During their long walks around Minneapolis, discussing “everything basketball” — from trades to championship predictions —basketball fanatics Ty Chapman and John Coy never realized they were missing a key piece of hoops history: the story of former Saint Francis star Maurice Stokes.
With the release of their new book Stokes: The Brief Career of the NBA’s First Black Superstar on Oct. 1, Chapman and Coy introduce Stokes’ story — his triumphs, challenges and enduring friendship with teammate Jack Twyman — to a new audience: children.
Stokes, who played at Saint Francis from 1951-55, led the Red Flash to back-to-back National Invitational Tournament appearances in 1954 and 1955.
He played in the NBA for three seasons with the Rochester/Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) from 1955-58 before suffering a serious head injury in a game in March of 1958. The injury left him paralyzed from the neck down until his death in 1970.
Stokes’ story is one of resilience and perseverance, and also one selflessness because of the kindness demonstrated to him by Twyman and others.
It is also a story of greatness. While Stokes played in only 202 professional games, he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004 and his rebounding average ranks third in NBA history.
The NBA introduced the Twyman-Stokes Teammate-of-the-Year Award in 2013, which is how Coy and Chapman learned about the two men.
“I did some research and couldn’t believe that I didn’t know the (Stokes) story, specifically what a tremendous player and person he was,” said Coy. “I became eager to learn more about him and share that story with a new generation of readers.”
Around the same time that Coy was learning about Stokes’ legacy, Chapman reached out to him looking for advice on writing about basketball. Shortly thereafter, the pair decided to collaborate on a children’s book about the former Saint Francis star.
One of their most valuable sources in researching Stokes was a book written by SFU Communications Professor Pat Farabaugh titled An Unbreakable Bond: The Brotherhood of Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman.
An Unbreakable Bond – which targets an adult audience – was published in 2014.
“Pat’s book had a huge influence on our research,” said Coy.
Farabaugh agreed to serve as a consultant on the project after Coy shared his idea for a children’s book and asked the SFU professor for some direction.
“John asked me to help them make sure they were accurately capturing Maurice’s story,” said Farabaugh. “It was a lot of fun assisting them in a small way on their book.
“It’s a great book that will share an important story with a new audience.”
Chapman and Coy hope to educate young readers about Stokes’ impact on the NBA and his trailblazing role for Black players in the league.
“For young Black kids, I’d love for them to know more about the NBA’s history and how it relates to Black history—like how early Black players couldn’t use (showcase) all their skills,” said Chapman.
Coy said he wanted to share Stokes’ story because he was “such a remarkable person,” one who paved the way for future Black NBA players.
“Kids today don’t realize how bad things were not too long ago,” the author said. “I met Earl Lloyd, one of the first Black NBA players. He said they were told they could rebound and set screens, but that they had to pass the ball to white players.
“There were many talented players who never got to show their skills, but Stokes was so good that he changed that.”
Farabaugh hopes the new book will remind young readers that while we all face challenges in our lives, learning from these challenges and becoming a better version of yourself is possible.
“Stokes faced incredible obstacles, but he never gave up, even when he had to realign his goals after his life changed,” said Farabaugh, who served as the University’s sports information director from 1999-05.
Coy and Chapman said their book highlights the reactions of other players after Stokes’ injury and how they rallied around him, notably Twyman.
“One challenge with a nonfiction picture book is that it must be condensed to around 800 words,” said Chapman.
“We focused on the essence of Maurice’s story, emphasizing what a generous teammate he was — how people loved to play with him, his rebounding and scoring skills, and how he loved passing.”
The authors will visit Saint Francis in January to share information about their book with members of the SFU community. A University-wide event is scheduled for Jan. 23 in JFK Auditorium.
Coy and Chapman will also attend the SFU men’s basketball team’s game against LIU at the Stokes Center on Jan. 24, and they will visit several area elementary schools, sharing Stokes’ story with students.
Their book was published by Millbrook Press, which is part of the Lerner Publishing Group.
It will be Coy and Chapman’s first visit to Loretto. They are excited to find out more about SFU, meet members of the University community, and discuss their book.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the place that Maurice Stokes loved,” said Coy. “He said Saint Francis transformed his life, so just being in that physical space excites me.
“I’m eager to connect the story with a new generation of students who may not know much about him.”
Chapman is also looking forward to their January visit.
“I’m excited to get on campus and chat with the basketball team,” said Chapman. “I’m looking forward to visiting schools and sharing the story with young readers.”
