Thomas J. Whalen is the author of many sports books and is associate professor of social science at Boston University. Whalen's work has appeared in the New York Times, ABCNews.com, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and the AP. He has also appeared on several national broadcast outlets including CNN, NPR and Reuters TV. Whalen's books include Dynasty's End: Bill Russell and the 1968-69 World Champion Boston Celtics, Spirit of '67: The Cardiac Kids, El Birdos, and the World Series That Captivated American, and Kooks and Degenerates on Ice: Bobby Orr, the Big Bad Bruins, and the Stanley Cup Championship That Transformed Hockey.

Tom Whalen knows how to tell a rollicking good tale. This is more than an account of one of the greatest rivalries in sports history, it is also a moving tale of what the Boston Celtics meant to their fans and a snapshot of a team that changed pro basketball forever. Whalen has a knack for finding meaning in the particulars of American life during the 1980s, not just on the basketball court but beyond. This book includes a colorful ensemble of larger than life characters, from Hall of Fame players to the reporters who covered them to the fans who bled Celtic green. This is a remarkably fun and insightful read.

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pub date: 2024-10-15

Length: 280 pages