Worst to First: Or a 'Shock'ing Tale of Women's Basketball in Motown [Paperback]

Vince Prygoski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 24, 2006

It Was A Truly "Shock"ing Turnaround! From worst record in the league to WNBA champions...this was the history making achievement of the 2003 Detroit Shock. Led by great players like Swin Cash, Ruth Riley, Deanna Nolan and Cheryl Ford, and coached by Detroit Piston legend Bill Laimbeer, the Shock knocked off the defending champions from Los Angeles in a thrilling three game championship final. This book tells the entire history of the Shock through the 2003 season, and also includes general background information on women's basketball.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Vince Prygoski grew up in Wyandotte, Michigan, then attended Central Michigan University and the University of Michigan. He is currently a librarian at the University of Michigan-Flint.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Women’s professional basketball in the United States has come a long way from the late 1970s’ Women’s Basketball League to today’s WNBA, just as women’s sports in general have reached ever greater heights. The "worst to first" journey of the Detroit Shock is one specific story within the larger saga. The dedication, perseverance, and hard work of the 2003 Shock can be seen as a microcosm of the broader struggle of women athletes for more acceptance, recognition, and respect. By their extraordinary deeds, the 2003 Shock made the sports world take notice of them, and helped to take women’s pro basketball to another level. For this they will always have a special place in the hearts of all who are proud to call themselves fans of women’s sports!

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Outskirts Press (February 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598002767
• ISBN-13: 978-1598002768
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,231,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A Little Of That Motor City Magic, February 17, 2007

By 

Bicycle Day - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Worst to First: Or a 'Shock'ing Tale of Women's Basketball in Motown (Paperback)

After the tumultuous 2002 season, where the club was in national publications like Sports Illustrated for all the wrong reasons, the Detroit Shock basically had nowhere to go but up in the standings.

Instead of one of those cliche-ridden rebuilding years in 2003, the Shock had one of those remarkable runs that culminated with a WNBA championship, defeating the Los Angeles Sparks in a three game series.

In a brief, yet thorough chronicle of the season, author Vince Prygoski demonstrates how the Shock captivated a region that loves pro basketball. To celebrate the title, an industrial gas holding tank near I-75 was painted like a basketball with the Shock logo.

Under the leadership of coach Bill Laimbeer, the team had a little bit of the swagger from the Pistons' Bad Boys era of Isiah, Vinnie, Dennis and Joe with a nucleus consisting of 2004 Olympian Swin Cash, Finals MVP Ruth Riley, Deanna Nolan and rookie of the year Cheryl Ford. To win the Eastern Conference crown, Detroit defeated Cleveland and Connecticut.

The Sparks won game one by 12 points and seemed in control during a tight game two. Some late heroics at the free-throw line by Nolan, who smoothly drained free throws late in the contest, gave the Shock an exciting 62-61 victory. Detroit won the third game 83-78.

What made it all satisfying was it demonstrated how a true team with a great leader can cap a successful regular season with a storybook ending.

4.0 out of 5 stars You'll Get Caught Up in the Enthusiasm, July 9, 2006

By 

stephanie loveless "stephanie loveless" (Detroit Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Worst to First: Or a 'Shock'ing Tale of Women's Basketball in Motown (Paperback)

Sports fans and women's history buffs will both enjoy author Vince Prygoski's latest: "Worst To First (A 'Shocking' Tale of Women's Basketball In Motown)." The book presents the story of the Detroit Shock, and the amazing turnaround of the women's basketball team who went from last place to league champions in the course of two seasons.

Those interested in how women have advanced themselves in U.S. society over the last 100 years will appreciate the difficulties faced by female pioneers to take their place in professional sports, as Prygoski provides a quick history of women's basketball in the U.S. Personally, i wish the book had gone into much greater detail about this subject.

The book primarily caters to sports afficionados. Prygoski provides game-by-game coverage of several seasons as the Detroit Shock start off with a jolt, lose their footing, and then come back with a roar in the 2003 Season when they swept the championship. In the final chapter, Prygoski switches to announcer-mode, and gives play-by-play coverage of the most important games. As one who is primarily interested in
women's history, i still found myself caught up in the enthusiasm.

The book is a brief 72 pages, but it is a fun and fascinating read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast Moving and Entertaining, May 12, 2006

By 

Brian Hill "Co-Author of THE MAKING OF A BEST... - See all my reviews

This review is from: Worst to First: Or a 'Shock'ing Tale of Women's Basketball in Motown (Paperback)

With the enthusiasm of a devoted fan and the keen eye for detail of a seasoned journalist, Vince Prygoski takes us along on an amazing journey with the Detroit Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), which in 2003 achieved the remarkable feat of going from cellar dweller to League Champion in just one year.

Vince Prygoski's writing style is reminiscent of the great Dick Schaap's, in his books about the Green Bay Packers' championship years. Both authors have a good feel for the ebb and flow of a long season in pro sports, how it is a test of endurance and will as much as of athletic talent.

Vince shows us all the pieces that have to fall into place-involving both hard work and a lot of luck-in order for a team to be able to make such an amazing turnaround. He also places his story in the larger context of the determined struggle of women's professional sports to gain recognition, media attention, and fan support, including a brief history of women's pro basketball leagues.

This fast moving, crisply written book makes an entertaining addition to any basketball fan's library, or anyone interested in the history of women's pro sports.

--written by Brian Hill, author of the pro football novel OVER TIME