Bøger af Calvin Davis

During the 1950s, the great migration from the South led many Black families to the city of Chicago. As African American families took up residency all around the city, the talent in the Chicago Public League's high schools took a huge leap. Many of the schools that were previously predominantly White became Black. Neighborhoods throughout the city changed as well. Many White families moved to suburban areas outside of Chicago.Since that time, basketball has created thousands of scholarship opportunities for Black student athletes, including myself. My version of the Top 100 Players of All Time will not only be similar to many but also different from what other writers would put together. The arguments about who belongs will always be present when the conversation centers on Chicago high school basketball.My story is something I hope will be educational and inspirational to others who take the path I took as an inner-city resident who put in the extra effort in the classroom, on the court, and in the community to find success. I am a student of the human condition, wielding the written craft to enrapture the mind much like an artist wields a brush. The pages are a blank canvas on which to draw from a talent heralded by many but matched only by an imagination that rises to the task and delivers positivity.

"Inner City Hoops", A Historical Account of Chicago Basketball is a unique publication. Both basketball junkies and social historians will enjoy the content. You will read about the top sixty basketball players in the history of Chicago. The author gives readers a first hand look at what it's like to grow up in the inner city and make the most of the opportunities that present themselves through sports and education. This account gives you the view of the person who actually lived the inner city experience in Chicago. The reader sees a real-life view through the eyes of Calvin Davis, who gives this historical account along with his personal story. It will be exciting to learn how Chicago basketball has evolved over the past one hundred years, and how it has served as an avenue for upward mobility. This work of contemporary history gives the view of respected basketball historian Dr. Larry Hawkins, who speaks about the "Golden Triangle" where basketball talent in the city of Chicago was developed in the 1920s and 1930s. Sports Researcher, Robert Pruter who wrote the article about Early Phillips Teams indicated that "The Golden Triangle" allowed future basketball phenoms to develop their outstanding basketball skills which would change the face of basketball in the inner city in the years to come. You'll read about community spirit and growth, as well as indifference to racism. The Bronzeville neighborhood on the inner south side of Chicago and the near west side neighborhoods were the places where African Americans from the southern states migrated approximately 35 years after the civil war. This influx of African Americans led to Phillips High School becoming the first black high school in Chicago in the 1920's. The author, Calvin Davis grew up in Bronzeville more than 40 years later and sharpened his basketball skills at all 3 parts of the Golden Triangle. Calvin talks about his time as a member of the notorious Jr. Trotters, the city of Chicago's first traveling AAU type all star team of the modern era. You will read about the famed 2-2-1 press they employed that hunted down opposing ball handlers until they wilted from the relentless pressure, and how they beat any team, any time, any place, and anywhere. You'll also read about the success stories that were a result of the opportunities created, and the discipline learned in basketball that carried over into life skills. A large number of Jr. Trotters went on to not only College, NBA and European League basketball careers after college, but also to a variety of Professional Occupations. Many of them continue to give back to their communities today. In Calvin's case, after leaving the Trotters, he continued as an Honor - Student-athlete at Dunbar High on Jim Foreman's basketball team. He became a Scholarship Basketball Player at William Penn University, a Teacher in the Chicago Public Schools, an Elementary and High School Basketball Coach, a Citywide Sports Coordinator, a School Administrator, the Director of Sports Administration, Driver Education and Facilities for the City of Chicago's Public Schools, and now the author of "Inner City Hoops", a History of Chicago Basketball. The Bronzeville area in Chicago was the first home for many black families from the south and served as a home for many successful athletes. Basketball has been a springboard not only to the NBA, but to college scholarships and professional occupations for individuals like Calvin and countless others. The history in this book will expand the knowledge of readers, and provide enjoyment as well. The book was designed to be written as if a general basketball conversation is being held. As you read about the individual exploits of players, you'll feel the respect the author has for their talents along with his love for the game.