Alexis Schindler
Staff writer
Photo by Richard Thompson/The News
Recently retired Murray State Professor Emeritus of history James Duane Bolin hosted a book signing for his new book, “Adolph Rupp and the Rise of Kentucky Basketball.”
According to the book summary on Amazon’s website, “Bolin covers Rupp’s early years, from his rural upbringing in a German Mennonite family in Halstead, Kansas, through his undergraduate years at the University of Kansas playing on teams coached by Phog Allen and taking classes with James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, to his success at Kentucky.”
Bolin taught at Murray State for 22 years.
Bolin said the idea for the book was passed down to him by a professor of his from the University of Kentucky, where he completed his graduate work.
“He had researched Rupp for about 15 years himself,” he said. “Then, he retired from the University and gave me this collection of taped interviews, court transcripts, newspaper clippings, all of his research. When he retired he decided he couldn’t write the biography, so he asked me to.”
Bolin said the collection of research was unbelievable and included over 100 taped interviews from Rupp’s former players, his assistant coaches, University of Kentucky presidents, Kentucky politicians and many others.
Bolin was awarded several grants by Murray State to have the interviews transcribed.
He said his graduate professor’s request for him to write the book was not the only reason he decided to write it.
“I grew up a University of Kentucky basketball fan,” Bolin said. “I wanted to write it. When he gave me this collection, I jumped at the chance.”
He said in the book he wanted to show how Adolph Rupp changed Kentucky by uniting the state behind Kentucky basketball and making basketball into a big-time college sport.
Despite copious amounts of information and research, writing a book is not easy, and Bolin testified to this.
“Writing is hard,” Bolin said. “One thing I had to learn as a historian is when to cut off the research and start writing.”
Many past colleagues of Bolin and members of the Murray community were in attendance for the event. The attendees received their signed copies of Bolin’s book after a question and answer session with Bolin.
Professor Emeritus of History Charlotte Beahan, a colleague of Bolin, said she has been looking forward to the book’s release.
Beahan is a lover of biographies and did some editing for Bolin in the early stages of his book.
“I’m anxious to see how the finished product has turned out,” Beahan said. “I know Dr. Bolin has put a tremendous amount of time and effort into it. He really loves sports and I’m sure that is going to show up in the book.”
Dean of the College of Business Timothy Todd said he plans to buy a copy of the book for himself and several other copies to give to family members.
“I would encourage others to get out and read the book,” he said.
