By Pete Maravich and Darrel Campbell with Frank Schroeder
Ranking:
This is a deep inner-look at Pistol Pete and the book tells 2 stories. The first is of how his father, "Press" Maravich grew up and played professional basketball and how this dream was passed on to Pete. The first 6 chapters are a biography about his father. Then he goes into his life and how he was born to play basketball and how his father helped him develop into a player through skills and talks. Although I haven't read Earl Woods' book, from what I've been told, it sounds like Press Maravich and Earl Woods both used a lot of similar games and skills to teach their sons their respective games.
Pete tells of his 3 goals in life: To play college basketball, to play professional basketball, and to win a championship. He accomplished the first 2, but never accomplished the latter. He tells of his high school days, his college days, and his professional days. However, he tells a much more personal story than simply what he did as a player. He tells of his continued relationship with his father, as well as his family life and his life off the court.
The 2nd story tells of his personal demons. He was one of the most gifted basketball players to ever play, yet he never could find contentment in basketball. He turned to drinking and he never found contentment there. After he retired, he became worse, since he no longer played basketball. He tried many things to find contentment and couldn't find any until he committed his life to following his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He tells of his relationship with Christ, and how he became a complete person because of it. He tells of how he shared his joy with his wife and his father and how they, too, accepted Christ. He finally tells of his father's battle with cancer and how this brought the 2 of them even closer together.
This is a wonderful book because it's so painfully honest. He tells a very personal story and doesn't bask in his own greatness, like some basketball books do. Also the concept of telling 2 stories was unique, as well as having 2 biographies in one book. This book was made into a TV movie, but the movie really paled in comparison. The movie stops when Pete is in 8th grade and uses a lot of "artistic license" in telling things that just weren't true, as well as the kid who played Pistol Pete wasn't that great of a ballhandler.
Introspection: 5
Insight: 3
History: 1969-1982
Readability: 3
Heir to a Dream. Pete Maravich and Darrel Campbell with Frank Schroeder. Premiere Publishing. 1987.
|
|
