Basketball Books

ýMickey Mantle Day in Amsterdamý is another gem from the pen of Jim LaBate, author of the tender ýLetýs Go Gaelsý. Once again, the author draws on his love of sports and the fond recollections of his childhood to evoke a bygone era, the pre-video era of wholesome heroes and hot summer afternoons when kids everywhere swarmed the baseball diamonds, gear in hand, and every patch of grass was its own field of dreams.

The generous heart of this story beats loudest and strongest in the young narratorýs exuberant admiration and respect for the singularly great Mickey Mantle and in the vicarious joy the reader experiences as twelve-year-old Jumboýs ordinary world is transformed by an unexpected overnight visit from the extraordinary Yankee slugger.

This is not a story of hero worship for LaBateýs Mantle is life-sized and as common as a next-door neighbor as he plays ball with Jumbo and his gang of friends. Instead, what is ennobled is the broad hearted zeal of youth and its passionate embrace of a game that once defined everything that was great about small-town America. And therein lies the magic and the pleasure of this timeless tale. It captures the beauty and joy of a young boyýs heart without pretence or precocity so that, after reading it, I felt as if these boys, and the Mick himself, might have even been a part of my own childhood.

But there is a bittersweet cloud behind the joy of LaBateýs silver-lined fable. Two weeks ago I made a pilgrimage back to my hometown and visited what had been my field of dreams, a broad green expanse with four full ball diamonds, one in each corner, and four full outfields converging and blending together in the middle into one calm sea of grass. It was a beautiful summer day, about two in the afternoon, when I pulled into the lot beside where the dugouts and the water bubbler used to be. On any given summer day when I was twelve, back in 1963, we might have had to rise early to be certain we could get an open field for our daily pick-up ballgames, choosing new sides throughout the day just to make it more interesting. The fields still looked healthy and well-maintained. I got out of my car, walked to home plate and gazed across the fields. There was not a soul in sight.

All right, every red-blooded American male baby-boomer dreamed sometime of having Mickey Mantle come and spend the day at his house and impress the other kids in the neighborhood. It takes an author with the incredible skill of Jim LaBate to transform that fantasy into one of the most charming books of the era. Each character is so cleverly crafted, and the dialogue so genuine, that you almost feel he is writing about real people. No single neighborhood could possibly boast of so many genuine eccentrics! (Could it?)

This book was really good. Especialy since I love to play basketball. I have to do a report ad I'm going to do it on this book. Don't worry I'm not going to copy it straight out of the book.

I love Lisa Leslie, and this book told me alot about her. I even read it twice becuase I liked it so much!

Award-winning columnist Bill Reynolds presents Our Game: The Story of New England Basketball, a history of basketball in its birthplace of New England. From the inception of the sport over a hundred years ago to its popularity in the modern day, from small gyms to city playgrounds, rugged field houses, and gigantic arenas, Our Game chronicles how the sport captured people's hearts and minds, shines brief spotlights on legendary players, and evolved so greatly since its humble beginnings. Black-and-white photographs and an index round out this engaging chronicle, accessible to basketball fans of all backgrounds.

New England basketball IS basketball: where it started; where it spread; and where it remains beloved. This perfectly written and lively chronicle by the reknowned sports writer Bill Reynolds is a tribute to the men and women, boys and girls, and phenomenal coaches who gave us the game as we know it today.

Having grown up in the suburbs of Philly, I have memories of going to the Palestra to watch Big 5 basketball doubleheaders on Saturday nights.
For those of us who lived it, it is nostalgic book....
For those of us who love the game of basketball, it is a historical account of an amazing time, with amazing players, and a passion that is too seldom seen in today's game ..

This comprehensive and compelling book makes me long for my playing days again. I never followed the Big 5 (except for ESPN highlights), but now I am a fan because of it's richness and depth. The rivalries in the Big 5 are fascinating and hearty. This book captures how deep basketball waters run in Philadelphia and how deep collegiate loyalty can be. The author has crafted a rare treat that any fan of sports, history, and life will love. If you want to read about sports in its finest, purest form, then read this book.

For anyone who was born with a disability, this book will inspire you to never give up on your dreams. For anyone else, this book reminds you that those of us with physical limitations do not always live up to lowered expectations. It is truly amazing what the people in this book have accomplished, especially considering the physical problems they have overcome. My favorite section was the personal profiles of the athletes with their photos and accomplishments. The people in this book are truly leaders in paving the way in changing what makes someone successful - persistence and determination.

This book is inspiring and heart warming. It brings hope for those who are recently disabled and are trying to come to terms with their disability. The photos are amazing in their colours and in the stories they tell without words.

Tom LeClair's witty and entertaining novel of basketball's minor and euro leagues is so much more than the candid and humorous tour of garbage ball it starts out as. A hanger-on point guard jumps from the CBA and college recruitment schtick to "pro ball" in Athens, where he unwittingly becomes involved in an eco-terrorist plot. LeClair's real triumph isn't the wonderful depiction of Michael Keever running the point on the floor (and LeClair's depiction of the game is criminally strong) but that same character's ability to weave through the complex human drama surrounding him and go to the hole. Brilliant, satisfying novel.

