Bob Lyons describes the history of the Big 5 from its very beginning in 1955. At that time, some of the Big 5 schools - La Salle University, University of Pennsylvania, St. Joseph's University, Temple University, and Villanova University - weren't even talking to each other, and some people predicted that the colorful city series matchups would end before they began. Conducting interviews with coaches, players, and administrators - including famed Temple coach Harry Litwack's last extensive interviews before his death - Lyons offers the play-by-play on how the Big 5 became a cherished institution, and how it was ultimately undone by college basketball's own success.