The Game They Played: The True Story of the Point-Shaving Scandal That Destroyed One of College Basketball's Greatest Teams
Sep 2015 · Open Road Media
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About this ebook
One of Sports Illustrated’s Top 100 Sports Books of All Time: The riveting story of the point-shaving scandal that shook college basketball to its core
It was the ultimate Cinderella sports story. Unranked heading into the 1949–50 season, the City College basketball team delighted their hometown of New York City and shocked the rest of America by winning both the NCAA and NIT tournaments. An unprecedented feat that would never be duplicated, City College’s postseason grand slam was made all the more remarkable by the fact that, in an era when many premier teams were segregated, its starting lineup consisted of 3 Jewish and 2 African American athletes.
With Hall of Fame coach Nat Holman and 4 of the starting 5 returning for the 1950–51 campaign, the stage was set for a thrilling title defense. Alas, it was not to be. City College’s season came to an abrupt end when 3 of its star players were arrested on charges of conspiring to fix games. The ensuing scandal, which would engulf 6 other schools and lead to the indictments of 20 players and 14 fixers, cast New York City sports under a dark cloud, derailed the careers of some of the game’s most promising young talents, and forever altered the landscape of college basketball.
The basis for the award-winning HBO documentary City Dump, The Game They Played is a poignant portrait of the unforgettable moment when an unheralded team of local boys united New York City in both triumph and disgrace.
It was the ultimate Cinderella sports story. Unranked heading into the 1949–50 season, the City College basketball team delighted their hometown of New York City and shocked the rest of America by winning both the NCAA and NIT tournaments. An unprecedented feat that would never be duplicated, City College’s postseason grand slam was made all the more remarkable by the fact that, in an era when many premier teams were segregated, its starting lineup consisted of 3 Jewish and 2 African American athletes.
With Hall of Fame coach Nat Holman and 4 of the starting 5 returning for the 1950–51 campaign, the stage was set for a thrilling title defense. Alas, it was not to be. City College’s season came to an abrupt end when 3 of its star players were arrested on charges of conspiring to fix games. The ensuing scandal, which would engulf 6 other schools and lead to the indictments of 20 players and 14 fixers, cast New York City sports under a dark cloud, derailed the careers of some of the game’s most promising young talents, and forever altered the landscape of college basketball.
The basis for the award-winning HBO documentary City Dump, The Game They Played is a poignant portrait of the unforgettable moment when an unheralded team of local boys united New York City in both triumph and disgrace.
About the author
Stanley Cohen is an author, editor, and reporter whose work has received numerous awards for journalistic excellence. Originally from the Bronx, Cohen earned a BA in journalism from Hunter College and an MA in philosophy from New York University; he also served on the faculty at both schools. Cohen’s work has appeared in the New York Times, Inside Sports, and Sports, Inc., among many other publications. The Game They Played, his acclaimed account of the match-fixing scandal surrounding the 1949–50 City College men’s basketball team, was named one of the top sports books of all time by Sports Illustrated and was the basis of the HBO documentary City Dump, for which Cohen served as a program consultant. He is also the author of A Magic Summer and The Man in the Crowd, as well as the coauthor of Willie’s Game, an autobiography of billiards legend Willie Mosconi. Cohen lives in Tomkins Cove, New York.
Willie Mosconi (1913–1993) was a professional pool player. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he won the World Straight Pool Championship an unmatched fifteen times between 1941 and 1957, and in 1954 ran 526 consecutive balls without missing, a world record that still stands. Nicknamed “Mr. Pocket Billiards,” Mosconi appeared on several television shows, including I’ve Got a Secret and What’s My Line?, and was an advisor for the 1961 film The Hustler starring Paul Newman. He has been inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. In 1994, the Mosconi Cup international pool tournament was founded in his honor.
Willie Mosconi (1913–1993) was a professional pool player. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he won the World Straight Pool Championship an unmatched fifteen times between 1941 and 1957, and in 1954 ran 526 consecutive balls without missing, a world record that still stands. Nicknamed “Mr. Pocket Billiards,” Mosconi appeared on several television shows, including I’ve Got a Secret and What’s My Line?, and was an advisor for the 1961 film The Hustler starring Paul Newman. He has been inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. In 1994, the Mosconi Cup international pool tournament was founded in his honor.
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