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Spotlight on Black Athletes |
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Home Run King: The Remarkable Record of Hank Aaron
by Dan Schlossberg
Biography, AARON, HENRY. In the fifty years that have passed since Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run and supplanted Babe Ruth as baseball's home run king, his legend and legacy have only grown. Humble and modest to a fault, he always insisted that he didn't want people to forget Babe Ruth but only to remember Henry Aaron. Though he never had the benefit of playing in the media spotlight of New York or Los Angeles, he remains the career leader in total bases, runs batted in, and All-Star selections; shares records for home runs by brothers (with Tommie Aaron) and by teammates (with Eddie Mathews); and is remembered with respect and admiration for his outspoken advocacy of civil rights for all minorities. Written by a lifelong Braves fan who became a sportswriter, this book traces Aaron's odyssey from the segregated south to the baseball world revolutionized by Jackie Robinson, who became an early and important ally against bigotry and prejudice.
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Ernie Banks: Mr. Cub and the Summer of '69
by Phil Rogers
Biography, BANKS, ERNIE. Discusses the life of the legendary Chicago Cubs shortstop and looks at the 1969 season, which saw Banks chasing a career 500 home runs, a feat he would achieve in May 1970, as well as uttering his famous, upbeat quote "Let's play two," during a particularly hot summer game.
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The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson
by Jeff Pearlman
Biography, JACKSON, BO; Boundless eBook. From the mid-1980s into the early 1990s, the greatest athlete of all time streaked across American sports and popular culture. He became the first person to simultaneously star in two major professional sports, and overtook Michael Jordan as America's most recognizable pitchman. He was half man, half myth. Then, almost overnight, he was gone. He was Bo Jackson. Drawing on 720 original interviews, Pearlman captures as never before the elusive truth about Jackson, Auburn University's transcendent Heisman Trophy winner, superstar of both the NFL and Major League Baseball and ubiquitous "Bo Knows" Nike pitchman.
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24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid
by Willie Mays
Biography, MAYS, WILLIE. A man widely regarded as one the greatest all-around players in baseball history reflects on his lifetime of experience meeting challenges with positivity, integrity and triumph.
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42 Today: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy
by Michael G. Long
Biography, ROBINSON, JACKIE. Before the United States Supreme Court ruled against segregation in public schools, and before Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, Jackie Robinson walked onto the diamond on April 15, 1947, as first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers, making history as the first African American to integrate Major League Baseball in the twentieth century. Today a national icon, Robinson was a complicated man who navigated an even more complicated world that both celebrated and despised him. Featuring piercing essays from a range of distinguished sportswriters, cultural critics, and scholars, this book explores Robinson's perspectives and legacies on civil rights, sports, faith, youth, and nonviolence, while providing rare glimpses into the struggles and strength of one of the nation's most athletically gifted and politically significant citizens.
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42: The Jackie Robinson Story
Feature Films, 42. Depicts the early career of Jackie Robinson as he became the first African American Major League Baseball player when he was signed to the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers.
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42 is Not Just a Number: The Odyssey of Jackie Robinson, American Hero
by Doreen Rappaport
Boundless eBook. A revelatory portrait of the life and legacy of the heroic baseball legend explores how, despite his amazing athletic abilities, he was challenged to break the color barrier and overcome significant discrimination in order to play in Major League Baseball.
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Jackie Robinson: American Hero
by Sharon Robinson
Juvenile Biography, ROBINSON. A portrait of the baseball legend, written by his daughter, traces the events that led up to Robinson's historic signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers and his role in promoting the desegregation of baseball.
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Call Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighter
by Yohuru Williams
Juvenile Biography, ROBINSON. This compelling biography of the barrier-breaking American hero and proud fighter for Black justice and civil rights reveals the person behind the legend, bringing to life this famed figure's legacy for new generation.
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The Black Fives: The Epic Story of Basketball's Forgotten Era
by Claude Johnson
Non-Fiction, 796.323 J63B. Drawing on interviews, mined archives and collected artifacts, an advocate fiercely committed to our history discusses the largely unknown early days of Black basketball that weaves together stories of these forgotten pioneers and rewrites our understanding of the story of basketball.
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Hoop Dreams
by Ben Joravsky
Non-Fiction, 796.323 J759H. For nearly five years Arthur Agee's and William Gates' remarkable lives were chronicled by a team of filmmakers. Roughly 250 hours of film were devoted to their journeys from the playgrounds to high school competition to college recruitment and -- whittled down to three hours -- it became the award-winning film Hoop Dreams. This companion book vividly brings to life the struggles of Arthur Agee and William Gates to win college scholarships and positions on professional teams and examines the impact their aspirations had on themselves, their families and their relationships.
