Free Black Ice: The Val James Story Ebooks To Download
The first black American in the NHL tells his storyVal James became the first African American player in the NHL when he took to the ice with the Buffalo Sabres in 1982, and in 1987 he became the first black player of any nationality to skate for the Toronto Maple Leafs.Born in central Florida, James grew up on Long Island and received his first pair of skates for his 13th birthday. At 16, James left home to play in Canada, where he was the only black person in junior and, often, in the whole town. While popular for his tough play and winning personality, the teenager faced racist taunts at opposing arenas, and the prejudice continued at all levels of the game. In his two NHL stints, James defined himself as a smart team player and opponent, known for his pugilistic skills.Black Ice is the untold story of a trail-blazing athlete who endured and overcame discrimination to realize his dreams and become an inspiration for future generations.
Hardcover: 232 pages
Publisher: ECW Press (February 10, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1770412018
ISBN-13: 978-1770412019
Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 6.2 x 9.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #484,866 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #61 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Sports & Outdoors > Hockey #80 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Regional Canada #178 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Hockey
James became the first American-born black player in the N.H.L playing for the Buffalo Sabres. Willie O'Ree, a Canadian, broke the N.H.L. color barrier in 1958, but James was the seventh over the next 24 years. He played between 1978 and 1988, 14 games in two years in the NHL for the Sabres and Maple Leafs; later he was an enforcer, mainly in the American Hockey League.James wrote the book with John Gallagher, also from Long Island and a former New York City police officer who is a federal prosecutor in Philadelphia.The book describes the terrible indignities that he suffered at the hands of fans, not only opponents but fans of his own team. After a game in Boston in 1982, for example, fans blocked the team bus, threw a beer bottle into the windshield, called James a vile name and demanded he come out. James headed for the door until Coach Scotty Bowman ordered him back to his seat.According to Warren Skorodenski, a Springfield Indians goalie reported Springfield fans yelling racial slurs at James and throwing so many bananas on the ice that linesmen collected them during stoppages of play. A few fans, he said, dressed in Ku Klux Klan-style hoods. "It was disgusting. To be in his shoes, I just couldn't imagine."According to news reports, his wife could not finish the book. She thought she knew his early history, but he never shared the experience for fear of upsetting her.It took a long time for James to be able to write this book: "I had to deal with it in my own mind, and pretty much forgive. That's the only word that comes close to it. Just to cleanse my own mind of it all, and to think.
Black Ice: The Val James Story The Skinny Ice Cream Maker: Delicious Lower Fat, Lower Calorie Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt & Sorbet Recipes For Your Ice Cream Maker The Everything Ice Cream, Gelato, and Frozen Desserts Cookbook: Includes Fresh Peach Ice Cream, Ginger Pear Sorbet, Hazelnut Nutella Swirl Gelato, ... Lavender Honey Ice Cream...and hundreds more! Austin Val Verde: Impressions of a Montecito Masterpiece War in Val D'Orcia: An Italian War Diary, 1943-1944 Michael Connelly CD Collection 1: The Black Echo, The Black Ice (Harry Bosch Series) Straight James / Gay James James Brown: A Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Styles and Techniques of James Brown's Bassists (Bass Signature Licks) James the Brother of Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls I: The Historical James, Paul the Enemy, and Jesus' Brothers as Apostles James Bond Volume 1: VARGR (James Bond 007) Coolhaus Ice Cream Book: Custom-Built Sandwiches with Crazy-Good Combos of Cookies, Ice Creams, Gelatos, and Sorbets People's Pops: 55 Recipes for Ice Pops, Shave Ice, and Boozy Pops from Brooklyn's Coolest Pop Shop N'ice Cream: 80+ Recipes for Healthy Homemade Vegan Ice Creams The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, Drinks, And More Paletas: Authentic Recipes for Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice & Aguas Frescas Ice Cream Social: 100 Artisanal Recipes for Ice Cream, Sherbet, Granita, and Other Frozen Favorites Scoop Adventures: The Best Ice Cream of the 50 States: Make the Real Recipes from the Greatest Ice Cream Parlors in the Country Icy, Creamy, Healthy, Sweet: 75 Recipes for Dairy-Free Ice Cream, Fruit-Forward Ice Pops, Frozen Yogurt, Granitas, Slushies, Shakes, and More Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream: Sweet Seasonal Recipes for Ice Creams, Sorbets, and Toppings Made with Local Ingredients 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets & Gelatos: The Only Ice Cream Compendium You'll Ever Need (500 Cooking (Sellers))
