Bestselling author Andrew Maraniss took to the CBL podium as the first guest speaker of the new year, and he had the packed room in the Cathedral of the Incarnation’s Fleming Center completely engaged. A story teller both on paper and in person, Andrew shared the intriguing backstory of his newest book “Games of Deception” with the crowd. The book tells the story of the United States National Basketball Team which competed in the 1936 Olympics. Those games were held in Nazi-occupied Germany, and were widely considered to be a public relations stunt put on by the Third Reich to promote a falsified image of Germany.

Prior to “Games of Deception,” Andrew scored a bestseller with “Strong Inside,” which tells the story of Percy Wallace, the first African American athlete to play on a scholarship in the SEC, for Vanderbilt.

In addition to his writing, Andrew works in Vanderbilt’s sports communication department, and previously held positions on the Tampa Bay Rays PR staff and as a partner for MP&F Strategic Communications.

It was a fascinating start to the new year, and a positive sign of what’s to come in 2020 for the CBL!