In the wake of the stock market crash and the dawn of the Great Depression, a ray of light emerged from the world of sports in the summer of 1930. Bobby Jones, a 28-year-old amateur golfer, mounted a campaign against the record books. In four months, he conquered the British Amateur Championship, the British Open, the United States Open, and finally the United States Amateur Championship, an achievement so extraordinary that writers dubbed it the Grand Slam. No one has ever repeated it. Mark Frost uses a wealth of original research to provide an unprecedented intimate portrait of golf great Bobby Jones. In the tradition of The Greatest Game Ever Played, The Grand Slam blends social history with sports biography, captivating the imagination and engaging the reader. The Grand Slam is a biography not to be missed.

    He won 35 world titles in less than five years. But through it all, his father looked down on his son's love for skating and pressured him to walk away from the sport and leave behind his fans and status as the most famous skateboarder of his era. After years of stress and conflict, Rodney gave in and promised his father he'd quit for good. But by the time he finally broke free from his suffocating and abusive home life, the popularity of freestyle had waned and given way to vert and street styles. So Rodney picked up his board and started from scratch. With the help of mentor Mike Ternansky, Rodney used his freestyle background to usher in a whole new era of street skating.Today Rodney is more popular than ever. The videos in his series Rodney Versus Daewon are among the most popular skateboard videos ever produced. He won the 2002 Transworld Skateboarding readers' choice award for favourite street skater and is the most popular character on the top–selling Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video games.

    In 1952, after suffering defeat at the Helsinki Olympics, three world-class runners each set out to break this barrier.Roger Bannister was a young English medical student who epitomized the ideal of the amateur — still driven not just by winning but by the nobility of the pursuit. John Landy was the privileged son of a genteel Australian family, who as a boy preferred butterfly collecting to running but who trained relentlessly in an almost spiritual attempt to shape his body to this singular task. Then there was Wes Santee, the swaggering American, a Kansas farm boy and natural athlete who believed he was just plain better than everybody else.Spanning three continents and defying the odds, their collective quest captivated the world and stole headlines from the Korean War, the atomic race, and such legendary figures as Edmund Hillary, Willie Mays, Native Dancer, and Ben Hogan. In the tradition of Seabiscuit and Chariots of Fire, Neal Bascomb delivers a breathtaking story of unlikely heroes and leaves us with a lasting portrait of the twilight years of the golden age of sport.

    Nor a finer man." ESPN selected him as the "Greatest Coach of the 20th Century." From his birth on an Indiana tenant farm, to All-American honors at Purdue, to his historic record-setting UCLA dynasty, John Wooden is a towering figure in 20th-century sports, and his experience and wisdom an American treasure. In My Personal Best, Coach Wooden tells how he did it and the lessons he learned on his remarkable journey. Pairing never-before-seen photos from Coach Wooden's private collection with his personal stories and affirmations, this book encompasses the dramatic arc of Wooden's larger-than-life achievements and experiences. As he did in his perpetual bestseller Wooden, Coach offers a wealth of biographical details, personal reflections, and a lifetime of lessons. His millions of fans will cherish this definitive pictorial history of a living sports legend. "John Wooden is a living legend because he practiced what he preached--the code of ethics which created America's strength."--Phil Jackson, head coach, Los Angeles Lakers "Most of what I know, what's made me a smart man, has come from John Wooden."--Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer "A man of John Wooden's accomplishments and integrity would stand out in any era, but now, almost three decades after he coached his last game, he is in some ways an even more striking figure."--Bob Costas

    But retirement didn't suit the man who was once king, and at the advanced age of thirty-eight Michael Jordan set out to reclaim the court that had been his dominion. When Nothing Else Matters is the definitive account of Jordan's equally spectacular and disastrous return to basketball. Washington Post writer Michael Leahy reveals the striking contrast between the public Jordan and the man whose personal style alienated teammates and the Washington owner who ousted him.

    Yet in the span of a single generation in postwar America, the game charted an extraordinary rise in popularity, becoming a smartly managed, keenly marketed sports entertainment colossus whose action is ideally suited to television and whose sensibilities perfectly fit the modern age. Pro football’s ascent is an epic American story, and America’s Game does it full justice.Beginning with the World War II years, when the NFL was fighting for its very existence, Michael MacCambridge traces the game’s grand transformation, with particular attention paid to six key franchises–the Rams, Browns, Colts, Cowboys, Chiefs, and Raiders–and how their fortunes reflected the larger growth of the game itself. Along the way we meet the sport’s legendary architects, men such as Pete Rozelle, George “Papa Bear” Halas, Bert Bell, Tex Schramm, and Lamar Hunt, as well as a wide range of its memorable characters–including Johnny Unitas, Paul Brown, Vince Lombardi, Jim Brown, Al Davis, Joe Namath, Bill Walsh, and Deion Sanders. In the process we witness the rivalries, the games themselves, and the passion that have made professional football the nation’s signature sport.MacCambridge continues the story through the turbulent 1980s and 1990s, when labor disputes and off-field scandals shook the game to its core, and up to the sport’s present-day preeminence under Paul Tagliabue. The unique portrait of the modern game’s inner workings and relentless competitiveness sheds light on contemporary stars such as Ray Lewis and Peyton Manning, as well as on the men whose leadership skills are scrutinized and second-guessed by much of the country, celebrated coaches such as Bill Parcells, Dick Vermeil, Tony Dungy, and Brian Billick.Magisterial and sweeping, definitive and unprecedented in scope, America’s Game is cultural history at its finest. A thoroughly entertaining account of the entire universe of professional football, from locker room to boardroom, from playing field to press box, it is a unique lens through which to view the past sixty years of American history.

    One man is often credited with shaping the landscape of modern golf. Ben Hogan was a short, trim, impeccably dressed Texan whose fierce work ethic, legendary steel nerves, and astonishing triumph over personal disaster earned him not only an army of adoring fans, but one of the finest careers in the history of the sport. Hogan captured a record-tying four U.S. Opens, won five of six major tournaments in a single season, and inspired future generations of professional golfers from Palmer to Norman to Woods.Yet for all his brilliance, Ben Hogan was an enigma. He was an American hero whose personal life, inner motivation, and famed “secret” were the source of great public mystery. As Hogan grew into a giant on the pro tour, the combination of his cool outward demeanor and invincible, laser-guided accuracy on the golf course froze formidable opponents in their tracks. In 1949, at the peak of his career, Hogan’s mystique was reinforced by a catastrophic automobile accident in which he and his wife, Valerie, were nearly killed after being hit head-on by a Greyhound bus. Doctors predicted Hogan might never walk again – let alone set foot on another golf course. But his miraculous three-year recovery and comeback led to one of the greatest performances in golf history when in 1953 he won the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the British Open (something that’s never been repeated). In this first-ever family-authorized biography, renowned author James Dodson expertly and emotionally reconstructs Hogan’s complicated life. He discovers an intensely honest man handicapped by self-doubt, buoyed by the determination to prove his own abilities, and unable to escape a long-buried childhood tragedy – the core of the Hogan “secret.” Dodson also reveals both the legendary devotion and eventual strain in Hogan’s sixty-two-year marriage, and a Hogan rarely seen by the public: a warm, jovial man whose charitable spirit and sharp business sense enabled him to build the powerful golf equipment company bearing his name to this day. Ben Hogan: A Life is the authoritative inside portrait golf fans have long awaited.

    Love? A former captain of the Baltimore Colts and now an ordained minister, Ehrmann is serious about the game of football but even more serious about the purpose of life. Season of Life is his inspirational story as told by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Jeffrey Marx, who was a ballboy for the Colts when he first met Ehrmann. Ehrmann now devotes his life to teaching young men a whole new meaning of masculinity. He teaches the boys at Gilman the precepts of his Building Men for Others program: Being a man means emphasizing relationships and having a cause bigger than yourself. It means accepting responsibility and leading courageously. It means that empathy, integrity, and living a life of service to others are more important than points on a scoreboard. Decades after he first met Ehrmann, Jeffrey Marx renewed their friendship and watched his childhood hero putting his principles into action. While chronicling a season with the Gilman Greyhounds, Marx witnessed the most extraordinary sports program he’d ever seen, where players say “I love you” to each other and coaches profess their love for their players. Off the field Marx sat with Ehrmann and absorbed life lessons that led him to reexamine his own unresolved relationship with his father. Season of Life is a book about what it means to be a man of substance and impact. It is a moving story that will resonate with athletes, coaches, parents—anyone struggling to make the right choices in life.

