As fire is to prairie or water to fish, so is Basketball part of the natural environment in Indiana.
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has recognized his work with five Emmy Awards..
His production of Pioneers of the Hardwood served as a 30-minute special for the state-wide public television, Across Indiana.
About author(s): Todd Gould is the Senior Producer for public television station WFYI in Indianapolis, Indiana.
This is their story.
Under primitive conditions, these fabled sportsmen laid a hardwood foundation for others to follow.
As Gould puts it, Before stars such as Larry Bird or Oscar Robertson, before the high-priced Basketball shoe advertisements, and before the success of the NBA, before the Indiana Pacers, the forefathers of Professional Basketball forged a remarkable legacy as unlikely and as magical as a last-second shot spells a championship.
Pioneers of the Hardwood is an essential part of the story of the growth of Professional Basketball in the first half of this century.
The Fort Wayne Pistons dominated Professional Basketball for a number of years.
Indiana teams were frequently world champions.
The book is based on extensive research as well as revealing interviews with former players John Wooden, collegiate all-American Ralph Beard, Pat Malaska, Frank Baird, and others.
He sets his story within the context of the times and also discusses some of the teams that the local heroes competed against, including the famous New York Celtics (the original Celtics) and the gifted Harlem Rens, the first all black Professional team.
Gould covers the Indianapolis Em-Roes, the Fort Wayne Pistons (later the Detroit Pistons), the Indianapolis Kautskys, and the Indianapolis Olympians.
Growing out of an award-winning documentary, Pioneers of the Hardwood tells the story of the growth of Professional Basketball in Indiana in the good old barnstorming days.
It is a fascinating, passionate, lively story of men who loved the game and were willing to play for nickels, of raucous fans, local heroes, and love of the game.
While everyone knows about the growth of Basketball in high schools and in college, the story of Indiana\'s role in the development of Professional Basketball has not been told before.
Naismith\'s game is a virtual religion in the state.
Round ball, or Hoosier Hysteria is so much a part of the state\'s heritage that many people believe Basketball was invented in Indiana.
As fire is to prairie or water to fish, so is Basketball part of the natural environment in Indiana
