Game Changers

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224 pp., 6.125 x 9.25, 15 halftones, notes, index

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4696-4549-0
Published: August 2018
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4696-3038-0
Published: October 2016
E-book EPUB ISBN: 978-1-4696-3039-7
Published: September 2016
E-book PDF ISBN: 979-8-8908-4922-9
Published: September 2016

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Among many legendary episodes from the life and career of men’s basketball coach Dean Smith, few loom as large as his recruitment of Charlie Scott, the first African American scholarship athlete at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Drawn together by college basketball in a time of momentous change, Smith and Scott helped transform a university, a community, and the racial landscape of sports in the South. But there is much more to this story than is commonly told. In Game Changers, Art Chansky reveals an intense saga of race, college sport, and small-town politics. At the center were two young men, Scott and Smith, both destined for greatness but struggling through challenges on and off the court, among them the storms of civil rights protest and the painfully slow integration of a Chapel Hill far less progressive than its reputation today might suggest.

Drawing on extensive personal interviews and a variety of other sources, Chansky takes readers beyond the basketball court to highlight the community that supported Smith and Scott during these demanding years, from assistant basketball coach John Lotz and influential pastor the Reverend Robert Seymour to pioneering African American mayor Howard Lee. Dispelling many myths that surround this period, Chansky nevertheless offers an ultimately triumphant portrait of a student-athlete and coach who ensured the University of North Carolina would never be the same.

About the Author

Art Chansky is a veteran sportswriter and author of several books on UNC basketball, including Light Blue Reign and Blue Blood.
For more information about Art Chansky, visit the Author Page.

Reviews

"A story rich in detail, anecdote, and context."--Eric Frederick, News & Observer

"More than just a fan fest, Game Changers reminds us of the tough road toward civil rights this state had to follow. It also shows how athletics can steer popular culture, often for the good."--Ben Steelman, Wilmington Star-News

“Mix[es] an examination of the civil rights struggle in Chapel Hill in the 1960s with behind-the-scenes stories on the recruiting and college career of basketball star Charlie Scott, UNC’s first Afro-American scholarship player.”--Joel Buckley, Community Sports News

“One of the most insightful and intriguing books ever written about college sports.”--Caulton Tudor, NC Sports Hall of Fame Writer

“[A] fascinating account of Dean Smith, Charlie Scott and turbulent Chapel Hill in the '60s. . . . a must-read.”--R.L. Bynum, Raleigh & Company

“Change[s] the way readers view UNC basketball in the 1960s.”--The Pilot