I am deeply saddened by the passing of former Westville High School principal and Illinois basketball Hall of fame inductee Barney Vilk. Mr. Vilk passed away recently after an illness. He leaves behind a great legacy and touched many people's lives as both a father figure and mentor to the many he came in contact with. He was also very giving of his time to talk to me and was influential in my writing of "Remember Westville", providing helpful information along the way. My condolences to his family at this very difficult time.
James E. Bryant
On Barney Vilk:
"He always commanded respect without being brash and loud. He was wise and kind, and was a positive influence on countless people. Westville won't be the same without him."
REMEMBER WESTVILLE COPIES ARE ON SALE NOW AT THIS SPECIAL LOW PRICE OF ONLY $15.00 PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING. ORDER YOUR AUTOGRAPHED COPY TODAY!!
If you loved HOOSIERS or FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, this book is just for you. REMEMBER WESTVILLE books are selling quick. Order your 358-page autographed copy commemmorative copy for the special low rate of only $15.00 . Though the story is thirty-five years old, it still lives on today. Relive the unforgettable memories and poignant story of the 1976 Westville Tigers; the team the town can not forget. Just click on the PAYPAL BUY NOW Button and purchase your copy with your Paypal account, debit or check card, or major credit card.
Read another book review from Amazon.com!!!!
4.0 out of 5 starsGood Sports Book Worth Reading,December 27, 2011
This review is from:Remember Westville: The Story of the 1976 Westville Tigers Basketball Team, Their Hopes, Dreams And The Season The Town Can Not Forget (Paperback)
I read this book during breaks at work. Very detailed book and you can tell the Author has passion for the story and did a lot of homework before writing. Anyone who has grown up in a small town can relate to this book. Every small town has that one team that everyone talks about and this is Westville's team. The Author takes you back to 1976 and is able to give you a play-by-play of some of the biggest games of the year. When you are done with the book you will feel like you know the team and it made me want to travel to Westville to check out the real life school,town,etc. This isn't Hoosiers, but it is a good book that any sports fan would enjoy. The biography on each player and coach at the end of the book is a great bonus.
Author James E. Bryant and Former Head coach Jack Hardy
Jim,
Just wanted to let you know that I recieved and read your book and it is fantastic! I couldn't put it down. You really have done a good job describing the town and the experience they went through.....................
Mark Billings
Remember Westville is a very good book!, March 12, 2008
By
BookReview.com (Madison, WI United States) Reviewed by Les Chappell
March Madness has returned, leading to a series of ill-conceived brackets, non-stop ESPN analysis and often heated discussions over whose alma mater is going to take it all this year. Everyone with even a passing attention for the game gets caught up, reviving old rivalries and remembering that last big game. No doubt it's even bigger for the friends and family of players, who remember when their boys played in the high school gym.
It's that affection for young players that fuels "Remember Westville," James Bryant's history of the 1976 Westville Tigers. Westville, a small Illinois town known mostly as home to the first night high school football game, saw their high school basketball team embark on a winning streak that motivated players and fans alike. Winning several regional tournaments, they eventually lost a super-sectional but still established the best season in school history.
To reconstruct this almost epic year Bryant conducted extensive interviews with Coach Hardy, as well as the entire team, assistant coaches, rival coaches and family members. He covers Hardy's first years as coach and tracks the path each player took to get on the court, moving on to play-by-play descriptions of bigger games. It gets off to a slow start - there are almost too many little details, such as Coach Hardy's inscriptions in the high school yearbook - but the excitement builds as the stakes rise.
The book's research is considerable, but its construction feels less like a narrative and more like a documentary. Bryant, a former radio broadcaster, structures the book as a series of commentaries followed by long quotes from players and coaches. The language makes it seem like there should be a running reel of game highlights or players' faces, which makes the book's almost complete lack of pictures rather surprising.
What the book lacks in visual aid it makes up for in commitment, both affectionate and perceptive. Competition with rival schools Chrisman and Schlarman will resonate with anyone even peripherally involved in high school athletics, and the feel of the game comes across in several of the more tense reenactments. Anyone who either knew the players personally or becomes attached to them will enjoy updated biographies at the end - none of the players went pro, but all enjoy comfortable lives and share fond season memories.
