{"product_id":"sinister-influences-kentucky-s-fabulous-five-and-the-point-shaving-scandal-of-1951","title":"Sinister Influences Kentucky’s Fabulous Five and the Point-Shaving Scandal of 1951","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"gmail_default\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBook Details \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gmail_default\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eAuthor: Ron Elliott\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHardcover: 237 pages\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProduct Dimensions: 6\" x 9\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRetail Price: $24.95\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gmail_default\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eISBN: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e978-1-938905-75-9 \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gmail_default\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"gmail_default\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBook Description \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gmail_default\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe passion that is University of Kentucky basketball’s Big Blue Nation is not a recent phenomenon. In fact, fans’ maniacal devotion to the ‘Cats traces back to Coach Adolph Rupp’s early days at UK in the 1930s. As Rupp grew into his job, his teams steadily grew more formidable until they became nearly invincible in what came to be known as UK’s “glory years,” 1946-1951. In that time frame, Kentucky’s Fabulous Five merely: won the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), which was considered the national championship at the time, once; finished runner-up once; won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament three times and could have won it a fourth time and formed the nucleus of the United States Olympic team which won the Gold Medal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThen, on a crisp October day in 1951, the roof caved in. Authorities arrested the stars, Ralph Beard and Alex Groza, on charges of conspiring with gamblers to “shave points” as the “fixers’” felt that UK’s teams were talented enough to win by any chosen margin. While that activity was poor ethics anywhere, it was illegal in the State of New York. As many of Kentucky’s games were played in Madison Square Garden — “The Mecca of College Basketball” — the players were guilty of a serious crime.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlthough UK was the highest profile team involved, the point-shaving scandal was not limited to them. Before it was over, 30 players from seven schools were implicated. Later, more Kentucky players, most notably Bill Spivey, were caught in the net and came under the jurisdiction of an ambitious New York District Attorney and a vindictive judge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRon Elliott recreates the charged atmosphere inside UK’s old Alumni Gym where the ‘Cats steamrolled to 84 consecutive victories and recounts the thrilling action of the big games in Madison Square Garden. \u003cem\u003eSinister Influences \u003c\/em\u003ealso provides statistics for the big games and the player’s careers as well as many previously obscure details of the point-shaving scandals which cost the players their vocation and nearly prematurely ended Coach Rupp’s fabulous career.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAuthor\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eRon Elliott, a native of Lincoln County, Kentucky, is a graduate of Stanford High School, Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRon’s background includes working on the historic Apollo missions and a stint on Kentucky’s Community College system facility. Having a relative involved in the assassination of Kentucky’s would-be governor, William Goebel, piqued his interest in history and launched a writing career.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA much-in-demand member of the Kentucky Humanities Council Speakers Bureau, Ron is the author of several books, including \u003cem\u003eInside the Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThrough the Eyes of Lincoln\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eFrom Hilltop to Mountaintop: The Life and Legacy of One Iwo Jima Flag Raiser\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAmerican El Dorado: The Great Diamond Hoax of 1872\u003c\/em\u003e. His work is also featured in numerous magazine articles. He is the 2012 DAR Literary Award recipient and recently appeared in an episode of “Mastering at the Museum.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRetired, Ron and his wife, Carol, currently live in Nelson County, Kentucky.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"I've been reading your manuscript.  Confession upfront: I have absolutely no interest in basketball (I know I live in Kentucky and that's a capital offense) and getting myself to read it has been tough.  That said, it reads (as I suspected) incredibly well, is chock full of information, and the narrative flows really well.  I love it and I see no reason why everybody won't.\" - \u003cstrong\u003eMichael Steinmacher\u003c\/strong\u003e, Director of Barr Memorial Library\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMedia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.wpbkfm.com\/listen\/archived\/\"\u003eWPBK FM\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.kentuckyliving.com\/kentucky-colonels\/\"\u003eBasketball Fever? Feature- Life in Kentucky by Kentucky Living article\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Acclaim Press, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":18756182999107,"sku":"Sinister Influences Kentucky’s Fabulous Five a","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/acclaim-press-inc.myshopify.com\/products\/sinister-influences-kentucky-s-fabulous-five-and-the-point-shaving-scandal-of-1951","provider":"Acclaim Press, Inc.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}