Forever Showtime: The Checkered Life of Pistol Pete Maravich - Hardcover

Berger, Phil

3.86

22 ratings by Goodreads

9780878332373: Forever Showtime: The Checkered Life of Pistol Pete Maravich

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0878332375 ISBN 13: 9780878332373

Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing, 1999

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Forever Showtime chronicles the life of Pistol Pete Maravich, a legendary college basketball player for LSU and NBA star for the Hawks, Jazz, and Celtics. Based on years of research and extensive interviews with those close to him, this book examines in equal measures Pete Maravich's rousing success on the hardwood and turbulent life of it.

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From Kirkus Reviews:

An informative biography of the legendary basketball player who died suddenly in 1988 at the age of 40 because of a congenital heart defect. Maravich, named to the NBA's 50 Greatest Players List in 1997, will probably be remembered best for his showmanship and his pioneer role as superstar. Journalist and author Berger (Big Time, 1990, etc.) chronicles the ballplayer's life from pre- college through his Louisiana State University years to his pro career with the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Jazz, and Boston Celtics. He was dubbed ``Pistol Pete'' as a ninth-grader by a sportswriter who was impressed by the boy's off-the-hip, one-hand push shot, a style blending confidence and cockiness. Maravich, a product of his father's intense mentoring and coaching, became a prolific scorerbreaking the career college scoring record in 1970and a master of dazzling plays, including dribbling between his legs. Even before his rookie year, he was clearly a superstar, netting an exorbitant salary and landing endorsement deals at a time when ballplayers weren't seen as commercial spokespeople. But as Berger's research reveals, Maravich's life was laced with sorrow. His mother sank into the alcoholism and depression that led to her suicide. Maravich himself was troubled by success, becoming an alcoholic, suffering bouts of paranoia, and enduring injuries and illnesses throughout his professional career, which ended in 1980. Berger uses citations from teammates, friends, contemporaries, press clippings, and Maravich's own words to show the complexity of his turbulent life as he bore the scrutiny and expectations of a superstar, becoming after retirement a born-again Christian. Old-time basketball fans will enjoy remembering Pistol Pete, and young fans will be introduced to the player who left such a mark on the sport at a time when showmanship on the hardwood was not the norm. (16 pages b&w photos) -- Copyright �1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From Library Journal:

Forever Showtime is the biography of Pete Maravich, one of the National Basketball Association's 50 greatest players. His playing prowess and shooting skills were legendary: few pros were blessed with the ball handling abilities he possessed. In his account, Berger, an award-winning journalist, chronicles both Pistol Pete's on-court heroics as well as his often-turbulent life away from the game. A good read for basketball enthusiasts; recommended for all public libraries.
-Larry Little, Penticton P.L., BC
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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