House Of Champions

The stories and accounts of Kentucky basketball's players, iconic coaches, and epic games have been told and retold, but lesser known are the stories of the arenas and venues that have been home to the Wildcats—buildings that have witnessed the sights, sounds, and shared spirit of the Big Blue Nation for over a century. In House of Champions: The Story of Kentucky Basketball's Home Courts, author Kevin Cook combines archival research and numerous interviews with players and coaches to reveal the rich history and colorful details of the structures that have hosted University of Kentucky basketball. A number of fascinating backstories are uncovered, including the excitement of Alumni Gym's opening night in 1925, the problematic acquisition of Black community land for the building of Memorial Coliseum, and the painstaking inscription of nearly ten thousand names of Kentucky's World War II and Korean War heroes to be displayed along the Coliseum's pedestrian ramps. The account concludes with a compelling overview of the development of historic Rupp Arena: its inner workings, the prominent figures involved, and how the initial conversation to build it began over a slice of Jerry's pie in 1968. This insightful and entertaining history reveals how the impact of sporting facilities extends far beyond game night as they continue to shape and influence the social, economic, and political landscapes of Lexington and central Kentucky.

A poignant coming-of-age novel for middle-grade readers about a young boy obsessed with baseball whose life changes drastically when war comes to his Vancouver Japanese community. Ten-year-old Kenny (Kenji in Japanese) worships his older brother, Mickey (Mitsuo), a baseball hero whose outstanding performance on the Asahi baseball team has given him fame and popularity. Despite Kenny's suspected heart condition, he is determined to practice secretly with Mickey so he, too, can one day try out for the Asahi. But world events soon overtake life in this quiet community. When Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in 1941, everything for Kenny and his family spirals out of control: schools are closed, businesses are confiscated, fathers are arrested and sent to work camps in the BC interior and mothers and children are relocated to internment camps. When Mickey is arrested for a small act of violence, Kenny manages to keep his family's spirits up, despite the deplorable conditions in camp. Coming across a "vacant" field covered with scrap wood, broken shakes and torn tar paper, Kenny gets permission to clear it and convert it into a baseball field. One by one, the boys in the camp pitch in, and the work gives purpose to their long days. Kenny's persistence, hard work and big dreams shape the teen he is to become in this story of happiness found despite all odds.

Daniel is a young Métis man searching for a way to exist in a world of lateral violence, intergenerational trauma and systemic racism. Facing obstacles of his own at every turn, he observes and learns from the lived realities of his family members, friends, teachers and lovers. He finds hope in the inherent connection of Indigenous Peopls to the land, and the permanence of culture, language and ceremony in the face of displacement. Set in Edmonton, this story considers Indigenous youth in relation to the urban constructs and colonial spaces in which they survive—from violence, whitewashing, trauma and racism to language revitalization, relationships with Elders, restaking land claims and ultimately, triumph. Based on Papaschase and Métis oral histories and lived experience, Conor Kerr’s debut novel will not soon be forgotten.

Three true-to-life, sixth grade friends encounter bullies, racial and transgender prejudice, and the untimely death of an admired adult. This inspiring story tells how they find their way through the many challenges of life in middle school. The message is one of encouragement and hope. In the end, they are the champions. Written by a middle school teacher with over twenty years experience. Age: 11 and up

An explanation of why Congress can, at times, pass difficult and controversial legislation

Bob Breitbard: San Diegos Sports Keeper, chronicles the life and accomplishments of a visionary sportsman and great San Diego icons. An all-star in San Diegos sports lineup for more than half a century, Breitbard was involved in the local sports scene as a player, coach, team owner, builder, booster and benefactor of institutions and organizations that helped make San Diego a major-league city. Breitbard followed his football playing and coaching days at Hoover High School and San Diego State College by becoming the guardian and promoter of the citys sports scene. In 1946, he founded the Breitbard Athletic Association to honor local high school, amateur and professional athletes, and later established the Breitbard Hall of Fame. The Foundation developed into the San Diego Hall of Champions, which today is the nations largest multi-sport museum and a shrine to honor local high school, amateur and professional sports stars- hometown heroes of the past, present and future. Breitbard was the driving force behind the building of the San Diego Sports Arena and the owner of its original tenant, the Gulls of the Western Hockey League, and the expansion NBA Rockets. Breitbard was also one of the founding members of the Greater San Diego Sports Association, a group that helped build San Diego Stadium, bring the Chargers and major-league Padres to town, establish and support the Holiday Bowl and other first-class sports events and facilities. Much more than just a uniquely dedicated caretaker of San Diegos sports, the kind and generous Breitbard was a local treasure that helped make San Diego the wonderful city it is today.

“Marvelous . . . [Vonnegut] wheels out all the complaints about America and makes them seem fresh, funny, outrageous, hateful and lovable.”—The New York Times In Breakfast of Champions, one of Kurt Vonnegut’s most beloved characters, the aging writer Kilgore Trout, finds to his horror that a Midwest car dealer is taking his fiction as truth. What follows is murderously funny satire, as Vonnegut looks at war, sex, racism, success, politics, and pollution in America and reminds us how to see the truth. “Free-wheeling, wild and great . . . uniquely Vonnegut.”—Publishers Weekly