Long Time Coming: A Black Athelete's Coming-Of-Age in America

More people should be aware of this book. Great account of a Black athlete and what he faced as a college player in the 50s/60s and pro in the 60s/70. Very valuable book. I learned of it after it was referenced in Samantha Sheppard’s Sporting Blackness.

nuthing but the truth from mr. chester walker. we shot a few together, rode to AME on sundays with the one and only charles gray. coincidentally , ol guy turner inquired about the book in a post. "peace"

Long Time Coming chronicles Chelt Walker's basketball life from his beginnings at Benton Harbor, Michigan through his days as a pro winning an NBA championship and scoring over 15,000 points. The book is well written and flows very nicely with many anecdotes and opinions about how things work on the "inside" of the NBA. Chet was singled out by Wilt Chamberlain as the "best sixth man" of all time and Wilt wondered why he wasn't in the Hall of Fame! Well, to quote Chet, it has been a long time coming but the kid from Benton Harbor will be inducted into not one but two halls of fame this year! The Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame will welcome Chet Walker into their ranks this summer and I believe his is truly deserving opf these honors.

A 5 Star Rating was chosen due to the author's candor, integrity,and journalistic style. I especially liked the story because I attended Bradley University at the same time as the author.

Went to same school. very insightful. Very well written would recommend other that went to school with him. Recommended by my history teacher

Great read.

Chet Walker helped legitimize pro basketball in Chicago. He was the foundation of a blue collar Bulls team whose heart was Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier, but whose soul belonged to Chet Walker and Bob Love.Yet, Chicago fans never really knew the latter two. Bob Love was entrapped by his stuttering, and Chet Walker was inward.Bob Love wrote a biography that spoke of his lonely journey after riding out poverty after basketball and his struggle to break out and communicate. Chet Walker wrote a much different story.He elucidates his journey in thoughtful terms, revealing a poverty stricken childhood as the youngest of ten children, in 1950's America, dealing with the limitations of growing up black, and having the talent and focus and head to excel in sports as an avenue to rise to another station in life. There is also the singularity and loneliness of leadership, as he leaves a Championship team in Philadelphia to lead a nascent expansion team to contention during one of the most charismatic times in all NBA history.Walker digs deep within himself, not only to deal with how events in his life have affected him, but to understand others flaws. He deals with the culture of hero worship, and not only how to find his own place in this strange culture, but also how to keep his own soul alive and stay true to his principles.Walker emerges as one of the most decent, worthy athlete heroes I have encountered in biographical or autobiographical works.As a Bull in the 1970's, he emerged as the go-to player who could take a game over late in the fourth quarter. A player, from the fans perspective who both lofty and remote. Yet, his story is well told. Intelligent, insightful, and self aware.Although an obscure book, it is one of the most moving sports autobiographies I have read.

First let me say I enjoyed this book despite the fact the used copy I bought thru amazon's Marketplace literally had every word on every page of this book underlined in pen with numerous notations in the margins. Yes, try concentrating on words when there's so much distraction on the page.Anyway, I've always loved the Dick Motta-era Chicago Bulls with such hardworking players like Jerry Sloan, Norm Van Lier, Chet Walker and Bob Love (whose autobiography is also worth reading). Also, to learn about one of the greatest seasons ever in the 1967 champion Philadelphia 76ers who Chet Walker was also a part of was of further interest. That all comes together well but it's really Walker writing about growing up in segregated Deep South in Mississippi then moving to Detroit through his college days at Bradley (where he crossed path with a young local comedian called Richard Pryor) that really reveals what a fantastic person Walker is despite some incredible hardships his family had to deal with.The book came out in 1995 so we get Chet's views on today's players and game which may be hard for many of the converted to stomach. Walker comes across as a bit bitter but not in a vicious way. He's found success post-NBA as a TV producer yet throughot the book you do get the feeling he wonders how he would have done in today's game given how very good he was in the '60s and '70s with virtually no leaping ability after an injury in college.

First let me say I enjoyed this book despite the fact the used copy I bought thru amazon's Marketplace literally had every word on every page of this book underlined in pen with numerous notations in the margins. Yes, try concentrating on words when there's so much distraction on the page.Anyway, I've always loved the Dick Motta-era Chicago Bulls with such hardworking players like Jerry Sloan, Norm Van Lier, Chet Walker and Bob Love (whose autobiography is also worth reading). Also, to learn about one of the greatest seasons ever in the 1967 champion Philadelphia 76ers who Chet Walker was also a part of was of further interest. That all comes together well but it's really Walker writing about growing up in segregated Deep South in Mississippi then moving to Detroit through his college days at Bradley (where he crossed path with a young local comedian called Richard Pryor) that really reveals what a fantastic person Walker is despite some incredible hardships his family had to deal with.The book came out in 1995 so we get Chet's views on today's players and game which may be hard for many of the converted to stomach. Walker comes across as a bit bitter but not in a vicious way. He's found success post-NBA as a TV producer yet throughot the book you do get the feeling he wonders how he would have done in today's game given how very good he was in the '60s and '70s with virtually no leaping ability after an injury in college.