Waited for a team that could end the longest title drought on any city in America that fields teams in all four major professional sports. Waited for that one magical postseason run that could unleash a quarter-century of pent-up frustration. And then these '08 Phillies hopped on that magic carpet and made it happen. Unlike so many Phillies teams that were haunted by the past, this team was inspired by it, by the chance to place its own inimitable stamp on the franchise. And as the 2 million people who attended their championship parade can attest, it was Worth the Wait.

    Diamond is engaged to Gee, the man of her dreams. The only problem is he is in love with another woman. To make matters worse, Diamond has managed to fall in love. Her only problem is winning his heart. How will she do it? Red is starting to see that she jumped head first into this situation and moved way too fast. She insists that she doesn’t have feelings for Yazz and is only concerned with her money, but why does an extended visit from Yazz’s girlfriend, Frizzy, make her so angry? It’s only business, or at least that’s what she tried to tell herself.

    This book revisits the main performers of this illustrious team and weaves their stories into a cohesive narrative that captures all the drama and color of Detroit's 1968 season.

    And with the great support of family, those dreams are possible to achieve. Quincy had always dreamt about playing in the NBA, but growing up in the ‘hood, dreams seemed far away. With hard work, and a good support system, he was able beat the odds and make it out. Just graduating from Georgetown, he was now entered into the draft.Being a star basketball player in college had its perks, but it also caused drama with his girlfriend Sydnee. Her drama causes him to second guess their relationship, when he sees his sister's best friend, Kayla. He had always had a crush on her but she had a man. She was actually engaged to get married, but he caught her looking at him a time or two. One gaze too many makes him believe that he has a chance with her.Now with his eyes on Kayla, he is determined to make her his. But her love for her fiancé` is making that a hard thing to accomplish. Quincy is aware of the challenge ahead of him, and he is willing to take his time. Will he be able to convince her to leave her fiancé` to be with him, or will she lead him on? How long is he really willing to wait on her? Will her indecisiveness cause him to lose interest, and push him into the arms of another women? The answers to those questions and more will be revealed in this series.

    Like Mantle, he came up to the majors as a shortstop, but was later converted to a centerfielder. And like Mantle, his first at-bat in Yankee Stadium was at the tender age of 19.Bobby wasn't the Mick, but he became one of the most beloved Yankees of all time.Yankee for Life is the story of Murcer's stellar career as both a player and as an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster. With self-effacing humor and down-home charm, he shares fascinating, illuminating, and never-before-told anecdotes about former teammates and bosses, including Mantle, Phil Rizzuto, Lou Piniella—and George Steinbrenner.But no relationship was more significant and poignant than his friendship with Yankees captain Thurman Munson, who died in a plane crash in 1979. On the morning of Munson's funeral, Murcer delivered the eulogy for his friend in Ohio; he ended the day by driving in all five runs in an extra-inning 5-4 victory at Yankee Stadium to honor his captain's memory.Following his career, Murcer became a revered figure in the Yankees broadcast booth. From the best seat in the House That Ruth Built, he has watched the latest generation of Yankee superstars—Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Mariano Rivera—grow up.No one is more qualified—or brave enough—to choose his own personal Pinstripe All-Star Team of the last 40 years.Murcer is no stranger to courage. On Christmas Eve 2006, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Five days later, after surgery to remove it, he learned that the cancer was terminal. In an uplifting, honest, and even humorous exploration of his battle with illness, Murcer explains how the love of his wife and his family, a deep religious faith, and the passionate support of fans have seen him through his ordeal.Bobby Murcer may not have become the next Mickey Mantle, but he became someone he always wanted to be—a Yankee for life.

