While I have always been a Minnesota Timberwolves fan since they entered the NBA in 1989, before that time I was a Boston Celtics fan. This book about the Celtics of the first few years of the Larry Bird era took me back to that time that I loved the game the most. I agree with the title of the book in my latest review - "Wish It Lasted Forever."
Title/Author: "Wish It Lasted Forever: Life with the Larry Bird Boston
Celtics" by Dan Shaughnessy
Rating: 5 of
5 stars (excellent)
Review: Professional basketball in the early and mid-1980’s were defined by two teams and two players. One of them was the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Magic Johnson. The other one was the Boston Celtics and their superstar, Larry Bird. The latter were the subject of this terrific book by the reporter who was a beat writer for the Boston Globe during that time, Dan Shaughnessy. He covered the team between 1981 and 1986, leaving the team’s beat midway through that season, which was the third one for the Celtics during this time, to become the beat writer for the Boston Red Sox. While he didn’t regret his decision to cover baseball, it is clear that Shaughnessy truly enjoyed his time covering this all-time great team.
More
than just writing about the team’s accomplishments, in both this book and his
articles and columns for the Globe, Shaughnessy’s best work comes when he
writes about the players, their stories and their personalities. One great
story is when Bird had his right hand taped in a practice due to an injury, Shaughnessy
decided to try to win a bet with him by challenging him to a free throw contest
– 100 shots for each one with Bird’s hand remaining taped. Without giving away any more, just assume
that it finished the way the reader will think it will.
The excellent
prose on players is especially brought out in later chapters for the 1985-86
season when Bill Walton joined the team.
It almost felt like that team was all about a backup center instead of one
of the best frontcourts in NBA history with Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. That is quickly forgotten when the reader
learn just how happy Walton was to be part of the team and how upset he was
with himself when he felt responsible for the first loss of the season by the Celtics. Bird immediately told him to forget about it
and then told “Scoop” Shaughnessy that he didn’t think that he could endure
that for a full season.
“Scoop”
was a nickname given to the author by the team, not necessarily a term of endearment
as Shaughnessy was not only a new writer for the Globe but he was also
among the first sportswriters who would be more than just a buddy with the
players who would write only fluff pieces or game recaps. Some of the players, most notably Parish,
would freeze Shaughnessy out or shun him on the buses or planes (at the time,
media covering the team would travel with them).
However,
this book is not just about the player’s lives or the social issues of the time
– it is also a very good account of some of the basketball played as well,
especially the two times during this time when the Celtics faced the Lakers in
the NBA finals. For readers who enjoyed professional basketball during this era
will love reading about those epic finals when the two main figures in the
sport met to decide the championship. As
one of those readers that fall into this category, I believe that the title
apply to both the book and that era of Celtics basketball – wish it lasted forever.
I
wish to thank Scribner Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in
exchange for an honest review.
I am admittedly biased as I grew up on the North shore in the eighties. Scoop shaughnessy brilliantly captures this historic period in Boston sports history. You will learn about all the characters on the team and in the press and come away feeling like we're part of this magical time. A thoroughly enjoyable read from a very talented writer.
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