By the Fall of 1966, Syracuse had become a city at the crossroads–literally and figuratively.

Situated at the geographic heart of New York and the intersection of two all-new interstate highways, the city found itself on a collision course with not only time, but circumstance. When, on a cold, crisp Sunday in March of 1967, officials from two high school athletic leagues staged what would turn out to be their eighth and final “All City” game, they created a perfect metaphor for their city and its times; one that pitted a predominantly Black team from an all-new public facility high on a hill overlooking the city against an all-white Catholic team from a small, aging and mostly Polish K-12 schoolhouse on the humble West Side.

A tale as exciting as it is illuminating, Floor Burns’ Friday night game action crackles with a mix of energy and ethnic pride, while the racial and social history author M.C. Antil first paints, then humanizes, comes to life in vivid detail. A rich tapestry of human moments and emotions, Floor Burns is an affectionately assembled mosaic of people, places, and events, all interconnected and all working hand-in-glove to tell the story of one last high school championship and the proud little city it mirrored–while taking listeners on an unforgettable journey through one of the most challenging and impactful decades in American history.