Don't even think about picking this book up unless you've got a weekend to kill. Mr. LeClaire is a highly skilled writer expert at creating empathy for his main character, excellent dialogue, and gripping suspense. The book follows the exploits of Michael Keever, an American with almost NBA potential who plays for a Greek professional team. Keever occupies the spot on the team reserved for foreign players with Greek ancestry. His only problem: he isn't Greek and a mysterious woman knows his secret. If Keever's ancestry is determined before he collects his bonus, all of his hard work will be for nought. Thus, Keever, is forced to use his basketball-honed deception skills both on and off the court. If you like suspense, you'll love passing off.

I love this book! The pig is an example of what perserverance and belief in yourself can do. The pig believed he could do it and he did!

Nothing's Impossible! This book has the same message as a wonderful book by Dr. Lorraine Monroe entitled "Nothing's Impossible!" Both books serve to remind us of the power of spirit and belief in self to make positive things happen in our world.

Dr. Lonnetta Gaines Educator

Deters does a nice job in his book describing an event that is known and sort of unknown, in that Kentucky basketball fans (high school at least) knew Simon Kenton won the state tournament that year, but knew nothing of the struggle to get there, notably, the explosion that killed a student.

As with all great stories, this is a people story and Deters weaves the individual stories into the framework of the larger event, winning the state basketball tournament.

A real triumph and worth reading even if you don't care about basketball.

High school basketball is a near religion in Kentucky, and despite an impressive roster of talented teams, the Northern Kentucky area had never won a title before the Simon Kenton Pioneers brought one home following the 1980-81 season. The fact that it happened is all the more impressive when one considers that for a good portion of the school year, Simon Kenton didn't even have a school following an explosion on October 9, 1980, that claimed the life of one student, and only by providence didn't claim others. As local history goes, this one is an enjoyable read, although he would have benefitted greatly from an editor who might have cut some fat from the story to make it flow better. (Lose the hair style stuff and pay less attention to the cheerleaders.) If the movie ever gets made (like Joe B. Hall says it must,) I can't wait to see who plays Danny Mullins.

My book is called Pitchers Duel by Coach Clair Bee. This book is about an high school all star player who learns that there are bullies who can bring people down. There were bullies that didn't like the coach and wanted to suspend Chip to make their team lose state. The bullies poured things on the coach who is Rockwell and Chip wanted to save him, so he got into a fight and got suspended. Then once the suspension was over, the bullies had to think of another plan to set on Chip. So they forged Chip's contract that he got to prevent him to play in the playoffs. Chip went to the police to prove that he didn't sign it. Finally, he came back in the championship game to play the 10th inning through the 19th. They lost that game and then Rockwell retired.
There are a lot of reasons why someone else should read this book. One reason is that this story teaches you how to prevent bullies. Another reason why someone else should read this book is that there are a lot of different series about Chip Hilton. The last reason why someone else should read this book is that you can learn about all different sports like baseball football and basketball. Some people that might want to read this book are people who like baseball. Other people are maybe people who love reading sports books. Finally, people who would want to read this book are " all about sports ". This was one of my favorite books i have ever read.

This Chip Hilton book was so good to read that I didn't want to finish the last page. I'm glad there are lots of other titles to read by Coach Bee.

I played ball for the Bard basketball team this past season, and upon hearing of my decision to sign up, my dad gave me this book to read. Charlie Rosen and Disco sought out a school like Bard to coach basketball at its purist, with no pretense of talent, no real shot at success, at a school that provided no institutional support whatsoever for athletics (just imagining playing ball in the building the school used as a gym when the book was written sends chills down my spine). The complexion of the Bard team has changed a bit, as the school recently built a multi-million dollar facility and began an ernest attempt to recruit athletes, but there were still a couple of throwbacks to the kind of players you would have seen on the "Players and Pretenders" squad. Experiencing small-school college hoops vicariously through Players and Pretenders gives the reader a glimpse of a world where sports at advanced levels can still be played with the reckless abandon and brevity of a 3rd grade basketball team. I'd have played for coaches Rosen and Disco Dodds' "ship of fools" any day.

This is the true story of charlie rosen and myself (disco) (not my real name) coaching the Bard College basketball team. It is an amusing tale of a group of strangers that come together and touch each other's lives for a year, and then go their own way. Of the other central "characters" in the book, I have recently been in touch with Lance Lavender, full of life then and now, and Matt out in California, who calls to check in evry few years. I would certainly be interested in how our other team members are doing. Back to the book, other than being an amusing read, this tells the story of what its like to play on a small college team where you play because you love to play, knowing you are just an average player, and this is your one chance to be on a team. And the growth of this group of young men and two coaches, who learn what it takes to stick together. Highly recommended! And you get to read about me, disco!!!!