The Punch: One Night, Two Lives, and the Fight That Changed Basketball Forever

Feinstein, John

ISBN 10: 0316735639 / ISBN 13: 9780316735636

Published by Back Bay Books, 2003

Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00072668558

Synopsis:

When a fight broke out between the Houston Rockets & the LA Lakers in 1977, All-star Rudy Tomjanovitch raced to break it up. He met Kermit Washington's fist, which delivered 1 of the most ferocious punches ever seen in sport. It deslodged his skull & he required years of surgery & therapy to get him back to normal but he was never the same. Washington was an average player, 6' 8 & one of only 6 athletes to be both an Academic all-American & a basketball all-American. By all accounts he was an exemplary man but the split-second in which he threw his fist devastated his reputation. No team in the NBA would employ him in any coaching capacity. Tomjanovitch, on the other hand, is a star: head coach of the 2-time world championship Rockets & coach of the 2000 Glympic Gold winning team.
With his unique insight, style & bone-deep knowledge of basketball, John Feinstein finally reveals the truth of that night & how it changed basketball forever. Through this one cataclysmicevent he casts light on the NBA's darkest secrets, exploring race, violence & how 1 mistake has haunted 2 good men for 25 years.

About the Author: As well as writing bestselling books, John Feinstein writes for Sports Illustrated, The Washington Post, Sporting News, Inside Sports and Tennis magazines. He also commentates regularly for National Public Radio's 'Morning Edition'.

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Punch: One Night, Two Lives, and the ...
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Publication Date: 2003
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: Good