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Fire in My Eyes: An American Warrior's Journey from Being Blinded on the Battlefield to Gold Medal Victory
by Brad Snyder Tom Sileo"I am not going to let my blindness build a brick wall around me. I'd give my eyes one hundred times again to have the chance to do what I have done, and what I can still do."-Brad Snyder speaking with First Lady Michelle ObamaOn the night Osama bin Laden was killed, US Navy Lieutenant Brad Snyder was serving in Afghanistan as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer with SEAL Team Ten. When he learned of SEAL Team Six's heroics across the Pakistani border, Brad was thankful. Still, he knew that his dangerous combat deployment would continue.Less than five months later, Brad was engulfed by darkness after a massive blast caused by an enemy improvised explosive device. Suddenly Brad was blind, with vivid dreams serving as painful nightly reminders of his sacrifice.Exactly one year after losing his sight, Brad heard thousands cheer as he stood on a podium in London. Incredibly, Brad had just won a gold medal in swimming at the 2012 Paralympic Games.Fire in My Eyes is the astonishing true story of a wounded veteran who refused to give up. Lieutenant Brad Snyder did not let blindness build a wall around him-through tenacity and courage, he tore it down.
Game Face: A Lifetime of Hard-Earned Lessons On and Off the Basketball Court
by Bernard KingA memoir by the NBA Hall of Fame player, active from 1977-1993 and widely regarded as one of the all-time great New York Knicks. NBA Hall of Famer Bernard King is one of the most dynamic scorers in basketball history. King was notoriously private as a player, and rarely spoke to the press-not about his career and never about his personal life. And even beyond his prolific scoring, King will forever be remembered for the gruesome knee injury he suffered in 1985. Doctors who told him he'd never play again were shocked when he not only became the first player to return to the NBA from a torn ACL, but returned at an All Star level. In Game Face, King finally opens up about his life on and off the court. In his book, King's basketball I.Q. is on full display as he breaks down defenses using his own unique system for taking shots from predetermined spots on the floor. King talks about matching up against some of the all-time NBA greats, from Michael Jordan, Julius Erving and Charles Barkley to Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing and many others. He also tackles issues of race and family off the court, as well as breaking a personal cycle of negativity and self-destructiveness with the help of his family. Engaging, shocking, revelatory, yet always positive and upbeat, Bernard King's memoir appeals to multiple generations of basketball fans.
Survival of the Fastest: Weed, Speed, and the 1980s Drug Scandal that Shocked the Sports World
by Randy Lanier**Winner of the Best Book Award by the Motor Press Guild**The high-octane, Seabiscuit-meets-Scarface story of how Randy Lanier became a 1980s international sports star, soaring through the ranks of car racing while holding a dark secret: he was also one of the biggest pot smugglers in American history As a kid, Randy Lanier dreamed of achieving four-wheel glory at the Indianapolis 500, but knew he&’d never be able to afford the most expensive sport on earth. That all changed when he bought a speedboat and began smuggling pot from the Bahamas. Fueled by what would become a historically massive smuggling operation, he started racing cars and became an overnight sensation. For Randy and his teammates, money was no object, and bigger hauls meant faster cars. At every event they attended, they were behind the wheel of the best machinery, flaunting their secret in front of huge crowds and live television cameras. But no matter how fast they drove, they couldn&’t outrun the law. As Randy came ever closer to reaching his dream of high-speed glory, one of the biggest drug scandals ever to hit the professional sports world was about to unfold. Set in the 1980s Florida of Miami Vice, this is the unbelievable, unforgettable, unparalleled story of an ordinary guy whose attempts to become famous doing the thing he wanted most—become a world class race car driver—devolved into a you-can&’t-make-this-up tale of one of the biggest crime rings and drug scandals of the 1980s. Now, with the help of New York Times bestselling author A.J. Baime, Randy tells the whole truth for the first time ever, a gripping narrative unlike any other, a sports story for the ages, and shocking a true crime epic.
