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The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central: High School Basketball at the '68 Racial Divide Paperback – Illustrated, March 1, 2011

by Steve Marantz (Author), Susie Buffett (Foreword)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 41 ratings
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In the spring of 1968, the Omaha Central High School basketball team made history with its first all-black starting lineup. Their nickname, the Rhythm Boys, captured who they were and what they did on the court. Led by star center Dwaine Dillard, the Rhythm Boys were a shoo-in to win the state championship. But something happened on their way to glory. 


In early March, segregationist George Wallace, in a third-party presidential bid, made a campaign stop in Omaha. By the time he left town, Dillard was in jail, his coach was caught between angry political factions, and the city teetered on the edge of racial violence. So began the Nebraska state high school basketball tournament the next day, caught in the vise of history. The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central tells a true story about high school basketball, black awakening and rebellion, and innocence lost in a watershed year. The drama of civil rights in 1968 plays out in this riveting social history of sports, politics, race, and popular culture in the American heartland.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    264 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bison Books
  4. Publication date
    March 1, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0803234341
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0803234345
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Marantz presents an ultimately compelling snapshot of an era—and a city—in the throes of social upheaval."—Kirkus Published On: 2011-01-01

"As a narrative of an American high school united by basketball and torn apart by the times, Marantz hits a nothing-but-net three-pointer."
—Karl Helicher, ForeWord


"Through it all, this talented team reeled off a string of victories, in a way trying to will its way through the bubbling tensions and bring the community together as sports often do. Sometimes, life gets in the way."—Jerry Milani, The Ultimate Fan Published On: 2011-02-05

"Marantz . . . paints an entirely credible picture of the times, placing that infamous Omaha week in the historical context of an infamous year." —Michael Kelly, Omaha World-Herald Published On: 2011-03-11

"Marantz's narrative will touch readers far beyond Omaha."—Alan Moores, Booklist Published On: 2011-03-01

“Four decades after George Wallace ignited a race riot in Omaha, Steve Marantz goes home to tell the story of a high school basketball team and its tragic star. A heartbreaking look inside the lives of white and black students fighting and falling in love as they grow up amid historic upheaval.”—Ian Thomsen, columnist and feature writer for Sports Illustrated Published On: 2010-10-01

“The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central isn’t just about a basketball team—it’s about life—and how ugly, often tragic, inspiring, and so wonderfully hopeful it can be . . . all at the same time. As a basketball fan, I was riveted by this story—and couldn’t help but think about the other ‘Rhythm Boys/Girls’ there have been throughout our country’s unique history—and about just how far we have come.”—Lisa Salters, ESPN Published On: 2010-10-01

“The Rhythm Boys reminds us again how sports mirror society. It happened in Omaha in 1968, but it could be the story of any team in any city. What do you get when you mix the passion of basketball with the passion of race? You get a great book.”—Tom Shatel, sports columnist for the Omaha World Herald Published On: 2010-10-01

"Despite the grim prognosis of the Rhythm Boys' community, Marantz presents a halcyon moment when these five extraordinary highschool athletes made anything seem possible at Omaha Central."—Amy Helene Forss, Great Plains Quarterly

About the Author

Steve Marantz is an Omaha Central graduate and the author of Sorcery at Caesars: Sugar Ray’s Marvelous Fight. A researcher for ESPN Content Development and E:60, and a coeditor of sportsmediaguide.com, he formerly covered sports, government, and politics for the Kansas City Star, the Boston Globe, and the Boston Herald. Susie Buffett, a 1971 graduate of Omaha Central, is the eldest of Warren Buffett’s three children and runs the not-for-profit Sherwood Foundation.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bison Books; Illustrated edition (March 1, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 264 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0803234341
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0803234345
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 41 ratings

About the author

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Steve Marantz

Steve Marantz

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

I am a journalist and podcaster.(stevemarantz.com)

My podcast, "Championship Stories", (championshipseasonpodcast.com) is about famous, infamous, and almost famous champions and their moments in history.

"Citizen Akoy" is about Akoy Agau, a South Sudanese refugee whose love for basketball helped him become the toast of Omaha, Nebraska. It was honored as "Best Nonfiction Immigration Story" for 2020 by Nebraska Center for the Book.

"Next Up at Fenway" is about an innovative high school in Boston and a student, Marcos Baez, who thrived there. It reflects my interests in public education, baseball, and Latino immigration.

"The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central" is a story about social upheaval and basketball at my high school in 1968. I carried it with me for 40 years until it seemed to find closure in politics and cultural evolution.

"Sorcery at Caesars" stems from my coverage of boxing for the Boston Globe from 1979 to 1987. I had a ringside seat to the rivalry between Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvelous Marvin Hagler, whose fight in 1987 is the climax to my story.

All of my writing and podcasting stems from my work as a reporter with the Kansas City Star, Boston Globe and Boston Herald, and as a researcher/producer with ESPN.

