It is my honor to invite you to enter into his world."--John Thorn, Official Historian, Major League BaseballThe fascinating, true, origin story of baseball -- how America's first great sport developed and how it conquered a nation. Baseball's true founders don't have plaques in Cooperstown. The founders were the hundreds of uncredited amateurs -- ordinary people -- who played without gloves, facemasks or performance incentives in the middle decades of the 19th century. Unlike today's pro athletes, they lived full lives outside of sports. They worked, built businesses and fought in the Civil War.The wrongness of baseball history can be staggering. You may have heard that Abner Doubleday or Alexander Cartwright invented baseball. Neither did. You may have been told that a club called the Knickerbockers played the first baseball game in 1846. They didn't. You have read that baseball's color line was uncrossed and unchallenged until Jackie Robinson in 1947. Nope. You have been told that the clean, corporate 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings were baseball's first professional club. Not true. They weren't the first professionals; they weren't all that clean, either. You may have heard Cooperstown, Hoboken, or New York City called the birthplace of baseball, but not Brooklyn. Yet Brooklyn was the home of baseball's first fans, the first ballpark, the first statistics--and modern pitching. Baseball was originally supposed to be played, not watched. This changed when crowds began to show up at games in Brooklyn in the late 1850s. We fans weren't invited to the party; we crashed it. Professionalism wasn't part of the plan either, but when an 1858 Brooklyn versus New York City series accidentally proved that people would pay to see a game, the writing was on the outfield wall. When the first professional league was formed in 1871, baseball was already a fully formed modern sport with championships, media coverage, and famous stars. Professional baseball invented an organization, but not the sport itself. Baseball's amazing amateurs had already done that.Thomas W. Gilbert's history is for baseball fans and anyone fascinating by origin stories and American culture.

    

    Under its guidance we have spread amongst the stars and experienced an unprecedented age of peace, prosperity, and technological advancement. All of that is about the change.While on a covert mission to spy on the Krixis, a telepathic alien race, Empathic Services agent Eyana Ora uncovers a plot to destroy all mankind. She launches a desperate bid to stop a group of insurgents from obtaining a secret super-weapon stored within an Ancient outpost on world sacred to the Krixis.Gav Gendin is an archaeologist obsessed with the Ancients, an extinct race of highly advanced aliens. After years of searching, he locates one of their temples on an abandoned Krixis world. But when it turns out the system is guarded, his research expedition becomes a gamble that could cost him his life.Neither one of them has a hope of accomplishing their missions without Silky, a snarky neural-interfacing AI companion. It's his job to piece together the secrets they each unearth, secrets that will shape humanity's future.

    There were no witnesses, very few leads and no solid suspects. As days turned into weeks and the crime remained unsolved, the small-town neighborhood was filled with sadness, questions, and a growing sense of fear. One month after the murders, Tim Kreider's son Alec was committed to a mental health hospital. One of Alec's best friends had been one of the murder victims, and Tim feared that the loss had pushed his long-troubled son over the edge. Tim didn't realize that his world was about to come crashing down around him. Refuse to Drown is the true story of a father's despair and the type of perseverance that can lead to hope and healing.

    Stick around. Maybe you’ll see how great later!” “Promises, Promises.” Amelia is desperate for normalcy. Plagued by a monster in her closet, she has never really experienced a normal life. After graduation, Amelia is finally leaving town. College is supposed to be her new start. She is supposed to finally enjoy her life. She is supposed to finally have friends without being called a weirdo. Most importantly, the monster in her closet isn’t supposed to come back and haunt her. As she struggles to start anew, her tall, playful, and exceedingly irresistible landlord, Brady, catapults into her life. She is instantly entranced by the undeniable passion that blazes between them. But romance will have to wait because her hopes for a new life ebbs for her monster is back and it no longer hides in the dark. The monster has taken a new form and it follows Amelia wherever she goes, day and night. It watches her every move and its desire for her becomes a craving she knows she can never satisfy and she will have to fight for as hard as she can. Brady knows about Amelia more than he lets on. He knows about her monster and he knows about the risk yet he is more than willing to take it. Brimming with his hot charms and seductive words, Brady is prepared to do everything to win Amelia’s heart. He wants her—always has. But when a string of secrets slowly come to light, and Amelia soon uncovers the kind of man he truly is, all bets are off. No man is worth life in hell. Tempered by unexpected turns and heart-pounding revelations, Wendy Cole delivers the kind of narrative that scares you and makes you fall in love at the same time. Be captivated by the frightening yet beautiful monsters in Amelia’s world.