"Remember Westville" is the story common in sports - small school team, up against the odds, uniting the town in a quest for glory even if the final win eludes them. With every player and coach talking to him Bryant has put together an in-depth history.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
James E. Bryant's anticipated second book on the history-making 2006 and 2007 Westville Tigers state final football teams is scheduled to be released and made available in 2011 to the public. There is an early signup sheet for this upcoming book. Get signed up for it today and get the book before it becomes released to the rest of the public.NO MONEY IS REQUIRED FOR THIS SIGNUP! It is strictly a signup sheet to reserve your copies. You may cancel anytime. Just leave your name and email address and the number of copies you are interested in the RESERVATION FORM below. You will be contacted once the book is set for release. This will be for a limited time only and there will be a limited amount of early copies sold. Don't wait! Be the first to get your autographed copy of these memorable and historical teams, the first in Tigers history to make it to the state championship! Relive the drama and get firsthand accounts from both players and coaches about classic games against Clifton Central, Morrison, Casey-Westfield, Salt Fork, Dakota, Maroa-Forsyth and many more. Relive the Magic! Get signed up today!
A recent comment regarding REMEMBER WESTVILLE:
"I am currently reading Remember Westville. This book is a great book. I have learned so much about our town from reading it. This book has given me more pride just knowing about this past team. Their hard work and dedication makes me want to become a better athlete myself. I am looking forward to reading the football book. Thank You. "
Devin Hathaway
ANOTHER RAVE REVIEW REGARDING "REMEMBER WESTVILLE"!!!
No One Can Remember Details From Over 30 Years A - Let James E. Bryant take you to the 1976 Westville, IL Basketball Season, March 22, 2009
James E. Bryant retells the story of the 1976 Westville High School Basketball Team with the diligence of an investigative reporter and the passion of a small town prep sports fan. I marvel at the attention to detail he has brought in his descriptions of the players, coaches and community of Westville; but he does not stop there. The insights from opposing participants, coaches and press reports is simply amazing.
You aren't going to find a romanticized recant of a near winning team, against all odds. Instead, you get accurate, detailed reporting. The flow of the story follows the pre-season, season, and state tournament in chronology. Intertwined in each chapter are quotes of the various participants relative to that time sequence.
One can only imagine the effort the author logged tracking down the key and minor players for interviews of recollections, and the time spent squinting at microfiche machines to research old newspaper articles. As a bonus, the author updates us on what has become of each of the team members and coaches. This book is a must for those who played or watched basketball in the 70's in and around East-Central Illinois.
Mr. Bryant has demonstrated a talent here for investigative reporting. I can't help but wonder what a true crime expose would be like from this author - is there another book on the drawing board?
Yale R. Jaffe Author, Advantage Disadvantage
HIT ANY PDF BUTTON BELOW FOR A SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE REMEMBER WESTVILLE BOOK
NOW FOR SALE, RARE GAME VIDEO OF THE 1976 DECATUR SUPERSECTIONAL, WESTVILLE VS. MT. PULASKI . THIS GAME HAS BEEN RELEASED IN ITS ENTIRETY ON DVD, JUST CLICK ON THE PAYPAL BUTTON BELOW TO PURCHASE THE VIDEO. THE GAME SELLS FOR ONLY $5.95 PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING. RELIVE ONE OF THE GREATEST GAMES IN IHSA STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY, FROM THE OPENING TIP TO THE INCREDIBLE LAST MINUTE COMEBACK BY THE TIGERS. GET YOUR COPY TODAY!!
NEWS FLASH::: JAMES E. BRYANT'S REMEMBER WESTVILLE HAS BEEN FEATURED RECENTLY IN ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL'S GLORY DAYS WEBSITE. THE WEBSITE IS A CELEBRATION OF THE NOW DEFUNCT HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. BRYANT'S BOOK IS FEATURED ON THE LINKS AND STUFF PAGE,IN THE BOOKS FOR SALE SECTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, AS WELL AS THE ROSSVILLE-ALVIN HIGH SCHOOL WEB PAGE, WHICH IS ALSO CAN BE FOUND AT THE LEFT SIDE ON THE HOMEPAGE. ON THE WEBSITE BRYANT TALKS ABOUT THE ROSSVILLE-ALVIN HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT AND HIS RECOLLECTIONS OF IT. CHECK IT OUT AT http://www.illinoishsglorydays.com/index.html
SCROLL DOWN TO SPECIAL PROMOTIONS AND OFFERS AND CHECK OUT THE LATEST DEALS ON REMEMBER WESTVILLE BOOKS!
