Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, (2002). First edition - "In the first half of the twentieth century, pro basketball was tainted by racism, as gifted African Americans were denied the opportunity to display their talents. Through in-depth interviews with players, their families, coaches, teammates, and league officials, Ron Thomas tells the largely untold story of what basketball was really like for the first black NBA players, including recent Hall of Fame inductee Earl Lloyd, early superstars such as Maurice Stokes and Bill Russell, and the leagues first black coaches." Includes a list of the Black players from 1950-1965, notes. 262 pp plus 12 pp of photographs.