By Steve Heldt
Ranking:
Good bathroom reading -- in every sense of the word. However, there was one FATAL flaw with this book ... if you are going to write a trivia book, be sure you know your facts. For instance, on quiz 45, it says:
"3. Michael Jordan was the second pick of the 1984 draft. Portland shose this pivot man with the No. 1 selection. Name him."
Michael Jordan was the No. 3 pick (not No. 2) of the draft, and Portland chose Sam Bowie with the No. 2 pick. The Houston Rockets had the No. 1 pick of the draft, and they chose Akeem Olajuwon with the pick.
Yet another error is on quiz 35:
"7. Three Centers won the Rookie of the Year award during the 80's. Who were they?" They list as the answer: "Ralph Sampson (83-84), Patrick Ewing (85-86), and David Robinson (89-90)." David Robinson didn't win the award during the 80's. He won it in 1990. To make the question correct, they would have said, "Three centers drafted in 80s won the Rookie of the Year award. Who were they?"
And yet, another error on quiz 1:
"3. The first player to win back-to-back playoff MVP awards." Their answer is "Willis Reed 1972 and 1973." Except Wilt Chamberlain was the 1972 playoff MVP. (The correct answer is Michael Jordan, 1991 and 1992.). Willis Reed was the first player to win it twice (1970 and 73), but not back-to-back.
On quiz 3, they ask, "This Royal went from Rookie of the Year in 1963-64 to the MVP award the next season." Their answer is Jerry Lucas. However, the next season (1964-65), Bill Russell was the MVP. There is no correct answer. The closes answer is Oscar Robertson, who was Rookie of the Year in 1960-61 and MVP in 1963-64. Jerry Lucas did win Rookie of the Year in 1963-64, but never won the MVP.
The errors aren't THAT frequent, but they are annoying. Also, you have to keep in mind that the book was written in 1991, so when they ask where the Utah Jazz play their games, it's the Salt Palace, not the Delta Center.
Insight: 1
History: 1946-1991
Readability: 4
The Bathroom Basketball Book. By Steve Heldt. Red-Letter Press, Inc. 1991.
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