Unbeaten in her first ten starts, she shattered one record after another, dazzling crowds with both her beauty and her brilliant speed. Then tragedy struck on the afternoon of July 6, 1975. Ruffian broke down–on the lead–in the middle of a match race at Belmont Park. Later that night she had to be destroyed.Ruffian: Burning from the Start is the story of this exceptional filly, a horse so dominating, so powerful, that writer Walter Farley once suggested she was more like the fictional legend, the Black Stallion, than any colt he had ever seen. Beginning with her earliest days in Kentucky, the book follows Ruffian at every stage of her career and through the agony of her final hours– venturing behind the scenes of the racing world and exploring the politics and personalities that came together to shape this extraordinary filly’s fate.

    His accomplishments in the ring were the stuff of legend—the two fights with Sonny Liston, when he proclaimed himself “The Greatest” and proved he was; the three epic wars against Joe Frazier; the stunning victory over George Foreman in Zaire; and the shocking loss and final win that made him the first man to win back the heavyweight crown twice, fourteen years after he had first claimed it. Ali’s life has been played out as much on the front pages as on the sports pages. With brilliant immediacy and unprecedented candor, bestselling author Thomas Hauser recreates this extraordinary man.

    We are brought closer than we have ever been to the great ballplayer, a man of courage and quality who became a pivotal figure in the areas of race and civil rights.Born in the rural South, the son of a sharecropper, Robinson was reared in southern California. We see him blossom there as a student-athlete as he struggled against poverty and racism to uphold the beliefs instilled in him by his mother--faith in family, education, America, and God. We follow Robinson through World War II, when, in the first wave of racial integration in the armed forces, he was commissioned as an officer, then court-martialed after refusing to move to the back of a bus. After he plays in the Negro National League, we watch the opening of an all-American drama as, late in 1945, Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers recognized Jack as the right player to break baseball's color barrier--and the game was forever changed.Jack's never-before-published letters open up his relationship with his family, especially his wife, Rachel, whom he married just as his perilous venture of integrating baseball began. Her memories are a major resource of the narrative as we learn about the severe harassment Robinson endured from teammates and opponents alike; about death threats and exclusion; about joy and remarkable success. We watch his courageous response to abuse, first as a stoic endurer, then as a fighter who epitomized courage and defiance.We see his growing friendship with white players like Pee Wee Reese and the black teammates who followed in his footsteps, and his embrace by Brooklyn's fans. We follow his blazing career: 1947, Rookie of the Year; 1949, Most Valuable Player; six pennants in ten seasons, and 1962, induction into the Hall of Fame. But sports were merely one aspect of his life. We see his business ventures, his leading role in the community, his early support of Martin Luther King Jr., his commitment to the civil rights movement at a crucial stage in its evolution; his controversial associations with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Humphrey, Goldwater, Nelson Rockefeller, and Malcolm X.Rampersad's magnificent biography leaves us with an indelible image of a principled man who was passionate in his loyalties and opinions: a baseball player who could focus a crowd's attention as no one before or since; an activist at the crossroads of his people's struggle; a dedicated family man whose last years were plagued by illness and tragedy, and who died prematurely at fifty-two. He was a pathfinder, an American hero, and he now has the biography he deserves.From the Hardcover edition.

    A story that has captured the hearts and minds of sports fans throughout the world. Feel every blow and unearth the answer to the all-important question...What ever happened to Ivan Drago?

    Mr. Angell includes writing never previously collected as well as selections from The Summer Game, Five Seasons, Late Innings, and Season Ticket. He brings back the extraordinary games, innings and performances that he has witnessed and written about so astutely and gracefully--"The Interior Stadium," on the complex attractions of baseball; "In the Country," on a friendship that began with a fan letter and took him far from the big stadiums and big money; "The Arm Talks," on contemporary pitching strategy and the arrival of the split-finger delivery; and many others. Mr. Angell's conversations with past and present players and managers, scouts and coaches, rookies and Hall of Famers enhance his own expertise and critical appreciation, which define him as the game's most useful and ardent fan. "Angell resembles a pitcher with pinpoint control. As a chronicler of the game, he's in a class with Ring Lardner and Red Smith."--Newsweek. "Angell's perceptions are fresh, vivid, and uncannily accurate.... Only a fan who cares this much could observe so carefully and write so eloquently."--San Francisco Chronicle. "A triumph of art and grace."--Chicago Tribune Book World.