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Coming Home
by Brittney Griner
Biography, GRINER, BRITTANY. From the nine-time women's basketball icon and two-time Olympic gold medalist comes a raw, revelatory account of her unfathomable detainment in Russia and her journey home.
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LeBron
by Jeff Benedict
Biography, JAMES, LEBRON. The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Tiger Woods turns his attention to basketball, providing the definitive biography of one of the greatest athletes of all time that chronicles not only LeBron James' meteoric rise to fame but also his solid family, political activism and business empire.
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LeBron: Life Lessons from the King
by Brian Boone
Biography, JAMES, LEBRON. A biographical account featuring the secrets to success from one of the greatest basketball players of all time: LeBron James.
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For the Love of the Game
by Michael Jordan
Oversize Books, B JORDAN. More than two hundred full-color photographs combine with Jordan's personal anecdotes and reminiscences to chronicle the life and times of the NBA's greatest player, detailing his college and professional career, the murder of his father, the business of basketball, and more.
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Jumpman: The Making and Meaning of Michael Jordan
by John Matthew Smith
Biography, JORDAN, MICHAEL. Blending dramatic game action with the social forces of the early 90s, an acclaimed sports historian charts Michael Jordan's ubiquitous rise in American culture and the burden he carried as a national symbol of racial progress, demonstrating how the man and the myth together created the legend we remember today.
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I'll Show You
by Derrick Rose
Biography, ROSE, DERRICK. In 2012, Derrick Rose was on top of the world. After growing up in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, Rose achieved an improbable childhood dream: being selected first overall in the NBA draft by his hometown Chicago Bulls. The point guard was a phenom, winning the Rookie of the Year award and electrifying fans around the world. In 2011, he became the youngest MVP in league history. Six years and four knee surgeries later, he was waived by the Utah Jazz, a once surefire Hall of Fame career seemingly on the brink of collapse. Many speculated his days in the NBA were over. But Derrick Rose never doubted himself, never believed his struggles on and off the court were anything other than temporary setbacks. Rather than telling the world he had more to give, he decided to show them. I'll Show You is an honest, intimate conversation with one of the world's most popular athletes, a star whose on-court brilliance is matched only by his aversion to the spotlight.
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Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You
by A'ja Wilson
Boundless eBook. The Olympic gold medalist and two-time professional basketball MVP explores what it means to be a Black woman in America today and how she overcame the feeling of being swept under the rug while growing up.
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Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality beyond Black and White
by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Boundless eBook. The NAACP Award-winning writer, sports legend and U.S. Cultural Ambassador traces the evolution of his views on social justice, from his youth in the Civil Rights era to his current role as a cultural commentator on topics ranging from race and economic inequality to music and the influence of the media.
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Barkley: A Biography
by Timothy Bella
Boundless eBook. This definitive new biography of the NBA legend explores his early years growing up in Alabama, his NBA career and emergence as an advocate for social change and enduring voice in pop culture.
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Stephen Curry
by Eric Braun
Boundless eBook. Presents the life of professional basketball athlete Stephen Curry, from his childhood to his rise to stardom.
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Kevin Durant
by Jon M Fishman
Boundless eBook. Presents the life and accomplishments of the professional basketball player.
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Lebron James
by Jon M Fishman
Boundless eBook. Presents the life and accomplishments of the professional basketball player, including his incredible successes both on and off the field, his training regimen, and his charity work.
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Sweetwater
Feature Films, SWEETWATER. The story of Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, basketball legend who became the first African-American to sign an NBA contract.
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Glory Road
YA DVD Feature Films, GLORY. Follows the first predominately African American basketball team in college history to win an NCAA championship
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Michael Jordan: Hall of Fame Basketball Superstar
by Nathan Aaseng
Juvenile Biography, JORDAN, MICHAEL. Learn about Hall of Fame basketball player Michael Jordan in this sports biography. See how Michael became arguably the best basketball player ever and changed the Chicago Bulls organization forever. Read about how he even retired from basketball to play baseball!
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Swish: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters
by Suzanne Slade
Picture Books, SLADE. Rhythmic text by the award-winning author of A Computer Called Katherine and dynamic artwork by the award-winning illustrator of No Small Potatoes trace the story of the Harlem Globetrotters and how their remarkable performances indelibly transformed the game of basketball.
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Joe Louis vs. Billy Conn: Boxing's Unforgettable Summer of 1941
by Ed Gruver
Non-Fiction, 796.83 G928J. Considered one of the greatest matches in boxing history, this heavyweight bout saw the underdog Billy Conn well ahead on points until Joe Louis knocked him out in the 13th round. Ed Gruver captures the high drama of that sultry night at New York's PoloGrounds in June 1941.
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Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
by Geoffrey C. Ward
Biography, JOHNSON. The National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author of A First-Class Temperament presents a full-scale portrait that draws on a wealth of period sources, including Johnson's never-before-published prison memoir, of heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson, from his rise to success to his prison sentence and life in exile.
