Terror in the City of Champions

8 sound discs (approximately 9 hr., 30 min.)

English language

Published June 1, 2017

ISBN:: 978-1-6652-8513-1

Detroit 1936: In a city abuzz over its unrivaled sports success, baseball fan Dayton Dean is arrested for murder. Though said to have a childlike intelligence, Dean possesses a vivid memory and a hunger for attention. He gives police a story about a secret Klan-like organization called the Black Legion, responsible for countless murders, floggings, and fire bombings. The Legion has tens of thousands of members in the Midwest, among them politicians and notable citizens--even, possibly, a beloved Detroit athlete. When Deans revelations explode, they all seek cover. Award-winning author Tom Stanton's stunning work of history, crime, and sports, weaves together the terror of the Legion with the magnificent athletic ascension of Detroit. Richly portraying 1930s America, and featuring figures like Louis, the country's most famous black man; Jewish slugger Hank Greenberg; anti-Semitic Henry Ford; radio priest Father Coughlin; and J. Edgar Hoover, Terror in the City of Champions is …

Detroit 1936: In a city abuzz over its unrivaled sports success, baseball fan Dayton Dean is arrested for murder. Though said to have a childlike intelligence, Dean possesses a vivid memory and a hunger for attention. He gives police a story about a secret Klan-like organization called the Black Legion, responsible for countless murders, floggings, and fire bombings. The Legion has tens of thousands of members in the Midwest, among them politicians and notable citizens--even, possibly, a beloved Detroit athlete. When Deans revelations explode, they all seek cover. Award-winning author Tom Stanton's stunning work of history, crime, and sports, weaves together the terror of the Legion with the magnificent athletic ascension of Detroit. Richly portraying 1930s America, and featuring figures like Louis, the country's most famous black man; Jewish slugger Hank Greenberg; anti-Semitic Henry Ford; radio priest Father Coughlin; and J. Edgar Hoover, Terror in the City of Champions is a rollicking true tale set at the confluence of hard luck, hope, victory, and violence.

2 editions

Jim Fulner reviewed Terror in the City of Champions by Tom Stanton

Am ingesting take on forgotten history

3 stars

This was an interesting story. I'm surprised that I have never heard of the Black Legion prior to listening to this audio book, particularly considering how much of my adult life I have spent in metro Detroit. But the author himself indicates he similarly didn't find people who knew about it doing his research in the 'burbs.

I kept expecting there to be more of a connection between the legion and the Tigers, but there really wasn't. It really could have been two different books, one about the championship season(s) of Detroit and one on the Black Legion, but it was somewhat interesting trying to tie the two histories told concurrently, just as they would have been in real life, but how many other historical events could have been tied in too.

This was an interesting story. I'm surprised that I have never heard of the Black Legion prior to listening to this audio book, particularly considering how much of my adult life I have spent in metro Detroit. But the author himself indicates he similarly didn't find people who knew about it doing his research in the 'burbs.

I kept expecting there to be more of a connection between the legion and the Tigers, but there really wasn't. It really could have been two different books, one about the championship season(s) of Detroit and one on the Black Legion, but it was somewhat interesting trying to tie the two histories told concurrently, just as they would have been in real life, but how many other historical events could have been tied in too.

Subjects

Black Legion
Murder
Baseball
Professional sports
History

Places

Michigan
Detroit (Mich.)
Detroit