Book Description

ESPN basketball commentator Digger Phelps is regarded as one of the most charismatic and opinionated analysts in the profession. And he was the same personality during his 20 years as the head coach at the University of Notre Dame. Digger Phelps's Tales from the Notre Dame Hardwood recalls the most successful period in Notre Dame basketball history. In his 20 seasons. 17 of Phelps's teams advanced to postseason play, including 14 NCAA Tournament teams. In the book, Phelps recalls his initial expression of interest in Notre Dame through a 1965 letter he wrote to football coach Ara Parseghian. It recounts the scenes of his seven wins over number one-ranked teams, including the landmark game in 1974 when the Irish ended UCLA's 88-game winning streak. Two chapters concentrate on the coach's former Notre Dame players, concluding with the selection of his All-Digger teams. He also recalls the 20 Hall of Fame coaches he competed against, including Bobby Knight, Al McGuire, Ray Meyer, and John Wooden. Digger Phelps's Tales from the Notre Dame Hardwood concludes with a chapter entitled Domers, which documents Phelps's relationship with Notre Dame coaches, administrators, and student-athletes, including Father Theodore Hesburgh, the man who made Notre Dame what it is today.