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The Hurricane
Feature Film DVDs, HURRICANE. Fighter Rubin "Hurricane" Carter is convicted of murder at the height of his boxing career and after 20 years in prison, four people go to extraordinary lengths to prove his innocence.
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Muhammad Ali
Series DVDs, B ALI, MUHAMMAD. A biography of world champion boxer and political activist Muhammad Ali.
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Ali: A Life
by Jonathan Eig
Boundless eBook. The best-selling author of Opening Day draws on insider access to present an unauthorized portrait of the iconic champion fighter, arguing that race was a central theme in Muhammad Ali's career, faith and advocacy work and that his political beliefs and neurological health shaped his complex character.
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Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X
by Randy Roberts
Boundless eBook. In 1962, no one believed that the obnoxious Cassius Clay would ever become the heavyweight champion of the world. But Malcolm X saw the potential in Clay, not just for boxing greatness, but as a means of spreading the Nation of Islam's message. Soon, however, their friendship would sour, with disastrous and far-reaching consequences. Based on previously untapped sources, Blood Brothers is the first book to offer an in-depth portrait of this complex bond. An extraordinary narrative of love, betrayal, and violence, this story is a window into the lives of two of our greatest national icons, and the tumultuous period in American history that they helped to shape.
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The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson
by Jeff Pearlman
Biography, JACKSON, BO; Boundless eBook. From the mid-1980s into the early 1990s, the greatest athlete of all time streaked across American sports and popular culture. He became the first person to simultaneously star in two major professional sports, and overtook Michael Jordan as America's most recognizable pitchman. He was half man, half myth. Then, almost overnight, he was gone. He was Bo Jackson. Drawing on 720 original interviews, Pearlman captures as never before the elusive truth about Jackson, Auburn University's transcendent Heisman Trophy winner, superstar of both the NFL and Major League Baseball and ubiquitous "Bo Knows" Nike pitchman.
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When Your Back's Against the Wall: Fame, Football, and lessons Learned Through a Lifetime of Adversity
by Michael Oher
Biography, OHER, MICHAEL. Millions of people became part of Michael Oher's story when they watched a version of him on the big screen; read his memoir, I Beat the Odds; or cheered him on from the stands. After speaking to so many of them over the years, Oher knows that more than anything, people want to believe great things can happen, even when the situation looks bleak. His story of overcoming the toughest of odds serves as their hope. Oher's life has had a lot of unexpected highs: a college degree; two beautiful, healthy children and a happy marriage; drafted in the first round; a Super Bowl victory; and a second chance to play in the "big game." He's also run up against quite a few walls: poverty, hunger, homelessness, struggles in school, bullying, job loss, brain injury, anxiety, and depression. What he knows now is that your wall can be your opportunity. In When Your Back's Against the Wall, he offers encouragement and shows readers how to get back up--again, and again, and again.
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Never Die Easy: The Autobiography of Walter Payton
by Walter Payton
Biography, PAYTON. In an inspirational memoir, the late football great describes his love affair with his sport, his achievements on and off the field, his private life, his personal beliefs, and goals, and his battle with the liver cancer that would claim in life in 1999.
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Cam Newton
by Jon M Fishman
Boundless eBook. A biography of the quarterback for the Carolina Panthers
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Colin Kaepernick
by B. A. Hoena
Boundless eBook. This biography traces Colin Kaepernick's road from young sports standout to athlete and activist. As Kaepernick protested violence against African Americans, he lost his career in football but gained a voice heard worldwide.
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Lamar Jackson: Superstar Quarterback
by Matt Chandler
Juvenile Biography, JACKSON. Quarterback Lamar Jackson became the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 2019. It was only his second year in the league. Readers will learn how Jackson overcame a difficult childhood and went on to become one of the NFL's rising stars and the youngest quarterback to ever start in a playoff game!
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Patrick Mahomes: New NFL Superstar
by Jim Gallagher
Juvenile Biography, MAHOMES. In his short NFL career, Patrick Mahomes has proven time and again that he can make positive things happen even in the toughest situations. Teammates, sportswriters, and fans use the phrase "Mahomes Magic" when referring to the amazing and improbable plays he makes on a weekly basis, thanks to his athletic ability and understanding of the game.
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Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built for Us
by Alison Mariella Désir
Non-Fiction, 796.42 D46R. Weaving together history and her own story of growth in the sport, an endurance athlete, activist and mental health advocate explores why the seemingly simple, human act of long distance running for exercise and health has never been truly open to Black people and what the fitness industry can do about it.
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Arthur Ashe: A Life
by Raymond Arsenault
Biography, ASHE. Recounts the life of the iconic tennis player, who became the first African American to play for the US Davis Cup team in 1963, detailing his success on the court, his career as a human rights activist, and his death of AIDS in 1993.