Warrior: My Path to Being Brave
by Lisa GuerreroLisa Guerrero chronicles her iconic career—from dealing with harassment as a sports broadcaster to chasing &“bad guys&” for Inside Edition—and proves that through small, daily acts, bravery is a muscle we can strengthen over time.I&’ve been a cheerleader. A corporate executive. A Barbie Doll. A sportscaster. A soap opera vixen. A sideline reporter. A Playboy cover model. A Diamond Diva. A red-carpet correspondent. An investigative journalist. A disrupter. I made Dennis Rodman cry. I&’ve interviewed three presidents and hundreds of athletes. I costarred in a viral video that has one billion views. I sued the New England Patriots--and won. I tracked down a murderer. I was hit by a car. I butted heads with Barbara Walters. I even played myself in a movie starring Brad Pitt. During her career in sports broadcasting, Guerrero covered Super Bowls, Worlds Series, NBA Finals, and interviewed sports superstars. From the outside it seemed glamourous, but often she was miserable, told to smile more, argue less, and show a lot of leg and cleavage. Colleagues would joke—sometimes on national TV—that she clinched big interviews because of sexual acts rather than talent. She made a mistake on air during the opening game on Monday Night Football that cost her her sportscasting career... and almost her life. Fast forward a few years, and Guerrero has achieved phenomenal success as Inside Edition's Chief Investigative Correspondent. Her stories have led to arrests, changed federal legislation and policies at Fortune 500 companies, and helped shine a light on crime, scams, child abuse, and even cold case murders. And in the last decade alone, she has won over thirty-five national journalism honors and awards. Today, Guerrero is bombarded with emails and direct messages from people of every generation who all want to know the same thing: &“How are you so brave? How can I be brave too?&” Women dealing with husbands, friends, in-laws, co-workers, and bosses ask for the courage to request raises, be taken seriously at meetings, and stand up to abusive spouses. Teens and pre-teens ask for advice on dealing with bullies, teachers, and parents. Warrior—filled with the incisive stories of failure, struggles, challenges, perseverance, and finally, success—is her answer.
Feherty: The Remarkably Funny and Tragic Journey of Golf's David Feherty
by John FeinsteinThe definitive biography of enigmatic golfer, commentator, and performer David Feherty—one of the most universally beloved figures in the game. John Feinstein, who has spent four decades finding intriguing sports characters and narratives and turning them into classic books, chronicles the life and career of David Feherty. The two have known each other for years, beginning with Feinstein&’s work on A Good Walk Spoiled, researched and written at a time when Feherty was an excellent player, who won five times in Europe and was on the '91 Ryder Cup team, but also a functioning alcoholic. In retirement from the game, Feherty has sobered up, while his golf world persona has only grown in stature. Feherty is now a grand ambassador for golf, a man who is feted by US Presidents and respected by every big name in the game. Feinstein tells hilarious true tales about Feherty&’s time in the limelight and interactions with stars such as Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Payne Stewart, and Seve Ballesteros. He also details Feherty&’s struggles with alcoholism, the death of his son who was lost to addiction, and the highs and lows of Feherty&’s marriages. Feinstein captures the human being behind the athlete, and his triumphant rebound as a golf commentator after his athletic career fell apart. Feherty is fall-down-funny, self-deprecating, and a lifelong underdog who has thrived as a commentator and television interview host, and most recently as a touring standup comic, using the difficult experiences of his life as a source for humor and understanding, which Feinstein mines with an expert&’s touch.
No Crying in Baseball: The Inside Story of A League of Their Own: Big Stars, Dugout Drama, and a Home Run for Hollywood
by Erin CarlsonNational Bestseller The inside story of how A League of Their Own—one of the most beloved baseball movies of all time—developed from an unheralded piece of American history into a perennial cinematic favorite. Featuring exclusive interviews and behind the scenes memories from the original cast and creators, .No Crying in Baseball is a rollicking, revelatory deep dive into a one‑of‑a‑kind film. Before A League of Their Own, few American girls could imagine themselves playing professional ball (and doing it better than the boys). But Penny Marshall's genre outlier became an instant classic and significant aha moment for countless young women who saw that throwing like a girl was far from an insult. Part fly‑on‑the‑wall narrative, part immersive pop nostalgia, No Crying in Baseball is for readers who love stories about subverting gender roles as well as fans of the film who remain passionate thirty years after its release. With key anecdotes from the cast, crew, and diehard fanatics, Carlson presents the definitive, first‑ever history of the making of the treasured film that inspired generations of Dottie Hinsons to dream bigger and aim for the sky.
