From Publishers Weekly
Campbell, who also edited Grass Roots and Schoolyards , here gathers together an uneven collection of articles about high school basketball in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. In those states, more than any others, he observes, the sport is an integral part of life, especially in small towns, and has been such for more than half a century. Among the interesting pieces are Mike Eisenbath's "Every Day Is Sunday," about Teutopolis, Ill., where basketball is the fundamental unifying element in the community; "The Stereotype," by Frank Deford, about Hoosier star Rick Mount, a self-effacing athlete of great talent; and "The Miracle of Milan," about a "Cinderella" team of 1954 that served as the model for the film Hoosiers . There are mundane discussions of successful coaches, players who did well in secondary school but failed in college, and cage Davids slaying Goliaths.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Nadel and Campbell have produced similar books of basketball lore. Nadel has examined numerous sources and brings together 130 stories, ranging from tales of heroes such as George Mikan and Bob Pettit to stories of great teams, such as the Buffalo Germans and the Boston Celtics. Covering all levels of the sport and all regions, Illinky is an entertaining compendium of basketball lore that should help raise the consciousness of all fans. Campbell's book presents 30 stories, mostly on high school players and teams from America's "hotbed" of basketball: Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. These stories, many reprinted from newspapers and magazines, include tales about gifted players, dedicated coaches, and Cinderella teams--even the Indiana team which inspired the movie Hoosiers . While these books reveal nothing unexpected about the sport, they do provide interesting and often heartwarming profiles of the players, coaches, and teams from basketball's past. Recommended for general and YA readers and public and secondary school libraries.
- Cindy Faries, Pennsylvania State Univ. Lib., University Park
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- Cindy Faries, Pennsylvania State Univ. Lib., University Park
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
