About City Dump: The Story of the 1951 CCNY Basketball Scandal (HBO)

"City Dump: The Story of the 1951 CCNY Basketball Scandal" is an engrossing documentary film showcasing one of the largest point-shaving scandals in sports history, produced and broadcast by HBO in 1998.

The film delves into the meteoric rise and subsequent calamitous fall of the City College of New York (CCNY) basketball team. After achieving a historic feat of winning both the NCAA and NIT championships in 1950, the following year, several key players were arrested for conspiring with gamblers to fix games, casting a dark shadow over their achievements and staining the reputation of college basketball itself.

Making / Production

Directed by George Roy and narrated by Liev Schreiber, the documentary interweaves archival footage, contemporary interviews with players and journalists, and re-enactments to meticulously detail the scandal and its impact on the players involved and college sports. Although critically acclaimed for its depth of research and insightful storytelling, it also serves as a sober reminder of the potential for corruption in sports.

Actors

• Liev Schreiber (Narrator): Known for his commanding voice, Schreiber excellently narrates the film, adding depth to the story.
• George Roy (Director): Roy deftly stitches together a complex narrative into a compelling and easily digestible documentary.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The CCNY basketball scandal was one of the biggest in the history of American sports, leading to scaled-back athletic programs at CCNY and other implicated institutions.
• Despite being considered a scandal, some of the players involved later argued that their actions did not affect the outcomes of the games, raising questions on the nature of point-shaving and match-fixing scandals.

Awards

While the documentary didn't win any specific awards, it was well received by critics and viewers alike for its compelling storytelling and insightful perspective.

Quotes

• "They were young, and they did a foolish thing." – Quote from the documentary referring to the CCNY players involved in the scandal.
• "It was like a dagger in my heart." - Floyd Layne, former CCNY Player, on hearing of the scandal.

• Complementing the riveting narration and visuals is a powerful background score, subtly elevating the emotional impact of the film.