Typed Letter Signed

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 36-year head basketball coach himself played for the University of Kansas's 1952 national championship team; under his leadership the Tar Heels won 879 games, two NCAA championships and numerous other distinctions; he was elected to both the Basketball Hall of Fame (1983) and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (2006). Excellent content TLS, 1p, 8½" X 11", Chapel Hill, NC, 17 August 1987. Addressed to Bonus Books. Near fine. On "University of North Carolina Basketball Office" letterhead, Smith chats with this publisher about doing a book: "Since John Feinstein's book on Indiana basketball was such a success we have been deluged with letters from publishers wanting to do something with the Carolina basketball program. At the present time I do not have the time or even the desire to work on such a book. One publisher even talked in terms of $200,000 in advance, with a national columnist to do a book. Still, I prefer to do nothing at this point. I realize anybody can write a book about any subject, but generally they would want some inside information. Maybe we will have a book down the line...." Boldly signed in blue ballpoint. Interesting insider insight! Smith never did write a book, although ironically John Feinstein did write one about him in 2016 ("The Legends Club: Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Valvano, and the Story of an Epic College Basketball Rivalry") and several "wit and wisdom"-type collections of Smith's comments were published.