The true story of country life and high school basketball surrounding the remarkable 1960's championship teams from the tiny Ozark Mountain town of Bradleyville, Missouri. From the team's humble beginnings playing on a muddy outdoor court, to winning three state championships and a 64-game winning streak, a state record still unbroken today, Bradleyville Basketball, the "Hicks From The Sticks," tells more than the scores of a high school dynasty. It also takes the reader into the rocky hills and woods of the Ozarks, where strong, hardworking parents raised their children to work on farms or cut timber. This hardcover limited-edition book is perfect for sports fans, history buffs or anyone who enjoys a great story about life in the Ozarks. It includes rare photographs, personal stories and entertaining anecdotes. It makes a great gift, too! "...an exceptionally well-done maiden voyage into literature featuring the amazing flight of the Bradleyville Eagles..." -- Marty Eddlemon, retired sports editor of the Springfield News-Leader "Anybody with any curiosity will enjoy the book from front to back. I found the 'Hicks From The Sticks' intriguing and captivating...what is most remarkable is the story is true." -- Jack Buck, St. Louis Cardinals announcer and Hall of Fame sportscaster "I loved this book..it's not necessary to be a basketball fan to enjoy the Bradleyville Story-just appreciate the excellence." -- Charlie Spoonhour, former head coach, Southwest Missouri State University and St. Louis University "You simply can't call yourself a basketball fan without reading this...'Hicks From The Sticks' is a big winner!" -- Ned Reynolds, sports director, KY3 TV, Springfield, Missouri James Leon Combs was born in Forsyth and raised in Bradleyville, Missouri. As a youth, he worked at various jobs, ranging from helping his parents run their general store to driving trucks in wheat and pea harvest in Oregon and Washington. He attended Southwest Missouri State College in Springfield his freshman year, then served three years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Combs returned to school at the University of Missouri in Columbia, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism in 1960. He worked for Jostens Yearbook Division for 25 years, retiring in 1985 after leading the company in sales for 15 consecutive years. Combs owned various businesses in the St.Louis area until he and his wife, Dorothy, retired to their new home on Bugle Mountain in Bradleyville, where they own the 3,000-acre Beaver Creek Elk and Cattle Ranch. Used Book in Good Condition