    In "Unforgivable Blackness," the prizewinning biographer Geoffrey C. Ward brings to vivid life the real Jack Johnson, a figure far more complex and compelling than the newspaper headlines he inspired could ever convey. Johnson battled his way from obscurity to the top of the heavyweight ranks and in 1908 won the greatest prize in American sports-one that had always been the private preserve of white boxers. At a time when whites ran everything in America, he took orders from no one and resolved to live as if color did not exist. While most blacks struggled just to survive, he reveled in his riches and his fame. And at a time when the mere suspicion that a black man had flirted with a white woman could cost him his life, he insisted on sleeping with whomever he pleased, and married three. Because he did so the federal government set out to destroy him, and he was forced to endure a year of prison and seven years of exile. Ward points out that to most whites (and to some African Americans as well) he was seen as a perpetual threat-profligate, arrogant, amoral, a dark menace, and a danger to the natural order of things."Unforgivable Blackness" is the first full-scale biography of Johnson in more than twenty years. Accompanied by more than fifty photographs and drawing on a wealth of new material-including Johnson's never-before-published prison memoir-it restores Jack Johnson to his rightful place in the pantheon of American individualists.

    Technical ability was approximately equal. It was the artistic merit score that would decide the gold medal -- the second mark.Representing Canada, China, and Russia, the three pairs illuminated their distinct cultures. On the second mark, whose culture would triumph? Would it be the beauty of the Russians' ballet on ice, the thrill of the Chinese pair's heart-stopping acrobatics, or the Canadians' passionate connection with the audience? In a down-to-the-wire nail-biter, the difference between gold and silver came down to the vote of a single judge. Hours later, a bombshell: the confession of a French judge unleashed a worldwide debate -- and ultimately produced an unprecedented duplicate gold medal."The Second Mark" reveals what an athlete really goes through to become the best in the world, through the riveting stories of unforgettable people. We meet Yelena Berezhnaya of Russia, who survives emergency brain surgery after a near-fatal training accident and makes it back to the Olympics in less than two years. We meet Zhao Hongbo, a young boy skating in subzero weather in remotest China, who will fulfill his coach's twenty-year dream of catching up to the West. And we meet two Canadians, a barista and a concession stand worker, who had almost quit the sport before deciding to give it one last try -- and becoming world champions.Exhaustively researched by a skating insider, "The Second Mark" takes readers deep into the world of the Olympic athlete, illuminating the fascinating differences between East and West. From the frozen fields of China to the secret corridors of the old Soviet sports system, from a tiny farm village in remotest Quebec to the judges' backstage world, "The Second Mark" tells the compelling human stories behind one of the most controversial nights in Olympic history.

    The caddy sees everything - the ambition, the strategy, the rivalries, the jealousies - that occurs behind the scenes. Award-winning John Feinstein, America's favourite sportswriter, got one of golf's legendary caddies to reveal the secrets behind the most popular sport of our time. Bruce Edwards was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease in January 2003, a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, but he dominated coverage of the 2003 US Open. This is a position not usually bestowed on a caddy, but Edwards was no ordinary caddy. In 1973, after forgoing college, Edwards walked on the course behind a young Tom Watson and never looked back. Watson would go on to win eight major titles with Bruce Edwards by his side. Edwards continued to do the job he had dedicated more than half his life to right up to his death in April 2004, aged 49. This is a moving, dramatic and thoughtful book about a life devoted to sports.

    Anyone can create it in his or her career, family and beyond. Based on John Wooden's own method to victory, Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success reveals that success is built block by block, where each block is a crucial principle contributing to life-long achievement in every area of life. Each of these 32 daily readings takes an in-depth look at a single block of the pyramid, which when combined with the other blocks forms the structure of the pyramid of success. Join John Wooden and Jay Carty to discover the building blocks and key values--from confidence to faith--that have brought Coach to the pinnacle of success as a leader, a teacher and a follower of God.

    With four World Series championships in five seasons and a deep bench of legends and comers -- Clemens, Rivera, Williams, Soriano, Jeter, O'Neill -- they dominated the major leagues.For the members of the team, though, baseball Yankees-style was a pressure cooker of anxiety, expectation, and infighting. As the spending and emotion spiraled, careers were made and broken, friendships began and ended, and a sports dynasty rose and fell.In The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty, Buster Olney tracks the Yankees through these tumultuous seasons and into the scandals and disappointments of 2004, providing insightful portraits of the stars, the foot soldiers, the coaches, the manager, and the Boss himself. With unparalleled knowledge of the game and an insider's familiarity with the team, Olney also advances a compelling argument that the philosophy that made the Yankees great was inherently unsustainable, ultimately harmful to the sport, and led inevitably to that warm autumn night in Arizona -- the last night of the Yankee dynasty.

    The Splendid Splinter. Teddy Ballgame. One of the greatest figures of his generation, and arguably the greatest baseball hitter of all time. But what made Ted Williams a legend – and a lightning rod for controversy in life and in death? What motivated him to interrupt his Hall of Fame career twice to serve his country as a fighter pilot; to embrace his fans while tangling with the media; to retreat from the limelight whenever possible into his solitary love of fishing; and to become the most famous man ever to have his body cryogenically frozen after his death? New York Times bestselling author Leigh Montville, who wrote the celebrated Sports Illustrated obituary of Ted Williams, now delivers an intimate, riveting account of this extraordinary life. Still a gangly teenager when he stepped into a Boston Red Sox uniform in 1939, Williams’s boisterous personality and penchant for towering home runs earned him adoring admirers--the fans--and venomous critics--the sportswriters. In 1941, the entire country followed Williams's stunning .406 season, a record that has not been touched in over six decades. At the pinnacle of his prime, Williams left Boston to train and serve as a fighter pilot in World War II, missing three full years of baseball. He was back in 1946, dominating the sport alongside teammates Dominic DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, and Bobby Doerr. But Williams left baseball again in 1952 to fight in Korea, where he flew thirty-nine combat missions—crash-landing his flaming, smoke-filled plane, in one famous episode.Ted Willams's personal life was equally colorful. His attraction to women (and their attraction to him) was a constant. He was married and divorced three times and he fathered two daughters and a son. He was one of corporate America's first modern spokesmen, and he remained, nearly into his eighties, a fiercely devoted fisherman. With his son, John Henry Williams, he devoted his final years to the sports memorabilia business, even as illness overtook him. And in death, controversy and public outcry followed Williams and the disagreements between his children over the decision to have his body preserved for future resuscitation in a cryonics facility--a fate, many argue, Williams never wanted. With unmatched verve and passion, and drawing upon hundreds of interviews, acclaimed best-selling author Leigh Montville brings to life Ted Williams's superb triumphs, lonely tragedies, and intensely colorful personality, in a biography that is fitting of an American hero and legend.

    Jackie Robinson was an outstanding athlete, a devoted family man and a dedicated civil rights activist. The author explores the fascinating circumstances surrounding Jackie Robinson's breakthrough. She also tells the off-the-field story of Robinson's hard-won victories and the inspiring effect he had on his family, his community. . . his country! Includes never-before-published letters by Jackie Robinson, as well as photos from the Robinson family archives.

    The fiery coach is a unique personality; brash, opinionated, and unfailingly accurate. As a coach, he never stood still along the sidelines, and in retirement he remains a lively part of the game, still consulted by coaches, players, and general managers at age 86.For years, John Feinstein has met regularly with Red Auerbach and his friends, drawing out Red's life story in a raucous series of unforgettable sessions. From those smoke-and laughter-filled rooms come the colorful reports about all the players and coaches Red has worked with and played against over the years. Bob Cousy, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Sam Jones, Bill Russell, and Michael Jordan, you name them, the basketball greats are all here.Red Auerbach's incredible experiences in sports and John Feinstein's unparalleled skill as a sports storyteller make this one of the greatest books to come out of the game of basketball.

