Review: From the Outhouse to the Penthouse: The Football Journey of Hall of Famer Larry Little

 by John Turney 

The title of Joe Zagorski’s new book From the Outhouse to the Penthouse: The Football Journey of Hall of Famer Larry Little, perfectly captures the remarkable life arc of Hall of Fame guard Larry Little. From humble and often harsh beginnings in rural Georgia and in Maimi—where poverty was so deep that an outhouse was part of daily life—Little rose to become one of the NFL’s dominant offensive linemen of the 1970s and a cornerstone of the Miami Dolphins’ championship teams.

Overlooked by most major colleges after high school, Little developed at Bethune-Cookman University, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers, and was later traded to the Dolphins. In Miami, he anchored the offensive line from 1970 to 1981, earning All-Pro honors, powering the legendary perfect 1972 season, and helping deliver two Super Bowl victories.

Zagorski fills the book with vivid on-field detail: the Dolphins’ dominant running game, Little's exceptional quickness and power at guard, and the respect he earned from teammates like Bob Griese and opponents like "Mean" Joe Greene. The heart of the story, however, is the character-driven narrative. The book covers Little's humble football beginnings, from being a chubby novice to working his way up to a starter on his high school varsity team and earning a chance to play college football at Bethune-Cookman, where he'd also coach two decades later.

Anecdotes of how Little stood firm on his rookie contract to make sure he got more than most undrafted free agents and more than most when he was regularized to the taxi squad as a rookie. It also documents Don Shula's "four-a-day" practices in 1970, which are credited with the Dolphins' turnaround from an also-ran to back-to-back NFL champions.

With a foreword by Griese and powerful quotes from legends like Larry Csonka—"He was going to be the first one up the hill… come hell or high water"—the book highlights Little’s perseverance, self-improvement, reliability, toughness, and quiet leadership.

At a well-paced 340 pages, the book chronicles the full journey of one of the Dolphins' all-time great offensive linemen: an undrafted player who went from overlooked prospect to Pro Football Hall of Famer (inducted in 1993). It also covers his post-playing career, including coaching at the college and with the World League of American Football.

This is Zagorski’s sixth NFL book. He previously wrote biographies of Bill Bradley and Willie Lanier, as well as titles on the 1972 Green Bay Packers, O.J. Simpson’s record 1973 season, and the NFL in the 1970s. As with his earlier works, From the Outhouse to the Penthouse is thoroughly researched with detailed endnotes, with seven pages of photos, and is an engaging and fun read.

Highly recommended for fans of 1970s football, the Miami Dolphins, or inspiring stories of overcoming long odds.

Grade: A

About the author:

Joe Zagorski is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Pro Football Researchers Association. His biography of former Philadelphia Eagles free safety Bill Bradley is his fifth book. It is published by Highlander Press out of Baltimore, Maryland. 

 Zagorski is also the coordinator of the Facebook page The NFL in the 1970s.

All of Zagorski’s pro football books are available on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites

• The NFL in the 1970s: Pro Football's Most Important Decade
• Free Spirit at Free Safety: The Incredible (but True!) Football Journey of Bill Bradley
• The 2,003-Yard Odyssey: The Juice, The Electric Company, and an Epic Run for a Record
• The Year the Packers Came Back: Green Bay's 1972 Resurgence
• America's Trailblazing Middle Linebacker: The Story of NFL Hall of Famer Willie Lanier
• Free Spirit at Free Safety: The Incredible (but True!) Football Journey of Bill Bradley