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Loose Balls

Written by: Terry Pluto
Narrated by: Bo Foxworth, Jack Garrett, William Harper, Michael McConnohie, J. D. Jackson, P. J. Ochlan
Length: 20 hrs and 27 mins
5 out of 5 stars (1 rating)

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Publisher's Summary

What do Julius Erving, Larry Brown, Moses Malone, Bob Costas, the Indiana Pacers, the San Antonio Spurs and the Slam Dunk Contest have in common? They all got their professional starts in the American Basketball Association.

The NBA may have won the financial battle, but the ABA won the artistic war. With its stress on wide-open individual play, the adoption of the 3-point shot and pressing defense, and the encouragement of flashy moves and flying dunks, today's NBA is still -- decades later -- just the ABA without the red, white and blue ball.

Loose Balls is, after all these years, the definitive and most widely respected history of the ABA. It's a wild ride through some of the wackiest, funniest, strangest times ever to hit pro sports -- told entirely through the (often incredible) words of those who played, wrote and connived their way through the league's nine seasons.

©1990 Terry Pluto (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Me & My Girls
  • Va United States
  • 2013-06-20

Memories for the middle aged male

I grew up in North Carolina in the early seventies and I was occasionally able to watch the Carolina Cougars. The ABA was a freewheeling league, where a lot of weird things happened; and the game appeared to be a lotta fun; both for the fans and the players. I watched the game where George McGinnis set a new rebounding record by banging the ball of the rim and backboard a few times. I can still remember the voice of the Cougars; Bob Laney of WSOC-AM doing the play-by-play as I lay in my bunk bed at night.

When I originally listened to this book the narrator was horrible, now there are several different voices telling the story and when they quote the players, coaches, executives of the league it even sounds like them. There are limits to how relevant some of the information is since this book was originally published in 1990. The changes in the world , not to mention the world of professional basketball have been legion in the last 30 years. If you're a hard-core fan of the ABA; or a fan of old school hoops from the seventies; this will probably be an excellent listen for you. For those who weren't even alive during the time of the ABA it is a look back at a world that might be hard to conceive of in today's sports climate; either way, sit back and enjoy.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • michael seller
  • 2018-06-19

Basketball Heart

You know that you have a basketball heart when you spend the better part of two days listening to this book. I know that some of the inside stories are just a crock; The story about how the Dr. got his nickname has been proven incorrect buy the Doctor himself. So when you know that piece of information it does reduce the credibility of the rest of the "insider" story. However, if you love basketball and lived a few of these stories yourself then sitting down for an afternoon with this Audible book is not such a bad way to spend the afternoon.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Doug
  • 2019-02-06

It's pronounced de bush er. Not debooshay

A fine oral history with just one GIANT caveat. Mispronounced names are never ending. Through the entire book. The fact the pronunciations even change for the same name during the same chapters. From chapter one thru the conclusion it is non stop.

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Anonymous User
  • 2018-11-24

great book

A really great format with Really great stories makes it a really great and enjoyable book.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Gembo4
  • WINSTON SALEM, NC, United States
  • 2015-12-08

Great Story funny & Very informative!

Growing up in NC, my Dad took me to see the Carolina Cougars in Greensboro, NC. I really loved the Cougars and especially that Red-White-Blue basketball!

This book brought back a lot of great memories and was very informative.

The only negative comment: Several of the narrators continually mispronounced names of key people and players. (Don't they rehearse?)

Other than that,...GREAT BOOK!!