Elgin Baylor: The Man Who Changed BasketballNBA Hall of Fame player Elgin Baylor was an innovator in his sport, a civil rights trailblazer, and a true superstar. He influenced future NBA All Stars such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and is considered by many to be one of the most important players in NBA history. A prolific scorer who baffled opponents with his twists and turns and inventive moves, Baylor was a force both on and off the court for the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers. In Elgin Baylor: The Man Who Changed Basketball, Bijan C. Bayne tells the story of how a kid from the streets of segregated Washington, DC, who didn’t attend college until he was over twenty, revolutionized basketball and stood up for his rights. In a time when few nationally prominent black athletes spoke out about racial inequality in the United States, Baylor refused to tolerate discrimination. On the court, with his balletic moves and urban style of play, Elgin Baylor lifted the game of basketball off the floor and into the air. Elgin Baylor: The Man Who Changed Basketball includes personal reflections from Baylor’s old schoolyard companions, former teammates, players he coached in the NBA, and noted sports journalists, bringing to life his childhood, college career, and professional life with intimate detail. Basketball fans, historians, and those interested in the impact of sports on the Civil Rights Movement will all find this first-ever biography of Elgin Baylor both fascinating and inspirational. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 7 | |
3 I Was Scared to Death It Was My First Flight | 17 |
4 How the West Was Won | 21 |
5 Im Not an Animal Put in a Cage | 39 |
The NBAs First Modern Player | 57 |
7 The First Superstar | 89 |
8 A Leader of Men | 127 |
The Unlucky Number 13 | 181 |
11 Jazz Duet | 219 |
12 Clipper Command | 229 |
13 Rabbit Redux | 247 |
| 255 | |
| 265 | |
About the Author | 269 |
9 The More Determined I Became to Prove the Doctors Wrong | 145 |
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All-American All-Star Game Angeles asked athletes averaged ball basket basketball player Baylor and West Baylor played Baylor scored Baylor told beat Bill Russell black players Bob Cousy Bob Short Boston Celtics Breda Kolff called Castellani championship Cincinnati Clippers club coach court defense Deford Detroit Dick Barnett dribble Elgin Baylor fans football former forward foul franchise Fred Schaus free throws going guard guys Havlicek Hawkins Hawks Heinsohn high school Hot Rod Jerry West Jim Murray John Jones jump shot jumper Kerlan knee Knicks league locker room Louis Maravich Minneapolis Mullaney NBA Finals NCAA Negro night Oscar Robertson owner playoffs rebounds Red Auerbach Rick Barry Rod Hundley rookie Rudy LaRusso San Francisco says season Seattle University Selvy shooting SPORT magazine Sports Arena Sports Illustrated sportswriter star Sterling superstar team's teammates told Sports Warriors Washington Wilt Chamberlain York