Hittin The Jumper

Hittin' the Jumper is a nostalgic tale of the key role that the game of basketball has played in the life of an ordinary player-a 60-year journey from the alley hoops and playgrounds of his boyhood hometowns in Montana to the hallowed halls of Notre Dame and Harvard, white-shoe law firms in New York and Chicago, and a variety of urban and suburban courts. Along the way, the author re-discovers fascinating characters and lost worlds in an appreciation of the gifts that playing the sport for a lifetime can bring. Several with whom he has shared the court-teammates and opponents-became famous in politics, business, and academia, and a few were former NBA players. Most, however, were not in the headlines. Their stories are diverse. Some are filled with humor, others are instructive and insightful, particularly in dealing with the challenges of continuing to play as age encroaches, while a few are tragic. All touched the author as they did their fellow hoopsters through the years. The author's basketball life has been shaped by the history, traditions, and ethos of the communities where he played, whether it was the local basketball lore or, even more generally, the prevailing culture of a place. These places include the neighborhood of the birth of our country and the site of the birth of the game of basketball itself. The courts in these communities each possess a distinctive character. Some were inspirational because of their historic connections while others simply provided comfort with their familiarity, intimacy, and charm. Lovers of basketball and the history of sport, of unusual life stories and sentimental journeys, will find this memoir both pleasurable and informative.

Many Indiana University fans have heard the name Branch McCracken, after whom the hallowed court at Assembly Hall is named, but how many of them know about the legendary coach himself? Before Tom Crean, before Bob Knight, IU basketball relied on this man to make the school famous for its hoops stars. And boy did he--with two national titles, four Big Ten titles, and numerous other accolades, McCracken defined Hoosier Hysteria for a generation. However, his greatest legacy remains the example of good character he set and the way he touched the lives of everyone around him. Fans remember him as the coach who helped IU break the color barrier in Big Ten basketball, and players remember him as a second father. If, as McCracken once wrote, "A coach is not paid in money or winning teams, but in the men his players become," he was a rich man, indeed. Branch McCracken made Indiana University basketball a force to be reckoned with, and this is his story.

The New York Times bestselling author of Sweetness delivers the first all-encompassing account of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of professional sports’ most-revered—and dominant—dynasties. The Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s personified the flamboyance and excess of the decade over which they reigned. Beginning with the arrival of Earvin “Magic” Johnson as the number-one overall pick of the 1979 draft, the Lakers played basketball with gusto and pizzazz, unleashing their famed “Showtime” run-and-gun style on a league unprepared for their speed and ferocity—and became the most captivating show in sports and, arguably, in all-around American entertainment. The Lakers’ roster overflowed with exciting all-star-caliber players, including center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and they were led by the incomparable Pat Riley, known for his slicked-back hair, his Armani suits, and his arrogant strut. Hollywood’s biggest celebrities lined the court and gorgeous women flocked to the arena. Best of all, the team was a winner. Between 1980 and 1991, the Lakers played in an unmatched nine NBA championship series, capturing five of them. Bestselling sportswriter Jeff Pearlman draws from almost three hundred interviews to take the first full measure of the Lakers’ epic Showtime era. A dazzling account of one of America’s greatest sports sagas, Showtime is packed with indelible characters, vicious rivalries, and jaw-dropping, behind-the-scenes stories of the players’ decadent Hollywood lifestyles. From the Showtime era’s remarkable rise to its tragic end—marked by Magic Johnson’s 1991 announcement that he had contracted HIV—Showtime is a gripping narrative of sports, celebrity, and 1980s-style excess.

This is the hardest working team in the NBA -- the Utah Jazz. Led by iron men Karl Malone, John Stockton and coach Jerry Sloan. Go behind the scenes to reveal the unparalleled competitiveness of a collection of over-achieving players and their demanding coach, whose never-say-die efforts have captured the hearts of the entire state of Utah and basketball fans throughout North America.

