Hoops. Thomas Aiello.
A Cultural History of Basketball in America.
The game of Basketball has been around for more than a century as not only a concept, a physical activity, a sport but an influence that has shaped the sports world and mirrors the manifestation of the United States. This book combines a detailed account of history, culture, economics, race, demographics and gender, too. The fifteen chapters comprising the book are neatly arranged and organized while providing a comprehensive tapestry from when the game was created by Dr. James Naismith, a quiet nascent physical education instructor in the 19th century, all the way through the tragedy of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant.
Particularly interesting are the topics of growth for the women’s game and their early interest in the sport. That is followed by the mid-20th century scandals that peppered the sports news after the 2nd world war. Readers will find more about the professional organizations that took place early in the basketball era. Most of the them were short lived as there was no shortage of entrepreneurs willing to develop a team and league to capitalize the new and growing game. One of the chapters is devoted to the American Basketball Association that started in the mid 1960’s. The end result, after years of sacrifice, struggle and negotiation was the merger of a handful of franchises with the long time established National Basketball Association (NBA).
The author, a professor at Valdosta State, also discusses the evolving of the college game and the early struggle to adhere to the “Christian masculinity” as so formulated by the founder of the game, James Naismith and his prudent peers. Of course, the game grew in popularity, attracted bigger crowds and with that competition and money changing hands…even among college players. The game has been no stranger to its own controversy such as women participation, racial integration of the teams, and the game, and ultimately point shaving that was proven a fairly common practice in the 1940’s.
An insightful section highlighting the origin of how Title IX eventually came into play in the early 1970’s reflects on how the game became more of mainstay for females ultimately leading to professional opportunities of their own, the burgeoning WNBA. Earlier in the book Aiello includes names of forgotten female players or more likely ladies that went largely unknown during and after the playing careers. One example was Mildred Ella “Babe” Didrikson, a Texan, who is described by the author as one the most successful athletes, let alone basketball player, in the annals of women athletic history. While popular in the 1930’s a footnote in today’s literature and pantheon of basketball luminaries.
The book reads like a college text and does contain myriad names, organizations and dates for the reader to wrangle and discern. Perhaps a detailed timeline at the end of the book or within each chapter would have helped to process the large swath of background presented in this opus.
Still, this is a book that educates the reader with about as many basketball attributions that can be consumed without going into excess copious details for all of the topics. There is something for even the most ardent basketball fans to take away in the two hundred and forty pages.
- You might like to read this book if you are a fan of any level of basketball.
- You might like to read this book if you seek insight into how the game influenced the participation of both genders and races.
- You might like to read this book if you seek more information of how basketball is connected to race and civil rights.
- You might like to read this book if you are looking for how crime and syndicate intertwine with the game.
- You might like to read this book if you are a fan of American sports history.
- You might like to read this book to find out how the evolution of basketball mirrors the development of 20th century America.
Read more about the author on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thomasaiello
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