Tales from Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball by Michael Perry (review)

BOOK RFVILWS Michael Perry. Tales from Clnctnnatt 3 Bearcats Basketball. Champaign, Ill Sports Publishing LLC, 2004 259 pp ISBN 1582617457 (cloth), $ 19 95 i 4% j M tchael Perry is the spoits editor of the Cin6 41% I * cinnati Enquirer and has drawn many of his stot ies about the Bearcats from his work In the traditional sense, this text lacks a thesis,but its goal iS simply to intl oduce the reader to the history of the Beatcats through stories of some of their highlights 4 4//$ » ' 1*« s and low points,through a few key people, and by k if »' means of funny as well as poignant moments The 0, f organization of the book aftei the first two chapters *© s, » is primatily divided into the tenures of the Beatcat 1% coaches thiough the current leadership ot Bob Huggins who, being the University of Cincinnati's 94' h longest tenured coach,has several chapters devoted * p. to him Based on primary source matelial, Perry' s book > makes extensive use ot interviews either he or an- i other tepoiter at the Enquirer conducted What r© 12 :, dit, af tj), r,1, t:* ed F ,;: t'£ 7. 113, (' t 0« 3, 0 results is a series of personal stories, spiced with :" lumt, A, m me* 15 601Stijj > st 1 , * m,. Tu isibe,> , irt numerous quotes,provided by those most closely 111- 0„, » 944* 627 ( 1* 4 lit.,• iii:, ., 1, 1 NO + ihi,* on ,\ 1.., imj ( 14, 0, 0 1, 1 Ub: il* rsity ef (/ titi , t, t,, t. '\ ,,t>irjet # gm) 3«>'volved in the vaiious happenings in Bearcat basket- » ball history Perry makes it clear that his is not a 1 *: 4':, 4.: S,>..)* t>:, sp,* r: -' 95,5-, Ma* j Play at UC from 19481950 book about numbers but Perry devotes a good portion of his rather a window into the people behind those 1:'* Ad,ti * 2* tyllj greatest playel Oscar Robet tson He i wins and losses Foi ex- di ,==== IR ve=&&*» ' 31= 22% sets out to show the influence Robertson had on the program at Cincinnati of coachJohn Wiethe the . billi ./...' as well as on individual players He author introduces the became known as " The Big 0"durleader to Dick Dallmer, who grew up in HamilIng the first game of his sophomore season when he scored twentyeight ton,Ohio,served during ' (»»-«* 5 " points to help the Bearcats beat InWorld War II in the army m .f' diana (59) There are stories from where he got a chance I , ' players who tried to guard Robertson, to play basketball and * I· · about the unveiling of his statue,and really develop his skills), Ib even a tall tale about how he hurt his and who afteiward re- '= 2* , 6hael Perry ,- '· back horsing around befote a game ceived a scholarship to ..%* i3/ 4. «»» '* 85* 71) Yet the book' s most poignant 100 OHIO VALLEY HISTORY 5 material emerges from the trials and tribulations Robertson had as an African American player with the Bearcats. Perry includes general stories of their travel as well as excerpts from news articles of the time that revealed the racial ostracism that Robertson faced. This book is well written and easy to read. It will appeal to all who have ever followed the Bearcats, fans and players alike. It will also appeal to general fans of the game of basketball who want to learn how Oscar Robertson got his start or what happened to Kenyon Martin or how Pat Cummings helped the Bearcats beat San Francisco 8988 in an overtime game. Readers who are looking simply for a list of UC's basketball records and its teams' appearances in the NCAA tournaments will not find them here. Rather,they will find in these pages a far richer sports history. Leslie Heaphy Kent State University,Stark Campus SUMMER 2005 101 ...