Pioneers of the Hardwood: Indiana and the Birth of Professional Basketball Contributor(s): Gould, Todd (Author) |
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ISBN: 0253211999 ISBN-13: 9780253211996 Publisher: Indiana University Press OUR PRICE: $15.20 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: March 1998 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Sports & Recreation | History - Sports & Recreation | Basketball |
Dewey: 796.323 |
LCCN: 97038268 |
Physical Information: 0.68" H x 6.1" W x 9.21" (0.99 lbs) 264 pages |
Themes: - Cultural Region - Heartland - Cultural Region - Midwest - Geographic Orientation - Indiana |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: As fire is to prairie or water to fish, so is basketball part of the natural environment in Indiana. Round ball, or Hoosier Hysteria is so much a part of the state's heritage that many people believe basketball was invented in Indiana. Naismith's game is a virtual religion in the state. Pioneers of the Hardwood is an essential part of the story of the growth of professional basketball in the first half of this century. As Gould puts it, Before stars such as Larry Bird or Oscar Robertson, before the high-priced basketball shoe advertisements, and before the success of the NBA, before the Indiana Pacers, the forefathers of professional basketball forged a remarkable legacy as unlikely and as magical as a last-second shot spells a championship. Under primitive conditions, these fabled sportsmen laid a hardwood foundation for others to follow. This is their story. |