By any measure, Alameda athlete Paul Yazolino has enjoyed an absolutely remarkable multisport career with highlights that include a silver medal at the 1967 National Powerlifting Championships, a 1979 Mr. USA Masters Bodybuilding title and a first-place finish in the 500-meter competition at the 1996 World Masters Sprint Cycling Championships.
Yazolino further challenged himself on his 45th birthday in 1983 by climbing San Francisco’s famed Lombard Street while carrying a 308-pound barbell on his shoulders and on his 50th birthday in 1988 by pedaling a bicycle up Mount Diablo in less than an hour. Though these achievements garnered much attention and adulation, very few knew of Yazolino’s lifelong struggles with depression and anxiety.
Yazolino now shares his story in “Unlikely Champion: The Paul Yazolino Story,” a new book he co-authored with author and fellow Alameda native James Francis McGee. Yazolino details his life’s journey in the book, beginning as a shy child growing up on Alameda’s Regent Street.
Unlike current times when mental health concerns have come to the forefront, Yazolino grew up in an era when they largely were ignored, dismissed or ridiculed. Encouragement for writing the story began with Dr. Danny Goldstine, the Berkeley Therapy Institute’s chief psychologist (who wrote the book’s foreword).
“For about 10 years, I have been involved with Dr. Goldstine, who told me, ‘I want you to write your life story, including your struggles,’ ” Yazolino said.
So Yazolino did that, but it just took a while to get it finished. It also was about a decade ago when Yazolino got to know McGee, who, like Yazolino, grew up in Alameda as the middle of three brothers (Yazolino graduated from Alameda High School in 1957 and McGee in 1982).
At the time, McGee was putting together the first of his “Alameda Legends” series of books. McGee asked Yazolino — who was among those featured in one of the earlier books — to write the foreword. Though not a wordsmith by his own admission, Yazolino agreed.
“I needed somebody impressive to write the foreword,” McGee said. “Paul said, ‘I’d like to write my life’s story, and I’d like to have you help me with it.’ ”
McGee and Yazolino actually had an indirect connection years before when McGee coached one of Yazolino’s sons, Gary, in freshman football at Alameda High in the 1980s. But by the time Yazolino inquired about writing the book, McGee — a teacher by profession — was busy with his work and other writing projects. When McGee ultimately got together with Yazolino, though, both said they found the project worthwhile and satisfying.
“(Paul) was very grateful,” McGee said. “I told him it was one of the most memorable projects I had ever done.”
“James’s experience as a teacher motivated me,” Yazolino added. “I’m not that good at writing, so he took what I was saying and had the instinctive ability to put it on the page.”
As the authors intended, readers will likely find the book very inspiring. Perhaps beyond the intent of both authors, many also might have a six-degrees-of-separation experience when reading the book, as Yazolino describes his life, especially in connection to Alameda and neighboring communities too. Moreover, many might find parallels to Yazolino’s story in their own lives, whether with themselves, family members, friends, at work, at school or in other social settings.
“We would like to get this into high schools, middle schools, with teachers and counselors,” McGee said. “In a perfect world, we would have some psychology professors add it to their supplemental reading lists — that’s our goal.”
Other future possibilities are a Spanish-language version of the book, maybe a children’s version, even a graphic version for those younger readers. Whatever the future holds, Yazolino’s story is one of dedication, diligence, staying focused, setting goals and working to attain them. It'[s a narrative of overcoming obstacles, of pushing oneself to greater heights literally (as was the case with Lombard Street and Mount Diablo) and figuratively. The book is well worth reading.
Mike McGreehan is a former sports writer for the Bay Area News Group who especially enjoys soccer and baseball.
FYI
Book signings will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Aug. 13 in the Beanery Coffee Company at 1650 Park St. in Alameda and at a time yet to be determined Oct. 21 at the Alameda Theatre.
“Unlikely Champion: The Paul Yazolino Story” is available on Amazon at bayareane.ws/yazolinobook. More about Yazolino and the book can also be heard on a podcast (bayareane.ws/yazolinopodcast) featuring McGee discussing the book with the host, Alamedan Steve Taddei.
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