    Because no one plays with more heart or court sense. But none of that matters when he is cut from his local travel team, the very same team his father led to national prominence as a boy. Danny's father, still smarting from his own troubles, knows Danny isn't the only kid who was cut for the wrong reason, and together, this washed-up former player and a bunch of never-say-die kids prove that the heart simply cannot be measured.For fans of The Bad News Bears, Hoosiers, the Mighty Ducks, and Mike Lupica's other New York Times bestselling novels Heat, The Underdogs, and Million-Dollar Throw, here is a book that proves that when the game knocks you down, champions stand tall.

    Set against the backdrop of a resort town on the bend of the outer Cape, the story charts the changing fortunes of a handful ?of players battling slumps and self-doubt in their effort to make the league playoffs and, more importantly, impress the major league scouts.We learn about everything from the physics of wooden bats and the physiology of elbows to the psychology of slumps and the lure of drugs. In the course of a single dramatic season, with euphoric wins and devastating losses, we come to know the intricacies of the major league scouting network and the rapidly changing profile of major league baseball.In the tradition of The Boys of Summer, The Last Best League is about dreams fulfilled and dreams denied, about Cape Cod and the rites of summer, and about the way one small town grows to love a group of young men coming of age in America.

    Whether you’re a new jumper looking to further your education or an expert canopy pilot seeking tips on advancing your techniques, this book has something for you. The book is jam-packed with information compiled over twenty years of skydiving experience and offers technical, straightforward explanations of ram air parachute flight. Written by one of the industry's leading parachute designers, The Parachute and Its Pilot is a must-have handbook for every skydiver.

    Feldman has penned the inside story of the Miami Hurricanes--the college football dynasty they call the Miami Vice.

    Seventeen-year-old Leah's chance to make the national soccer team does not seem so important when she learns that her father has cancer and may only have months to live.

    It is filled with hilarious anecdotes, behind the scenes dealing, and simply great hockey. It tells the story of Bobby Hull’s astonishing million-dollar signing, which helped launch the league, and how he lost his toupee in an on-ice scrap.It explains how a team of naked Birmingham Bulls ended up in an arena concourse spoiling for a brawl. How the Oilers had to smuggle fugitive forward Frankie “Seldom” Beaton out of their dressing room in an equipment bag. And how Mark Howe sometimes forgot not to yell “Dad!” when he called for his teammate father, Gordie, to pass. There’s the making of Slap Shot, that classic of modern cinema, and the making of the virtuoso line of Hull, Anders Hedberg, and Ulf Nilsson.It began as the moneymaking scheme of two California lawyers. They didn’t know much about hockey, but they sure knew how to shake things up. The upstart WHA introduced to the world 27 new hockey franchises, a trail of bounced cheques, fractious lawsuits, and folded teams. It introduced the crackpots, goons, and crazies that are so well remembered as the league’s bizarre legacy.But the hit-and-miss league was much more than a travelling circus of the weird and wonderful. It was the vanguard that drove hockey into the modern age. It ended the NHL’s monopoly, freed players from the reserve clause, ushered in the 18-year-old draft, moved the game into the Sun Belt, and put European players on the ice in numbers previously unimagined.The rebel league of the WHA gave shining stars their big-league debut and others their swan song, and provided high-octane fuel for some spectacular flameouts. By the end of its seven years, there were just six teams left standing, four of which – the Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, and Hartford Whalers – would wind up in the expanded NHL.From the Hardcover edition.

    Supercross started out as a redneck '70s sideshow, but thanks largely to Jeremy McGrath it has become a massive extreme sport. Over the last three years, AMA Supercross attendance has mushroomed from 700,000 spectators a year to 1.5 million. This book will satisfy even the most hardcore fans, as it not only gives you the life and times of Jeremy McGrath, but acts as the calling card to the entire sport by including unique sections on how to become a Supercross racer, the workout regimes, fixing common bike problems, and more.

    Jackie worked at baseball. She worked hard. And before long Jackie could outplay anyone in her neighborhood—even the boys. She had one pitch—a wicked, dropping curve ball. But no seventeen-year-old girl could pitch against Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. It was unthinkable. Then on April 2, 1931, the New York Yankees stopped in Tennessee for an exhibition game against the Chattanooga Lookouts. And on that day Jackie Mitchell made baseball history. Marissa Moss tells a true story of determination and heroism, a gem of baseball history sure to inspire ballplayers of all ages. And C. F. Payne’s vibrant, glorious illustrations make the golden age of baseball come alive. Other awards include: Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Award Nominee (KS) Black Eyed Susan Book Award Master List (MD) Capitol Choices List (DC) Chickadee Award Nominee (ME) Child Magazine's Guide to Top Books, Videos and Software of the Year Delaware Diamonds Award Program Master List Garden State Children's Book Award Nominee (NJ) Kansas State Reading Circle List Starred Primary Title Monarch Award Master List (IL) South Carolina Book Award Nominee Virginia Young Readers List WA Children’s Choice Picture Book Award Master List

    The answer came as a surprise. "I was at Secretariat's Derby, in '73. That was . . . just beauty, you know?" Sullivan didn't know, not really: the track had always been a place his father disappeared to once a year on business, a source of souvenir glasses and inscrutable passions in his Kentucky relatives. But in 2000, Sullivan, an editor and essayist for Harper's, decided to educate himself. He spent two years following the horse-both across the country, as he watched one season's juvenile crop prepare for the Triple Crown, and through time, as he tracked the animal's constant evolution in literature and art, from the ponies that appeared on the walls of European caves 30,000 years ago, to the mounts that carried the Indo-European language to the edges of the Old World, to the finely tuned but fragile yearlings that are auctioned off for millions of dollars apiece every spring and fall. The result is a witty, encyclopedic, and in the end profound meditation on what Edwin Muir called our "long-lost archaic companionship" with the horse. Incorporating elements of memoir and reportage, the Wunderkammer and the picture gallery, "Blood Horses "lets us see--as we have never seen before--the animal that, more than any other, made us who we are.

    Forty-seven years of joyous celebrations after victories and crushing disappointments after defeats are encompassed in it, but it is about more than just touchdowns and interceptions. It is about how a person like Marv Levy, dedicated to his life's work, can begin his career as the obscure assistant coach of a high school junior varsity team and then one day, decades later, lead his men out onto the field in football's greatest spectacle--the Super Bowl. Readers are invited to come experience what it was like to be on the sidelines and be the winning coach in a game that has been designated as the greatest upset in collegiate football history and then be there again 25 years later when an injury-riddled team, losing 35-3 in the second half, rallies and then miraculously goes on to achieve the greatest comeback victory in the history of the National Football League. Fans will learn what it was like to wallow in the exhilaration that comes from leading a team to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances, only to follow it with the desolation that strikes when all four of those games end in defeat. But they will also learn about the character, persistence, and personalities of those incomparable Buffalo Bills of the 1990s who so resolutely pursued their impossible dream. There will be some laughs and there may be some tears. Readers will meet the people who shaped this coach's life, and they will wind up feeling close to them. They will look forward to each adventure contained in these pages, and when each new one does come, they are likely to say, along with the author, "Where else would I rather be than right here--rightnow "

    The author, a native of Philadelphia and an alumnus of Chamberlain's alma mater, spent four years researching and interviewing the most important people in Wilt's life to produce these results.

    But their greatness on the field was nearly eclipsed by how bad they were off it. Led by the indomitable Keith Hernandez and the young dynamic duo of Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry, along with the gallant Scum Bunch, the Amazin’s left a wide trail of wreckage in their wake—hotel rooms, charter planes, a bar in Houston, and most famously Bill Buckner and the hated Boston Red Sox.With an unforgettable cast of characters—including Doc, Straw, the Kid, Nails, Mex, and manager Davey Joshson—this “affectionate but critical look at this exciting season” (Publishers Weekly) celebrates the last of baseball’s arrogant, insane, rock-and-roll-and-party-all-night teams, exploring what could have been, what should have been, and what never was.

