The American Game

From “the master of new journalism [who always] hits it over the fence” (New York Times) and “one of the finest writers on sports anywhere” (USA Today), the scintillating story of lacrosse—the game invented by the Iroquois, played with more passion than any other, that stubbornly mirrors America’s ongoing struggle with inclusivity

A millennium or more ago, Native Americans invented lacrosse as a means of training warriors and settling disputes. Co-opted by whites in the late 1800s, played for a century largely at elite east coast colleges, over the last thirty years lacrosse has exploded around the world, becoming the fastest growing sport in the U.S. while exposing the fault lines of prejudice and privilege that continue to dog its image. At the same time, the mystical, spiritual nature of the Native game has been elevated to center stage as the brilliant Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) play as a nation unto themselves, maintaining their deep traditions and hoping for inclusion in the 2028 Olympics.

Based on a decade of research and observation and crafted with consummate skill, The American Game takes readers inside a unique cultural landscape that nonetheless reflects the wider world. Skillfully weaving in compelling action on the field from World Championships to tense NCAA tournaments, Price also chronicles the controversies and anomalies that have in many ways defined lacrosse. Racism stubbornly persists—and the Haudenosaunee have endured plenty in their rise—yet few mainstream entities have done more to champion the Native American experience. The Duke rape case and the murder of Yeardley Love still resonate, reinforcing the sport’s elite “laxbro” image, yet women remain the core force powering its astonishing boom. Lacrosse’s longtime link with Wall Street remains, but its bond with elite military service is just as remarkable.

Price introduces legendary individuals from Jim Brown (some say he was even better at lacrosse than football), Black superstar Kyle Harrison and the brilliant Iroquois stickman Lyle Thompson, to famed coaches Lars Tiffany and Kelly Amonte Hiller and Onondaga faithkeeper Oren Lyons. All of them, and all who play the game, pay homage to the mystical qualities of the lacrosse stick, which Denver coach Bill Tierney calls “the thing that makes you special.” A masterpiece of narration and investigation, The American Game is the powerful story of a sport that, perhaps more than any other, captures the complexity of America in its ongoing effort to achieve a more perfect union.