The Six Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Wrestlemania
by Brad BalukjianFrom the bestselling author of The Wax Pack, comes another eye‑opening road trip adventure into a pocket of iconic pop culture—professional wrestling—starring the Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan, Tito Santana, and many more larger‑than‑life characters of the WWF in the 1980s. "Perhaps one of the most truthful and enjoyable reads about my profession ever. I absolutely loved this book." —Former WWF Champion Bret "The Hitman" Hart In 2005, Brad Balukjian left his position as a magazine fact-checker to pursue a dream job: partner with his childhood hero, The Iron Sheik (whose real name was Khosrow Vaziri), to write his biography. Things quickly went south, culminating in the Sheik threatening Balukjian&’s life. Now seventeen years later, Balukjian returns to the road in search of not only a reunion with the Sheik, but something much bigger: truth in a world built on illusion. Balukjian seeks out six of the Sheik&’s contemporaries, fellow witnesses to the World Wrestling Federation&’s (WWF) explosion in the mid-&‘80s, to unearth their true identities. As Balukjian drives 12,525 miles around the country, we revisit the heady days when these avatars of strength, villainy, and heroism first found fame and see where their journeys took them. From working out with Tony Atlas (Tony White) to visiting Hulk Hogan&’s (Terry Bollea) karaoke bar, we see where these men are now and how they have navigated the cliffs of fame.The Six Pack combines the spirit of a fan with the rigor of an investigative reporter, tracking down former WWF employees, childhood friends, and mutually curious archivists. Wrestling is perceived as a subculture without a cultural home, somewhere between sport and theater—often dismissed as silly and low‑brow. But what makes this book so compelling is the humanity beneath each wrestler. The Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan, and the rest of the cast were not characters in a comic book movie. They were real people, with families and feelings and bodies that could break. Most of them did, in fact, break; some have been repaired, but none of them will ever be the same.
The Resistance Training Revolution: The No-Cardio Way to Burn Fat and Age-Proof Your Body—in Only 60 Minutes a Week
by Sal Di StefanoBurn fat, build lean, sexy muscles, lose inches, and feel healthier, more energetic, and youthful than you ever have in your life…with a revolutionary new approach to resistance training. Tired of spending hours on the treadmill? Dealing with the joint paint of high impact exercise? And seeing very few results in terms of fat-burning and weight loss? If so, it&’s time to join the revolution. Brought to you by Sal Di Stefano, the founder of the mega popular Mind Pump podcast, The Resistance Training Revolution reveals how resistance training is the best form of exercise to burn fat, boost metabolism, and achieve health benefits you cannot obtain from other forms of exercise.Di Stefano breaks down fitness misconceptions, shares his decades of industry knowledge, and brings you a comprehensive, accessible guidebook that will give you the body you&’ve always wanted—in as little as 60 minutes a week. This book features: Over 60 fat-burning, metabolism-boosting workouts you can do at home to sculpt your body and maximize your health and longevityRaw fitness truths that will show you what works and what doesn&’t. You&’ll be shocked at how easy it is to build lean muscle and lose fat once you understand these truths, and once you train your body the right wayThe newly discovered health benefits of resistance training in terms of heart health, bone strength, joint protection, and especially antiagingThe exact formula for nutrition that makes losing fat, while sculpting your body a breeze and for the long term.Dozens of self-assessments to track your progress, and much moreThe Resistance Training Revolution also reveals how to optimize your workout time following Mind Pump&’s Muscular Adaptation Programming System (MAPS)—a system that ensures that you keep making progress without the frustrating plateaus. Isn&’t it time you joined the revolution?
Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP
by Mirin Fader**Instant New York Times Bestseller, Los Angeles Times Bestseller, Wall Street Journal Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, Publishers Weekly Bestseller**The story of Giannis Antetokounmpo&’s extraordinary rise from poverty in Athens, Greece, to superstardom in America with the Milwaukee Bucks—becoming one of the most transcendent players in history and an NBA Champion—from award-winning basketball reporter and feature writer at The Ringer Mirin Fader. As the face of the NBA&’s new world order, Giannis Antetokounmpo has overcome unfathomable obstacles to become a symbol of hope for people all over the world; the personification of the American Dream. But his backstory remains largely untold. Fader unearths new information about the childhood that shaped &“The Greek Freak&”—from sleeping side by side with his brothers to selling trinkets on the street with his family to the racism he experienced. Antetokounmpo grew up in an era when Golden Dawn, Greece&’s far-right, anti-immigrant party, patrolled his neighborhood, and his status as an illegal immigrant largely prevented him from playing for the country&’s top clubs, making his NBA rise all the more improbable. Fader tells a deeply human story of how an unknown, skinny, Black Greek teen, who played in the country&’s lowest pro division and was seen as a draft gamble, transformed his body and his game into MVP material.Antetokounmpo&’s story has been framed as a feel-good narrative in which everyone has embraced him—watching him grow up, sign a five-year supermax contract extension worth $228 million, and lead the underdog Bucks to the NBA Championship in 2021. Giannis reveals a more nuanced story: how lonely and isolated he felt, adjusting to America and the NBA early in his career; the complexity of grappling with his Black and Greek identities; how he is so hard on himself and his shortcomings—a drive that fuels him every day; and the responsibility he feels to be a nurturing role model for his younger brothers. Fader illustrates a more vulnerable star than most people know, a person who has evolved triumphantly into all of his roles: father, brother, son, teammate, and global icon.
