Seahawks great Mack Strong coming to LCC for book signing, spaghetti feed
Saturday, November 15, 2008 5:09 PM PST
By Rick McCorkle
Printable version
E-mail this articleWhen Mack Strong joined the Seattle Seahawks in 1993 as an undrafted free-agent fullback, he was a powerful lead blocker who opened holes for such All-Pro running backs as Chris Warren, Ricky Watters and Shaun Alexander.
Strong was the unheralded leader of the Seahawks’ offense until his retirement in 2007, and is the subject of the book “Unsung Heroes — The Mack Strong Story,” written by Toutle Lake High School graduate Curt Simmons.
Strong and Simmons will meet fans during a free book signing from 2 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday in the Lower Columbia College Student Center.
The book is the latest offering from Simmons, who also wrote “Small-Town Heroes,” which examined life in Darrington, a small town in northern Washington, and its boys basketball team that won the state championship under Simmons’ father, LaVerne Simmons, in 1955 and ’57.
Simmons has written spiritual books including “The Unveiling” and “The Revealer,” along with a book of poetry titled “Ode to the Old Testament.”
He earned an associate’s degree from Lower Columbia College in 1980 and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Western Washington in 1982. Simmons later entered into full-time ministry work in 1983 and has led churches in Lincoln, Neb., Cincinnati, St. Louis, Bellingham, Portland, San Diego, Denver, Los Angeles and Chicago. He’s currently on staff at the Chicago Church of Christ, which has a congregation of 2,500.
“He (Simmons) decided to write this book about unsung heroes and people that kind of fit in that category, like teachers and policemen and service people, like those who serve in the military,” Strong told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer newspaper during a book signing party in his hometown.
“People that don’t get a lot of credit, but they do a lot of the dirty work and behind-the-scenes stuff,” Strong added. “I think he wanted to use my story to delve into those different professions.”
Strong’s career, family life and future goals are examined in the book.
“The book has a lot to do with me and my life. I’m kind of the central focus of it,” Strong said. “But it talks about other people as well. My friend Curt, the author, usually writes a lot of spiritual books. He goes to a sister church of ours in Chicago and I’ve read many of his spiritual books. I’ve always been inspired by them.”
The book can also be ordered online at www.curtsbooks.com
In addition to the book signing, which is open to fans, Strong will be the guest speaker at the annual LCC Athletics Spaghetti Feed and basketball Red/White Scrimmage, which will also be held on Wednesday.
The spaghetti feed costs $7 per person, and is free to all LCC Booster Club members. For reservations, call 442-2471. The Red/White Scrimmage is free and will be held in Myklebust Gym following the spaghetti feed.
The women’s scrimmage tips off at 7 p.m., followed by the men’s scrimmage at about 8 p.m.
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