    Because if joy is a matter of gratitude, and gratitude is a matter of perspective, then giving thanks changes not only your perspective, but also changes your life. Open these lyrical pages and slow down to discover the joy you've always been looking for. Come find God in the moments

    If you've never been around Pit Bulls, you may think they are bloodthirsty man-eaters on the prowl for their next meal. If you've lived with one you know they are, indeed, on the prowl for their next meal - but they plan to get it by conning you out of your meal by doing something irresistibly cute! A breed of satin and steel, Pit Bulls are a mixture of softness and strength, an uncanny canine combination of fun, foolishness, and serious business. If you think Pit Bulls should be purged from the face of the earth, Pit Bulls For Dummies will enlighten you. Perhaps you're curious about this breed and want to know what Pit Bulls are really like; if so, this book is for you. Who else needs this handy reference?Smart people who realize that all breeds have good and bad points New (and not so new) owners who need help with training Owners looking for just the right veterinarian Potential owners looking to adopt from a breed-rescue group Pit Bull owners who need help identifying Pit Bull health problems Too many dog care books are filled with unrealistic scare tactics that would cause anyone to just give up, while others are filled with hand-me-down dog lore that has no basis in reality. You won't find any of that in Pit Bulls For Dummies. Here's a sampling of the handy information you'll find in this essential guide:Understanding the Pit Bull's origins and characteristics Caring for a puppy or older Pit Bull Keeping your dog healthy with diet and exercise Dealing with bad behavior: Biting, barking, jumping, and more Training your Pit Bull in the basics such as sit, stay, heel, and come Understanding Pit Bull body language Helping your dog become a social animal Owning a Pit Bull isn't easy, but that's not because of the dogs. A special commitment to the breed and a special dog owner are needed. Pit Bulls are pretty special dogs, and they have to prove it every day.

    But the impending civil war and the dangers of international poachers force Sable to seek the aid of Kash Hallett -- an adventurer she'd determined to forget, and who now seems bent on destroying her boyfriend's reputation. In a beautiful and terrifying land, Sable faces terrible odds as she struggles to bring faith and hope to a beleaguered land.

    

    It is the thing that snarls at us when we think about making a change in our lives and stops us developing and achieving our potential. In Taming Tigers Jim Lawless shares his proven and inspirational training programme to help you achieve your dreams by taming the Tigers in your life.Now for the first time, you can learn how to use these highly practical rules to overcome your fears and do things you never thought you could - in both your professional and private life.1.Act boldly today - time is limited2.Re-write your rulebook - challenge it hourly3.Head in the direction of where you want to arrive, every day4.It's all in the mind5.The tools for Taming Tigers are all around you6.There is no safety in numbers7.Do something scary everyday8.Understand and control your time to create change9.Create disciplines - do the basics brilliantly10.Never, never give up!Read case studies from people who have changed their lives by following the rules, and hear about Jim's experience of grabbing his own Tiger by the tail, as he went from a thirty-six-year-old overweight non-riding consultant, to a fully-fledged jockey and UK freediving record holder in 12 months - proof that Taming Tigers works!

    The author of Big Deal takes his game on the worldwide tournament circuit once more to see if his famed card skills can hold up against the vastly changed world of poker in the 21st century.

    It's an unforgiving background to the violence in Cissy Funk's life. She's alone on a scrap of a farm with her mother and brother, and her mother hasn't recovered from the death of Cissy's baby sister. She's turned cold, and mean, and she's turned against Cissy, singling her out, leaving bruises and a breaking heart. When Cissy's Aunt Vera turns up, with her warm hugs and pretty clothes, it looks like there just might be hope on the horizon after all. Vera is determined to make sure Cissy is safe and loved, despite her sister in law, despite the hard times, despite her own fears. But these hard times are more than failed crops and no work. There's a trouble in Cissy's family that no one is willing to tell her about, and it's threatening to bring her fragile happiness crashing down. When there's nothing but dirt, dust, and the faintest glimpse of delight, Cissy has to find the strength to grab onto what she can. Her family might not be what she thought it was, but maybe it can be exactly what she needs.

    Leaving Texas with a Bible, a suitcase (and a surfboard), he took the gospel into cannibalistic areas to people who had never heard the name of Jesus. For thirty-four years God has used him to help train missionaries, spread the gospel and establish dozens of churches in remote regions. Through this book, experience the amazing things God did as David recklessly abandoned his will to the will of God.

    She came from what is perhaps the world's most mysterious and imaginatively-crafted chess set -- 73 carved pieces probably dating to the 1200's. The famous Chess men (and women) comprise the world's oldest complete chess set (or parts of several sets). The treasure trove was discovered 15 feet deep in the sand in Lewis in Scotland's northern Outer Hebrides in the late 19th century. Scandinavian outposts were known to be there as early as the 1200's when the pieces were probably crafted. That chess was played in the Middle Ages with such extraordinary works of art tantalizes the imagination. Who were these people whose likenesses have been so whimsically and realistically depicted that they come alive for us today? Who played the game? These kings and queens, bishops with miters on their heads, knights mounted on rather small horses and holding spears and shields, rooks with shields and a wild expression, and pawns in the shape of obelisks -- all so very human. Some of the pieces contain red stains, suggesting perhaps that the sets had some colorings unlike modern black and white pieces. "This is the first forensic account of modern research into the Chessmen," according to Ancientchess.com. The "unmasked" in the book's title refers to new controversies about their origin and about who might have owned - and lost - them - and about the trade and state of society where they were crafted.

    Radleigh discusses the components of a magical life and offers practical advice and exercises to support you in several areas: Getting in touch with your “inner genie” to make your wishes come true Signs from the universe: how to read the messages you’re receiving every day Daily, weekly, and monthly strategies for making your life more magical How to speak to the angels and why these angelic messengers want to help you Discovering your identity: examining your beliefs to choose only those that truly serve you Manifesting what you really want and how to turn an adversity into a blessing Finding love and managing the relationships in your life The importance of choosing joy and living a life of gratitude Join Radleigh on a magical journey to discover and claim the magical life you were born to live!