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We Will Rise
Book

We Will Rise

A True Story of Tragedy and Resurrection in the American Heartland

Steve Beaven
Amazon Publishing, 2020

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Concrete Examples
  • Engaging
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

In 1977, an aircraft crashed moments after taking off from an Indiana regional airport. On board were the University of Evansville’s Purple Aces basketball team, their coach and associates. The tragedy was traumatic for the small manufacturing town where Aces basketball had become an obsession. Journalist Steve Beaven tells how a new coach and players, with the support of college officials, students and townspeople, summoned the leadership, skill and courage to resurrect the basketball program, culminating in 1982 with Evansville’s first trip to the NCAA tournament. The team offers a warm case history showing how to bounce back and how to lead.

Take-Aways

  • Basketball has been central to life in Evansville, Indiana, since the 1950s. 
  • A new coach built the University of Evansville team up to Division 1 standards.
  • The Evansville Purple Aces had played only four games of the 1977-1978 season when the team perished in a plane crash.

About the Author

Steve Beaven is a former staff writer for The Oregonian. His writing has appeared in The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune.

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