Varsity Sports At Indiana University

A complete pictorial history of varsity athletics at Indiana University in Bloomington. Starting with baseball in 1883, then to football (which became a varsity sport in 1887), up through women's track and women's soccer, this volume is a treasure trove of information and illustrations for folks interested in athletics at Indiana University. Oh, yes, basketball is covered, too. Go IU!

Hoosier Beginnings tells the story of Indiana University athletics from its founding in 1867 to the interwar period. Crammed full of rare images and little-known anecdotes, it recounts how sport at IU developed from its very first baseball team, made up mostly of local Bloomington townsfolks, to the rich and powerful tradition that is the "Hoosier" legacy. Hoosier Beginnings uncovers fascinating stories that have been lost to time and showcases how Indiana University athletics built its foundation as a pivotal team in sports history. Learn about the fatal train collision that nearly stopped IU athletics in its tracks; IU's first African American football player; the infamous Baseball Riot of 1913; how a horde of students grabbed axes and chopped down 200 apple trees to make way for a new gymnasium; and the legendary 1910 football team that didn't allow a single touchdown all season—but still lost a game. Most importantly, it attempts to answer the burning question, where did the "Hoosiers" get their mysterious name?

A collection of previously unheard-of, incredible tales from the Indiana University Athletics program. For over 125 years, Hoosier athletes and coaches have grabbed headlines with their accomplishments and accolades. Legendary performers and larger-than-life figures have called Bloomington home, and their stories have been passed down through generations. But for every classic tale about a Hoosier athlete, coach, or program, there’s another that’s been forgotten. Until now. After gaining unprecedented access to IU archives and longtime employees, authors John Decker, Pete DiPrimio, and Doug Wilson reveal events and images that were lost for decades. Filled with new and entertaining stories of the people who have made IU Athletics legendary, Unknown, Untold, and Unbelievable Stories of IU Sports is a must-have for any fan. Discover behind-the-scenes stories of: the Olympic Trials featuring Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, and Steve Alford the infamous 1997 black football jerseys Ernie Pyle’s outlandish automobile polo match to raise funds for the IU marching band J. Moye’s notorious block against Duke the time Sam Bell won the bid for an NCAA track meet—without a facility or even bleachers and many more incredible stories from the renowned IU Athletics program “Unknown, Untold, and Unbelievable Stories of IU Sports is packed with enough rare information that, after reading it, anyone—from the casual fan to the dyed-in-the-wool fanatic—can be a Hoosier sports expert on trivia night.” —Bloom Magazine

The beginning of a new era in Indiana University football starts with the arrival of head coach Tom Allen. After revolutionizing IU's defense, Allen has the opportunity to stage a Hoosier comeback. But can Allen make the most of this opportunity? And who are the compelling figures poised to make it happen? In The Quest for Indiana University Football Glory, veteran sports writer Pete DiPrimio showcases exclusive coverage of the meetings, practices, games, players, coaches, and gatherings that the public rarely sees. He also reveals the surprising story of how Allen, the son of a successful Indiana high school coach, became the head coach after delivering a quality defense—something no Hoosier defensive coordinator has done in a generation. He also shows Allen's connection to IU glory past, from Bill Mallory's record-setting run, to Lee Corso's Holiday Bowl surprise to the Rose Bowl opportunity no one expected. Focused on an in-depth look at the rookie season under Allen, The Quest for Indiana University Football Glory brings readers into the locker room during the rebirth of Hoosier football and highlights the struggles and successes as the coaches and players fight to rebuild the program and reinvent IU football.

As the first African American player to be drafted by the NFL and the first African American to play quarterback, George Taliaferro was a trailblazer whose athletic prowess earned him accolades throughout his football career. Instrumental in leading Indiana University to an undefeated season and undisputed Big Ten championship in 1945, Taliaferro was a star when many major universities had no black players on their rosters and others were stacking black players behind white starters. George Taliaferro would later rack up impressive statistics while playing professionally for the New York Yanks, Dallas Texans, Baltimore Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles. His athletic prowess did little to prevent him from facing segregation and discrimination on a daily basis, but his popularity as an athlete also gave him a platform. Playing professionally gave Taliaferro more opportunity to use football to fight oppression and to interact with other important trailblazers, like Joe Louis, Nat King Cole, Muhammad Ali, and Congressman John Lewis. Race and Football in America tells Taliaferro's story and profiles the experiences of other athletes of color who were recognized for their athleticism yet oppressed for their skin color, as they fought (and continue to fight) for equal rights and opportunities. Together these stories provide an insightful portrait of race in America.

