In 1974 Rick Telander intended to spend a few days doing a magazine piece on the court wizards of Brooklyn's Foster Park. He ended up staying the entire summer, becoming part of the players' lives, and eventually the coach of a loose aggregation known as the Subway Stars. Telander tells of everything he saw: the on-court flash, the off-court jargon, the late-night graffiti raids, the tireless efforts of one promoter-hustler-benefactor to get these kids a chance at a college education. He lets the kids speak for themselves, ...
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In 1974 Rick Telander intended to spend a few days doing a magazine piece on the court wizards of Brooklyn's Foster Park. He ended up staying the entire summer, becoming part of the players' lives, and eventually the coach of a loose aggregation known as the Subway Stars. Telander tells of everything he saw: the on-court flash, the off-court jargon, the late-night graffiti raids, the tireless efforts of one promoter-hustler-benefactor to get these kids a chance at a college education. He lets the kids speak for themselves, revealing their grand dreams and ambitions, but he never flinches from showing us how far their dreams are from reality. The roots of today's inner-city basketball can be traced to the world Telander presents in Heaven Is a Playground, the first book of its kind. Rick Telander is a sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and was named 2002 Illinois Sportswriter of the Year by the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters.
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Seller's Description:
Good. The book may have minor cosmetic wear (i.e. creased spine/cover, scratches, curled corners, folded pages, minor sunburn, minor water damage, minor bent). The book may have some highlights/notes/underlined pages-Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, may not be included-Safe and Secure Mailer-No Hassle Return.
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Seller's Description:
NF. Wrappers. Monochrome photographic spine and covers are all clean and bright. Book has just the faintest trace of rubbing at the head and tail of the spine and at the extreme tip of the lower rear outside corner. Binding is straight and tight. Pages are clean, white, and crisp. 224 pages. Illustrated with a section of photographs in the center.
This book enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a portrait of life in the Brooklyn playgrounds in the mid-seventies. The game of basketball becomes the focus in life for a number of memorable characters, most of whom will never grow up and become adults. Basketball is their only chance to leave the guetto, but in the end most of them are unable to do so, and playground basketball becomes a last refuge before ultimate defeat. Winning or losing becomes meaningless, and only the play remains.
