70 Years of Basketball
From Rural Illinois to the Hardwood
Discover Jack Sutter's inspiring journey and the rich history of Southern Illinois basketball through two complementary books that tell the story of a basketball lifer.
Welcome to My World
A Memoir — From a Dirt Court to Madison Square Garden
Little story about Jack and Diane…but mostly Jack! Jack Sutter has written an inspiring and humorous 362-page memoir of his life on and off the court. His story begins as an unassuming boy growing up in a small farming and coal mining town in Southern Illinois — playing basketball on a dirt court — and leads to coaching in a nationally televised NCAA Mid-West Regional tournament in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden.
The History of The Greater Egyptian Conference
77 Years of Southern Illinois High School Basketball History
One of the oldest high school basketball conferences in Southern Illinois — documented for the first time. This book covers 77 years of GEC history including all-state players, coaches, records, stats, championship teams, and hundreds of photographs. A must-have for any fan, player, or coach with a connection to the GEC. A post about this book earned 'Epic Post' status with over 10,000 views on the Illinois HS Basketball History website.
Not available on Amazon. Order directly from Jack via Facebook, email, or Venmo.
Readers Love These Books
"For any passing basketball fan, naming the top five or ten should be no great mystery. But the great joy in this book is hearing Sutter talk basketball. He has succeeded in writing a provocative and entertaining book."
"It's pretty rare to find someone who has actually seen the great players in the 50s and 60s, and coached at the collegiate level. A book that can be enjoyed even if you disagree with the author's ranking. An easy read with excellent content."
"Jack Sutter has spent 70 years playing, coaching, and watching players play the game he loves. This is a book for the casual basketball fan as well as the 'hard core' fan."