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Boom, Baby!

My Basketball Life in Indiana
By Bobby "Slick" Leonard, By Lew Freedman, Foreword by Larry Bird

SPORTS & RECREATION

288 Pages, 6 x 9

Formats: Cloth, Mobipocket, EPUB, PDF

Cloth, $25.95 (US $25.95) (CA $28.95)

ISBN 9781600788598

Rights: WOR

Triumph Books (Nov 2013)

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9781600788598

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Overview

On the court and on the air with a state legend

Bobby "Slick" Leonard has etched his name forever on the Mount Rushmore of Indiana basketball, and in Boom, Baby! he shares memories from his storied career. Leonard takes readers inside the Indiana locker room with legendary head coach Branch McCracken and onto the court when he hit the deciding free throws as the "Hurrying Hoosiers" topped Phog Allen's Kansas Jayhawks. He recalls the NBA's early years, including being drafted by a Baltimore Bullets team that folded soon after selecting him. He tells of his time as the winningest coach in the ABA's nine-year history, securing three championships in his first five seasons with the Indianapolis Pacers. In his final act, "Slick" endeared himself to new generations of Hoosier hoops fans as the longtime Pacers radio voice, with his trademark call "Boom, Baby!" for a successful three-point shot.

Author Biography

See Author

Bobby "Slick" Leonard has been a broadcaster for the Indiana Pacers since 1985. He coached the Indiana Pacers to three ABA championships in the late 1960s and early 1970s and played seven seasons in the NBA. He was a star player on Indiana University's NCAA champion "Hurrying Hoosiers" team in 1953. He lives in Carmel, Indiana. Lew Freedman is an award-winning journalist and the sports editor at the Republic newspaper in Columbus, Indiana. He has previously worked for the Anchorage Daily News, the Chicago Tribune, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is the author of more than 50 books, including The 50 Greatest Plays in Chicago Bears Football History, Cubs Essential, "Then Ozzie Said to Harold . . .", The Best Chicago White Sox Stories Ever Told, White Sox Essential, and Fergie: My Life from the Cubs to Cooperstown with Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins. He lives in Columbus, Indiana. One of basketball's all-time greats, Larry Bird led Indiana State to the 1979 NCAA championship game. The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star in 13 NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics. He led the Celtics to three NBA championships and was named the league's Most Valuable Player three times. Bird later coached the Indiana Pacers for three seasons and later served as team president. He is the only person in NBA history to be named Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. He lives in Naples, Florida.

Media

Bobby Leonard, author of Boom, Baby!, interviews live on "13 Sports Jam" on WTHR-TV (Indianapolis, IN).

Bobby Leonard, author of Boom, Baby!, interviews live on "Daybreak" on WISH-TV (Indianapolis, IN).

Boom, Baby! was excerpted on ThePostGame, a Yahoo! Sports affiliated blog.

Lew Freedman, co-author of Boom, Baby!, interviews live on "Total Education Network" on Blog Talk Radio.

Bobby Leonard, author of Boom, Baby!, interviews live on "The Dan Dakich Show" on WFNI.

Boom, Baby! was featured in the Middlesboro Daily News.

Bobby Leonard, author of Boom, Baby!, interviews live on "Sports Extra" on WRTV-TV.

Bobby Leonard, author of Boom, Baby!, interviews live on "Afternoons with Amos" on WTLC.

Boom, Baby! was featured in the 2013 Holiday Gift Guide for the Indiana Chronicle.

Bobby Leonard, author of Boom, Baby!, interviews live on "Sports Update" on WITZ.

Book Signings

Past Events

Dec

Bobby "Slick" Leonard and Lew Freedman - Boom, Baby! ›

Indianapolis, IN
12:00pm

Nov

Bobby "Slick" Leonard - Boom, Baby! ›

Indianapolis, IN
7:00pm

Nov

Bobby "Slick" Leonard - Boom, Baby! ›

Bloomington, IN
3:30pm

Nov

Bobby "Slick" Leonard - Boom, Baby! ›

Indianapolis, IN
12:00pm

Nov

Bobby "Slick" Leonard and Lew Freedman - Boom, Baby! ›

Indianapolis, IN
6:00pm

Nov

Bobby "Slick" Leonard - Boom, Baby! ›

Bloomington, IN
4:30pm

Nov

Bobby "Slick" Leonard - Boom, Baby! ›

Carmel, IN
3:00pm

Press Releases

Boom, Baby!
My Basketball Life in Indiana
By Bobby "Slick" Leonard and Lew Freedman

Bob Leonard grew up living Indiana basketball. After playing for the Hurryin' Hoosiers during college, Leonard was named head coach of the Indiana Pacers, and throughout his 12-year reign, presided over the greatest success in franchise history that included three American Basketball Association Championships. Following his coaching days, Leonard became the voice of Pacers basketball, serving as a color commentator and analyst on TV and radio broadcasts. Fans love to hear his signature call "Boom, Baby!," his trademark for a Pacers three-pointer.

For the first time, Boom, Baby!: My Basketball Life in Indiana (Triumph Books, November 2013) by Bobby "Slick" Leonard and Lew Freedman-with a foreword by Larry Bird-delves into Slick's storehouse of memories from his life as player, coach and announcer, including:

• Growing up in poverty in Terre Haute, Indiana after the Great Depression
• Natural athleticism that helped him excel at sports early in his life and win a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University under coach Emmett "Branch" McCracken
• Helping the Pacers find talent for their inaugural season in the ABA, coaching them for more than a decade and continuing his loyalty to the franchise as an announcer
• Exclusive interviews with Leonard's family, friends, former teammates and players and other big names in Indiana basketball

The never-before-told stories in Boom, Baby! are filled with humor, humility and an unwavering pride for Leonard's home state and favorite sport. Fans of Slick and Indiana basketball alike will enjoy the rare opportunity to get to know a basketball legend through his own words.

About the Authors:
Bobby "Slick" Leonard has been a broadcaster for the Indiana Pacers since 1985. He coached the Indiana Pacers to three ABA championships in early 1970s and played seven seasons in the NBA. He was a star player on Indiana University's NCAA champion "Hurrying Hoosiers" team in 1953, a two-time All American and the MVP of the East-West College All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden.

Lew Freedman is an award-winning journalist the former sports editor at the Republic newspaper in Columbus, Indiana. He has previously worked for the Anchorage Daily News, the Chicago Tribune, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is the author of more than 50 books, including The 50 Greatest Plays in Chicago Bears Football History, Cubs Essential, White Sox Essential, and more.

Contact: Josh Williams ∙ Triumph Books ∙ 312.568.5404 ∙ j.williams@triumphbooks.com

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On the court and on the air with a state legend

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