The Epic Rivalry in Boston and LA

Larry Bird, Earvin Magic Johnson, When the Game Was Ours By Jackie Macmullan 

       Sports go back for numerous years which contain entertainment, talent, dreams coming true, heartbreaks, and what many people would consider the best part of all sports is the rivalries. Rivalries are what make athletes and fans so dedicated and passionate for their sports. They can be rivalries of franchises, coaches, players, fans, and some of the greatest rivalries have been a combination of all of those examples. One of the greatest rivalries of all time was the hatred yet respect between Larry Bird  and Earvin Magic Johnson of the Boston Celtics and the Los  Angeles Lakers. 

       The creator of Larry Bird, Earvin Magic Johnson, When the Game Was Ours, has combined with those two legends to explain their historic rivalry between themselves and their old teams and how them as people have become good friends after their memorable careers. So far in the book, Magic and Larry have been interviewed being asked questions about each other, their old teammates,their old teams and coaches, and their outstanding careers. In his interview, Larry Bird got asked about his past time back home in Indiana and he kept mentioning his two older brothers who were always bigger stronger and better than he was as a kid and how that motivated him to get better so he could beat his brothers in basketball. Larry had never met Magic Johnson before then, the real person that he actually had to beat. What Larry and Magic had between each other went beyond his brothers in competitive levels and sometimes even off the court. Both Magic and Larry after their careers always get asked "how is Larry (or Magic)", as if the two were on the same teams when they played. While Larry's motivation had been his brothers, Magic had a different type of motivation. His coach during high school was it. His coach had always known that he was a special player, but he would always say that "there is another player as good as him and maybe better" than him and Magic had always been on the lookout for that player. He found him once he had played Larry Bird. If you are a fan ignore basketball, sports, rivalries, or even just a good piece of non fiction literature, this is a great book for you to check out.