The Crossover: A Brief History of Basketball and Race
The Crossover is my exploration of the historical interconnections of race and basketball in the United States. In ten focused chapters that highlight characters both famous (Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird) and more obscure (John McLendon, Earl Lloyd, Holcombe Rucker), this book explores how what’s happened on the basketball court has mirrored race relations in the United States–and often preceded changes off of it.
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Reviews
“Doug Merlino crosses many sociocultural boundaries to offer casual and hardcore fans alike a glimpse into the racial and economic divide that spans more than a century of American basketball. From Springfield to Harlem to Miami (with many stops in between), The Crossover beautifully ties together the pioneers who have forever altered both the game and the business of basketball.” – Alan Brown, University of Alabama, College of Education