Season of the 76ers: The Story of Wilt Chamberlain and the 1967 NBA Champion Philadelphia 76ers

By Wayne Lynch and Billy Cunningham

Book Overview

Destroying a dynasty. That was the mission of Wilt Chamberlain and 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers. For eight straight years, the Boston Celtics had dominated the National Basketball Association. Each and every season during that stretch, a new NBA championship flag was hoisted to the top of the hallowed Boston Garden. No team had been able to stop them. Nobody thought any team could or would. Season of the 76ers, The Story of Wilt Chamberlain and the 1967 NBA Champion Philadelphia 76ers , chronicles the unprecedented, record-setting championship journey of the team that finally stopped the Celtics and became the new kings of the NBA. It tells the story of the legendary Chamberlain's personal triumph over Boston and their leader, Bill Russell, arch rivals who had annually thwarted Chamberlain's championship dreams and had left him branded a loser. But Chamberlain couldn't defeat the Celtics alone. He was reunited with fiery and focused Coach Alex Hannum, the only NBA coach ever to have beaten Boston for the championship. He was surrounded by the best supporting cast of his career: Hal Greer and Chet Walker, two talented offensive stars transplanted from a bygone NBA franchise; Luke Jackson, the league's first true power forward; Billy Cunningham, a sixth man loaded with instant energy and offense; Wally Jones and Larry Costello, a pair of basketball reclamation projects; and, Matty Guokas and Bill Melchionni, a couple of hometown rookies. Chamberlain remade his game, forsaking his own incredible scoring prowess in favor of handing out assists to teammates. In turn, the 76ers remade basketball history, rocketing to an unmatched 46-4 record out of the gate and not stopping until they reached 68-13, a regular season mark never previously achieved in NBA history--or even imagined back then. The book gives fans a fascinating, month-by-month look at the team's amazing season, a season that also saw Chamberlain pursued by both a rival basketball league and the heavyweight boxing champion of the world. It also recounts in vivid, play-by-play detail one of the most historic playoff series in the annals of the NBA. s20The 76ers battled the Celtics again in a much-anticipated post-season confrontation. But this time the results would be different. Amid chants of "Boston is dead" from the long-suffering, Celtics-hating fans at Philadelphia's Convention Hall, the 76ers won the series quickly and decisively. They went on to defeat sharp-shooting Rick Barry and the San Francisco Warriors for the NBA title. In 1995, the 76ers took their place among the top ten teams in NBA history. Season of the 76ers makes the strong case that they are the best NBA team of all time. Packed with pictures, playoff box scores, and reproductions of the 76ers' championship yearbook, the book is not only the biography of a great team, it is a fun- and fact-filled sports collectible. The NBA's 2001-2002 season marks the 35th anniversary of that special "Season of the 76ers"--a fitting time to relive this team's unforgettable achievements.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 031228277X
• ISBN13: 9780312282776
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Long Overdue Book on a legendary team

Only Philadelphia could totally neglect the greatest NBA team of alltime for over thirty years. I remember going to the old Convention Hall in Philly and watching Wily, Chet, Hal, Billy and Luke and the boys obliterate opposing teams. Big Luke was my favorite player---he set picks for Cunningham, Greer, and Walker; he played tenacious defense, and rebounded like a demon. He sacrificed much of his own scoring production for the good of the team. Wilt said Luke was the most intimidating player in NBA history. Wilt recalled with a laugh that whenever Willis Reed saw Jackson walking done the tunnel onto the court during warmups, Reed began to visibly shake. A nice little ditty; I highly recommend it. Now I wish someone in Philly would produce a DVD highlighting that same 1966-67 season. That would be fun to watch.