THE ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT GAMBLING is that there is no guaranteed way to win all the time. But there is a guaranteed way to lose constantly, and that is when you don’t understand the basic rules of playing and betting. It is appalling how many people, even big-money gamblers, lose consistently and don’t know why. There are only two types of gamblers-those who really know the game and suckers. Mike Goodman, a veteran professional gambler, gives you an amazing, easy-to-understand insight on how to gamble and win. HORSE RACING...watch those second favorites; let the suckers play the favorites, they’re usually overplayed! DICE...you’re a sucker if you don’t take advantage of the odds, but the real pay-off comes when you know how to bet! SLOTS...there’s only one way to beat those “one-arm bandits,” but, unfortunately, it’s against the law! ROULETTE...it’s tough to beat the house percentage, but there are ways to lose less, keep you in the game, and then, who knows? BLACKJACK “21”...here’s a game you can win at consistently if you learn the tricks and how to put “lady luck” on your side! POKER...you get real help here; tips that’ll open your eyes, make you play a better game and win! This book gives solid advice on how you can become a tough player and helps tilt the odds more in your direction. I’m just plain sick of “experts” who promise the moon but peddle virtually worthless advice. Somewhere in their pitch you’re told that they’re not multi-millionaires because they are not allowed in gambling casinos and I challenge any one of them to use this system at “craps”, “21” or roulette at my casino. If they haven’t got the guts to back up their system with hard cash, I challenge them to meet me face to face in public to debate any phase of gambling on which they claim to be an authority. Mike Goodman

Playing in the “Basketball Mecca” of Madison Square Garden, the New York Knickerbockers are a team steeped in history. With origins dating back to 1946 in the Basketball Association of America, the Knicks were a charter member of the NBA and have boasted a long list of all-time great players, from Harry “The Horse” Gallatin to Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Bill Bradley, Patrick Ewing and John Starks, to current stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, as well as such legendary coaches as Red Holtzman and Pat Riley. The legend of the New York Knicks has been enhanced by several heated rivalries over the course of the team’s history: from Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics in the late 1960s, to 1990s battles with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers, and Alonzo Mourning’s Miami Heat. Today, as the Knicks emerge as a team on the rise, these Eastern Conference rivalries are fierce once again. New York Knicks: The Complete Illustrated History presents the full history of this storied franchise, with all the on-court feats and off-court exploits of the orange and blue. Profiles of the top players and coaches from the team’s history, along with a rich collection of photography and memorabilia, create the ultimate, authoritative celebration of a beloved basketball team.

Gus and Cassie have always been on the same team off the field, but in this third novel in New York Times bestselling author Mike Lupica’s Home Team series can they stay friends when they’re on the same court? Everyone assumes that Gus, whose family is from the Dominican Republic, is a baseball guy. But this year Gus is even more excited about basketball than any other sport he’s ever played. He’s been practicing some new moves and lately he’s more surprised when he misses his shot than when he scores. Plus now that he’s convinced his friend Teddy to try out for the team and Jack’s shoulder is healed, it looks like Walton’s home team will be unstoppable. But this isn’t going to be the season Gus expected, because their team is getting a new player—and she just happens to be one of his best friends. Gus knows Cassie is more than good enough to compete on the boys’ team, and besides they really do need a point guard, so why isn’t he able to shake the feeling that she belongs on their bleachers rather than their bench? And to make matters worse, with their center Steve Kerrigan constantly making comments about his Dominican heritage, and Steve’s dad voicing his views on immigration as he runs for office, Gus is starting to wonder if he really belongs in Walton after all. Can Gus find a way to bring the home team together both on and off the court, or will all these prejudices block their shot at a winning season?

From Ward 'Piggy' Lambert to Gene Keady, John Wooden to Glenn Robinson, the glorious history of Purdue Boilermaker basketball is documented in Most Memorable Moments in Purdue Basketball through Lafayette Journal and Courier game stories, news reports, features and columns. Enhancing the collection of stories and photos are 10 new features, filling in the gaps of some of the greatest players' and coaches' careers.