    But the world has also left its mark on him. "Hammering Hank" Aaron's story is one that tells us much about baseball, naturally, but also about our times. His unique, poignant life has made him a symbol for much of the social history of twentieth-century America.Raised during the Depression in the Deep South enclave of Mobile, Alabama, Aaron broke into professional baseball as a cross-handed slugger and shortstop for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League. A year later, he and a few others had the unforgettable mission of integrating the South Atlantic League. A year after that, he was a timid rookie leftfielder for the Milwaukee Braves, for whom he became a World Series hero in 1957 as well as the MostValuable Player of the National League.Aaron found himself back in the South when the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1965. Nine years later, in the heat of hatred and controversy, he hit his 715th home run to break Ruth's and baseball's most cherished record--a feat that was recently voted the greatest moment in baseball history. That year, Aaron received over 900,000 pieces of mail, many of them vicious and racially charged.In a career that may be the most consistent baseball has ever seen. Aaron also set all-time records for total bases and RBIs. He ended his playing days by spending two nostalgic seasons back in Milwaukee with the Brewers, then embarked on a new career as an executive with the Atlanta Braves. He was for a long time the highest-ranking black in baseball. In this position, Aaron has become an unofficial spokesman in racial matters pertaining to the national pastime.Because of the depth and pertinence of Aaron's dramatic experiences, I Had A Hammer is more than a baseball autobiography. Henry Aaron's candor and insights have produced a revealing book about his extraordinary life and time.

    He is regarded by many as the greatest manager ever, building three brilliant sides with players such as Charlton, Edwards, Law & Best. Originally written just two years before Busby's death, this book is now available with a new introduction.

    This situation began to change in 1966, when the Major League Baseball Players Association was formed and Marvin Miller, who had been chief economist and assistant to the president of the steelworkers' union, became its first executive director. Here he recounts his experience in dealing with club owners and his success in winning a new role for the players. He helped virtually end the system that bound an athlete to one team forever, and thereby raised salaries enormously. Candid in his assessments of the characters involved in this drama, Mr. Miller is nonetheless generous in his comments about the ballplayers who made sacrifices for their union.

    2 cassettes.

    Jenkins is the author of many books including the New York Times bestseller Out of the Blue with Orel Hershiser.

    

    Francis blows the lid off the hypocritical, see-no-evil world of international track and field, with a central premise backed by both first-hand observation and independent corroboration: It is impossible to win against the world's elite athletes without using performance-enhancing drugs, including anabolic steroids.

    The new material on zone offense, quick-hitting plays off the secondary break, man-to-man and trapping defenses, and situational in-bounds plays is sure to make this second edition even more popular than the original work (which sold more than 75,000 copies). This latest edition includes guidelines for physical conditioning, recommendations for job interviewing, advice on conducting summer camps, and a master plan for handling game situations. And sprinkled throughout the book are many of Wootten's "thought for the day" phrases the coach has found especially effective in motivating and communicating important lessons to athletes.Wootten amassed the most successful high school coaching record ever (1,274-192) during his 46-year career at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. His coaching has been praised by the game's best all-time coaches: John Wooden, Mike Krzyzewski, Bob Knight, Pat Riley, Rick Pitino, Lute Olson, Dean Smith, Chuck Daly, and others.Now, in Coaching Basketball Successfully, Wootten shares the wealth of knowledge that produced a .869 winning percentage, 5 national championships, a National Basketball Hall of Fame induction, and hundreds of high-achieving student-athletes.Just as Wootten is considered the best high school basketball coach, legendary UCLA coach John Wooden is considered the best college basketball coach. So when Wooden states that Wootten's "Coaching Basketball Successfully is as fine a teaching aid on the development of a high school team and program as I have ever read," he speaks with authority on the quality and appeal of this book.This edition of Coaching Basketball Successfully proves that you can improve on a classic. With expanded offensive and defensive tactics and new personal insights from one of the game's greatest coaches ever, this book is sure to be a winner for many years to come.

    His career average of 31.5 points per game was the best in NBA history, and his 29,277 total points won him ten season scoring titles and made him the third all-time leading scorer in the league. His last-second shot in Game 6 of the 1998 Finals against the Utah Jazz clinched the Bulls' sixth title in a decade and marked Jordan's triumphant exit from the game of basketball. What does retirement mean for the most popular sports star in the world? Get the full story in the play-by-play biography that takes you from his first slam dunk, through his brief career in professional baseball, to his life off the court.

    

    Now, with The Best American Sports Writing, this hidden treasure is available to all in a new annual collection selected from more than 350 American and Canadian newspapers and magazines.

