An entertaining look back at the most memorable year in Boston sports history. The year 1986 was a special one for Boston sports fans. Surprising everyone, the Patriots, Celtics, and Red Sox played in the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, and World Series, the first time and still the only time that’s ever happened to the city. But what really made it so memorable was the way it happened, making it a sports year beyond anyone’s expectations. In The Glory of '86: The Year Boston Ruled the Sports World, Tom Van Riper tells in absorbing detail the story of Boston’s greatest year in sports. The cast of characters runs the gamut, from the franchise faces of Larry Bird, Jim Rice, Wade Boggs, and John Hannah to the prime young talent of Roger Clemens, Bruce Hurst, and Craig James. While the Celtics carried high expectations going into the 1985-86 season, the Patriots hadn’t won a single postseason game since joining the NFL in 1970 and the Red Sox were still living with the “curse” of 1918. But in 1986, to the delight of Boston fans, everything broke right for all three teams. The Glory of ’86 is a rollercoaster ride through three amazing seasons. It features a dominant champion, two unexpected runs through the playoffs, season-ending joy, and season-ending heartbreak. There never was a more glorious year in Boston sports.
Tom Van Riper wrote about the business of sports for Forbes for ten years. His body of work includes two cover stories for Forbes magazine which featured Major League Baseball player Matt Kemp and NFL coach Bill Parcells. Prior to Forbes, Van Riper covered the business beat for New York’s Daily News. He is the author of Cincinnati Red and Dodger Blue: Baseball’s Greatest Forgotten Rivalry and New York Loves Them, Cooperstown Snubs Them.