Basketball made its debut as an Olympic sport at the 1936 Games in Berlin. The United States sent a team but it was against the backdrop of Hitler and Nazi Germany. The roots of the team were in Hollywood and a tire factory in Ohio. A Jewish team member consulted on whether to go to the Olympics and decided to play. When the Olympians arrive, they are feted and celebrated but many also noted the Germans’ disturbing fanaticism for Hitler. The medalist games were played outdoors in the rain and what became a mud pit, where the ball was slippery and could not bounce in the mud. In the end it would be the first gold in basketball for the United States. This was also the Olympics with Jesse Owens and the “Boys in the Boat.” Compelling storytelling, forward pacing, presents the key players as integral and interesting parts of the hole. Background and history set the scene. ( )

This is the incredible true story of basketball, from its invention by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891, to the sport's Olympic debut in Berlin and the eclectic mix of people, events and propaganda on both sides of the Atlantic that made it all possible. Includes photos throughout, a Who's-Who of the 1936 Olympics, bibliography, and index.