REMEMBER WESTVILLE RADIO AND TV INTERVIEW ARCHIVES
WCIA NEWS CHANNEL 3 IN CHAMPAIGN STOPPED BY THE DANVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY ON AUGUST 11TH TO FEATURE THE "REMEMBER WESTVILLE" BOOK SIGNING. CLICK ON THE ICON TO THE RIGHT TO VIEW THE CLIP.
THE RESULTS ARE IN FOR REMEMBER WESTVILLE.. SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY THIS BOOK IS GETTING SUCH RAVE REVIEWS FROM FANS AND CRITICS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!
"Bryant recalls the magical 1976 season for Westville boys basketball team, which finished 27-3 and just missed reaching the Class A state finals at the Assembly Hall. Ultimately a loss to Mt. Pulaski knocked the Tigers out of the tournament, but not before firing up the masses with the ultra-successful season. Because he is a Westville native, Bryant has a passion for the subject matter. He spent seven years piecing together interviews, photos and film clips to tell the tale. Bryant's book goes beyond the court, taking readers to the playgrounds where the players grew up and into the locker room. The book shows how the team grew up together on and off the court. And it deals with the highs and lows for the team. For the Westville sports fan, the book is a must. But the book goes beyond that to all fans of high school sports."
Bob Asmussen, Champaign News Gazzette
"Bobs Book Club"
Even as a student attending EIU I don't think I missed but a couple games of the '76 year. I played at the City Park with all those guys and had the utmost repect for Coach Hardy. Jim's dedication to the research for this book was amazing. The history of the town and recollections of former athletes makes the book much more than just a review of that special year. Although mostly Westville people would recognize the names of the people and places in the book,it still stands as a special story about a special town!..............Mark Tovey WHS '72
"I am currently reading Remember Westville. This book is a great book. I have learned so much about our town from reading it. This book has given me more pride just knowing about this past team. Their hard work and dedication makes me want to become a better athlete myself. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the football book. Thank You. "
Devin Hathaway
Your site was extremely helpful in my deciding on purchasing this book. My town went through a similar experience twenty years ago. It was amazing to see how sports can pull a communIty in during a season.....................
Kyle Johnson
I sit here with tears running down my cheeks. i was a junior at whs durng this wonderful time. you cannot imagine how it felt to watch your friends on the court and know that they were doing their best every game. it was such an exciting time and i will never forget the pep rallies, bus rides to the games and being able to witness and participate in this great event of my youth. thanks for writing this book...............
Layne Estes
Just wanted to let you know that I recieved and read your book and it is fantastic! I couldn't put it down. You really have done a good job describing the town and the experience they went through.....................
Mark Billings
Jim After the signing Saturday; I began reading the book. Finished it this morning...just couldn't put it down for any length of time. In a word "fantastic". Nancy and Chris and I were at quite a few of those games and your accounting of each brought back a lot of memories. I feel that your work on this book will make it of interest to people well beyond the city limits of Westville. It would be a great read for any sports fan regardless of age or locale. Thanks for writing it!......................
Jim Gallion
Jim, So powerful this book is going to be for all fans. As a graduate of 87', I can remember only small parts of that great year. As I was only 7 years old, the greatest and most fondest memories was watching the games on channel 5. Back at that age I thought they were professionals on TV, but with that team, I guess they were. That was basketball back then, when it was a players sport. Who knows, your book might just bring some of that good old fashion ball back. Best of luck with the book...............
Chuck Sergeant
“1976 is a year many people in the village of Westville will never forget. Their local hometown basketball team, the Tigers took their fans on a magical ride in a quest for the state championship.The interviews from everyone involved including the players, coaches, and fans recount the journey of this unforgettable team, from the high expectations of pre-season to their heart wrenching final game of the class A state tournament. RememberWestville is the story of triumph and heartbreak as seen through the eyes of the 1976 Westville basketball team and the community that loved them. What happened in 1976, in many ways, molded these teenagers into the men they have eventually become. The loyalty of the fans was unmatched in the season of ‘76; Westville fans continue to support their Tiger teams. But their hearts still hold this special team close. lt’s the team the town can’t forget.”
AUTHOR AUTOGRAPHEDCOPIES OF THE BOOK ARE ALSO STILL AVAILABLE ONLINE. GET YOUR COPY TODAY!!!! BOOKS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THESE LOCATIONS!
WESTVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY 233 SOUTH STATE STREET
WESTVILLE, IL 61883
(217) 267-3170 DIRECTOR: RICK BALSAMELLO, E-Mailrbalsa@lincolntrail..info
LATOZ HARDWARE,INC. 147 NORTH STATE STREET WESTVILLE, ILLINOIS 61883
