Customer Reviews

Duke: Memorable Stories of Blue Devil Basketball (Game of My Life)

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Good book by Al Featherston, but I doubt other fans will appreciate it. Of course being a Duke alum, I don't care. For Duke fans that have a sense of the long history of Duke basketball, it is an interesting read.

Featherston has one of the better writing styles of the writers that follow the Devils. With many other books, I often feel like I am reading a sports page column. Featherston usually puts more into his writing, and it shows again here.

The book is made up of chapters, each one done by a former Duke player. There is no linking between chapters, each one is about 10 pages and is inclusive within itself. There is a Featherston summary of the player, then a lead up to the game of their lives. There is a first person section about the game, then it goes back to Featherston with an aftermath and small write up of where the player is now. The first person accounts are fairly short, never more than a couple of pages, and some just a few paragraphs.

Most of the major Duke stars over the past ~50 years are here. Some notable exceptions are Tate Armstrong, Steve Vacendak, Vince Taylor, JJ Redick, Tommy Amaker, Grant Hill and Elton Brand. Being an '85 grad, I would have loved to have read the account by Taylor of the '82 game vs. Clemson (Duke won in 3 OTs, led by Taylor). But then again, it's not like anyone in the book isn't worthy of inclusion.

In any case, here is a list of the players and their games:

Wojo - vs. UNC, 28 Feb 98
Marin - vs. Kentucky, 18 Mar 66 (the only loss in the book, I believe)
Heyman, vs. UNC, 4 Feb 61 (the fight game)
Mullins, vs. 'Nova, 13 Mar 64
Melchionni, vs. Maryland, 3 Feb 73
Banks. Guess. You're right.
Dawkins, vs. Miss. Valley State, 13 Mar 86
Alarie, vs. UNC, 10 Mar 84
Ferry, vs. Miami, 10 Dec 88
Battier, vs. Arizona, 2 Apr 01
Laettner. Guess. You're right.
Gminski - vs. UNC, 14 Jan 78
Groat - vs. UNC, 29 Feb 52
Lind. Guess. You're right.
King - vs. Temple, 26 Mar 88
Sheldon Williams - vs. Maryland, 11 Jan 06
Hurley - vs. UNLV. Guess which one. You're right.
Carrawell - vs. NC State, 19 Jan 00
Jason Williams. Guess. You're right.

Sorry, this was a dull, self serving diatribe by a sports writer obviously catering to Coach K.