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Running Sideways: The Olympic Champion Who Made Track and Field History
by Pauline Davis
Biography, DAVIS, PAULINE. The inspiring story of Pauline Davis, a Bahamian sprinter who fought through poverty, inequality, and racism to compete in five Olympic Games and become the first woman from the Caribbean to win Olympic gold. She would inspire an entire nation and go onto become the first Black woman elected to the international governing body of athletics.
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Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson
by Ashley Brown
Biography, GIBSON, ALTHEA. Four days after her historic victory at Wimbledon in July 1957, Althea Gibson sat at the head table between her parents during a luncheon held in her honor at New York City's famed Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Wearing a dress of red and blue silk with a corsage pinned to her lapel, she listened as local officials sang her praises. Gibson was "an American girl,", "a real lady," and "a wonderful ambassador ... [and] saleswoman" for the country, they said. Speaker after speaker reached for superlatives and generalities to pay tribute to Gibson for rising improbably from "the sidewalks of New York," in the words of Mayor Robert F. Wagner, to winning the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. The commissioner of the Department of Commerce and Public Events cut closest to the truth with six words: "She came up the hard way."
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Althea: The Life of Tennis Champion Althea Gibson
by Sally H. Jacobs
Biography, GIBSON, ALTHEA. An award-winning sports reporter tells the story of the pioneering athlete who rose up from the streets of Harlem to break the color barrier in tennis and became one of the sport's greatest champions.
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Tiger, Tiger
by James Patterson
Biography, WOODS, TIGER. This first full-scale biography chronicles the impossible life of Tiger Woods whose phenomenal success, despite potentially career-ending injuries and multiple public scandals, led to his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame, becoming a lasting influence who continues to inspire every rising generation.
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Simone Biles
by Jon M Fishman
Boundless eBook. Simone Biles joined the US women's gymnastics team to compete at the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016. Along with her teammates, she sailed through her events to claim the gold medal in the team competition for the United States. She also took home three golds and a bronze in the individual events in which she competed. Though Biles follows an intense training routine, her schedule doesn't stop her from having fun. Learn all about her rise to the top in gymnastics, how she stays fit, what she does to relax, and much more.
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Gabby Douglas
by Jon M. Fishman
Boundless eBook. Discusses the life of the Olympian, including her family, how she started in gymnastics, and her Olympic success.
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Run with Me: The Story of a U.S. Olympic Champion
by Sanya Richards-Ross
Boundless eBook. A personal account by one of the most decorated female track-and-field athletes in history traces her early days running in Jamaica through to her most recent achievements, sharing insights into how the athletic model created by her coach and her own beliefs about determination, courage and faith shaped her work on and off the track.
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Serena Williams: Tennis Champion, Sports Legend, and Cultural Heroine
by Merlisa Lawrence Corbett
Boundless eBook. Record-breaking, trend-setting, and controversial, tennis star Serena Williams often sparks conversation and debate. She's one of the most intriguing figures in sports, and this book offers insight not only into her impact on tennis and popular culture but also into how she has challenged race and gender norms.
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Everyone Can Be a Ninja: Find Your Inner Warrior and Achieve Your Dream
by Akbar Gbajabiamila
Boundless eAudiobook. The beloved host of the show American Ninja Warrior draws inspiration from both the fierce competitors on his show and his own unlikely path to success to outline the essential steps to achieving your goals and becoming a modern-day ninja.
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Roaring Back: The Fall and Rise of Tiger Woods
by Curt Sampson
Boundless Audiobook. Documents the highs and lows of the iconic golfers professional and personal life, tracing his dramatic comeback at the 2019 Masters after years of controversy involving addiction, divorce, accidents and surgeries.
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Race
Feature Films, RACE. The story of track and field legend Jesse Owens, and his record-breaking performance at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany.
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Simone Biles
by Anthony K. Hewson
Juvenile Biography, BILES, SIMONE. Introduces readers to Simone Biles, providing exciting details about her life and going deep inside the key moments of her gymnastics career.
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Who was Jesse Owens?
by James Buckley
Juvenile Paperbacks, BUCKLEY. Describes the life of the sharecroppers' son who became an Olympic legend and challenged Hitler's dream of Aryan superiority.
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The Quickest Kid in Clarksville
by Pat Zietlow Miller
Picture Books, MILLER. Growing up in the segregated town of Clarksville, Tennessee, in the 1960s, Alta's family cannot afford to buy her new sneakers--but she still plans to attend the parade celebrating her hero Wilma Rudolph's three Olympic gold medals.
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Michigan City Public Library
100 E. 4th Street
Michigan City, Indiana 46360
219-873-3044mclib.org/ |
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