March to Madness: The Ultimate Fan's Trivia Book [Paperback]

Allen Zullo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2007

When hearts start thumping in March throughout America, it’s not because it’s spring, but because it’s time once again to crown a victor among the elite college basketball teams. College b-ball has finally netted the prestige of other sports by hosting a tournament every bit as exhilarating to behold as the run-up and playing of the Super Bowl. We all know it’s a spectator event with a huge audience-nearly 142 million viewers watched the games in 2005. What’s completely unknown are the many stories, anecdotes, and trivia collected here by Allan Zullo, the king of sports facts and author of over 80 books. Only someone with Allan’s access could bring home all the funny, sad, and poignant drama that’s unfolded both on and off the court during the annual spectacular. The book also features unique profiles of the game’s most courageous as well as its zaniest characters. From his insider’s vantage point, Allan has created a unique compendium that will launch a million office trivia events and delight sports fans everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Allan Zullo is the author of Amazing But True Golf Facts, which has been in print for 20 years. His Sports Hall of Shame was part of a series that sold over two million copies. He also produced The Basketball Hall of Fame video for ABC. Zullo lives in Fairview, North Carolina.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Running Press (February 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762429690
• ISBN-13: 978-0762429691
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,239,483 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, Interesting Trivia, June 30, 2011

By 

K.A.Goldberg (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: March to Madness: The Ultimate Fan's Trivia Book (Paperback)

Author Allan Zullo has compiled over 100 interesting stories and tidbits from various NCAA tournaments between the first one in 1939 and the 2006 event. Readers begin by learning about the first tournament in Northwestern University's Patten Gym when Oregon defeated Ohio State 46-33 in front of hundreds of attendees (including Dr. James Naismith, who invented basketball 48 years earlier). Then in no particular order we learn of many other exciting tournaments and games, stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Gail Goodrich, and Patrick Ewing, and coaches like Adolph Rupp, Bobbie Knight, John Wooden, Al McGuire, etc. There are also famous upsets, unexpected blowouts, lucky bounces, and quite a few games that went down to the wire. We even learn that the term "March Madness" came from the Illinois State High School tournament, and the licensing proceeds today are shared between that organization and the NCAA.

The author avoids controversial issues like ever-increasing money, lucrative coaching salaries (while performing players go unpaid), point-shaving, and academic scandal - solid material for a different book. These pages concentrate on the on-floor excitement, and definitely capture the reader. This is a very interesting, nicely readable effort.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fun book!, April 4, 2009

By 

Marc R (NH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: March to Madness: The Ultimate Fan's Trivia Book (Kindle Edition)

Lotsa fun and interesting tidbits....this is so well researched.
I am not huge NCAA basketball fan so this was such good fun to read!