The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game

While many people come from poor backgrounds, particularly basketball players, Oscar's is particularly interesting due to the very rural nature of his upbringing in Tennessee. Most of his early life was centered on working in fields, church and family. A move to inner city Indianapolis was significant in his development as a basketball player. And this is where the book becomes very interesting as Oscar conveys the first noticeable slights from racism. Oscar has always been very well mannered projecting a great image. And maybe in many ways this hid the hurt he was feeling from racism or maybe I was just too young to hear about it.

After rising to a top star, Robertson commits to a smaller school, U of Cincinatti, amid rumblings of improper recruiting. He dispels most of this and introduces boosters or mentors who took his best interests at heart and helped him grow as a man. He also meets his wife who he describes in glowing terms, clearly a very strong marriage that eventually yields two daughters. This is another interesting part of the book as one of his daughters suffers from a disease requiring an organ transplant.

Robertson starts his pro career in his hometown of Cincinnati with an under funded team which creates conflicts throughout his career there as money and a good supporting cast is always short. Discussing his pro career you can really see his bitterness with the pre-free agent market and how he had to fight for his money and was often blamed for putting himself above his team. This for a man that averaged a triple-double. If you follow the NBA today, you will almost find the numbers thrown around as comical.

Clearly, this book has generated controversy as Robertson has alluded to racism throughout the book. While it didn't match the impression I had of Robertson, I found he supported his positions well even though you may not agree with the outcome.

Overall, I found this to be an excellent book of a basketball icon in the late 50s to 70s. If you have interest in sports in those periods, life in America in those periods, or a short view of race relations at that time, I think you will enjoy this book as much as I did.


Fantastic   January 2, 2004
 3 out of 5 found this review helpful

the Big O is One of the Greatest Talents in any sport Period. Wilt Chamberlin is to Me the Greatest Player in the NBA Ever but I could Put the BIG O right there with Him.He was unstoppable&One of the Game's true Ground-Breakers.in His Book He pulls no punches&Brings it here. He is a very down to Earth Soul brother&a Class act. He should Be running a Team in the NBA or something that showcases just How Important He was&is to the Game.Fantastic Book&strong read.


a worthwhile read   December 25, 2003
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I was a big fan of the Big O growing up. He was the most complete player on the basketball court. This book is very well written and well rounded, covering his triumphs and conflicts during the racially charged 50's and 60's. I highly recommned it, as it discusses college and professional basketball history extremely well - particularly the seminal period of the NBA in the 60's which I now only vaguley remember - but also discusses the societal environment in which the Big O' incredible career took place.