Description
Book SynopsisTells the story of basketball’s survival and development during World War II and how those years profoundly affected the game’s growth after the war. Weaving stories from the court into wartime and home-front culture like a finely threaded bounce pass,
Wartime Basketball sheds light on important developments in the sport’s history that has been largely overlooked.
Trade Review"An important work for readers interested in the history of basketball before the NBA."—
Library Journal"
Wartime Basketball: The Emergence of a National Sport During World War II serves as a tremendous addition to the history of professional basketball."—Susan J. Rayl,
ARETE“I love this book. The narrative comes alive with the fascinating testimonies of those involved. Along the way, Douglas Stark traces the evolution of the game during those otherwise fearsome years. This is a must-have book for both the casual basketball fan as well as the devoted hoop-o-phile.”—Charley Rosen, author of
Perfectly Awful: The Philadelphia 76ers’ Horrendous and Hilarious 1972–1973 Season Table of ContentsList of Illustrations
Prologue
Acknowledgments
Introduction: A New Game
1. America Goes to War, 1941–1942
2. The Color Line Falls, 1942–1943
3. Wartime Basketball, 1943–1944
4. The Big Man Cometh, 1944–1945
5. Looking toward the Future, 1945–1946
Epilogue: Basketball Arrives
Appendix A. National Basketball League (NBL) Standings
Appendix B. American Basketball League (ABL) Standings
Appendix C. World Professional Basketball Tournament Results
Appendix D. Red Cross Charity Matches
Appendix E. Service Team Records
Notes
Index
