The Match - by Bruce Schoenfeld (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The incredible story of what happened when two outsiders--one an emerging champion who happens to be Jewish, the other, the first black player to win Wimbledon--pair up not only to form a winning team, but also an enduring friendship.

Althea Gibson first met Angela Buxton at an exhibition match in India. On the surface, the two women couldn't be more different. The daughter of sharecroppers and fiercely competitive, Althea Gibson was born in the American South and turned to athletics in an effort to belong to a community that would welcome her. Angela Buxton, the granddaughter of Russian Jews, grew up in Liverpool. England, where her father ran a successful business. But they both faced their share of prejudice, particularly on the tennis circuit, where they were excluded from tournaments and clubs because of race and religion.

At the 1956 Wimbledon, despite their athletic prowess, both were shunned by the other female players and found themselves without doubles partners. Undaunted, they decided to play together. And though they had never so much as practiced together--they triumphed. In Nobody's Darlings, Bruce Schoenfeld delivers an unexpected story of two underdogs who refused to let bigotry stop them both on the court and off. Here too is the story of a remarkable friendship.

From the Back Cover

With the help of friends who recognized her extraordinary talent, Althea Gibson rose from a childhood of playing stickball on Harlem streets to claim victory at Wimbledon. It is widely recognized that her sacrifices along the way paved the road for the successes of Venus and Serena Williams. But Althea's was a victory hard fought and painfully won.

She had no idea the turn her life would take when she met Angela Buxton at the French Indoor Championships. Despite her athletic prowess, Althea was shunned by the other female players. Her failing was her skin color. Angela, the granddaughter of Russian Jews, was also shunned. Her failing was her religion. Finding themselves without doubles partners, the pair decided to join forces, and together they triumphed, going on to win the 1956 championship at Wimbledon. The two women would become lifelong friends, and Angela would prove to be among Althea's greatest supports during her darkest times.

Gibson died in 2003, but her life and her contributions to tennis and race relations in the United States are well preserved in this valuable book. Bruce Schoenfeld delivers not only the true story of Gibson's life but also an inspiring account of two underdogs who refused to let bigotry win -- both on and off the courts.

Review Quotes

"Lest the Williams sisters make us forget that tennis was spawned by lilywhite country clubs, Schoenfeld's story of Althea's tortuous and tortured journey and of a lifelong friendship that begun on a doubles court, is a reminder of the best and worst in sports." - Robert Lipsyte

"It's surprising how little the...world knows about [Althea] Gibson...who broke tennis' color barrier..Schoenfeld...gives [Gibson]...[her]due." - Starred Booklist

"Althea Gibson...belongs to the 'what ever happened to' school of athletes...this book...answer[s] with verve and style." - Library Journal

"Bruce Schoenfeld has written a terrific book...[that] limns the textured and unlikely relationship between Althea Gibson and Angela Buxton." - L. Jon Wetheim, Sports Illustrated

"A valuable book...[that] illuminates a vanished era of women's tennis." - Washington Post Book World

"[Schoenfeld] does a valuable service by bringing new light to Gibson's achievements." - Sports Illustrated

"Skillful....Schoenfeld blends the passion of an enraptured fan with the measured eye of a seasoned journalist." - Kirkus Reviews on The Last Serious Thing

"Not only an overdue portrait of Althea Gibson but also the remarkable story of a forty-year friendship, one that started on the court but which grew to transcend the many ups and downs faced by two singular women." - Chris Evert

"Remarkable...an overdue portrait of Althea Gibson." - Chris Evert

"Terrific....An important contribution in spreading the legacy of Gibson, a woman worth remembering." - Publishers Weekly

"Schoenfeld is a true sportswriter--able to bring to life the sweat and intensity of Gibson's matches." - The Crisis

"A detailed look at an era, a friendship and a sport." - Chicago Tribune

"A remarkable tale of a friendship." - Jon Entine, author of Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We're Afraid to Talk About It

"Heartwarming....Both the book and the women are to be valued and respected." - Lesley Visser, CBS Sportscaster

"A reminder of the best and worst in sports." - Robert Lipsyte

"Schoenfeld captures the not-so-good-old days of...tennis that are virtually forgotten in these affluent times." - Bud Collins