"The Loyola Ramblers have too often been forgotten for their
role in basketball's cultural history. They remain a significant,
uplifting story." --Frank Deford
"If you're interested in the history of Chicago], interested in
the history of college basketball in the city, and racial history
in not just the city but the country then you should check out
Ramblers]. " Laurence Holmes, WSCR-AM host and NBC5 anchor
In 1963, the Loyola Chicago Ramblers defeated the Cincinnati
Bearcats 60 58 in the NCAA men's basketball championship, coming
from behind to upset the two-time defending champions in a
buzzer-beating overtime thriller. What elevated this particular
game from one of Chicago's most memorable sports victories into one
for the history books was the transgressive lineups fielded by both
teams: the Bearcats started three African-American players, and the
Ramblers had four. When Americans tuned in to watch the game (one
of the first NCAA championships to be broadcast nationally), they
saw for the first time a sight we take for granted today: most of
the players on the floor were black. Ramblers tells the story of
that game, and of the teams and players that helped change public
perceptions of who could and couldn't succeed on the court.
Today basketball is played mostly "above the rim" by athletes of
all backgrounds and colors. But 50 years ago it was a floor-bound
game, and the opportunities it offered for African-Americans were
severely limited. Ramblers is an entertaining, detail-rich look
back at the unlikely circumstances that went into creating Loyola's
championship squad. Along the way, author Michael Lenehan also
explores the in-depth stories of two Loyola opponents: Mississippi
State, the all-white team that defied state policy by sneaking out
of Mississippi to play in the NCAA tournament; and Cincinnati, the
two-time defending NCAA champions, who were heavily favored going
into the championship game.
While on the surface this is a story about basketball, the book
goes deeper to illuminate how sport in America both typifies and
drives change in the broader culture. The social-historical
realities of the 1950s and 1960s are brought to stark life in
Lenehan's telling, illustrating the challenges all of these teams
confronted in the effort simply to play their game against the
worthiest opponents. At its heart, Ramblers is a profound story
about American history, culture, and society at a dramatic
crossroads."
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