    It is a story of the conquest of racial prejudice, both in South Africa and in the heart of the English sporting establishment. The story comes to its climax in the so-called D'Oliveira Affair of 1968, when John Vorster, the South African Prime Minister, banned the touring MCC side because of the inclusion of a black man. This episode marked the start of the twenty-year sporting isolation of South Africa that ended only with the collapse of apartheid itself.

    . . . He's like a second father to me." --Michael Jordan "Dean Smith epitomizes what a coach can be-teacher, counselor, mentor, example, friend." --Bill Bradley"He's a better coach of basketball than anyone else." --John WoodenFor forty years, Dean Smith coached the University of North Carolina basketball team with unsurpassed success. Now, in The Carolina Way, he explains his coaching philosophy and shows readers how to apply it to the leadership and team-building challenges they face in their own lives. In his wry, sensible, wise way, Coach Smith takes us through every aspect of his program, illustrating his insights with vivid stories. Accompanying each of Coach Smith's major points is a "Player Perspective" from a former North Carolina basketball star and an in-depth "Business Perspective" from Gerald D. Bell, a world-renowned leadership consultant and a professor at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School. The keystones of Coach Smith's coaching philosophy are widely applicable and centrally relevant to building successful teams of any kind.

    Jayson Stark at ESPN says, "I never cease to be blown away by the geniuses at Baseball Prospectus." "When I have a question about a player, no matter how obscure, I pull out Baseball Prospectus," writes Rob Neyer at ESPN.com. And John Hunt, who covers fantasy baseball for USA Today, calls it "the best book for preparing for a rotisserie draft." Packed with statistics, analysis, and attitude for the information age, Baseball Prospectus is the essential guide for the 3.4 million serious fantasy baseball players, and the perfect game-side companion for millions more seamheads who want to understand the inside game--why, for example, Derek Jeter's recent contract makes A-Rod's look like a bargain, why the hiring of Dusty Baker should end the Cubs' long nightmare, and why, if he remains healthy, Pedro Martinez has a legitimate shot at being remembered as the best pitcher ever. Baseball Prospectus gives in-depth actual data and performance analysis of 1600 players, more than any other guide, covering the majors and minors, the top 40 prospects, draft choices, and rookie ball. It features essays on every team and gimlet-eyed evaluations of at least 50 players per organization. It's the final word--delivered in a wry and witty style--on what pitchers and hitters really did in 2003, and how they'll do in 2004 and beyond.

    Featuring totally revised and up-to-date statistics, this all-star encyclopedia presents the most complete and accurate portrait of the game of baseball ever compiled. Brought to fans at an unbeatable price, it’s brimming with illuminating essays and information. There’s comprehensive year-by-year and team-by-team batting and pitching statistics for all players in major league history; all-time leaders in 150 categories; all-inclusive coverage of career interruptions due to wartime military service; the most authoritative Negro League stats anywhere; and countless fascinating data about teams, managers, and ballparks. Plus every record ever set is noted and every active major league player’s numbers updated, with a detailed record of everything that happened in pro baseball this year.

    He turned down countless offers from professional teams to stay with the job he loves. Now Nick Saban reveals the secrets that will help you lead and succeed at work and in life.Excellence doesn’t happen overnight. It comes from hard work, consistency, the drive to be the best, and a passion for what you do. Few understand this better than Nick Saban, the hottest college football coach in the game. Now, in How Good Do You Want to Be?, Saban shares his winning philosophy for creating and inspiring success.In more than three decades as a player and coach, Saban has learned much about life and leadership, both on the field and off. Working alongside some of the game’s legends, including Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick and coaching legend Jerry Glanville, he saw firsthand how great leaders encourage greatness in others. In this candid, insightful guide, he shares such acquired wisdom as• Organization, Organization, Organization Create an environment where everybody knows his or her responsibilities–and each is responsible to the entire group.• Motivate to DominateUnderstand the psychology of teams and individuals, and use that knowledge to breed success.• No Other Way than RightPractice ethics and values–and demand the same from your team.• Look in the MirrorMaintain an understanding of who you are by knowing your strengths and your weaknesses.How Good Do You Want to Be? is more than the story of how Nick Saban motivates his staff and players to excel–it is also the memoir of one of America’s most successful coaches. Filled with instructive anecdotes and illuminated by never-before-told stories of his life and career, this is a book that challenges and inspires us all to be our best.From the Hardcover edition.

    Together from the start, these twins might not have been the strongest or the tallest, but they were fast and worked hard at what they loved. And they loved sports, especially football. Then one day Tiki badly hurt his knee in a biking accident, and he was sure he'd never be able to play again. Their mother had always told them, "You are each other's best friends. Stick together, believe in yourselves, and you can do anything." They kept her words in their hearts and never gave up. Based on the childhood of National Football League superstars Ronde and Tiki Barber, this inspiring book about the values of family, hard work, and determination is the story of what it takes to be a champion.

    A strong choice for the young athlete in your family or classroom.Soccer superstar Mia Hamm knows the value of teamwork and perseverance. She shares this lesson, paired with energetic illustrations by Carol Thompson, in this motivational story.

    This is the story of the four headstrong, conflicting personalities that made up the winning team, and how they nearly didn't even compete at all.

    Brown I bought this book purely on a whim having little idea who Phil Henny was. It didn’t take completion of the first chapter before I realized I’d hit a gold-mine in automotive literature. It represents some of the best value in overall content and packaging of any motorsports book I’ve read, and I’ve been collecting and reading books about sports car racing for over 40 years. There are scant few memoirs out there written by the men who turned the wrenches, and a number of these frankly have little of substance to say- not so with Henny’s book. With unparalleled access to the world of the great Carroll Shelby, Phil presents an engaging look at an incredible era in racing. To his credit, he doesn’t gloss over any aspect of what he saw, either within or outside of Shelby’s organization. His comments about drivers are particularly insightful. In many respects, this is as good if not better than the vast majority of driver memoirs or books by leading authors in the field (on par with Eoin Young, Anthony Pritchard, Dave Friedman, etc). Phil’s just-released companion work about the great Bob Bondurant should make a welcome addition to the Shelby story. I don’t mean it lightly when I say this is an absolute “must have” book if you’re remotely interested in sports car racing from the 1960s (follow the purchase of “Just Call Me Carroll” with Phil’s book on Bondurant if you wish a more complete picture of Bondurant’s contributions to Shelby’s successes against the might of Ferrari). The author Phil Henny Phil was born in 1943, in the village of Montagny près d’Yverdon in the French speaking region of Switzerland. In 1966, he joined the Shelby American racing team as a mechanic, in time to work on the 1967 Le Mans winning Ford MK IV driven by Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt. His stories of the American racing scene and particularly the Shelby era are fascinating. There are scant few memoirs out there written by the men who turned the wrenches, and a number of these frankly have little of substance to say- not so with Phil Henny's book. With unparalleled access to the world of the great Carroll Shelby, Phil presents an engaging look at an incredible era in racing. To his credit, he doesn't gloss over any aspect of what he saw, either within or outside of Shelby's organization. His comments about drivers are particularly insightful. Fascinating and strongly recommended. They are hard-to-find books not generally available in the conventional book trade. Phil lives in Portland Oregon U.S.A.

    

    Years ago, two baseball fanatics and entertaining writers set out to create a comprehensive guide to all the diverse and fascinating ballparks throughout the country. For the second edition, they’ve done it again, providing updated information on every venue from Boston to L.A., plus brand new chapters for the brand new parks, like the new Yankee Stadium, Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park, the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis, the Mets’ Citi Field, San Diego's PETCO Park, Nationals Park in Washington, DC, the Twins’ Target Field, and Miami's Marlins Ballpark. With this book, you can skillfully plan and fully appreciate a road trip or a visit to any single park. Included are ticket and travel information, a detailed guide to the best and worst seats in each park, folklore and statistics on each park, tips on each park's trademark foods, and profiles of nearby sports bars and baseball attractions, all within a lively and fully illustrated narrative that reminds us that baseball is often the ultimate metaphor for the important things in life. Funny and irreverent and loaded with information, the book encompasses all the essential elements of a full-blown baseball road trip.

