Association Newsletter.  The IFRA, as it is known by, is a nationwide organization of more than 500 football historians  who research and write history of college football.   Ohio’s own Bob Stevenson, a Buckeye “Super Fan” and football history buff submitted a review to Read more »

  Yours truly was interviewed this week about Myles Traveled by Mike Miller, on 1460 WIMA Radio in Lima Ohio.  Part one ran this morning and part two will air later.  Click the interview part I below to open Windows Media player and listen to Mike Miller and Steve Davis talk about the story of Read more »

Mark Kunz has this week’s Buckeye Insider interview  with Coach Myles now posted on YouTube.  It was filmed very late Saturday night in a deserted and deflated Beaver Stadium, right after the Buckeyes took all the air out of those white balloons and pom poms in the double OT win. Coach talks about how he Read more »

This coming Saturday will be a big day for Myles Traveled.  Received a message yesterday from the producers of Game Time with Urban Meyer.  They were working on the edits and as of now, the book  segment and interview with Coach Myles is scheduled to air this Saturday (Penn State week).  Game Time with Urban Read more »

Mark Kunz  of WTLW-TV 44.1/WOSN 44.2 has this weeks Myles Traveled Video Segment posted.  You note that because of last week’s rain they filmed inside The Ohio Stadium.  Click on the link below learn the reasoning behind: Please Don’t Call It the ‘Shoe While you are at it, if you are in the West Ohio Read more »

Anyone from Xenia, Ohio, has heard of the novel of that name written by Helen Hooven Santmeyer. Helen wrote her 1300 page fictional Ladies of the Club, a novel about Xenia, her – and my – hometown, by hand on bookkeeping ledger paper. It was published in 1982 and sold a few hundred copies, gaining Read more »

Pretty sure I have found both the oldest and the youngest readers of Myles Traveled. Last week I took a copy to our dear family friend Esther. Now Esther will be 100 years old next March. Late Friday evening I visited the nursing home where she now resides, to take her a copy of the Read more »

Last Saturday was a good day! After watching the Buckeye’s handily dispatch Maryland (Am I the only one that thinks their helmets were even uglier than the ones with the yellow wings on the front?), Jenny and I were off to a party. Actually it was a wedding reception given by some friends for their Read more »

Well the WBNS 10 TV Interview didn’t make the Urban Meyer Game Day Show last Saturday. Of course with the bye week, there is no show this weekend, so look for the segment maybe Saturday morning of the Rutgers game.   You can still see Coach on TV though.  I am a little tardy getting Read more »

It’s been a good day!  First Bill Livingston paid Myles Traveled a nice compliment in the Cleveland Plain Dealer ( see post below).  But I think an even better endorsement came from Jenny’s friend Karen.  Now Livingston is a sports writer by trade.  He lives and dies sports talk.  So I would have expected him Read more »

Bill Livingston, Cleveland Plain Dealer Sports Columnist, has been covering the Buckeye Football Beat longer than I have been born.  Well, probably not that long, but Bill has been at it a long time.  So when someone as experienced, and respected, as Bill, writes kind things about Myles Traveled  it makes one sit up and Read more »

One of the topics of this tab is “In The News”.   Myles Traveled is “In The Lima News” this morning. Our local  Lima News Sportswriter Jim Naveau ran a nice story about the book and my working with Coach Myles.  You can view the story at:     Lima News  – OSU’s Myles subject of Pandora Read more »

One little superstitions Coach Myles and Urban Meyer have is the left hand side of the page deal at the locker room entrance when the team comes over from the skull session.  You need to read the book to understand the significance of that, but Mark Kunz gives you a little teaser in this weeks Read more »

Jenny and I have Cincinnati tickets, so we will be heading for the Horseshoe tomorrow afternoon. As we have done every home game this season, Bill and I will be roaming the Stadium perimeter and the tailgate parties, passing out business cards and talking to folks about Myles Traveled, and taking pictures with people! We Read more »

Coach’s wrist has to be hurting tonight because he sure signed a lot of books today! It started this morning at the Woody Hayes facility. Woody’s 1964 team is in town for its 50th reunion and had an event this morning at the Woody Hayes.  After reading Myles Traveled, Greg Lashutka, tight end and Captain Read more »

I don’t ask friends how they like the book. I figure if they do, they will tell me, and if they don’t like it, well I don’t want to put them in an uncomfortable position. So when I got the below unsolicited email yesterday, from a friend and former co-worker (who I haven’t talked to Read more »

Interest in the book continues to grow! Tuesday Afternoon, September 23rd, found Bill and me in the WBNS TV Channel 10 studios in Columbus, with WBNS sportscaster Dom Tiberi. Dom taped a long interview with Bill about his life story and about the book. As we understand it right now, the interview will air as Read more »

One of the early and strong supporters of this project was Mark Kunz, Asst. Sports Director, WTLW/WOSN TV-44, Lima, Ohio. Mark read our very early drafts and provided helpful commentary and valuable edits. It seemed only natural then, that we granted him the very first media interview. On Thursday, July 21, 2014 Bill, Lorita, and Read more »

It only seemed fitting. O-H. The Universal Buckeye Greeting. If you have read the post below, you are aware of the book launch at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Actually, though, the first sale occurred before that event even started. It is a story only that could only happen in Buckeye Land. As the saying Read more »

July 19, 2014, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Kansas City, Missouri: It all started in Kansas City. Thus, that seemed a fitting place to launch the book. On Saturday afternoon, Bill and Lorita set up in the Lobby of The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Don Motley, Bill’s baseball coach and first Executive Director of the Negro Read more »

Welcome to the Myles Traveled Website Blog. As the book gets legs, in the coming weeks and months we will be using this space to share with our readers updates on Coach Bill Myles story and the book – Myles Traveled: Stories of My American Journey. Look for event announcements, links to Myles Traveled “In Read more »