Examples of my journalism can be found at stevemarantz.com. Also interviews with more than 100 sports journalists for Sports Media Guide between 2006 and 2014.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
41 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jerry Webb
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!!
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2016
Verified Purchase
Wow, where to even start? I really enjoyed this book as I think any of us who were growing up in Omaha in the 1960's would. As a North High graduate of the class of '65 I recognized so many places and names. Now I was away in the military from 66-70 so I missed being in Omaha for that iconic year of 1968. I returned in 1970 and shortly after getting back I joined the Omaha Police Department. That was shortly after Officer Larry Minard was killed in a booby trapped dynamite explosion, so while I did not know Larry I worked with and knew many of the Police Officers mentioned in the book. I left the Police Department in 1982 to take a job with another law enforcement agency and have not been back to Omaha hardly at all since moving away. So many memories were brought up by reading this book. It's funny that the one that sticks in my mind the most was sitting in Kings Restaurant and making your order over the telephone system, "Onion rings and a coke please." Thank you so much to the author for helping me remember so many times, both good and bad.

Special Agent, FBI-Retired
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Claude Ricks
4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent description of the times in Omaha in the 60s.
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2013
Verified Purchase
This book was recommended to me by daughter's mother. It will certainly be interesting to anyone who lived in or near Omaha in the mid-20th century. It will also be interesting to anyone wishing a better understanding of racial tension in America. I didn't realize that Omaha was one of the original flash points in the battle for equality among the races. I lived in Omaha for only three years, but It was six years before the time frame covered in this book. I was 15 when I moved away from Omaha. But I had married an Omaha girl, so I spent two summers there when we were in college. This book was describing areas where I played basketball two or three times per week and was four blocks from where I lived. It explained how the neighborhood, even the city, was created. It referred to the barber shop where I went for haircuts, the school that I attended and which I thought that I understood, and it mentioned several people whom I knew. Most of all, it described the impact and evolution of integration of the races in Omaha with the backdrop of a top rated, academic high school with a top-ranked basketball team.

It is a keeper! I actually read my ex-wife's book. I bought it because I had to have it in my library.
3 people found this helpful
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JOYCE
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2013
Verified Purchase
I was truly a young girl during this error, dated Carlos Dillard 1972, both my brothers were in this error at central and both played ball. Robert & Ralph Hackney 1967 & 1968 and there little sister was at every game. Just for the record neither one of my brothers who are now deceased, both in 2010 one month apart in death, were interviewed for this book. FYI they both served in the US Army and the both fought in The Vietnam war. They both became to be postal workers, for USPS. And this is still a fantastic book, I'm so glad to of known all the players mentioned, half of which grew up at my house.
I'm also a Central graduate, 1975 now in Texas. Also lived here when Dwayne Dillard lived here, boy time really brings about a change. Again great book. Thanks for the memories.
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Just Us
5.0 out of 5 stars Time Well Spent!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2015
Verified Purchase
I found this book to be both interesting and entertaining. I've lived in Omaha for the past 17 years and I've read several books on the city's history, this being one of the best I've read. I am a sports fan, so that interested me, but I also grew up in the turbulent 60's and that added to my interest. My father-in-law, who played high school basketball in Omaha not long before the time period written about (so he is very familiar with the characters in the book), provided a nice source of information for my questions. Overall, whether from Omaha or not, it's an interesting story from an interesting time.
2 people found this helpful
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Aaron Marcus
4.0 out of 5 stars In Praise of Omaha Central
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2012
Verified Purchase
I've read the book and found it fascinating, informative, thoughtful, and engaging. I learned a lot about people I thought I knew and met some other, new people in the book whom I am glad to have encountered. Thanks to the author for illuminating this crucial period in US, Omaha, and Central HIgh history.
3 people found this helpful
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nancy mandolfo
5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I ordered and expected
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
I purchased this right before the Christmas holiday so I was notified it would not be delivered until after the holiday. That was ok with me, it arrived shortly afterwards as promised. The book was in great condition and the person I bought it for was very satisfied with the book. Good read, although some facts were smoothed over! The book has been passed along to others that were in Omaha and could relate to the subject.
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Svenska Girl
5.0 out of 5 stars The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2012
Verified Purchase
Because I live in Omaha & know some of the people who went to Central, this was of great interest to me.
I was living in Michigan in the '60's & heard about the race riots in Omaha & was acquainted with the city through
relatives who were living in Omaha. The book is of local interest, but would be of interest to anyone who lived through
the civil rights era & its tragedies.
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Candace Rasmussen
4.0 out of 5 stars Turning points
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
As a 1965 graduate of Omaha Central, I found this book to be fascinating. I learned things about my high school, the times, the administration, Omaha, and racism that helped me sort out my experience and memories. At least for someone who was there, this is a good read.
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