    An outstanding, thought-provoking study of the state of modern professional football.

    and the premier research organization in all of sports, the Society for American Baseball Research. This initial release allows you to return to one of the most colorful, popular, important, and distinct periods of baseball history. With the Society for American Baseball Research to guide you, you'll learn about the stars, the regulars, and the people behind the scenes - who were all the leading lights of the senior circuit. Through them, follow the great game's opening decades as the original eight National League franchises combated the American League, only to strike up a partnership with it and start the World Series in 1903, launching the major leagues as we know them today. Lavishly illustrated, featuring photographs and autographs of every player or person profiled, Deadball Stars of the National League gives fans a unique window into the game of inside baseball, a time when the stolen base and the sacrifice were a manager's key weapons, when pitchers finished what they started, and when the baseball itself was a sodden, misshapen, tobaccostained menace. Edited by Tom Simon and written an

    It was the number-one pro wrestling company in the world, and the highest-rated show on cable television. Each week, fans tuned in to Monday Nitro, flocked to sold-out arenas, and carried home truckloads of WCW merchandise. Sting, Bill Goldberg, and the New World Order were household names. Superstars like Dennis Rodman and KISS jumped on the WCW bandwagon. It seemed the company could do no wrong.But by 2001, however, everything had bottomed out. The company -- having lost a whopping 95% of its audience -- was sold for next to nothing to Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment. WCW was laid to rest.How could the company lose its audience so quickly? Who was responsible for shows so horrible that fans fled in horror? What the hell happened to cause the death of one of the largest wrestling companies in the world? The Death of World Championship Wrestling is the first book to take readers through a detailed dissection of WCW's downfall.

    Readers will enjoy fun facts about NBA superstars past and present, including LeBron, Kobe, Jordan, and Magic, seemingly doing the impossible on the court.

    Thrasher presents How to Build Skateboard Ramps is the only book of skateboard ramp plans that you will ever need. Whether you're building a new ramp, adding on to an existing ramp, or replacing an old ramp, everything you need to know is in here. Packed with 76 pages of color photographs and detailed illustrations that make ramp construction safe and easy. Inside you'll find: Expert advice for choosing the correct tools and materials. Tips for avoiding most common problems in ramp building. Clear and detailed illustrations to help you plan and build the perfect ramp for your budget. Easy-to-follow instructions to help you through the entire ramp building process. Ideas for ramps that make the most of limited budgets and space. Thrasher presents How to Build Skateboard Ramps, Half pipes, Boxes, Bowls, and More.

    Did you know LeBron James averaged more than 30 points a game as a senior in high school? Discover how an amazing high school player went on to become an outstanding NBA star!

    John seeks out the roving community of RVers who follow the Alabama Crimson Tide from game to game. A movable feast of Weber grills and Igloo coolers, these are hard-core football fans who arrive on Wednesday for Saturday’s game: The Reeses, who skipped their own daughter’s wedding because it coincided with a Bama game; Ray Pradat, the Episcopal minister who watches the games on a television beside his altar while performing weddings; and John Ed, the wheeling and dealing ticket scalper whose access to good seats gives him power on par with the governor. In no time at all, St. John buys an RV (a $5,500 beater named The Hawg) and joins the caravan for a full football season, chronicling the world of the extreme fan and learning that in the shadow of the stadium, it can all begin to seem strangely normal. Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer is not only a hilarious travel story, but a cultural anthropology of fans that goes a long way toward demystifying the universal urge to take sides and to win.

    He loves the ritual of helping out in his grandfather’s store, Hall’s Nostalgia, and he loves listening to Grandpa Hall’s innumerable baseball stories. But one day, Oliver makes a startling discovery. It seems his grandfather has kept one very special story a secret: his own. With stunning black-and-white and sepia-tone illustrations and a heartwarming narrative, Matt Tavares portrays one man’s lifelong love of the game, and the enduring legacy he passes on to his grandchild.

    The book covers all of the basic essentials of aerodynamics and principles of flight, along with pilot techniques from the beginner through expert level. Included with the book is a bonus DVD with more than 80 minutes of instructional video.

    This dazzling, New York Times bestselling tribute to the roller-coaster football life of Brett Favre is packed with personal family photos and remembrances, stunning four-color action shots, and inspiring stories of a lifelong love affair with the all-American game.

    The Blue Devils have been to 10 Final Fours under Coach Mike Krzyzewski, winning the national championship three times. They played in five consecutive Final Fours and for four consecutive years finished the season ranked number one in the country. Duke won five consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference championships through 2003, and since 1986, the Blue Devils have had six national players of the year. No other school has had more than one. As Duke enters its 100th season of basketball, it will be the 25th year for Hall of Fame coach Krzyzewski. He has been honored 12 times as national Coach of the Year and is acknowledged as the top man in his profession. Duke has had numerous other famous basketball names, including coaches such as Vic Bubas and Eddie Cameron and All-Americans Dick Groat, Art Heyman, and Jeff Mullins. The Blue Devils play in Cameron Indoor Stadium, which has become a basketball shrine. The vociferous student body, the Cameron Crazies, camp out before home games in a tent city they call Krzyzewski-ville. From the first game in 1906 through yet another Final Four appearance following the 2003-04 season, 100 Years of Duke Basketball provides fans with an insider's look at Duke basketball and the people who have made it a national legend.

    The Greatest is his authorized biography, written by Jim Denison, who worked on it with Haile for over two years, visited him in Ethiopia, and traveled with him on the European track circuit. Haile’s life story is fascinating, detailing his early years of hard poverty in war-torn Ethiopia, his relentless training, his rise to godlike status in the track world, and the good works he has done for his country with his fame and fortune. Most of all it is a glimpse of the kind, fascinating man behind all the records and medals._________________“Haile Gebrselassie is the best distance runner I have seen in the last quarter-century, the most electrifying personality, and somewhat of an enigma, given his Ethiopian roots. With this wonderful book, Jim Denison allows the whole world to learn more about Haile The Great, a distance-running star whose brilliance won’t soon be forgotten.”—Amby Burfoot, executive editor, Runner’s World, and 1968 Boston Marathon winner“Be in no doubt Haile is the greatest distance runner the world has ever seen.”—Dave Bedford, former 10,000m world record holder,and currently race director for the London Marathon“Haile is an elegant champion and a fine example of sportsmanship.”—Lasse Viren, Olympic double-gold medalist“In my view Haile is the greatest distance runner of all time and a fantastic testimony to his legacy is that the man who is going to challenge for that title ‘the greatest’ has been nurtured by Haile and his coach, Dr. Wolde-Meskel Kostre. Haile has taken care of the present and he is passing on the baton to the future, to one of his pupils, Kenenisa Bekele.”—Brendan Foster, MBE, 1976 Olympic bronze medalist 10,000m, former world record holder 3000m, and presently Track and Field Commentator for the BBC“Haile’s accomplishment is a class act on and off the track. He is not only admired for his running, but his universal smile (whether he wins or finishes second).”—Meb Kheflezighi, two-time Olympian and American record holder for 10,000m

    In his new autobiography, "The Inside Game, Embry chronicles his 40 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and discusses the problems threatening to undermine it. Embry, who was once sent home from a game in the old Richfield Coliseum when a bullet was found on his seat, tells the inside story of his fall from grace. He writes about the unfortunate dealings that led to his departure from the Cavs and introduces startling information about one of the most highly regarded coaches in the league. He discusses the social and economic changes affecting the league as well as other problems. With equal parts sports management analysis and self-reflection, Embry's book continues to delight and enthrall those who read it.

