City of Champions

A History of Triumph and Defeat in Detroit

De: Stefan Szymanski, Silke-Maria Weineck

Narrado por: Leon Nixon

From Ty Cobb and Hank Greenberg to the Bad Boys, from Joe Louis and Gordie Howe to the Malice at the Palace, City of Champions explores the history of Detroit through the stories of its most gifted athletes and most celebrated teams, linking iconic events in the history of Motown sports to the city's shifting fortunes.

In an era when many teams have left rustbelt cities to relocate elsewhere, Detroit has held on to its franchises, and there is currently great hope in the revival of the city focused on its downtown sports complexes - but to whose benefit? Szymanski and Weineck show how the fate of the teams in Detroit's stadiums, gyms, and fields is echoed in the rise and fall of the car industry, political upheavals ushered in by the depression, World War II, the 1967 uprising, and its recent bankruptcy and renewal.

Driven by the conviction that sports not only mirror society but also have a special power to create both community and enduring narratives that help define a city's sense of self, City of Champions is a unique history of the most American of cities.

©2020 Stefan Szymanski and Silke-Maria Weineck (P)2020 Tantor

Too much CRT; not enough sports history

I really wanted to like this book, but couldn’t finish it. Born in Detroit and lifelong Detroit sports fan, I was looking forward to learning more about my beloved teams and city. Unfortunately, the book’s central theme is not Detroit sports history, but a leftist racial narrative.