Ron Thomas author of They Cleared the Lane ($29.95,Nebraska)
Thomas's is probably one of the two or three best books about
professional basketball ever read by this reviewer. The
compelling narrative will hold every reader's interest. Although
the current National Basketball Association (NBA) is over 80
percent black, African Americans did not enter the league
until 1950. Yet even the most dedicated NBA fan would be
hard-pressed to identify such pioneers as Harold Hunter (the
first black player to sign an NBA contract), Earl Lloyd (the first
black to play in an NBA game), and Chuck Cooper (the first to be
drafted by an NBA team). The book describes their trials and
triumphs and then more briefly traces the rise of the black
athlete as a force in the league. It was not easy, as there were
official and unofficial "quotas," and local harassment
could make traveling with the teams a real ordeal. This book is
important not just for basketball fans but for those who want to
understand the role played by African Americans in the
development of the NBA and big-time sports today. Highly
recommended. William Scheeren, Hempfield Area H.S. Lib.,
Greensburg, PA
"They Cleared the Lane is on point and on time. I am deeply
touched by this book. . . . Growing up in the '50s exposed me to
segregation and prejudice up close. However, it was pale in
comparison to what the game's black pioneers experienced. For
their perseverance and dedication, I thank them and honor their
journey."--Julius Erving, former NBA star
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