By the Grace of the Game

More about the book

In 1972, when Lily and Alex walked into a crowded gymnasium in Queens, New York, they could hardly recognize their son. The boy who had fled to America with them, facing bullying while learning English and coping with family tragedy, had transformed into a young man who secretly honed his basketball skills on New York City's outdoor courts. This young man, Ernie Grunfeld, would eventually win an Olympic gold medal and achieve remarkable success as an NBA player and executive. Dan Grunfeld, a former basketball standout at Stanford University, narrates his family's extraordinary story, blending heartbreak with the warmth of his grandmother's Hungarian cooking. The true essence of their journey lies in discovering a game that unknowingly healed wounds, built bridges, and united a fractured Jewish family. The magnitude of the American dream is reflected in the intensity of the preceding nightmare and the triumphs that followed. This narrative spans from the horrors of the Nazis to Olympic glory, from cheap seats to Madison Square Garden, illustrating how perseverance, love, and legacy endure through generations, all carried by the simple and beautiful game of basketball.