One man's odyssey from skid row to rebuilding a major collegiate sports program. In Making Your Own Luck, former Indiana University athletic director Fred Glass recounts how even a self-described "knucklehead" learned to be prepared to recognize and seize opportunities and thus make his own luck through life. Growing up in a skid row bar, having an alcoholic father, struggling with anxiety and self-doubt, and making his share of stupid mistakes, Glass had much to contend with in early life. However, supported by socially enlightened parents, a Jesuit education, and his soulmate, Barbara, his odyssey has led him to serve a mayor, a governor, a senator, and even a president. With great humor and insightful reflection, Glass details how he helped keep the Colts in Indianapolis—he spearheaded a massive convention center expansion and the building of Lucas Oil Stadium and even helped to attract the Super Bowl to his hometown. Any of these accomplishments individually would be more than enough to call Glass's career a resounding success, but they were only the beginning. In the latest stage of his journey, Glass led the rebuilding of the athletic program of his beloved alma mater, Indiana University. Featuring a foreword from IU alumnus and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, Making Your Own Luck is a must-read not only for Indiana sports fans, but for anyone that recognizes the importance of preparation, opportunity and action in creating your own success.

The tradition of college basketball excellence that reigns at Indiana University can only be matched by a handful of other elite programs, while the fierce devotion of IU basketball fans has been selling out arenas and inspiring generation after generation of Hoosier fans for over a century. This newly revised edition of the captures the glory, the tradition, and the championships, from the team’s inaugural games in the winter of 1901 all the way through the 2016–17 season. The most comprehensive book ever written about IU basketball, this encyclopedia covers every season and every game the Hoosiers have played throughout their illustrious history, including all of the program’s Big Ten Conference championships and NCAA championships. Fans will relive the most exhilarating victories and the most heart-wrenching defeats. Included within are profiles of legendary Hoosiers stars, from Don Schlundt and the Van Arsdale twins all the way through Calbert Cheaney and Damon Bailey. The rivalries, excitement, and history of the Hoosiers are captured here with vivid detail and unparalleled statistical accuracy. Indiana University Basketball Encyclopedia is a must-have for the library of every devoted IU basketball fan and a fitting guide to one of the most storied traditions in all of college basketball.

A handsome coffee-table book, Glory of Old IU is the most comprehensive book ever written about Indiana University athletics. Never-before-published details about the 100 years of IU's membership in the Big Ten Conference are captured in this one-of-a-kind book. Glory of Old IU includes vignettes about all of IU's greatest moments, including its five NCAA basketball championships. There are stories about Bob Knight, Mark Spitz, Isiah Thomas, Harry Gonso, and many others. Thousands of other names are included in the all-time letter-winners list. Glory of Old IU is must reading for anyone who is loyal to the Hoosiers.

In this action-packed collection of stories, Hoosier alum John Laskowski and veteran sportswriter Stan Sutton take readers onto the court and up to the basket with some of the greatest IU players to ever grace the hardwood. Fans will relive all the excitement, the disappointment, the laughter, and the celebration that has turned IU basketball into a statewide religion. The history of the Indiana program is revealed through the memories of the school’s hundreds of lettermen—from the days of the two-handed set shot and low-scoring games through World War II, to Bobby Knight’s perfect 1976 season, to the Cinderella Hoosiers of 2002, who advanced to the NCAA Finals under Mike Davis, and the winning season of 2012–2013, when the Hoosiers spent an incredible ten weeks ranked #1 in the nation. Tales from the Indiana Hoosiers Locker Room delivers the passion that has carried the program to five NCAA championships and beyond and is a must-have for any Hoosier fan.

Reprints over twenty selections of sports writing from print media across the United States, including beat coverage, and significant issues in sports reporting.