Product Description
At the height of the Great Depression, Sam Babb, the charismatic basketball coach of tiny Oklahoma Presbyterian College, began dreaming. Like so many others, he wanted a reason to have hope. Traveling from farm to farm, he recruited talented, hardworking young women and offered them a chance at a better life: a free college education if they would come play for his basketball team, the Cardinals.
Despite their fears of leaving home and the sacrifices faced by their families, the women followed Babb and his dream. He shaped the Cardinals into a formidable team, and something extraordinary began to happen: with passion for the sport and heartfelt loyalty to one another and their coach, they won every game.
For author Lydia Reeder, this is a family story: coach Sam Babb is her great-uncle. When her grandmother handed her a worn, yellowed folder that contained newspaper articles, letters, and photographs of Sam and the Cardinals, she said, "You might want to tell their story someday." Now, with extensive research and the gathered memories of the surviving Cardinals, she has.
Despite their fears of leaving home and the sacrifices faced by their families, the women followed Babb and his dream. He shaped the Cardinals into a formidable team, and something extraordinary began to happen: with passion for the sport and heartfelt loyalty to one another and their coach, they won every game.
For author Lydia Reeder, this is a family story: coach Sam Babb is her great-uncle. When her grandmother handed her a worn, yellowed folder that contained newspaper articles, letters, and photographs of Sam and the Cardinals, she said, "You might want to tell their story someday." Now, with extensive research and the gathered memories of the surviving Cardinals, she has.
Reviews/Praise
"Wolf’s expressive reading will keep listeners invested in this lost piece of Depression-era history." —Publishers Weekly Audio Review
"Narrator Wolf immerses listeners in the spirit, hard work, self-doubt, and determination of Doll, Coral, Lucille, Toka Lee, and the rest of the Cardinals . . . Whenever the girls take the court, Wolf’s intensity and sharp pacing make the games come to vivid life.” —Booklist Audio Review
"This is a fascinating history of a very different sports world that can't help but draw the listener in . . . Recommended for fans of women's sports, history, Southern stories, and, of course, Sooners fans." —Library Journal Audio Review
"Reeder explores the charm and excitement that the small team of unknowns brought to their hometown of Durant. . . . [with] comfortable and engaging storytelling." —Publishers Weekly
"Dust Bowl Girls, by Lydia Reeder, has it all: action, biography, athletics, history, and even some romance." —Looking For a Good Book
