Full Court tells the story of an often-forgotten but remarkable time in St. Louis sports history - the era of the NBA's St. Louis Hawks. Author Greg Maracek has woven together a compilation of interviews from the Hawks players to deliver a history of a former perennial power in the National Basketball Association. Between 1955 and 1968, pro basketball closely rivaled the attention - and at times outstripped the success - of baseball's St. Louis Cardinals. A storied rivalry with the fabled Boston Celtics is credited by many as the single most important catalyst to the national growth of NBA interest. Names of Hawks' stars became legendary to basketball fans. Leading the way is Hall of Fame superstar Bob Pettit, the first player to score 20,000 points - and later 25,000 - in a career. Other Hall of Fame Hawks include Cliff Hagan, Slater Martin, Len Wilkens, and "Easy" Ed Macauley. Pettit's 50-point performance in the 1958 championship game, NBA doubleheaders at Kiel Auditorium, owner Ben Kerner's sometimes wild and wacky postgame promotions, division and conference titles, sold-out crowds, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, and one incredible St. Louis World Championship season makes for riveting reading not only for fans of St. Louis sports but also for lovers of NBA lore.
The St. Louis Hawks picks up where the well-received Full Court: The Untold Stories of the St. Louis Hawks left off. Author Greg Marecek again mined the history of St. Louis's beloved Hawks and returned with a jewel a coffee-table book that celebrates an important NBA team and its championship. Packed with images of uniforms, programs, rarely seen photos, and other memorabilia, The St. Louis Hawks is a passionate tribute to the Hall of Famers and colorful characters that battled the Boston Celtics annually. The book features stories about the Hawks-Celtics rivalry, not to mention bios of Hawks players and other NBA greats that graced the hardwood at Kiel Auditorium. The encyclopedic collection includes an all-time roster, a chronology of coaches, the greatest moments in St. Louis Hawks history, the all-time Hawks team, a tribute to the legendary Bob Pettit, and much more. This must-have volume for fans of the Hawks and the NBA includes an audio component a CD with rare interviews of players and coaches, along with the play-by-play mastery of Buddy Blattner.
