THE REAL-LIFE BASIS FOR "BRIAN'S SONG": FIRST EDITION, INSCRIBED BY GALE SAYERS

(COSBY, Bill). SAYERS, Gale [with] SILVERMAN, Al. I Am Third. New York: The Viking Press, (1970). Octavo, original half black cloth, original dust jacket. $850.

Autobiography of the legendary Chicago Bears halfback boldly inscribed on the half title, "Best Wishes, Gale Sayers"—the youngest person ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"A stirring, painfully honest account of his struggle to become the greatest running back in history and that agonizing moment between immortality and becoming a cripple" (New York Times Book Review). The chapter recounting Sayers's relationship with teammate Brian Piccolo became the basis for the beloved TV movie Brian's Song (starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams in the 1971 version, and Sean Maher and Mekhi Phifer in the 2001 remake). Illustrated with eight pages of black-and-white photographs, with an introduction by Bill Cosby.

Paper clip marks to upper margins of a few pages; dust jacket with minimal rubbing to spine extremities. A near-fine inscribed copy, scarce as such.