Floor Burns is a sprawling small-college basketball odyssey that begins in the 1940s in New Britain, Connecticut, and finishes up in present-day Boston at tiny Fisher College. In between, Mike Whaley, who was also a player himself at Lyndon State in Vermont, winds his way along New England’s backroads. He tells the stories of schools that no longer exist like Nathaniel Hawthorne in New Hampshire, Westbrook in Maine, and Windham in Vermont. Future NBA coaches Stan Van Gundy and Steve Clifford cut their teeth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), while others like Bill Detrick, Bruce MacGregor, Skip Pound, Bruce Kirsh, Kissy Walker, Red Downes, Glenn Theulen, and Rick Simonds made their mark and their living there. Buckle up for a bumpy but exhilarating ride that chronicles the highs and lows of the NAIA in New England as intimately and colorfully told by the players and coaches who were there and some who still are. --Publisher's blurb
About the author:
Mike Whaley is a veteran sportswriter with over 30 years of experience in New Hampshire and Maine. He has been recognized as New Hampshire Sportswriter of the Year twice. Whaley played college basketball at Lyndon State College (now Vermont State University-Lyndon) from 1979 to 1983. He currently resides in Portland, Maine, with his wife, Jill Rosenblum.
Join Mike at The Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough, NH on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 11:00 am where he will be discussing his new book.
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