Product Description
This is a complete record and history of Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Men's basketball from December 1953 through spring 2006. All games are represented in the form of abbreviated box scores and tournament statistics for each player and team compiled. In each season, the notable events, achievements, top players and coaches, top teams and any changes in NCAA scoring and recordkeeping are listed. ... Read more

Product Description
The Biographical History of Basketball gives readers a much-needed antidote to basketball's historical amnesia. Author Peter C. Bjarkman presents entertaining and fact-filled career summaries of the sport's great players, its ground-breaking coaches and administrators, and its other often-forgotten and less-publicized figures who authored developments crucial to basketball's century-long evolution. While baseball buffs can usually cite chapter and verse for the diamond sport's most memorable events and personages, basketball fans often have little collective memory of the game's past heroes and milestones, especially those of the nine decades preceding Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. The Biographical History of Basketball sends readers on a nostalgic trip through the entire 100-year span of hoops history with personal portraits and little-known facts about the 500 most significant on- and off-court personalities of the game's past and present. Detailing the feats of the men and women who are responsible for elevating basketball to its current status as the new American national pastime, Bjarkman gives readers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of some of the game's prominent players--past and present--including James Naismith, Phog Allen, and Doc Meanwell; on-court innovators Hank Luisetti, George Mikan, and Bob Cousy; legendary Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Red Auerbach; and modern-era idols like Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and Grant Hill. Peter C. Bjarkman is one of the country's leading historians and author of more than 30 books on the history of basketball and baseball. A winner of the 1994 Macmillan-SABR award for best baseball research, he is a longtime resident of Lafayette, Indiana. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great overview of history of league - lacks cold-hard facts and keen insight
The author provides an impressive recollection of all the key figures in basketball history from the inaugural 1947 season to the 1998 season.

Yet, I believe he doesn't provide a keen insight to some of the more complex intricacies of the game when giving a thorough analysis of the true impact of a player.Basketball is not like baseball in which you can compare the overall volume and averages of statistics with players in different eras in order to assess who was a more effective player.Basketball is a game of flow, in which controlling and maximizing possessions on both sides of the floor can not be boiled down simply in how many points, rebounds, and assists a player gets over four quarters (or else a player like Antoine Walker would be a Hall of Famer).

What the author didn't mention in his book are : (1) Oscar Robertson's pension for destroying the confidence of his teammates, dominating the ball way too much which detracted the effectiveness of his teammates, and lacking the fire and grit in which players like Jerry West and Michael Jordan had aplenty (2) Wilt Chamberlain's squads blowing three straight Game 7s ('68,'69, and '70) against inferior teams (Let's face it, he should've sent Russell into retirement in '68) and his inability to make in-game adjustments within his playing style, (3)Michael Jordan (with a HOF sidekick tailor-made for his talents in Scottie Pippen) able to lead his team to six titles from the shooting guard position (a definite basketball anomaly) (4) Karl Malone's inability to maintain a low post presence in the fourth quarter in an important game (see '97 and '98 finals), (5) David Robinson's inability to stay out of foul trouble when guarding the likes of Karl Malone and Hakeem Olajuwon in the playoffs (cost him two straight playoff exits in '95 and '96) (6) Larry Bird and Magic Johnson possessing huge deficiencies in 1 on 1 defense (7) Elvin Hayes possessing zero off the ball skills (1 on 1 defense, passing, moving without the basketball) outside of rebounding and shot-blocking (8)Elgin Baylor's disinterest in defense and inability to win a Game 7.

This book is a good read if you want to familiarize yourself with the history of the league.Yet, if you want the cold-hard details and realities of why a player is great, then you'll just have to do your research.Recommended writers to read are Bob Ryan, Sam Smith, Charley Rosen, Bill Simmons (very entertaining), the late Ralph Wiley and Jack McCallum if you want more insight.Some of these individuals might have a personal agenda against some of the players (such as Rosen with Isiah Thomas) yet they all bring you closer to the truth. Ken Shouler, Elliot Kalb, and the late Leonard Koppett are good reads if you like this book.