THE TELLING OF A SEASON OF GREATNESS

THIS IS THE STORY OF ONE OF THE MOST DOMINATING TEAMS IN ANY SPORT. THE SIXERS WERE PRACTICALLY UNBEATABLE DURING THEIR INCREDIBLE SEASON OF 66-67. THIS IS A MONTH BY MONTH SUMMARY OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND EVENTS WHICH BROUGHT THE SIXERS TO THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP. THE FIRST PART OF THE BOOK LEADS UP TO THE EVENTS WHICH BROUGHT THE TEAM TOGETHER. IT PROVIDES AN IN DEPTH LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL GAMES, ESPECIALLY THE PLAYOFFS. ALSO AN AFTER SEASON SUMMARY OF HOW THE TEAM LOST TO THE CELTICS IN 67-68 AND THE EVENTUAL BREAKUP OF THIS GREAT DYNAMO. ALSO SOME GREAT STATS AND SOME NOSTALGIC PHOTOS PROVIDE US WITH A GOOD BOOK. RECOMMENDED.

Wonderful Story telling...magnificent story

I was moved to pick up this book after seeing the author on TV speaking about his life long love of the 76's. So, I thought the book would be a great gift for the men in my life (for birthdays, Father's Day, and the like.) Well, I thumbed through a copy in the bookstore, and, after reading the introduction, I was hooked--and I'm a girl...way too young to remember anything about 1967. Still, Mr. Lynch's writing is as engaging as his TV appearance was, and, he really loves Wilt Chamberlain and his team...If I could be interested in this book because of it's great story and prose, ANYBODY would love it...and, if that person happens to be a guy between the ages of oh, say, 43 and up (old enough to recall the 1967 season of the 76's...) he will be especially happy to have this book around. It's a great sports story told exceptionally well.

Accurately remembering the greatest team in NBA History!

To secure NBA Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham to write the Foreword for this remarkable story says something about Wayne Lynch's maiden voyage into the literary world. Cunningham starts the book off right, stating that the 76ers weren't going to have to win one championship, but TWO. First, they would have to overcome (physically AND mentally) their long-time arch enemy - the 8 time defending champion Boston Celtics. And how the teenage Lynch despised those Bill Russell-led Celtics! It is the innocent flashbacks to his youth that provide real fabric to this wonderful tale.Lynch not only accurately takes us through many key games and emotions of that magical 1966-67 season, but he also delivers multiple compelling story lines - with the "Big Dipper", Wilt Chamberlain, at the forefront.Wilt's willingness to transform his game - to literally forego the HUGE scoring totals that gained him such fame and fortune and become the consumate team player - is reason enough to purchase this fine book. The big man once again led the league in rebounding, but also finished third in assists - all while still averaging more than 24 points per game!Learn how this dominant team depended so much on their bench, with super talent like rookie Matty Guokas and the Kangaroo Kid, Billy C. How Hal Greer was old reliable, constantly carrying the team through thick and thin. How much two great - but vastly different - forwards complemented each other. Luke Jackson, the NBA's first true power forward, and Chet "The Jet" Walker, a reliable sharpshooter, were unbeatable. And who could forget the one and only Wally Jones, with the Jackknife jumper and tight defense.Of course, a great ship needs a great captain. Learn how the stern, but fair, Alex Hannum convinced Wilt to change and led this group of men into immortality.And even though the Championship series against Rick Barry's San Francisco Warriors could become anticlimactic, even I - an NBA historian and research specialist - learned many wonderful things and enjoyed Lynch's recap greatly. In the end, "Season of the 76ers" will take you back to a time when love of the game - and love between teammates and coach - was how championships were won. Consider that there were no hometown parades celebrating the most regular-season wins in NBA history (68). Only joyous teammates celebrating forever in a distant visitors locker room, and then long into the night. It will make you yearn for yesteryear like a Dipper Dunk.

A walk down memory lane for pro basketball fans

Wayne Lynch chronicles the Philadelphia 76ers' 1966-67 championship team with the enthusiasm of a fan and the skill of an accomplished writer. I was a spectator at many of the events he describes, and reading this book brought back a flood of memories. I learned things I never knew about Wilt Chamberlain and his teammates; Bill Russell, Red Auerbach, and other NBA notables; and the history of the league. The book includes playoff box scores and other interesting stats pages, and many terrific photos. This is a book for people who remember the NBA the way it used to be, and for people who wish they did.