One Small Town, One Crazy Coach: The Ireland Spuds and the 1963 Indiana High School Basketball Season

Name: One Small Town, One Crazy Coach: The Ireland Spuds and the 1963 Indiana High School Basketball Season
Price: 11.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.1 (47 reviews)
Author: Roos, Mike

by Roos, Mike

Memoir History

4.1 (47)

324 pages~5.4 hr readPublished by Quarry Books

$11.9933% off peak

Last checked: Apr 19, 2026

Hidden GemHighly rated but flying under the radar. Fewer readers have found this one yet.

Price history: $0.50 – $17.99

While not the biggest discount we've seen for this book, it's still a great deal and we recommend grabbing it before price returns to its normal range.

Price range: $0.50 – $17.99

Buy on Amazon - $11.99

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Perfect for you if...

You love true sports stories where the underdog actually wins, especially ones rooted in real history and real people rather than Hollywood myth.
You appreciate character-driven narratives that go beyond the game itself to show what shaped these players and their coach.
You're interested in small-town American life and how sports became the glue holding a community together during a pivotal decade.

Maybe not for you if...

You want a straightforward statistical record of the season. This book prioritises storytelling over box scores.
You need a polished, traditionally researched historical account. The author leans into creative nonfiction techniques that blur the lines a bit.
You're looking for a quick motivational read. This is substantial and requires genuine engagement with the material.

About this book

In summer 1962, Pete Gill was hired to coach basketball at Ireland High School, a tiny school where he would achieve one of Indiana basketball's notable small-town accomplishments. The Spuds had no starters taller than 5'10", and few expected them to win. Through demanding preseason conditioning, unconventional motivational methods, and persistence against strong competition, Gill built the team into a winner that secured the town's first and only sectional and regional titles. Mike Roos uses narrative techniques of creative nonfiction to portray the colorful cast of characters involved and chronicle their struggles, emotions, and achievements across the 1963 season.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$0.50 – $17.99

Currently on sale at $11.99 — 33% off peak. Price has dropped 36 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 42 days. Typically stays discounted for 32 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #1,794K in the Kindle store — a niche title.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.1★ from 47 reviews

Review activity has been quiet recently. Rating has dipped slightly from 4.2 to 4.1.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $11.99. It typically returns to around $17.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.