    . .Turns out he's a starter and a closer."—Tim Kurkjian, ESPNAs a major and not-so-major league pitcher, Dirk Hayhurst has learned to master more than striking out batters. While waiting for his name to be called in the bullpen, he honed his gifts as a storyteller, one the New York Times calls the "best writer in a baseball uniform." In this often hilarious collection of adventures on and off the diamond, Dirk details the intricacies of pulling off an epic team prank, even if it's at his own expense; the art of creating the perfect professional baseball nickname; his comically ineffective attempts at writing romance novels; and the bizarre tale in which a bear gets punched in the face (yes, really). No matter how wild his story, Dirk proves once again he knows that it's all in the delivery."I find his writing both entertaining and thought provoking. . .unlike his fastball."—Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays All-Star "Dirk Hayhurst writes about baseball in a unique way. Observant, insightful, human, and hilarious." —Bob Costas"Hayhurst delivers an entertaining story for more than just sports fans."—Jordan Bastian, MLB.com"Hayhurst explains life in the minors and the major leagues like you've never read it before."—J. J. Cooper, Baseball America"Insight and humor from the pitcher's mound."—Businessweek51,300 Words.

    Teeming with revelations and glorious memories, Birth of a Dynasty celebrates the unforgettable 1996 Yankees season: the season that began one of the most respected team dynasties in sports history. Veteran New York Post columnist Joel Sherman, who has spent more time with the Bronx Bombers in the past 15 years than any other writer, draws on hundreds of interviews and years of on-the-spot reporting to re-create one of the Yankees' greatest years.

    It's a clandestine world where intricate networks of people fight a complex battle to keep the world safe from terrorism.When terrorists funded by the Libyan government strike airports in Rome and Vienna in 1985, the CIA enlists top propaganda expert Mike Garnett to help recruit a high-ranking Libyan official, Foreign Minister Abdallah Mukhtar, to work for the CIA. As violence escalates between the US military and terrorists based in Libya, Garnett utilizes CIA assets in Hollywood to produce a propaganda video designed to convince Mukhtar he was betrayed by his own regime. Garnett's plan works—but goes sideways when it motivates the Libyan official to do something Garnett didn’t even consider.Sharp and insightful, Secret Wars: An Espionage Story is a thrilling tale of deception, betrayal, and patriotism—and Garnett soon learns they’re not as black and white as they seem when he’s forced to reevaluate the true nature of the business of deception.For fans of Tom Clancy, David Ignatius, and Frederick Forsyth, Secret Wars is a fictional thriller set against the backdrop of historical events. Meticulously researched, it pulls from the author's personal experiences as a member of the CIA.

    In its place, he could add paid, successful, well-dressed…maybe even a good man, but definitely nothing that would accentuate his good looks. That was the one thing he just didn’t have. Well, not personally anyway. Thanks to his thriving career as a fitness trainer, he’s surrounded by women every day. They just don’t belong to him, and honestly, he’s okay with that. After continuously being turned down, looked over, and frowned upon, Killian has chosen to block off the avenue to his heart until the right woman can find him. He is done looking for love, so if a female wants to pursue anything serious, they would have to approach him first. Had he known the beautiful young, vibrant, East, would be that person, he would have run for the hills. Just as crazy, just as mean, and just as guarded as Killian, East quickly becomes the challenge he’s been avoiding. However, unlike Killian, East is ready for love. One bad relationship after the next, her heart should be too damaged to mend, but not for Killian. A self-made broken-hearted guru, Killian is the man for the job. A small skill he’s acquired after stitching the pieces of his own heart back together too many times before. Though East is ready for happiness and open to loving Killian, she’s no easy target. With a horrible attitude and a terribly rude mouth, Killian isn’t the easiest person to get along with, unless you’re a self-assured spitfire named East. Take a chance and fall in love with another one of A’zayler’s page turning romances. Killian and East are a love story for the ages.

    Millions of fans have enjoyed Bremer’s observations, insight, and magical storytelling on television broadcasts. Now, in this striking memoir, the Minnesota native and lifelong Twins fan takes fans behind the mic, into the clubhouse, and beyond as only he can. Told through 108 unique anecdotes–one for each stitch in a baseball–Bremer weaves the tale of a lifetime, from childhood memories of the ballfield in remote Dumont, Minnesota, to his early radio days as the “Duke in the Dark,” to champagne soaked clubhouses in 1987 and 1991, and his encounters with Twins legends ranging from Calvin Griffith and Harmon Killebrew, to Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek, to Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Game Used gives fans a rare seat alongside Bremer and his broadcast partners, including Killebrew, Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris, Jim Kaat, Tom Kelly, and other Twins legends.

