Thomas Martinelli & Michael Mentzer

press release: An Edgewood High School football history book has been created to benefit the Edgewood Athletic Department and the football program in particular. The book was written and produced by Thomas Martinelli and Michael Mentzer, members of the Edgewood Class of 1967 and teammates on George Chryst’s first team as head coach in 1966.

The official launch of the book will occur at 3 p.m. Saturday, August 27, in the Edgewood High School Commons. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the book launch.

Martinelli and Mentzer have been involved in writing and producing history books on other topics in their respective careers. More than 120 hours of face-to-face interviews were conducted with former players, coaches and supporters of the football program and more than 30 written questionnaires have been received from former players and administrators. Countless historical documents, statistics, game reports and photos have been assembled into a 360 page book, 12 chapters illustrated with 225 photos, and a detailed Appendix and documentation.

The book will encompass Edgewood football history from its first year in 1927, under the direction of Coach Willis Jones, through the Earl Wilke era and his 37 seasons at the football helm, and continuing until the present time and the era of longtime Coach Al Minnaert.

The book is a compelling history of Edgewood football that will provide financial benefit to the Edgewood football program for years to come. The authors stress that it is a much larger and more important story than records, statistics and the game of football. It encompasses history of the Edgewood site itself, life lessons, unbreakable bonds of teammates and Dominican core values that have unified the Edgewood community throughout its 135-year history.