    And now there's a book as action packed as the game itself.Authored by famed hockey writers Stan and Shirley Fischler, Great Book of Hockey is written in a style that's as entertaining and colorful as the action on the ice. Moreover, the book contains hundreds of color photographs from the game's very best photographers.Inside Great Book Of Hockey, you'll find: a review of the origins of hockey, from the 1800s to 1916 detailed reviews of every NHL season, from 1917-18 to 1955-96 more than 100 player profiles, featuring hockey's greatest stars From the game's very first face-off to the 1996 Stanley Cup finals, you'll find it all in Great Book of Hockey.

    Uses photographs to trace the life and career of Ted Williams, and attempts to depict his complex personality.

    With contributions from Jean Beliveau, Red Fisher, Trent Frayne, Brian McFarlane and many others. Contains superb photographs gathered from around the NHL and previously unpublished research from the archives of the NHL.

    A college football legend whose gridiron success spanned 28 seasons, Hayes guided 7 Buckeye Rose Bowl teams and 13 Big Ten Championship teams, and recorded 205 wins, 61 losses and 10 ties. His teams produced 58 All-Americans, 3 Heisman Trophy winners, and generations of dedicated OSU football fans. Perceived by many as an ill-tempered, tyrannical dictator, Woody was known to countless others as a generous benefactor whose unexpected selflessness touched their lives.

    He encounters enterprising owners, dedicated managers, die-hard fans, Hall of Fame instructors, and hopeful players. 8-page insert.

    

    

    To help pay off his father's medical bills, a talented young catcher leaves college to play baseball in the minor leagues.

    1991) across North America. Full-color photos throughout show precisely how to ensure success when fishing for bass. Included charts detailing fishing methods to suit specific conditions.

    Fans of the game won't want to miss taking turns at bat against questions that will test their knowledge of America's favorite pastime. Correct answers count as singles, doubles, triples, or home runs, allowing fans to score as if playing baseball themselves.

    This is the story of his heroic life that ended in a tragic plane crash while flying relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

    But in November, 1989, 30 ex-major leaguers joined the St. Petersburg Pelicans and got a shot at a new life in the Senior Professional Baseball Association, a Florida league for players 35 years of age and older. Here is their story, from the bestselling author of Balls and Personal Fouls. 16 pages of photos.

    "Tunis proves he is one of the best sports writers of the present day."--New York Times Book Review

    Now updated and expanded, with over 75 percent original material created for this edition, The New Thinking Fan's Guide to Baseball will enlighten and delight an entire new audience.

    More than one hundred of the World's leading authorities within exercise physiology, clinical internal medicine, sports medicine and traumatology have contributed with evidence-based state-of-the-art chapters to produce the most complete integration ever of sports medicine science into one book. Great attention has been given to providing balanced coverage of all aspects of sports medicine, with respect to the relevance and clinical importance of each area. The book isolates solid principles and knowledge, and the documentation to support these, as well as identifying areas where further scientific investigation is needed. The topics dealt with and the degree of detail in the individual chapters, makes the book ideal for both educational programs at University level within exercise science and sports medicine, as well as for post-graduate courses within all aspects of sports medicine.In addition, the book will be excellent as a reference book in any place where professionals whether doctors, exercise scientists, physiotherapists or coaches are dealing with supervision or treatment of sports-active individuals. Finally, the book is well structured to act as an introduction to research in the field of sports medicine.

    Oga Korbut, Mary Lou Retton, Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner, Kurt Thomas, and more. Produced by ABC sports.

    The treatment is confined to the essentials of each area, and short computer programs, numerous problems, and beautiful color illustrations round off this unusual textbook. Ideally suited for a one-year course in theoretical physics it will also prove useful in preparing and revising for exams. This edition is corrected and includes a new appendix on elementary particle physics, answers to all short questions, and a diskette where a selection of executable programs exploring the fractal concept can be found.

    A biography of the black athlete who broke the color barrier in major league baseball when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

    "Bawdy, bitter, very funny...Jenkins's farewell salute to big-time sportswriting is a tell-all novel that deflates the hype around each and every event, from the Olympics to the Kentucky Derby to Wimbledon (Kirkus Reviews).

    Nicknamed "Magic" by a local sportswriter after a high school basketball game, he soon became known throughout the country for his outstanding talent on the court, his amazing leadership skills, and, most importantly, for his natural charm and undaunted enthusiasm for life. Even when fate turns against him, forcing him to retire from the game he truly loves, through it all he remains an uplifting example to people everywhere of what life is really about.