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Mr. Basketball George Mikan, the Minneapolis Lakers, and the Birth of the NBA Michael Schumacher |
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The definitive biography of the Hall of Famer. In this fascinating biography of basketball superstar George Mikan, Michael Schumacher chronicles the life and career of a player so dominating that he literally changed the way the game was played and, in the process, helped launch the fledgling National Basketball Association. Mikan’s Hall of Fame career included numerous national titles—in college with DePaul and five times in the pros with the Minneapolis Lakers. Named the greatest basketball player of the first half of the twentieth century, “Mr. Basketball” cast such a large shadow that the Madison Square Garden marquee, in announcing an upcoming game, simply said, “George Mikan vs. the Knicks.” “Anybody who doesn’t know who George Mikan is, is not a basketball fan.” —Kevin Garnett “Without George Mikan, there’d be no me.” —Shaquille O’Neal “He showed us how to do it. I certainly would not have the hook shot that went in if it wasn’t for the fundamentals I learned from George Mikan’s game.” —Kareem Abdul-Jabbar “He was the greatest impact player of that era. He was a big man who could do so many things on the court. He literally transcended the sport and he created such visibility. In the 1940s and ‘50s, he was the marquee player. He lifted us out of the doldrums and made the league respectable.” —Bob Cousy “George Mikan was the bedrock of the game we have today, not only as a player, but as a human being. His tireless work, on and off the court, changed all of our lives.” —Bill Walton Michael Schumacher is the author of nine books, including Dharma Lion: A Critical Biography of Allen Ginsberg, Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton, and Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the “Edmund Fitzgerald.” 336 pages | 13 b&w photos | 6 1/8 x 9 1/4 | 2008 Prologue 1. Awkward Kid with Glasses Acknowledgments |
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$18.95 paper