Lacrosse: A History of the Game

by Donald M. Fisher

Book Overview

North America's Indian peoples have always viewed competitive sport as something more than a pastime. The northeastern Indians' ball-and-stick game that would become lacrosse served both symbolic and practical functions-preparing young men for war, providing an arena for tribes to strengthen alliances or settle disputes, and reinforcing religious beliefs and cultural cohesion. Today a multimillion-dollar industry, lacrosse is played by colleges and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1421400448
• ISBN13: 9781421400440
• Release Date: March 2011
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Length: 408 Pages
• Weight: 1.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A must read for everyone!

I played lacrosse for 5 years, including 1 at the varsity level. It is the fastest game on two feet, a combination of power, speed, agility, and skill unmatched by any modern sport. And it's American, North American that is, through and through. I don't read much for pleasure but when I do, I like to read books like Fisher's. I've read it several times; my only regret is not having reviewed it earlier. There is some serious intellectual meat in here but the book is engagingly written, the research is impeccable, and the balance is perfect. (I noticed an earlier reviewer had some odd things to say about Fisher's leftward bias. Fisher does use terms like class but a close reading shows that he is not using the term in a Marxist sense at all. In fact, I'd wager Fisher is slightly right-of-center if anything but I wouldn't put too much money down because, again, the balance is beautiful.) The best aspect of the book, imho, is that it is an example of the history of sport, a subfield of history that places sports into a wide cultural context. The context that Fisher provides improved my understanding of, and love for, the game. I think every lacrosse player, certainly at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels, should read this book carefully and thoughtfully. Were I coaching, I'd get at least one copy for my players to read and then give them an age-appropriate quiz to make sure they got the main points. I bet most would as this is one of the best histories of sport, any sport, I've ever seen or heard about.

The Ultimate History of Lacrosse

There are a few good books out there on lacrosse, but this one should be regarded as the Bible of the sport. If you have a serious passion for lax, you have to read this book from cover to cover. It's thoroughly researched, well-written, thought-provoking and enlightening. The book talks about both field lacrosse in the US and the indoor box game in Canada. It covers lacrosse on Indian reservations and even in the Olympics!! It's a very rich and complex history that really makes you think. It's hard to summarize 150+ years of lacrosse history in this review, so you have to read it for yourself. The book also includes a bunch of neat photos.

Excellent

A great work that provides a phenominal amount of historical content. A good book about a great game.

Fisher details the complete history of game

Anyone with an interest in the game of LaCrosse will findDon Fisher`s volume most helpful. Don provides a very conciselook into the history of the sport,taking the reader where mostwriters have not yet ventured.Although the author never playedLaCrosse in any professional capacity,the knowledge that he he offers herein shines throughout this book.I recommend Don`sbook to everyone out there. Jeffrey Bryan White Oak,NC

This young author should keep on writing!

Don Fisher has provided Lacross enthusiasts with somevaluable,and refreshing facts.His book is packed with lotsof interesting insight into the game and its history.Hisknowledge on the subject comes from his experiences ofplaying Lacross in college in Upstate New York. I highly recommend Don's book for anyone with an interestabout the subject of Lacross.You will definitely find hisknowledge intriguing and helpful. Thanks for the book,Don!