About the Book An enthralling look at the 1963 NCAA national champion University of Loyola-Chicago Ramblers basketball team. Book Synopsis Today basketball is played above the rim by athletes of all backgrounds and colors. But 50 years ago it was a floor-bound game, and the opportunities it offered for African-Americans were severely limited. A key turning point was 1963, when the Loyola Ramblers of Chicago took the NCAA mens basketball title from Cincinnati, the two-time defending champions. It was one of Chicagos most memorable sports victories, but Ramblers reveals it was also a game for the history books because of the transgressive lineups fielded by both teams. Ramblers is an entertaining, detail-rich look back at the unlikely circumstances that led to Loyolas historic championship and the stories of two Loyola opponents: Cincinnati and Mississippi State. Michael Lenehans narrative masterfully intertwines these stories in dramatic fashion, culminating with the tournaments final game, a come-from-behind overtime upset that featured two buzzer-beating shots. While on the surface this is a book about basketball, it goes deeper to illuminate how sport in America both typifies and drives change in the broader culture. The stark social realities of the times are brought vividly to life in Lenehans telling, illustrating the challenges faced in teams efforts simply to play their game against the worthiest opponents. Review Quotes PRAISE FOR MICHAEL LENEHANS RAMBLERS : The Loyola Ramblers have too often been forgotten for their role in basketballs cultural history. They remain a significant, uplifting story. -- Frank Deford Getting to know the stories behind the scores and the personalities off the court is what makes Ramblers much more than a conventional sports book. It makes it a classic. -- Chicago Tribune Ramblers is about much more than a particular game. It is about the second-class citizenship endured by black players...and it is about the determination of those who went about changing those conditions. Michael Lenehan recognizes the necessity of context...and fortunate for his readers that [he] has seen fit to remind us of this nations often disgraceful and sometimes encouraging history as it has been reflected in one of our most popular games. -- Bill Littlefield, Only A Game , WBUR Boston Ramblers passionately evokes the beauty of a great game in a time of great change, and works as a metaphor for changes taking place across the nation as well.... A dynamic, emotional study of one college basketball teams role in the Civil Rights movement. -- Shelf Awareness , starred review A riveting read of sports and its role in breaking the color barriers, Ramblers is a must for any history and sports collection focusing on Civil Rights and black history. -- Midwest Book Review Ramblers is a worthwhile read chronicling a memorable upset and, perhaps more importantly, a triumph of character over cowardice that had repercussions way beyond the basketball court. -- Cincinnati Herald Author Michael Lenehan pulls together all the disparate threads that produced Loyolas serendipitous championship run. -- Associated Press Gripping and revealing. -- Chicago Reader If youre interested in the history of [Chicago], interested in the history of college basketball in the city, and racial history--in not just the city but the country--then you should check out [ Ramblers ]. -- Laurence Holmes, WSCR-AM host and NBC5 Chicago anchor Lenehans success is in the telling of the greater history surrounding the Ramblers and their impact on sports during the height of the Civil Rights movement. The vivid description of the central figures is also endearing.... Its [his] attention to context and nearly endless detail that make Ramblers worth reading. -- Slam Online For sports fans, Lenehans book is a page-turner; for those interested in the pace of social progress, the book offers a perspective--that of the student athlete--integral to the Civil Rights movement but largely overlooked up to this point. -- Newcity ... Ramblers is an easy, fascinating, and at times illuminating read for the avid fan. The less knowledgeable, who will find it valuable as a crucial chapter in the history of the struggle for civil rights, can also gain a beginners appreciation of the games finer points. It tugs at the readers heartstrings while providing a clear-eyed look at the sometimes shameful, sometimes constructive role of sports in our society. -- TriQuarterly Ramblers is the dramatic, deeply engrossing, and meticulously researched story behind the 1963 NCAA basketball tournament.... With the 50th anniversary of the Ramblers championship victory just around the corner, this is an important story that needs to be told. -- ChicagoNow Excellent. -- Joe Posnanski, NBC Sports About the Author Michael Lenehan is an award-winning journalist who was the longtime chief editorial executive of the Chicago Reader and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. He is a board member of the Association for Alternative Newsweeklies and the Medill School of Journalisms advisory board.