Elgin Baylor

Bijan C. Bayne is an award-winning freelance columnist and critic. He lives in Washington, D.C. Bob Ryan is a New Jersey native and American sportswriter for The Boston Globe. Described as "the quintessential American sportswriter," he lives in Hingham, MA.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Foreword by Bob Ryan of Boston Globe and ESPN's The Sports Reporters Acknowledgements 1. A Carnation Baby Named For A Wristwatch This chapter will explore Baylor's genealogy, his family life, and the time and place where he was born- Depression era Washington, D.C. Readers will learn about the Baylor family, their values, gifts, and relationships. The first hints of Elgin Baylor's early character will come into focus, against the backdrop of life in Depression era, Jim Crow Washington 2. A House Full of Brothers A House Full Of Brothers is about the athletic Baylor family, and Elgin's childhood during the 1940's. This chapter demonstrates how sibling influences and local culture played important roles in Baylor's adolescence. 3. From Streetball to Spingarn This chapter is about Baylor's early basketball influences, his late arrival to the game, and his tutelage. "Remember," Baylor says, "this was the 1950s. Most of the hotels and restaurants were segregated; we couldn't stay in them. There were two playgrounds not 500 yards from our high school. One had basketball courts, tennis courts, a baseball field, a football field, benches, and all kinds of stuff. We (Blacks) were not allowed to play on that playground. It was right around the corner from our neighborhood, about a four- or five-minute walk." 4. " I was scared to death. It was my first flight." This chapter explores Elgin Baylor's heretofore mysterious college matriculation, followed by his mercurial rise to national renown. This chapter also chronicles Seattle's emergence as a national basketball power, led by Baylor to the 1958 NCAA championship game against legendary Coach Adolph Rupp's University of Kentucky Wildcats. It concludes as Baylor is the first player chosen in the 1958 NBA Draft. 5. "I am not an animal put in a cage..." Baylor was the rare Negro athlete of his era willing to take a stand on civil rights. He distinguished himself his very first season by refusing to play in a game because of what he deemed discriminatory treatment. The chapter begins with the Minneapolis Lakers' demise after the aging and retirement of legendary center George Mikan, under owner Bob Short. The chapter closes as Baylor is an NBA superstar in L.A., setting scoring records on a team with the league's best attendance. 6. New Frontiers Elgin Baylor was to basketball what John Glenn was to the space program. His moves and hesitation shots ushered in a new era, incorporating elements of the schoolyard game. In this chapter, sportswriters and former players recall the novelty of Baylor's one-on-one moves and aerial game. Former Senator Bill Bradley, legendary Princeton All-American, said, "Elgin Baylor provided my early inspiration..." calling Baylor a "...master of the rocker step, and ingenious moves around the basket with either hand." Readers will learn that noted sportswriter Frank Deford, among others, believes the term "superstar" was coined in the late 1950's to describe Baylor. 7. A Leader of Men Baylor was a standard bearer for his playing style. The players had a monicker for him- "Motormouth". Merv Harris, who covered pro basketball for the old LA Herald Examiner, recalled, "It was fascinating to see the domination of his personality over that team. Elgin was the boss. He was the most physically dominating player, and his status began with that. Whenever Elgin wanted to play poker, they played poker. Wherever Elgin wanted to eat, they went to eat. Whatever Elgin wanted to talk about, they talked about." Like Michael Jordan generations later, Baylor was the role model for his profession. "A Leader of Men" recalls the regard in which Baylor was regarded by his colleagues, and quotes players and journalists who witnessed his leadership on and off the court. Period sources will also be referenced. This chapter also covers the proposed 1964 NBA All-Star Game boycott led by Baylor, Oscar Robertson, and Bill Russell. 8. City of Angels This chapter examines Baylor's emergence as a West Coast star life against the changing backdrop of 1960's Los Angeles. It introduces flamboyant new Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke, a self-promoter worthy of Baylor's star status. 9. "The more determined I became to prove the doctors wrong." Elgin Baylor shattered his kneecap during the 1965 playoffs. This chapter covers his loss to the team, media speculation about the end of his career, and a comeback that helped define Baylor's character. It also profiles innovative surgeon Dr. Robert Kerlan, who not only operated on Baylor, but Dodgers' ace pitcher Sandy Koufax. This chapter shows that tragedy, self-doubt, and determination were part of Baylor's journey. 10. Wilt And Unlucky 13 This chapter covers the sunset of Baylor's career. In 1968, three of pro basketball's brightest stars, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, became teammates. In this section, readers will learn that it takes more than a collection of superstars to assure glory, and why the trio underachieved. The chapter revisits the controversy surrounding new coach Butch Van Breda Kolff's struggle to incorporate Chamberlain into an offense more suited to Baylor. This chapter also relives the emotional year Baylor stepped aside to give the Lakers a chance at championship glory. 11. Jazz Duet This chapter covers the first decade following Baylor's playing career. 12. Clipper Command Baylor's years as general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers were marked by failure and controversy. This chapter will cover the incompetency of the Clippers, the reasons behind it, and the rancor between Baylor and his boss. As a general manager, and even in retirement, Baylor continued to speak his mind, and cite racial inequities in the billion dollar world of pro basketball. 13. Rabbit Redux "Rabbit" was Baylor's nickname in the schoolyards of Washington, D.C. This chapter examines the Baylor legacy, and his impact on basketball. Today, basketball's urban style is a given- when Baylor arrived on the scene he was unique. "He just might be the best player I ever saw," Chick Hearn offered. "He was doing things that Dr. J. made famous 20 years later, the hang time and so forth. But Elgin didn't have the TV exposure. Nobody did in those days." Basketball players and historians will underscore Baylor's indelible influence on the game.