Captures both the hardships and hopes of a community.
Bring One Home by Thomas L. Pelissero is a layered blend of memoir and local history that begins with the triumph of the Bessemer Speedboys’ 1947 Upper Peninsula basketball championship before moving into the author’s own boyhood and the turbulent seasons of 1963–66. Drawing on personal recollections as well as nearly eight years of interviews and archival research, Pelissero recreates the atmosphere of a small Michigan mining town with sensory detail—the wooden groan of bleachers, the chatter of locker rooms, the steady hum of the Tip Top café, and the collective grief that followed President Kennedy’s assassination. At its heart is the story of coach John Bonk’s arrival in 1963, a period marked by shrinking budgets, vanishing mining jobs, and a basketball program mired in setbacks. Through long losing streaks that tested local patience to the eventual breaking of the drought, when the net finally came down and a fragile moment of glory returned, the book captures both the hardships and hopes of a community. More than a sports chronicle, Bring One Home is a tribute to the resilience of Bessemer, to the people who rallied around their team, and to the enduring pride that lingers even when victory is fleeting.
Thomas L. Pelissero has a talent for bringing reality to life in engrossing, novel-like ways, resulting in a loving tribute to small-town life where research and interviews bring Bessemer, Michigan, into vivid focus. Whether it’s the sport elements or the personal memoir feel that you’re here for, there’s an ideal balance where you feel both the game and the people who live around it. Meticulous detail brings a strong sense of personal investment to the reader, even in the scenes from years gone by, such as the 1947 prologue that anchors the book emotionally, gives historical weight to the later seasons, and allows the context to build naturally. Pelissero also has a natural ear for dialogue and local color, making every exchange utterly convincing. The book even treats losing with dignity, highlighting reverence in its bittersweet celebrations. Expert use of oral histories and newspaper excerpts give the narrative authority without losing warmth. This contributes to the honest, humane portraits of coaches, players, and families for even more sincerity and emotional impact. Just like a game, the narrative sets the pace with quarters and chapters that have momentum, setbacks, and triumphs. An affectionate, well-documented celebration of perseverance, Bring One Home is a nostalgic story that emphasizes why high school sports really matter.
