Rebound! Basketball, Busing, Larry Bird, and the Rebirth of Boston

by Connelly, Michael

• ISBN13: 9780760335017
• ISBN10: 076033501X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-12-12
• Publisher: Mvp Books

Summary

In the mid-1970s, the city of Boston entered a period of upheaval on both its historic cobblestone streets and its legendary parquet basketball court. The Boston Celticsrs" long dominance of the NBA came to an abrupt end, and the city's image as a hub of social justice was shaken to its core. When the federal courts declared, in 1974, that the city was in violation of school desegregation rulings and would need to institute a busing program, Boston became deeply polarized. Then, just as the city was struggling to pull itself out of economic and social turmoil, the Boston Celtics drafted a forward from Indiana State named Larry Bird. Upon the arrival of the "Hick from French Lick" to Boston in 1979, the fates of team and city were reborn. Pride, championships, reduced crime, and an economic boom re-emerged in Boston. InRebound!, author Michael Connelly chronicles these parallel but intertwining worlds. It is an account of a city in financial, moral, and social decline brought back to life by the re-emergence of the Boston Celtics dynasty and the return of hope, purpose, and pride to "Hub of the Universe." Interviews with city officials, former players, and others on the frontlines provide a fascinating exploration into this tumultuous time.

Author Biography

A lifelong Bostonian, Michael Connelly has lived through the best of times and the worst of times in “the Hub.” As a writer for the Boston Herald and author of the book 26 Miles to Boston, he has chronicled the life and sports world of Boston for many years.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 9
Acknowledgments	p. 16
Prologue: "Are You the Savior?"	p. 21
"A Dozen New Year's Eves Rolled into One"	p. 27
"Read the Rules"	p. 31
Brutalist Modern	p. 37
"I'm Through with Basketball"	p. 43
The Liberator	p. 51
"I'm Never Going to Be a Star"	p. 63
"The Do-Nothing Committee"	p. 69
"Back Where It Belongs"	p. 79
A Temporary Solution	p. 95
"Practically Ignored by this City"	p. 105
"Southie Is My Hometown"	p. 111
The Greatest Game Ever Played	p. 127
Phase II	p. 141
Celtic Outsiders	p. 151
Boston Outsiders	p. 165
"Trade Was Made over Whiskey"	p. 175
"Those Are the Goddamn Basketballs You're Getting"	p. 195
"I Would Have Played for Nothing"	p. 203
"It Was His Flock"	p. 215
"Never Seemed a Rookie"	p. 225
The Covenant	p. 233
"Even the Liberty Bell Is Cracked"	p. 239
"All Are Here Alike Welcome"	p. 249
"We're Bringing It Back to Boston"	p. 253
Epilogue	p. 279
Bibliography	p. 289
Index	p. 297
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