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Floor Burns: Love, Passion and the 1967 Syracuse All City Championship
By the Fall of 1966, Syracuse had become a city at the crossroads – literally and figuratively. Situated at the geographic heart of New York and the intersection of two all-new interstate highways, the city found itself on a collision course with not only time, but circumstance.
When, on a cold, crisp Sunday in March of 1967, officials from two high school athletic leagues staged what would turn out to be their eighth and final “All City” game, they created a perfect metaphor for their city and its times; one that pitted a predominantly Black team from an all-new public facility high on a hill overlooking the city against an all-white Catholic team from a small, aging and mostly Polish K-12 schoolhouse on the humble West Side.
A tale as exciting as it is illuminating, Floor Burns’ Friday night game action crackles with a mix of energy and ethnic pride, while the racial and social history author M.C. Antil first paints, then humanizes, comes to life in vivid detail.
A rich tapestry of human moments and emotions, Floor Burns is an affectionately assembled mosaic of people, places, and events, all interconnected and all working hand-in-glove to tell the story of one last high school championship and the proud little city it mirrored – while taking listeners on an unforgettable journey through one of the most challenging and impactful decades in American history.
When, on a cold, crisp Sunday in March of 1967, officials from two high school athletic leagues staged what would turn out to be their eighth and final “All City” game, they created a perfect metaphor for their city and its times; one that pitted a predominantly Black team from an all-new public facility high on a hill overlooking the city against an all-white Catholic team from a small, aging and mostly Polish K-12 schoolhouse on the humble West Side.
A tale as exciting as it is illuminating, Floor Burns’ Friday night game action crackles with a mix of energy and ethnic pride, while the racial and social history author M.C. Antil first paints, then humanizes, comes to life in vivid detail.
A rich tapestry of human moments and emotions, Floor Burns is an affectionately assembled mosaic of people, places, and events, all interconnected and all working hand-in-glove to tell the story of one last high school championship and the proud little city it mirrored – while taking listeners on an unforgettable journey through one of the most challenging and impactful decades in American history.
Kindle Edition
Published October 26, 2022
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November 11, 2024
worth the time to read
Great book for anyone who follows local basketball and wants a better understanding of life in Syracuse NY in the mid 20th. Century.
Great book for anyone who follows local basketball and wants a better understanding of life in Syracuse NY in the mid 20th. Century.
Displaying 1 of 1 review