Basketball Amnesia Fixed
Basketball, unlike its counterparts in baseball and even football, hockey and tennis to a lesser extent, does not respect and revere its rich history.Too many "fans" today think the game started withLarry, Michael, Magic and Shaq. But the truth is, without mostly forgottenbasketball men like Mikan, Luisetti, Holman, Lambert, Meanwell and manyothers, there would be no game as we know it today. Peter Bjarkman's "Biographical History of Basketball" sets out to rectify thisoversight with over 500 incisive portraits of basketball's well-known andmore importantly, lesser-known significant contributors to the game'shistory.Included is also an insightful look into why the game has becomethe national pastime, at least for the under-35 set, by examiningbasketball's one on one aspects. Its ability to have a single player affectthe action more than in other team sports, as well as our society'sincreasing need to make heroes out of individuals in these often confusing,leader-less times, has made the game even more appealing. Most of thebook's importance lies in its homage to the forgotten, underappreciatedpast of hoops as it recounts A-to-Z the overlooked men (and women) of thegame from Bevo Francis to Dave Zinkoff. But it also traces the game's rootsfrom the early barnstorming era to college basketball's heyday and theevolution of the game from "hardwood to hangtime." "TheBiographical History of Basketball" is a lively, fun and informativelook into how the game has moved from a loosely organized, dimly-lit pastto status as perhaps the world's most popular sport by one of the nation'smost prolific and knowledgable sports writers, Peter Bjarkman.

A Must for Hoops Fans!
Here's a tome that's a must for serious students of the game's history for generations to come.the author answers every question about basketball except how they get "Sha-shef-ski" out of Krzyewski. The bookoffers up a smorgasbord of biographical and historical roundball factsabout the game.Included are the famous, like Dr. James Naismith and JohnWooden, and the all-but-forgotten - but equally important - like DannyBiasone, the father of the shot clock.Bjarkman traces the game from thelackluster days of jmp balls after each basket and stationery, two-handedset shots all the way through to today's above-the-rim action.Theamply-illustrated book is divided into seven sections.Along the way, theauthor plumbs basketball's murky origins, and surfaces with some surprisingfinds.For example, one of the coaches in the first 5-on-5 collegiatehoops contest was Amos Alonzo Stagg, better known as a gridiron coachinglegend.The biographical material is divided into three eras:1891-1954; 1955-1980 and 1981-present.Bjarkman maintains that basketball (which hecalls an "appropriate mirror image of a frantically paced, highlyimpersonalized" modern society) has replaced baseball as the NationalPastime.This definitive work makes a very strong case for Bjarkman'sthesis.

Needs a little work in order to be complete
Doctor James Naismith is credited with the invention of a game mainly to be used as a form of relaxation for businessmen. Since the inception of the game changes have occurred at almost every level and Peter Bjarkman has puttogether once of the most complete books on those changes.

In the over575 pages covering one of America's most loved games, you'll be treated tomore than 500 portraits of those that played this game and transformed itfrom the peach basket to the break away basket. Bjarkman's remarkable lookshould have this book in the hall of fame in Springfield, MA.

While thebook is broken down to cover the major periods of the game, the reading isoften not fluid. I found that book can be read from any chapter withouthaving to read the previous ones. The book covers just about everyone whoever played and this was a certain treat.

From the Big O, Wilt, Dr. J.,Bird, Magic, Isaiah Thomas, and of course the best of all Jordan, you'llhave a never ending treat of players right at your finger tips and best ofall the book cost less than the price of tickets to see these men play.Overall a very good job.

Unique Basketball Book a Real Sleeper
There is simply no other basketball book out there that provides the same historical richness. Engaging portraits of hundreds of the sport's historical figures are supplemented by concise histories of both collegeand pro ball and a most useful historical timeline. And the Epiloguearguing for a reassessment of the "greatest player of all time"is a must read. ... Read more

Product Description
The NBA has gained worldwide popularity with its high-flying stars and slam-dunking giants, but the early professional hoops game was played below the rim. This book provides the first history of the National Basketball League, which held court from the mid-1930s until its merger with the Basketball Association of America in 1949. Originally formed in Akron and Indianapolis, the league operated mainly in the Midwest but extended as far east as Rochester and Syracuse and west to Denver, building major franchises with hometown loyalties. Most of its stars were college graduates, a major change from previous professional leagues, and it was the first modern major professional league to integrate. Features include photographs, maps of league franchises, and tables of team standings, MVPs, and scoring leaders. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An outstanding history of the NBA's predecessor!
This book gives a very detailed review of the NBL from its birth in the 1930s to its merger with the BAA in the late 1940s.How the league grew, the players, the teams, the rules changes, the financial aspects, and, most specifically, the games, were all covered in great detail.Read about the season ending NBL tournament, the world professional tournament in Chicago, the advent of inter-league games with the financially troubled BAA, and individual players.The real tragedy is that while the NBL was populated with both white and black players over the years, the late-arriving BAA was an exclusive "white boys league".When the two merged into what became the NBA, the NBL's progressive posture on race was and still is largely ignored by today's NBA.The author does a commendable job in researching and describing the "ins and outs" over those two decades of professional basketball.

