Author Description

On March 25th, 1972, the largest crowd to ever witness a live indoor sporting event in the state of Oregon crammed into Portland's Memorial Coliseum. The occasion? The Oregon High School Boys Basketball Championship for large (AAA) high schools. But this was not just another championship. It was the first to feature a team comprised entirely of African-American players - Portland's Jefferson High Democrats - versus an "all white" collection of rural teenagers from a small, Eastern Oregon city - the Baker Bulldogs. Set amidst the backdrop of racist history plus the political tumult of 1972, this was much more than a game. It seemed to be a battle for the soul of Oregon. Through the prism of a high school season culminating on an early spring night in 1972, author Andrew Kaza tells the story of Oregon's urban and rural divide, its winners and losers and whether lofty athletic achievement can ultimately translate into something much bigger.--From back cover