George Varnell: The Life and Times of a Pioneering Sportsman is a meticulous biography that illustrates the life of a star athlete, groundbreaking Gonzaga University basketball coach, record-setting Rose Bowl referee, and renowned sportswriter whose unheralded life story appeals to sports fans as well as those who are intrigued by the impressive power of the humble human spirit. Varnell was:

• A two-event competitor at America’s first Olympics in 1904
• University of Chicago running back under Hall of Fame coach Amos Alonzo “A.A.” Stagg
• The first-ever basketball coach at Gonzaga University, and an early football coach at the Spokane school
• Referee of a record eight Rose Bowl games in Pasadena
• Sports editor of The Spokane (Wash.) Daily Chronicle
• Sports editor at The Seattle Times
• University of Washington crew reporter, whose coverage included the gold medal-winning “Boys in the Boat”