Thomas J. Whalen is an associate professor of social science at Boston University. Whalen's social/political commentary has appeared in the New York Times, ABCNews.com, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and the AP. He has also appeared on several national broadcast outlets including CNN, NPR and Reuters TV. Whalen is the author of multiple books, including Dynasty's End: Bill Russell and the 1968-69 World Champion Boston Celtics (2003), When the Red Sox Ruled: Baseball's First Dynasty, 1912-1918 (2011), and Spirit of '67: The Cardiac Kids, El Birdos, and the World Series That Captivated American (R&L, 2017).