If you know the players, you know what pioneers they were in an age BEFORE inflated salaries and egos.It was all about basketball, because there was little money to be made.Why are some of the kingpins (e.g., Leroy "Lefty" Edwards) not in the Naismith Hall of Fame?These and many more issues are raised by the author that make one long for the days when basketball was basketball.Needless to say, I highly recommend this book of basketball history. ... Read more

Product Description
In an age where teenage hoop stars sign multimillion-dollar endorsement deals before their first professional tip-offs, it's hard to imagine a time when basketball was among the least publicized of all professional sports. After the game's creation in 1891, establishing a viable professional league was an intense struggle, requiring decades of hard work and dedication from players, owners, coaches and fans. While the game evolved from two-handed set shots, fruit baskets, short-shorts and tiny gyms to slam dunks, shoe endorsements, global popularity and massive urban arenas, the NBA established itself as one of the world's dominant professional leagues. This work, the first comprehensive history of the National Basketball Association, offers a detailed look at how and why the NBA was able to overcome the obstacles that had crushed its predecessors and competitors to become the most successfully marketed league in professional sports. Covered here are Naismith's invention of the game; the rise and fall of the NBL, BAA, ABL and ABA; early teams like the Buffalo Germans and the Harlem Rens; basketball's Olympic debut in 1936; the first professional superstars; dominant franchises; and the current state of the league. Appendices offer lists of early professional basketball leagues and commissioners of the NBA, NBL and ABA. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

One of a Kind-Comprehensive History
From Naismith and the creation of basketball to multimillion dollar deals and Lebron James.

But other than just being comprehensive Kirchberg's book is also fascinating and well-written. She does an excellent job of keeping you interested by combining information on the cultural impact of Basketball as well as a bit of humor along the way. Hoop Lore effectively combines the history of a subject into a concise neat little packet.

A must read for anyone who loves basketball!
... Read more

Product Description
Providing a comprehensive history of all past and present NBA teams, a leading basketball historian focuses on franchise histories, brings hometown teams to life, and includes a survey of the careers of the twelve greatest players in NBA history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Valuable
This book is out of print, but you would definitely want it if you are a student of professional basketball history or if you want to be one. It's crammed with statistics, with the history of every existing NBA franchise through the 1993-94 season, and with the histories of several other American pro basketball leagues that no longer exist.

I had never heard of the author, Dr. Peter Bjarkman, and still know nothing about him; but in reading this book, you will notice he is opinionated and is iconoclastic in some of his NBA views. The main thing is, he firmly insists that Michael Jordan is not the best NBA basketball player ever, merely the most popular, and he claims that the best ever was...well, read it.

It doesn't prevent the book from being very informative, but I must also say that this is one of the worst-written nonfiction books I've ever seen, and certainly the most poorly edited I've ever seen. Spelling errors are frequent (he says Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wore "gloggles"!), and the writing is as melodramatic as a second-rate sports commentator's speech. Bjarkman uses phrases like "best player on the planet," "Dr. Naismith's roundball game," and "best player ever to take to the hardwood floor," and "oh how different it would have been on down Arizona way" (referring to the notorious hard luck of the Phoenix Suns franchise). ... Read more

Product Description
From the last-second heroics of Wilmeth Sidat-Singh in Archbold Stadium to the last-second heroics of Donovan McNabb in the Carrier Dome more than a half century later, this book is a chronicle of the rich tradition of Syracuse University sports.

