But They Can't Beat Us: Oscar Robertson and the Crispus Attucks Tigers [Hardcover]

Randy Roberts (Author), Indiana Historical Society (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1999

The Crispus Attucks High School basketball teams of 1955 and 1956 made Indiana basketball history as the first all-black team to win a state championship and then as the first undefeated team ever to win the championship. The story of Oscar RobertsonÂ’s dedication to the game and of the unforgettable AttucksÂ’s teams of the 1950s are told in this inspiring book that brings together race, joy, and achievement during a critical time in Indiana and American history. Published by Sports Publishing Inc. and the Indiana Historical Society.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Randy Roberts is a professor of history at Purdue University. He is the author of Jack Dempsey: The Manassa Mauler and the coauthor, with James S. Olson, of Winning is the Only Thing: Sports in America since 1945. Roberts is also the author of numerous textbooks and edited collections. His most recent books are Heavy Justice: The State of Indiana v. Michael G. Tyson, with J. Gregory Garrison, and John Wayne: American, with James S. Olson.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 219 pages
• Publisher: Sagamore Publishing (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571672575
• ISBN-13: 978-1571672575
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #889,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I write stories that I would like to read, stories about sports and film icons who had an impact on American history. People like John Wayne, Joe Louis, and Muhammad Ali. My most recent book is "A Team for America: The Army-Navy Game That Rallied a Nation." It's the story of a West Point football team during World War II, striving to win a national championship before they shipped off to the battle front. It was their last chance to be boys before the nation demanded that they be men. During the months between D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge the team gave the millions of American soldiers around the world something to celebrate. After their last game General Douglas MacArthur wired Coach Red Blaik, "THE GREATEST OF ALL ARMY TEAMS. WE HAVE STOPPED THE WAR TO CELEBRATE YOUR MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oscar Robertson and the Crispus Attucks Tigers win again, January 1, 2000

By 

Jerry E. Boyd (Indianapolis, Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: But They Can't Beat Us: Oscar Robertson and the Crispus Attucks Tigers (Hardcover)

This book is the story of Crispus Attucks rise to basketball fame despite the prejudical climate in Indiana at the time. There is a history lesson in explaining what prejudice existed and how the Crispus Attucks family dealt with it. The book cronicles the high school story of Oscar Robertson in particular and the Crispus Attuck Tigers from 1950 thru Oscar's final high school game as the number one player on Indiana's all star team vs the Kentucky all star team lead by "King Kelly Coleman". I was an Indianapolis high school resident during this period and can speak for the historical accuracy and emotional insights brought into focus by the author Randy Roberts. For those of you who enjoy basketball, this book is a worth while purchase.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "BUT THEY CAN'T BEAT US" BY RANDY ROBERTS, February 23, 2004

By 

Steven R. Travers (CALIFORNIA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: But They Can't Beat Us: Oscar Robertson and the Crispus Attucks Tigers (Hardcover)

"BUT THEY CAN'T BEAT US" BY RANDY ROBERTS

The 1986 film "Hoosiers", based on the true story of tiny Milan High School's 1954 state championship, told the story of legendary Indiana basketball. Certainly, the state has great tradition, going back to John Wooden and Piggy Lambert, right on up to Rick Mount, Bobby Knight and Larry Bird. Now, Purdue University history professor Randy Roberts tells a little different story about Midwestern sports. The Crispus Attacks High School basketball team from Indianapolis, a team comprised of poor, urban black kids, overcame terrific obstacles to capture for coach Ray Crowe the 1955 and 1956 state titles.
Crowe's talented squad was led by Oscar Robertson, who would go on to a hall of Fame career with the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks. The "Big O" would also capture a Gold Medal at the Rome Olympics'. In '55, Crispus Attucks became the first all-black school to capture a state championship. In '56, they were the first to go undefeated.
Crispus Attucks "helped define and enshrine the Hoosiers' myth by being its negation," according to Roberts. This is an inspiring story of race, joy and achievement during a critical time in this nation's history. While Crispus Attucks was winning on the hardwood, hard-fought civil rights were being won for black people in the Supreme Court (Brown vs. Board of Education). What is often forgotten is that many of the key battlegrounds of the civil rights era were not in the South, but in the North--that is, the Midwest.
Roberts' story of social upheaval, racism and the dawn of a new era in politics centers on a school that was built for blacks. Actually, Crispus Attucks was built so white students would not have to sit next to black students in the 1920s. The school first had to petition the Indiana High School Athletic Association just to compete in the state tournament.
Roberts' also tells how "The Big O" spurned Indiana U. because coach Branch McCracken was said to be a racist. Indiana native John Wooden tried to get him to U.C.L.A. (can you imagine that?), but Oscar envisioned a long bus ride (he was afraid of air planes) and chose Cincinnati instead.
Roberts has written a number of sports history books. In "But They Can't Beat Us", he tells the story of Robertson, a shy kid who shined in athletics. He tells the story of Coach Crowe, who instilled his team with pride and discipline. Through hard work and talent, the Tigers' were able to forge one of the great stories in prep sports history. For fans of high school sports, and particularly Indiana basketball, "But They Can't Beat Us" is a must read.

5.0 out of 5 stars The best high school basketball ever!!!, July 14, 2011

By 

Norman Jones - See all my reviews
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This review is from: But They Can't Beat Us: Oscar Robertson and the Crispus Attucks Tigers (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book because I saw on TV or in person so many of the games this great team particiapted in. As a senior at Marion(IN) high school in 1954 I was lucky to have been at the game when tiny Milan upset favored Muncie Central and inspired the movie Hoosiers. This game seems to often overshadow the state championship games that followed the next two years. These years, 1954-55 and 1955-56, were the years Oscar Robertson led his Crispus Attucks Tigers to two state titles and the last one was undefeated. This great team could make a good argument to be known as the best high school basketball team ever. The book is a factual and exciting read about the journey the team took to reach its greatness. So many people do not realize the racial overtones that this team had to overcome and those events are well described in this informative book. This is a history book as much as a book about a great basketball team. I recommend it highly. Norman Jones, Ed. D. author of Growing Up in Indiana: The Culture & Hoosier Hysteria Revisited and Main St. vs. Wall St.