{"product_id":"built-for-omaha-south-carolina-baseball-9798246077498","title":"Built for Omaha: South Carolina Baseball","description":"\u003cp\u003e • Author(s): Donald Elton\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher: Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher Imprint: Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e • BISAC: Baseball - History\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSouth Carolina baseball \u003c\/b\u003edid not stumble into greatness. It built it slowly, deliberately, and painfully, over four decades of near-misses, heartbreak, and stubborn belief.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBuilt for Omaha \u003c\/b\u003etells the full story of how baseball became the \u003cb\u003eUniversity of South Carolina's \u003c\/b\u003emost reliable path to national relevance when football and basketball could not deliver it. Beginning with \u003cb\u003ePaul Dietzel's\u003c\/b\u003e decision in 1970 to invest in a neglected program, the book traces \u003cb\u003eBobby Richardson's\u003c\/b\u003e transformation of an afterthought into a national contender, \u003cb\u003eJune Raines's \u003c\/b\u003etwenty years of sustained excellence without closure, and \u003cb\u003eRay Tanner's \u003c\/b\u003efinal breakthrough that delivered back-to-back national championships in 2010 and 2011.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlong the way, it explains why South Carolina kept getting close without finishing, how the \u003cb\u003eCollege World Series\u003c\/b\u003e punishes programs built for regular-season success rather than postseason survival, and why player development, pitching depth, and mental toughness ultimately mattered more than recruiting rankings. It also examines the voices, venues, rivalries, and fan culture that sustained the program through decades of waiting, making the championships feel earned rather than accidental.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe book does not end with celebration. It follows the program through its post-championship decline, the difficulty of replacing a legendary coach, the impact of conference strength, transfers, and NIL, and the hard truth that championships do not preserve themselves. It asks whether South Carolina's titles will stand as an isolated peak or the foundation for something that can be built again.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten by a lifelong \u003cb\u003eGamecock\u003c\/b\u003e fan who first encountered the program during the 1975 College World Series, Built for Omaha is a serious, unsentimental history of one of college baseball's great programs, and of what it actually takes to win when winning is hardest.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Independently Published","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47570806210711,"sku":"9798246077498","price":1340.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/3471\/1191\/files\/9798246077498.webp?v=1774884406","url":"https:\/\/atlanticbooks.com\/products\/built-for-omaha-south-carolina-baseball-9798246077498","provider":"Atlantic Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}