There are games that stand the test of time - performances that years, even decades later bring a smile or in some cases a grimace, to a fan's face. They are indelible moments that, when strung together, give you a sense of a college's history. In Slices of Orange, Sal Maiorana and Scott Pitoniak recapture the heroics of running back Jim Brown's 43-point performance against Colgate at old Archbold Stadium; the pain of Keith Smart's jumper that denied Syracuse a national title in 1987; and the joy of forward Carmelo Anthony's levitation act in the 2003 NCAA basketball championship game. They tell of the fierce SU-Georgetown basketball rivalry - and John Thompson's incendiary comments that ignited it - and how the Gait brothers, Paul and Gary, revolutionized the game of lacrosse and laid the foundation for a college sports dynasty. ... Read more

Product Description
Text and illustrations trace the history of basketball from its invention in 1891 by James Naismith to the present day. ... Read more

Product Description
Traces the story of basketball from its invention to the present day, detailing innovations in the sport, the beginning of professional basketball, and the influences of race relations and women's roles. ... Read more

Product Description
Jeff Marcus provides, in alphabetical order, the year-by-year coaching records for every pro major league coach in basketball history beginning with the American Basketball League (ABL), which formed in 1925 and was the first league to play in larger arenas on the East Coast and in the Mid West, then tracking the birth of the National Basketball League (NBL) from its onset in 1937 to its convergence 12 years later with the BAA, forming what we know today as the NBA. Brief but detailed biographical sketches are provided for every coach in these leagues. ... Read more

Product Description
100 Years of Syracuse Basketball is a collection of the mostmemorable moments in the history of Syracuse basketball as selected by the editors of The Syracuse Newspapers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This is all we have to show for 100 years?
I have to admit, I didn't check the number of pages when I ordered.I assumed that for almost 30 bucks I would be getting a comprehensive history of Syracuse basketball.What I got was a book that is much too short and lacks adequate detail.Entire stretches of 2-4 years are skipped, even inthe Mid-80s!No articles concerning Pearl's shot to beat BC in '85.Noarticles about Lawrence Moten breaking scoring records.I hope the nextperson that tries this book does it right!

Bob, Thanks for the Memories (Revisited)
In my previous post--Bob, Thanks for the Memories--I of course mistyped former Syracuse university basketball coach Roy Danforth's name as Ray Danforth. Apologies to Roy.

Bob, thanks for the memories
I couldn't wait to get this book. I'm a guy whohad the good fortune to not only go to Syracuse University in the Sixties but also work as a reporter at the Syracuse Newspapers in the Seventies. Anyone who has livedin Syracuse knows the important place SU basketball holds in that town. BobSnyder's invaluable compendium of SU basketball highlights as reported anddepicted in the Syracuse press is a something special. They say thatjournalism is the first draft of history, and the first draft presentedhere needs no rewrite. One of the nation's finest basketball programs,brought to us by coaches Fred Lewis, Ray Danforth, and the great JimBoeheim, is a reader's delight as offered by Snyder. And, personally, tosee once again the bylines of the likes of writers Snyder, Arnie Burdick,and Bud Poliquin as well as photographer Hal Slate brings on a flood ofmemories that warms the soul. SU alums and fans wherever you are, treatyourself to this book as a way to always remember the good times brought byDave Bing, Rudy Hackett, Roosevelt Bouie, Louis Orr, Leo Rautins, BillyOwens, Lawrence Moten, John Wallace, Etan Thomas, Jason Hart, and all ofyour other favorite SU players. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Perspectives from the players themselves
There's no better way to learn about basketball history than to hear directly from the players that created it. I learned a lot from this book and I hope that these pioneers are considered for future pension inclusion. ... Read more

Product Description
The Duke University men'sbasketball program is certainlyone such tradition, and Lewis Bowlinghas assembled more than two hundredbrilliant photographs spanning theentire history of the program toshow it. Enjoy a front-row view asthis distinctive collection recountsBlue Devil glory, from the first teamsof Trinity College through EddieCameron's masterful guidance and,of course, the unrivaled success underthe watch of Coach K.Featuring forewords from thelegendary Voice of the Blue Devils Bob Harris and former head coachBucky Waters, Cameron Crazies farand wide will hail this celebration ofDuke's greatest moments and some ofbasketball's most legendary coachesand players. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Great Little Book!
This is s gem of a little book.Loads of great photos with interesting narrative.A must for any long term Duke fan. ... Read more

Product Description
Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Basketball," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Basketball in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Basketball when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Basketball, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more