    Yet here he is in SoCal, launching a private investigations firm with two ex-SEAL buddies, settling into a long-term relationship with L.A. county’s hottest assistant district attorney, Avalon Rossi. Figures he’d be the one to flush ZSI’s make-or-break job down the toilet. Now his rich, powerful client’s allegedly unfaithful wife is dead. And the evidence isn’t the only thing with gaping holes in it. Avalon has never seen Zach blow his cool, until the lid blows off this latest can of worms. Her gift for thinking on her feet keeps him out of trouble—for now—though lately she’s wondering if his knee-melting kisses haven’t melted all her good sense. When it turns out one of ZSI’s own is a suspect, it’ll take more than fast talking to keep him from taking the fall. And another victim from landing in the morgue.

    It's all here--the lawsuits, the crazy confluence of sports and ego and civic destiny, and of course, superstars Ichiro, A-Rod, Randy Johnson, and Ken Griffey. Seattle sportswriter Art Thiel recounts the painful birth, awkward adolescence, and hard-won maturity of one of the most beloved teams in sports history.

    James' latest advancement in the world of statistical analysis is the next big stepping-stone in the "greatest players of all-time" debate. For as long as baseball has been played, fans have struggled to compare the legends of the game with today's stars. Win Shares by Decade is just one of the many sections you'll find inside to help you judge who ranks where among the pantheon of baseball greats.

    Hernandez provides commentary on two ball games in the 1993 season : a Philles-Braves match-up and an extra innings battle between the Tigers and the Yankees. [He] examines the overall strategies of the game and offers good analyses of fielding techniques, base stealing, lineups, umpiring etiquette, double-steal rundowns, hit-and-runs, signals, infield shifts and more. His most intense and incisive analysis, however, is saved for the psychology of the pitcher-hitter duels. No matter where you are watching, you will never again see the game in the same way."-- Playboy"Keith Hernandez, it turns out, is even smarter than we thought he was in the Mets' glory years. All the subtleties of baseball are revealed as the two games unfold. Mr. Hernandez's opinions and pet-peeves--intentional walks, early-inning sacrifices, throwing fastballs to prevent stolen bases, large gaps in the outfield, pitchers who 'nibble. nibble, nibble,"--are well thought out and clearly articulated. [He] is particularly strong in analyzing the cat-and-mouse game played between pitchers and hitters as the count shifts the odds back and forth."-- New York Times Book Review "An MVP of a guide to the national pastime from savvy 17-year veteran of the major leagues who remains an ardent fan in retirement. Hernandez came up with an angle that works to near perfection: tellingly detailed start-to-finish accounts of two games played midway through the 1993 baseball season."-- Kirkus Reviews(starred)

    Still, though I followed their season closely, I never fully understood their impact."—Allen Barra, The New York SunIn 1947, major league baseball experienced its first measure of integration when the Brooklyn Dodgers brought Jackie Robinson to the National League. While Robinson's breakthrough opened the gates of opportunity for African Americans and other minority players, the process of integration proved slow and uneven. It was not until the 1960s that a handful of major league teams began to boast more than a few Black and Latino players. But the 1971 World Championship team enjoyed a full and complete level of integration, with half of its twenty-five-man roster comprised of players of African American and Latino descent. That team was the Pittsburgh Pirates, managed by an old-time Irishman.In The Team That Changed Baseball: Roberto Clemente and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates, veteran baseball writer Bruce Markusen tells the story of one of the most likable and significant teams in the history of professional sports. In addition to the fact that they fielded the first all-minority lineup in major league history, the 1971 Pirates are noteworthy for the team's inspiring individual performances, including those of future Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Bill Mazeroski, and their remarkable World Series victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles. But perhaps their greatest legacy is the team's influence on the future of baseball, inspiring later championship teams such as the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics to open their doors fully to all talented players, regardless of race, particularly in the new era of free agency.