Miracles on the Hardwood

The Hope-and-a-Prayer Story of a Winning Tradition in Catholic College Basketball

De: John Gasaway

Narrado por: Adam Verner

Discover the David vs. Goliath rise of Catholic college basketball, from Villanova to Georgetown to Gonzaga, where small schools perennially shoot past the big power conference programs.

In MIRACLES ON THE HARDWOOD, author John Gasaway traces the rise of Catholic college basketball—from its early days (Villanova made an appearance in the Final Four in the first NCAA tournament in 1939) to the dominance of the San Francisco Dons in the 1950s and the ascendance of powerhouses Georgetown, Villanova, and Gonzaga—through their decades-long rivalries and championship games. Featuring interviews with notable coaches, players, alums, and fans—including Loyola Chicago's most famous and dedicated fan, 100-year-old Sister Jean—to get at the heart of how these universities have excelled at this sport.

Small in number but devout in the game's spirit, these teams have made the miraculous a matter of ritual, and their greatest works may be yet to come.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"As someone who coached at a Catholic school, the University of Detroit Titans, I appreciate the in-depth look at the history of Catholic schools on the hardwood. John Gasaway does a masterful job of capturing the many miracles that have taken place. It is a fantastic read, 'Awesome Baby' with a Capital A!"

—Dick Vitale

“John Gasaway captures the essence of basketball as religion in MIRACLES ON THE HARDWOOD. From Bill Russell and USF to Mark Few and Gonzaga to Jay Wright and Villanova, Catholic schools have had tremendous success and are woven into the fabric of the game. My confession? I would have sinned if I hadn’t read this book. If you love the game, Gasaway illuminates its rich history in MIRACLES ON THE HARDWOOD."—Jay Bilas, ESPN

"John Gasaway has always covered basketball with mathematical precision and religious fervor. That makes him the perfect author to lay out a historical narrative that feels both sweeping and intimate. It might seem like divine providence that has enabled so many Catholic schools to produce winning basketball teams, but Gasaway neatly lays out the cultural, economic and competitive factors that have allowed that to happen, with all the color and entertainment you would expect from this cast of characters. Whether you are a Don, a Zag, a Hoya or a Rambler, this book will send you on a heavenly journey."—Seth Davis, author of WOODEN: A Coach's Life

"Catholic colleges and universities became part of the fabric of the game soon after its invention by Dr. Naismith. Gasaway takes you on an entertaining journey through the history of the greatest teams, players, and coaches—not to mention characters—that have ever graced the hardwood. You’ll recognize them all and, like me, you won’t be able to put this book down."—Fran Fraschilla

"The subject is close to my heart, and MIRACLES ON THE HARDWOOD gives it historical love that’s long overdue. Meticulous, comprehensive, and erudite in true Gasaway fashion, fans of the underdog will fly through this narrative and be better for it."—Joe Lunardi

"Of hoops, hopes, holy orders, and habits...mysterious and sometimes miraculous...Fans of college roundball, parochial or not, will enjoy Gasaway’s lively history."—Kirkus

“An ambitious historical re-telling of the whole of college basketball history…MIRACLES ON THE HARDWOOD is a great book.”

—Ball & Order

“MIRACLES ON THE HARDWOOD will serve as a vital reference on the topic.”—Booklist

Interesting history though not the best audiobook

This history of Catholic basketball programs is interesting and well written. It’s interesting to learn how many pioneering players were Catholic, if I didn’t know already. It could be a little difficult to follow as an audiobook because it switched between programs quickly and I don’t always know the team mascot. My main criticism is while the reader has a perfectly fine voice, he mispronounced several players names. And I mean super famous players. For example saying it like Steeven Curry instead of Steffan (Stephen) Curry. Or Michael Bridges instead of Muh-kel (Mikal) Bridges.

good not great

narrator doesn't know bball for sure lol really liked the more recent stuff. would recommend

Good narrative on CBB history

Came across this book via a Gasaway podcast interview and enjoyed the listen overall. It’s a good historical account of college basketball history choosing stories through each decade centered around Catholic universities. Was occasionally a bit dry if too results heavy on historical team/scores/stats only - doesn’t translate well to audiobook. The author does a good job of trying to tell the stories of teams, players, and coaches though as he weaves through the decades - some interesting storylines on desegregation and historically great times I was happy to learn more about (U of San Fran). As each season and era are fundamentally unique, it can be choppy in transition without storylines that carry through the book however that is to be expected for sports history book

Great story

It was twice as long as it should’ve been and he could’ve cut out a great deal of doubt of that was really nonsensical and doesn’t fit what the book was all about.

Ralph J Argen MD