If leaving the world a better place is one way of measuring human achievement, then Edward P. Hurt was a great man by any standard. As a coach, his influence upon an entire generation of black athletes is so enormous as to defy calculation. Hundreds of young men will testify that he was the single most important person in their lives.both on and off the playing field. His oft quote remark, “Run from there” was an imperative to performance and excellence that exceeded a young man’s expectations of himself. The arrival of the black athlete on the national sports scene in the 1940s and 50s goes directly back to Edward P. Hurt. There is not a single black sports figure in the world today who is not in some small way in the debt of Coach Hurt. And to the extent that Hurt helped to break down racial barriers, our entire country owes him a huge debt of gratitude. We are a better nation now because of him. And we are also grateful to author Herman Wade. This biography is written with respect and passion, and it is a wonderful tribute to Coach Hurt.