Tricksters in the Madhouse: Lakers vs. Globetrotters, 1948 epub

by John Christgau

ISBN: 0803215991

ISBN13: 978-0803215993

Author: John Christgau

Category: Sport

Subcategory: Miscellaneous

Language: English

Publisher: Bison Books (October 1, 2007)

Pages: 232 pages

ePUB book: 1215 kb

FB2 book: 1952 kb

Rating: 4.4

Votes: 836

Other Formats: lit txt mbr azw

John_Christgau Miscellaneous English

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John Christgau does a marvelous job of recreating a pivotal game and a pivotal time in the life of the NB. John Christgau (1934–2018) was a lecturer at Saint Mary’s College of California and is the author of many books, including The Origins of the Jumpshot: Eight Men Wh. .

John Christgau does a marvelous job of recreating a pivotal game and a pivotal time in the life of the NB.Christgau recreates a play-by-play of the dramatic game but, surrounding that, he provides a history of the teams and how they came to be that is just as compelling. -Minneapolis Tribune. Minneapolis Tribune). John Christgau (1934–2018) was a lecturer at Saint Mary’s College of California and is the author of many books, including The Origins of the Jumpshot: Eight Men Who Shook the World of Basketball (Nebraska 1998).

Tricksters in the Madhouse book. In February 1948 the brand-new, all-white Minneapolis Lakers were arguably the greatest basketball team in America, favored to win the World Professional Basketball Tournament later that year. Meanwhile the Harlem Globetrotters, at the center of black basketball, were riding their own incredible 103-game winning streak.

Tricksters in the Madhouse is the story of this pivotal meeting, a game that would .

Tricksters in the Madhouse is the story of this pivotal meeting, a game that would encapsulate the growing racial tensions of the era, particularly the struggle of black Americans to gain legitimacy in the segregated world of sports. Play-by-play, John Christgau recreates the heart-stopping game that would shock white basketball fans raised to view black athletes in separate and unequal terms.

Home Browse Books Book details, Tricksters in the Madhouse: Lakers v.The Lakers’ center is George Mikan, a towering hulk who hardly seems to fit in a jump circle that from those high seats looks like a tiny bull’s-eye on the court

Home Browse Books Book details, Tricksters in the Madhouse: Lakers v.Tricksters in the Madhouse: Lakers vs. Globetrotters, 1948. The Lakers’ center is George Mikan, a towering hulk who hardly seems to fit in a jump circle that from those high seats looks like a tiny bull’s-eye on the court. There is little room left for the Globetrotters’ Reece Goose Tatum, who is half a foot shorter than Mikan and standing beanpole stiff, his freakishly long arms pinned to his body as if he is being squeezed with Mikan in a phone booth.

In February 1948 the brand-new, all-white Minneapolis Lakers were arguably the greatest basketball team in America, favored to win the World .

In February 1948 the brand-new, all-white Minneapolis Lakers were arguably the greatest basketball team in America, favored to win the World Professional Basketball Tournament later that year.

Free 2-day shipping In February 1948 the brand-new, all-white Minneapolis Lakers were arguably .

Meanwhile the Harlem Globetrotters, at the center of black basketball, were riding their own incredible 103-game winning streak.

The 1948 Globetrotters–Lakers game was a dramatic match-up between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Minneapolis Lakers. Played in Chicago Stadium, the game took place two years before professional basketball was desegregated. The Globetrotters' 61–59 victory – by two points at the buzzer – challenged prevailing racial stereotypes about the abilities of black athletes.

Tricksters in the Madhouse. Lakers vs. Best known to white audiences for their clowning and comedy, the Globetrotters were not even thought to be in the same league with the mighty Lakers.

In February 1948 the brand-new, all-white Minneapolis Lakers were arguably the greatest basketball team in America, favored to win the World Professional Basketball Tournament later that year. Meanwhile the Harlem Globetrotters, at the center of black basketball, were riding their own incredible 103-game winning streak. Best known to white audiences for their clowning and comedy, the Globetrotters were not even thought to be in the same league with the mighty Lakers. So when these two powerhouses met for the first time—on February 19, 1948, before an audience of eighteen thousand in Chicago Stadium—basketball fans everywhere were in for an eye-opening performance. Tricksters in the Madhouse is the story of this pivotal meeting, a game that would encapsulate the growing racial tensions of the era, particularly the struggle of black Americans to gain legitimacy in the segregated world of sports. Play-by-play, John Christgau recreates the heart-stopping game that would shock white basketball fans raised to view black athletes in separate and unequal terms. Through in-depth interviews and extensive research, Christgau brings this critical match-up to life. By looking beyond the drama in the arena to the broader events of the day, he also puts the game in its sociological context, revealing how, even as it enacted the racial inequities of the time, this crucial game represented an important step toward equality.

As advertised.

Very informative and historically significant.

This book was my first exposure to the writing of John Christgau. If you know that he coached high school basketball in San Bruno, California, at Crestmoor High, you can understand why Christgau was and is very knowledgeable about the sport. He knows all of the "ins" and "outs" and the game and could really appreciate what the Harlem Globetrotters accomplished in their exhibition games against NBA teams. This book focuses on a 1948 game between the Globetrotters and the Lakers that took place in Chicago, NOT Minneapolis. It was NOT televised and, therefore, not preserved on the early kinescopes (a film process for preserving television programs before the introduction of magnetic videotape in 1956), but there are numerous accounts of the game, and Christgau was able to interview surviving players. He was able aided by surviving kinescopes and newsreel films of later games.

Christgau has succeeded in telling the story of the game, in extreme detail, so that the reader feels that he or she is actually there. It is fascinating, vidid, and exciting reading. He also tells the backgrounds of the various players on both teams and also what happened to them after the game. To some extent, Christgau had to use his imagination and his experiences with basketball teams to give some of the details, but it is all supported by the facts.

Naturally, there was a big debate or dispute back in 1948 as to the quality of an all-black team such as the Globetrotters. NBA players, coaches, and fans believed that their early teams were superior to any black teams. It should be noted, too, that the NBA had yet to integrate, unlike Major League Baseball, which had seen the debut of Jackie Robinson with the Brooklyn Dodgers the previous year. Naturally there was prejudice in the sports world that continued for a long time after this game. However, what happened in Chicago in 1948 helped to change national perceptions about the ability of black basketball players. Given the dominance of black athletes today on college and NBA teams, it's hard to imagine what the sport was once like. This innovative meeting, and other similar exhibitions, made such a difference in the sport of basketball.

It's surprising to recognize that the Globetrotters once played "serious" games. They already had some of the trick shots and moves that eventually became a trademark for the team. Here we have a different side of the legendary team and, although today's Globetrotters play mostly for "fun," we can see how all of this came about...as well as how the game of basketball was ultimately changed to include ALL athletes.

Those who enjoy this book and will want to go on and read John Christgau's more personal story of one of the basketball teams at Crestmoor High School, "Michael and the Whiz Kids," which is also available from Bison Books.

This is a compelling book on how it can be argued that the Harlem Globetrotters saved professional basketball in its growing years. The lost history of the pivotal contest where the Globetrotters defeated the juggernaut Minneapolis Lakers is woven between the societal and sports history of the times. For example, readers will find out that many fans would flock to arenas to watch the Globetrotters play in the first game of doubleheaders and leave before the start of the "main event," but the players still suffered tremendously due to the unbalanced playing field in life and race relations. And many times there was no solace found in the competitions. The book is a must for a person who wants to explore the history of pro basketball and/or how sports has at times favorably impacted race relations.