    Her rigorous mental and physical dedication has changed the face of her sport, and her fierce determination and unparalleled preparation have won her tournaments and fans the world over. In 2003, she made international headlines by becoming the first woman in more than fifty years to play against men in a professional event, bringing her trademark game and competitiveness to a whole new level. Now for the first time Annika takes you inside her extraordinary success and shows every golfer how to play and win like a pro. She breaks down the fundamentals of her game and shares her winning course strategies in one complete, easy-to-follow instruction book. Golf Annika's Way features: All you need to know about how to use every club in the bag, from fairway woods to short irons to the putter The secrets of the power behind her potent swing, from the essentials of grip and posture to her unconventional form on the follow-through Hundreds of full-color photos, including high-speed shots that capture the elements of Annika's powerful swing frame-by-frame in a foldout spread An insider look at the unique weight training and dietary regimen Annika has developed for building a stronger physique-and a longer drive Filled with insights and stories from throughout her colorful career, Golf Annika's Way gives you priceless advice from a champion's perspective. It's a must-have for Annika's millions of fans-and men and women golfers of all ages and skill levels who wantto lower their scores on the course and bring their game to the next level. BACKCOVER: "She's the best. She's the epitome of integrity and class. She's truly great." - Arnold Palmer "She has dominated the world of women's golf. It's not often you can say you have seen the best, but in Annika, I think perhaps we have." -Tiger Woods "I've never seen a player with such focus and concentration. She's a real whiz." -Louise Suggs "She simply has that air, not of cockiness, but of knowing that you can do it-and just going out and doing it." -Jack Nicklaus "A human golf machine. Ahead of anyone in the game-male or female." -Johnny Miller

    But even as a small boy, his athletic skills set him apart from the others. When he is awarded a baseball scholarship to the University of Notre Dame, his future seems set. An afternoon's horseplay with a football, however, brings George to the attention of assistant football coach Knute Rockne, and Notre Dame football is transformed forever. Setting records and winning fans' hearts, George seems unstoppable -- until cruel fate intervenes. Now, for every young reader who has ever wondered about the phrase Win one for the Gipper, comes the inspiring story of the legendary George Gipp.Kathy-jo Wargin has written such bestselling titles as The Legend of Sleeping Bear, The Legend of the Loon, and The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell. She is a faculty member of the Bear River Writers Workshop, sponsored by the University of Michigan. She lives with her family in Petoskey, Michigan. Bruce Langton's unmistakable style and unique ability to capture not only sporting and wildlife scenes, but also contemporary landscapes has won him numerous awards including the 1998 Featured Artist for the Northern Wildlife Art Expo. Win One for the Gipper is Bruce's seventh book with Sleeping Bear Press. He lives with his family in Granger, Indiana.

    'Be Iron Fit' provides practical training information in a step-by-step, enjoyable way so that even everyday athletes can attain ultimate conditioning.

    The word conjures different things to different people, but its distinction — and notoriety — is universal. In the annals of baseball, the history of few other teams can compare to the rich legacy of the Dodgers. Their constituency includes fans from Bensonhurst to Burbank. Their colorful past — “dem bums,” Jackie Robinson and the boys of summer, Walter O’Malley, Sandy Koufax, Tommy Lasorda, “bleeding Dodger blue” — has enlivened baseball in innumerable, immeasurable ways. And their legacy, casting a 120-year shadow, remains essential to the very nature of the game. In a compelling, insightfully written narrative and more than two hundred unforgettable photographs, many never before seen, The Dodgers: 120 Years of Dodgers Baseball tells the team's story in its entirety, from its birth in Brooklyn in 1884 and its early glories, to the heart-wrenching move to Los Angeles in 1958, to the present day. The Dodgers' evolution, and particularly their willingness to embrace change even when it was a wildly unpopular choice, is also, writes Glenn Stout in his introduction, “an inherently American story that follows a familiar path, a story of immigration, assimilation, migration, and change.” In one of the only books to look at the team as a unified whole, we see how the Dodgers helped create modern baseball in Brooklyn, how they ushered the game into its contemporary form with the signing of Jackie Robinson in 1945, and how they have borne witness to the metamorphosis of baseball from an amateur game played by gentlemen into a multibillion-dollar business. It's all here, a century and more of history-making baseball. In these pages, readers will experience some of the game's finest moments, greatest plays, and most unforgettable players, including• the birth of the “Trolley Dodgers” in an unlikely borough • a legendary series of stirring pennant races in the late 1940s and 1950s • Jackie Robinson and the integration of baseball • the notorious move from East Coast to West at the hands of the much-maligned Walter O’Malley • the reemergence of the Dodgers-Giants rivalry in California • the game's most dynamic pitching duo, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale • Kirk Gibson’s dramatic home run in the 1988 World Series * and lively essays by such heralded Dodger chroniclers as Dave Anderson, Jane Leavy, Bill Plaschke, Dick Young, and others

    The featured luminaries include Zane Grey, Ring Lardner, Damon Runyan, W.P. Kinsella, Red Smith, Tim McCarver, Pete Rose, and George Will, and they all weigh in with wit and an obvious love of the sport. Many offer a fascinating glimpse into baseball’s history, such as Walt Whitman, who reports on a rugged game played even before the Civil War. Russell Baker provides lessons on the art of firing, “learned at the knee of Mr. Steinbrenner.” An excerpt from Jim Bouton’s groundbreaking classic Ball Four examines the sport’s unrelenting power over him: “You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time.” With these stories and essays, baseball buffs will relive important moments, such as Candy Cummings’ perfecting the first curve ball, baseball’s drawing the color line in 1887, and Bob Carroll’s uncovering Nate Colbert’s hidden RBI record in 1972.

    Called the most versatile sportscaster in America, the legendary Dick Enberg takes readers into the booth and behind the camera in this candid autobiography.

    They were pure ballplayers, sluggers and sweet fielders who played with unbridled joy and breathtaking skill. The national press converged on Crenshaw. So many scouts gravitated to their games that they took up most of the seats in the bleachers. Even the Crenshaw ballfield was a sight to behold -- groomed by the players themselves, picked clean of every pebble, it was the finest diamond in all of inner-city Los Angeles. On the outfield fences, the gates to the outside stayed locked against the danger and distraction of the streets. Baseball, for these boys, was hope itself. They had grown up with the notion that it could somehow set things right -- a vague, unexpressed, but persistent hope that even if life was rigged, baseball might be fair. And for a while it seemed they were right. Incredibly, most of of this team -- even several of the boys who sat on the bench -- were drafted into professional baseball. Two of them, Darryl Strawberry and Chris Brown, would reunite as teammates on a National League All-Star roster. But Michael Sokolove's The Ticket Out is more a story of promise denied than of dreams fulfilled. Because in Sokolove's brilliantly reported poignant and powerful tale, the lives of these gifted athletes intersect with the realities of being poor, urban, and black in America. What happened to these young men is a harsh reminder of the ways inspiration turns to frustration when the bats and balls are stowed and the crowd's applause dies down.

    Born to a Jat family with roots in Haryana, Virender Sehwag, affectionately called 'Viru' by friends, family and his fans, was brought up in a joint family that included three siblings and sixteen cousins.The Virender Sehwag Story sheds light on the persona of this amazing batsman, not only on the field but also off the field. In a lucid manner, it narrates how Virender Sehwag had to overcome many barriers, both professional and personal, to become one of the finest, fiercest, and most respected batsmen, not only in India but also throughout the world. His name is synonymous with determination and humility, traits that have earned him love from peers and fans worldwide.When he first started playing, comparisons between him and Sachin Tendulkar were aplenty, but, over a period of time, Virender Sehwag carved a niche for himself in the world of cricket. The book describes how he established himself as an aggressive batsman who came to be feared by bowlers all across the world.The book attempts to bring out the cricketer and human being hidden behind nicknames like Sultan of Multan and Nawab of Najafgarh.Foreword by fellow Indian cricketer and Sehwag's former captain, Sourav Ganguly.

    Fans today look back on the legendary Negro Leagues with reverence and awe, yet there has been woefully little visual documentation of the leagues' history. This treasure trove of images by Ernest Withers, the unofficial team photographer for the Memphis Red Sox, captures the peak of Negro League action through the years of groundbreaking integration, as well as the community in which black baseball was played. Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, and Hank Aaron are among the superstars portrayed in 150 photographs, reproduced in stunning duotone plates, introduced by baseball legend Willie Mays, and accompanied by an informative text by Daniel Wolff. From pictures of Indianapolis clown King Tut, the baseball equivalent of a Harlem Globetrotter, and pitcher Charley Pride, who went on to become a country/western singing star, to shots of visiting celebrities and ballplayers relaxing at local clubs, these astonishing photographs evoke a long-gone era and form an essential visual archive of a near-mythological aspect of baseball history.

