Basketball, Football, Poker… & Politics

Slam Dunked

By RON GOMEZ with BERYL SHIPLEY

Wordclay, $19.95

Beryl Shipley, despite being the winningest basketball coach in the history of USL (now University of Louisiana-Lafayette) ignited a firestorm of incredible and illegal sanctions against the school. As a result, the NCAA issued the “death penalty” – a two-year embargo on playing.

What “sin” by this outstanding coach precipitated such a sentence?

He dared to recruit and play minority students, a violation of the unwritten code of “Louisiana segregationists who were hell-bent on curbing athletic integration in Shipley’s program,” according to author Ron Gomez.

And, when the state board of education refused him money to recruit black players, Shipley went into the community and raised funds himself specifically for blacks. That did it. The NCAA came down hard on the program and the team, which was listed in the nation’s Top 10 at the time. USL was disinvited to the Southland Conference championships.

Shipley reacted to that by calling the Southland Conference “a Mickey Mouse league.” Asked if he would obey an order to apologize for his remark, Shipley said he would indeed apologize … to Mickey Mouse.

Like basketball or not, sport fans will enjoy this report by Gomez, the play-by-play reporter on the scene throughout this affair.

The Saints the Superdomeand the Scandal

By DAVE DIXON

Pelican Publishing, $24.95

The Saints and the Superdome exist in New Orleans largely due to the vision and effort of one man, Dave Dixon. He was aided by the enthusiastic help of then-Gov. John McKeithen, who quickly gave his OK to the building of the Superdome.

Dixon then went to work on NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle and secured the first ever non-segregated football game played in New Orleans. With that show of good faith, the NFL awarded a pro-franchise to New Orleans.

So, what was the “scandal” in the title?

According to Dixon, McKeithen was a likely choice as presidential candidate Sen. Hubert Humphrey’s running mate but “an incredibly inaccurate article in “Life” magazine associating McKeithen by innuendo with the “New Orleans mafia” killed that opportunity.

McKeithen, according to Dixon, was the key to winning the south for the Democrats because it was rumored that Alabama Gov. George Wallace would withdraw his presidential candidacy in favor of a Humphrey-McKeithen ticket. Dixon also believed McKeithen would follow Humphrey as president bringing great rewards to Louisiana and the South. The rest, as they say, is history.

Ghosts at the Table

By DES WILSON

Da Capo, $26

From the early days of gambling in Wild West saloons to riverboat gamblers and, finally, to today’s million dollar stakes on TV, poker has become a true sport of champions.

In his book, Wilson exposes the myths and legends of poker, famous among which was the murder in Deadwood, S.D., of Wild Bill Hickok, who was shot in the back while allegedly holding Aces and Eights, known thereafter as “Dead Man’s Hand.”

In Tombstone, Wilson discovered actual “ghosts” who still manifest their existence. On riverboats, passengers, bored with scenery, often would learn the game and see their traveling funds disappear into the pockets of “cheats and card sharks.” Now, thanks to huge stake tournaments on Cable TV, poker has surged in popularity. Fans of these shows will particularly enjoy the stories and backgrounds of the poker stars.

Even if you don’t know much about poker you’ll enjoy this breezy, historical look at what now could be called “America’s Game”… second, of course, to football.

Tailspin

By CATHERINE COULTER

Putnam, $25.95

How’s this for a page one grabber? Rachel Abbott awakens to find herself bound with rope, a concrete block tied to her feet and about to be thrown into a lake and left to drown. You’ll hold your breath with her as she tries to escape and, incredibly, does.

Fearing the return of her attempted killers, Rachel hurries from Black Lake, Md., to Parlow, Ky., and the safety of her uncle’s hideaway. Almost there, her car gives out, just as a small plane crash lands almost at her feet. FBI agent Jack Brown and his passenger are helped to safety by Rachel, whose quick action saves both men.

Apparently, someone wants the plane’s passengers dead just as someone is trying to kill Rachel. Incredibly the two are connected and it’s left to the FBI’s married sleuths, Savich and Sherlock, to sort it out, which, of course, they always do.

Prepare to go without sleep once you start this one.

Josh’s Halloween Pumpkin

By KATHRYN LAY

with Illustrations by KATY BRATUN

Pelican Publishing, $15.95

Josh and his little sister, Callie, discover a giant pumpkin in Gramps’ patch, and hide it in the barn so no one would buy it. Next night, Callie gets lost and Gramps and Josh cut open the giant pumpkin, light candles inside creating a huge Jack O lantern and place it on a hill.

Callie sees it and comes running home. Their Halloween is saved.

This is a fun book with colorful illustrations kids will greatly enjoy.