During his twenty-seven-year tenure with the Chargers, beloved equipment manager Sid Brooks kept more than 5,000 football players from appearing naked before their cheering fans. The first African American to hold the job of equipment manager in the NFL, Brooks was tasked with seeing that each player left the locker room in uniform. But the means to that end was far more complicated—and outrageous—than one would believe.

In Tales from the Chargers Sideline, Sid recounts stories unique to a life spent working behind the scenes in the Chargers locker room. He features stories about Chargers greats like Dan Fouts, Charlie Joiner, Kellen Winslow, Louie Kelcher, John Jefferson, Rodney Harrison, and Junior Seau. With an eye for detail, he recounts tales of spies sent out to capture the opposing team’s playbooks; the night the lights went out on Don Shula; wild cab rides; the zany pregame rituals and idiosyncrasies; rivalries born not on the playing field, but at the dominoes table; and plenty of pranks and good-natured ribbing.

Brimming with hilarity, insight, and fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, Tales from the Chargers Sideline is a must-read for every Chargers devotee.

Sid Brooks, a retired Air Force senior master sergeant who served his last duties in the military in Vietnam and the Air Force Academy, was the equipment manager of the San Diego Chargers from 1973 to 2000. Known throughout the league as “Doc,” he sat at the draft table for the Chargers during the NFL draft from 1990 to 2000. He passed away in 2007.

 

Gerri Brooks is the widow of Sid Brooks. She is the author of Love Potion (2006). She lives in San Diego, California.