    Play Baseball the Ripken Way is the ultimate guide to playing the game, by one of the sport's living legends.Baseball is America's national pastime, but that doesn't mean we're all born naturals. Kids of all ages (and their parents) are eager to improve specific skills, and now they can learn from one of the most respected baseball families in history. Cal and Bill Ripken have written a thoroughly illustrated instructional book that clearly explains proper baseball fundamentals--hitting, fielding, baserunning, pitching, and much more.Based on the teachings of the late Cal Ripken, Sr., a player, coach, manager, and scout in the Baltimore Orioles system for thirty-seven years, Play Baseball the Ripken Way shows players just what they need to do to be their best while maintaining a sense of fun and accomplishment with every new lesson. The Ripken Way consists of the following principles:*Keep It Simple: Teaching that is too complicated is difficult to remember and can result in frustration.*Explain Why: A teacher who cannot explain why is not truly teaching. Lessons that make sense will stick with players.*Celebrate the Individual: No two players are alike, so why treat them as if they are?*Make It Fun: The game gets serious enough quickly enough on its own. Drills and instruction should be structured so that players can enjoy themselves while learning.The book also includes tips for parents and coaches, practice workouts, and drills for players of every level.

    Introduces young readers to the challenges Yao Ming faced and how he reached his dream to play in the NBA.

    Finally, a book with a rich collection of action photos of your basketball heroes from the early 20th century through the present.You will discover and have fun reading about - · Facts about the achievements of Filipino basketball stars, their unique playing style, experience & tips to young basketball players.· Your favorite professional players from your hometown or school you once attended.· Profiles of the greatest of the greatest (legends) and great players (heroes) of Philippine basketball.· Action photos and portraits of your favorite players.· All-time records set by individual players.· Brief history of Philippine basketball and listing of national teams.· Basketball trivia.For sports fans young or old, professional or recreational basketball players, you will be inspired by this book time and again.

    The Revised Rules of Baseball for 1867 together with full instructions for umpires and scorers, and also for pitching, batting, and fielding.

    But now Slow Fat Triathlete opens the door to those who may not come quite so equipped. After years of obesity, poor health, and self-doubt, Jayne Williams took part in her first triathlon in 2002 to prove something to herself and became hooked on the rush of the race. Today she is a self-proclaimed "slow fat triathlete," unafraid to overcome humiliation, laugh at her foibles, have fun, and accomplish impressive goals. Slow Fat Triathlete is a book for those who may be overweight, out of shape, undisciplined, or otherwise unprepared to enter a triathlon but are curious to try. Through personal stories, practical ideas and suggestions, and uproarious anecdotes, this book inspires, encourages, and proves that with a little training, almost everybody can have a great time and reap huge rewards from pursuing their tri dreams -- and that everyone can become a participant and an athlete.

    From his unlikely beginnings as a skinny, young Cassius Clay learning to box at a local gym to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world at the famous “Rumble in the Jungle,” where even the skies let loose with rain right after his victory, Ali has captivated the world. Tonya Bolden’s careful research and elegant telling, paired with R. Gregory Christie’s incredible paintings, make this a book that will inform and inspire readers of all ages.

    Illustrations and short poems illustrate for Boston Red Sox fans of all ages an A-to-Z list of reasons why they cheer so hard for their team.

    This guide not only covers backpacking options inside the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, but includes many of the popular routes across the highway for a selection of the best overnight hikes in the region.

    James may have been underestimating the opinionated Walden, even at those lopsided odds. During an association with the Washington State football program that started in 1977, Jim Walden established a foundation of competitive expectations that helped spur the success of contemporary Cougar teams. Walden's 1981 Cougars broke a 51-year bowl drought, and with victories in three of his last five Apple Cup games against Washington, Walden finally leveled the field with WSU's cross-state rivals. Walden's teams beat every opponent in the Pac-10 Conference at least once, squaring off against powerhouses USC, UCLA, and Washington despite a deficit in resources that he once described as having to fight battles every Saturday with a really short sword. He kidded and sparred with coaches like James, John Robinson, and Terry Donahuc, while ticking off a few others with his outspokenness. He offered his opinions so frequently and frankly that his university president had The Walden Release printed and ready as a disclaimer for the press: The opinions of Coach Walden do not necessarily reflect the stance of the WSU administration. In Jim Walden's Tales from the Washington State Cougars Sideline, the coach, a Mississippi-born storyteller, looks at coaches from the colorful Lone Star Dietz to Bill Doba and gives readers a glimpse at the personalities of Cougar All-Americans as well as the other quirky individuals who made their way onto the WSU sidelines. Walden reveals the effective strategies and the flubs and tells what really happened on the field and in the locker rooms. He alsoshares the ways he was able to coax prospects into coming to remote Pullman and what he was really screaming at officials all those times. Walden tells his stories the way he coached--all out, nothing held back, with wit and humor.

    

    It is the refreshing, honest, and action-packed autobiography of a man who was at the center of many of the biggest stories of British soccer for almost three decades.

    Between them they won three Olympic gold medals, two silvers, one bronze, and broke a total of twelve middle-distance records. As far apart as possible in terms of class and upbringing, their rivalry burned as intense on the track as away from it. The pendulum swung between the pair of them—each breaking the other's records, and, memorably, triumphing in each other's events in Moscow in 1980. The Perfect Distance is both a detailed re-creation and a fitting celebration of the greatest era of British athletics.

    This exquisite and lavishly illustrated coffee table book takes provides a visual journey through the "fastest game on two feet." With a charismatic prologue written by lacrosse legend Roy Simmons, Jr., Lacrosse is a glossy, photographic encyclopedia of this great game. Chapters are dedicated to the sport's Native American roots, men and women's college play, the pro indoor and outdoor games, and many other topics.

    Here sports and fitness expert Jim Brown details 100 stretches to help any athlete at any level in any sport. Stretching can improve flexibility, enhance performance, prevent injuries and much more -- if done right.

    From the sweltering courses of the desert to the freezing ice golf championships in Greenland, and from the erotically shaped bunkers in lush surroundings in France to the harsh surfaces in Kabul, golf is clearly no longer the elite sport it once was. Today’s golfers (at least the ones not wearing plaid pants) are looking for the extreme-where the rough is patrolled by wild animals and the greens are sometimes white. This lushly illustrated book features more than 200 breathtaking and often hilarious photographs capturing the true spirit of extreme golf, accompanied by light-hearted and engaging text. Including an appendix listing the unusual courses around the world (in case you’d like to make a tee time), Extreme Golf’s chapters include:• Location, Location, Location (out of the way places in the world)• Courses for Concern (difficult due to geographic oddities)• Golf by Design (in which the course designer influences the extreme setup)• In the Rough (really hard courses in really strange places)

    This book is filled with practical advice, new technologies, tricks, tips and shortcuts -- an essential reference for mountain bike owners.

    Mary Shaw. Illustrated by Chuck Temple. 32 pp., pbk. Grades 1-3 / Ages 4-8.

    Mary Shaw. Illustrated by Chuck Temple. 32 pp., pbk. Grades 1-3 / Ages 4-8.

    So he heads back to Trenton and hooks up with TNT, a reckless but kindhearted young boxer who's also down on his luck. With a little help from the spirit of Sonny Liston, Amos trains TNT for a series of high-profile fights and launches a daring gambit to reclaim his own reputation.

    He is a one-man industry, a workaholic, a charmer, a tough and demanding man who has made friends at all levels of society, including the Royal Family, but who has shown grace under pressure not least when his son Paul faced his fight with cancer. Always competing, Jackie Stewart has never resisted a challenge of a cause.

    Thirty-nine years later (and counting), no other Leaf team has been able to do it again. As the years pass, the legend grows.

    With a great variety of attractive and effective simplified games, specially designed to simulate the most important game situations that may occur on the pitch, Horst Wein shows how to stimulate most of the aspects which are involved in game intelligence in young soccer players as well as professionals. Remember, Playing soccer without thinking is like shooting without aiming.

