Pioneers of the Hardwood: Indiana and the Birth of Professional Basketball

An essential history of the Hoosier State's contribution to the popularity of professional basketball. 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. While everyone knows about the growth of basketball in high schools and in college, the story of Indiana's role in the development of professional basketball has not been told before. It is a fascinating, passionate, lively story of men who were willing to play for nickels, of raucous fans, local heroes, and love of the game. Growing out of an award-winning documentary, Pioneers of the Hardwood tells the story of the growth of professional basketball in Indiana in the good old barnstorming days. Emmy Award–nominee Todd Gould covers the Indianapolis Em-Roes, the Fort Wayne Pistons (later the Detroit Pistons), the Indianapolis Kautskys, and the Indianapolis Olympians. He sets his story within the context of the times and also discusses some of the teams that the local heroes competed against, including the famous New York Celtics (the original Celtics) and the gifted Harlem Rens, the first all-black professional team. Based on extensive research, as well as revealing interviews with former players John Wooden, collegiate all-American Ralph Beard, Pat Malaska, Frank Baird, and others, Pioneers of the Hardwood is an essential part of the story of the growth of professional basketball.

© 1998 Indiana University Press (E-bog): 9780253028112

Udgivelsesdato

E-bog: 22. marts 1998