    This title provides you with motivating words and examples you need to follow the author's example, and create your own story of personal fulfillment and top-level achievement.

    Book by Independent Truck Company

    Yankees: The Great Rivalry covers nearly a century's worth of epic battles on and off the baseball field between these age-old rivals. Featuring exclusive interviews with former governors Mario Cuomo of New York and Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts, former press secretary Ari Fleischer, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, congressmen, reporters, broadcasters, and especially players, coaches, managers and front-office execs from the Red Sox and Yankees including Don Zimmer, Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Lowe, Jason and Jeremy Giambi, Lou Meroni, Dwight Evans, and Theo Epstein. Two unique features of the book are a Rivalry Timeline and a Talkin' Rivalry section, a free-for-all in print among fans, journalists, and players who all have something to say. Other chapters include Marker Moments, in-depth profiles of Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams, Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium. More than two years in the making, this coffee-table book will have nearly 256 pages of text and more than 125 photos, some in color, some archival. A perfect book for Yankee fans, Red Sox fans, and all baseball fans.

    Also included is an audio CD that features Chick's greatest calls.

    1-1,000- The "Champ's Edition" has a white silk cover with pink lettering.- Limited to 1,000 individually numbered copies, each one signed by Muhammad Ali and Jeff Koons.- Four gallery-quality silver gelatin prints signed by photographer Howard L. Bingham and Muhammad Ali. Jeff Koons has created an original art piece for the "Champ's Edition."- Over 3,000 images - photographs, art and memorabilia, much of it published for the first time - from over 150 photographers and artists. Original essays and the best interviews and writings on the Champ of the last five decades, from hundreds of writers, totaling nearly 600,000 words.- XXL Format: 792 pages, including two gatefold sequences measuring 200 cm x 50 cm (80" x 20") and nine gold-metallic double-page spreads printed in silkscreen, opening each chapter. Measuring 50 cm x 50 cm (20" x 20"), GOAT tips the scales at 34 kgs (75 lbs).- Each copy comes in a silk-covered box illustrated with Neil Leifer's iconic 1966 photo, "Ali vs Williams."- Bound by the official bindery for the Vatican, in pink leather, the color of Ali's first Cadillac. The bindery specializing in the most elaborate and oversized editions of the Koran and the Bible enforces the strictest standards of quality control and only several hundred copies can be assembled per week.- Utilizing state-of-the-art digital technology, no expense has been spared to restore the original photographic materials to the highest possible standards. The results of this effort create unparalleled intensity and range in the colors, and exquisite tone and density within the duotone images.- Eight-color printing on Galaxi Keramik 200gsm semi-matte paper with gloss varnish on all images.

    The Indiana University Basketball Encyclopedia captures the glory, the tradition, and the championships, from the team's inaugural games in the winter of 1901 all the way through the 2003-04 season. The most comprehensive book ever written about IU basketball, this encyclopedia covers every season and every game the Hoosiers have played throughout their illustrious history, including all of the program's Big Ten Conference championships and NCAA championships. It is a must-have for the library of every devoted IU basketball fan and a fitting guide to one of the most storied traditions in all of college basketball.

    The spirit of Fighting Irish football is not captured by just one phrase, one season, or one particular game; instead, the student-athletes and coaches who made the magic happen over the decades blend their experiences to capture the true essence of their beloved school. Notre Dame fans will relish the intimate stories told by the figures they have come to cherish.

    

    CHILDRENS BOOK ON FENWAY PARK

    Sporting News has what other publishers do not - our own archive of Red Sox history since we helped found the American League in 1901. As well as exclusive editorial and photos from our archives and the 1918 Sporting News cover from the last time "we reported" on a Red Sox World Series win over the Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 2. FEATURES: Expert commentary; Photo-rich approach; Exclusive Red Sox photos; Coverage of the team's 2004 regular season with commentary on: key wins, players, fans and management contributions; Game coverage of both the Division and the League Championship Series; Game by game World Series coverage and commentary from the Sporting News editors.

    The Path to Athletic Power provides unique insight into the evolution of modern sports conditioning, how it was significantly influenced by the developments in Epley's highly successful program, and the best and most current version of that program, so you too can build superior athletes. Epley's 10 conditioning principles provide the foundation for big-time success on the field or court. Draw on the same methods he's used to develop three Heisman Trophy winners, eight Outland Trophy winners, and 300 athletes who moved on to play in the NFL or win national, world, or Olympic titles. From training three-dimensional movement to using split routines, his innovative workouts have produced exceptional gains in power, strength, and speed. With the help of step-by-step explanations and exclusive insights appearing in print for the first time, you'll be able to design a state-of-the-art conditioning plan, complete with in-season, off-season, and multisport programs. Draw on Epley's wealth of knowledge, experience, and success for sure footing and fast progress on the path to athletic power!

    Hal covered just about every major sports event over 60 years, reporting on each with honest, straightforward words and firm opinions--and most likely a scoop on the competition. He wrote about the greats--Jim Brown, Bob Feller, Ted Williams, Woody Hayes . . . and the great moments--the Indians' 1948 playoff game, the Browns' 1964 championship season, Rocky Colavito's four consecutive home runs. His writing was featured 17 times in the annual Best Sports Stories and selected for numerous other anthologies. He won countless writing awards and been inducted into 12 halls of fame--including the National Baseball Hall of Fame.Always, Hal has written for the fans. And for as long as anyone can remember, fans have been reading Hal for his particular take on events. His constant, steady presence in the local sports pages for so many decades has made Hal Lebovitz a legitimate icon in Cleveland sports--a guy who, with his typewriter, has been as remarkable and consistent and rare as a .400 hitter.

    It is written in a clear and easily-read style.

    But in reality it is a high-octane starter kit, fueling physical activity, creativity, and fun in ways that sports have never been played before.Teachers and recreation leaders who are looking to get away from the "same-old same-old" in their approach to games and sport will find Junkyard Sports a valuable tool. Part of that value comes from the more than 75 sport-specific demonstration games that Junkyard Sports provides. A demonstration game is a starting point for teachers and students--it provides not only a complete game description but also ideas for spawning new games from the original. These demonstration games pave the way for an exciting, nontraditional approach to a sport, and they also engender creativity, ingenuity, community, leadership skills, and other social skills as teachers and students consider further innovations to the sports.The beauty of junkyard sports is that they work in any environment, with any group. They are fresh because they are ever-changing as their rules, equipment, and environments are adapted. They are also budget-friendly because they call for found or nontraditional equipment--brooms, rolled-up socks, beach balls, whatever is around and not nailed down. They are also easy to implement--a brand new activity can be under way in five minutes or less.Part I introduces junkyard sports, defining the concept and exploring some of the purposes and potential benefits that led to its development. It includes sections on playing with groups of various ages and abilities, adapting sports to almost any environment, developing a junk (equipment) collection, and making flexible rules. It also explores how to coach a junkyard sport, including the invention and testing of the game, the sharing of equipment, the judging and revising of rules. Finally, it describes how to involve the entire community, giving you a strategy for implementing leadership and for sharing the fun with your peers and students.Part II is the "Junkmasters' Guide"--more than 75 demonstration games for six team sports: soccer, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and volleyball. Use them as starting points on a journey toward creating something that's never been played before!Junkyard Sports is a unique tool for recreation leaders and teachers to use in developing physical, mental, social, and leadership skills with groups of almost any age or ability. At the same time it helps teachers create an environment in which students are engaged, challenged, and enjoying themselves and each other. Winning isn't the point. Playing together is. And playing sports has never been more fun.

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    Boston Red Sox: 2004 World Series Champions is in the tradition of similar instant books celebrating the achievements of championship teams and individuals. Sports Publishing presents the first title to be available on the market to salute the Boston Red Sox, the champions of the 2004 World Series. The book tells the complete story of the team's winning season through articles, columns, and photos that first appeared in the pages of the Boston Herald. The book is available now, order your copy today

    Valuable information for scholars, sword-play enthusiasts, general readers and anyone interested in this age-old form of self-defense.