Roll Red Roll: Rape, Power, and Football in the American Heartland
by Nancy Schwartzman**A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice selection** An incisive narrative about a teen rape case that divided a Rust Belt town, exposing the hostile and systemic undercurrents that enable sexual violence, and spotlighting ways to make change. In football-obsessed Steubenville, Ohio, on a summer night in 2012, an incapacitated sixteen-year-old girl was repeatedly assaulted by members of the &“Big Red&” high school football team. They took turns documenting the crime and sharing on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The victim, Jane Doe, learned the details via social media at a time when teens didn&’t yet understand the lasting trail of their digital breadcrumbs. Crime blogger Alexandria Goddard, along with hacker collective Anonymous, exposed the photos, Tweets, and videos, making this the first rape case ever to go viral and catapulting Steubenville onto the national stage. Filmmaker Nancy Schwartzman spent four years embedded in the town, documenting the case and its reverberations. Ten years after the assault, Roll Red Roll is the culmination of that research, weaving in new interviews and personal reflections to take readers beyond Steubenville to examine rape culture in everything from sports to teen dynamics. Roll Red Roll explores the factors that normalize sexual assault in our communities. Through inter-views with sportswriter David Zirin, victim&’s rights attorney Gloria Allred and more, Schwartzman untangles the societal norms in which we too often sacrifice our daughters to protect our sons. With the Steubenville case as a flashpoint that helped spark the #MeToo movement, a decade later, Roll Red Roll focuses on the perpetrators and asks, can our society truly change?
College Athletes for Hire: The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA's Amateur Myth (Non-ser.)
by Allen L. Sack Ellen J. StaurowskyMany books have been written on the evils of commercialism in college sport, and the hypocrisy of payments to athletes from alumni and other sources outside the university. Almost no attention, however, has been given to the way that the National Collegiate Athletic Association has embraced professionalism through its athletic scholarship policy. Because of this gap in the historical record, the NCAA is often cast as an embattled defender of amateurism, rather than as the architect of a nationwide money-laundering scheme.Sack and Staurowsky show that the NCAA formally abandoned amateurism in the 1950s and passed rules in subsequent years that literally transformed scholarship athletes into university employees. In addition, by purposefully fashioning an amateur mythology to mask the reality of this employer-employee relationship, the NCAA has done a disservice to student-athletes and to higher education. A major subtheme is that women, such as those who created the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), opposed this hypocrisy, but lacked the power to sustain an alternative model. After tracing the evolution of college athletes into professional entertainers, and the harmful effects it has caused, the authors propose an alternative approach that places college sport on a firm educational foundation and defend the rights of both male and female college athletes. This is a provocative analysis for anyone interested in college sports in America and its subversion of traditional educational and amateur principles.
Sports for Her: A Reference Guide for Teenage Girls (Non-ser.)
by Penny HastingsToday, one in every three high school girls plays sports, and the number of sports offered to these young women has increased dramatically in the past decade. This unique resource explores these sports from a girl's perspective, while examining sports issues as they pertain to young women. Individual chapters cover the most popular sports offered at the high school level, such as basketball, field hockey, and track, and provides practical advice on training and practicing techniques, trying out for the team, and organizing school teams. Other sports possibly less familiar, such as badminton and crew, are also explored, each in a chapter of its own, as are sports like football and baseball which are typically offered only to boys.Students can find detailed information for each of the eight most popular sports at the high school level: basketball, field hockey, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. This information includes the history of the sport, rules, common injuries to the sport, similar sports to try, and advice from coaches about making the team. Young female students are encouraged to try other sports that may not be offered by their high school and to get high schools to sponsor teams where there are none, as well as to participate on boys' teams if a particular sport is not offered to girls. Advice is also provided on possible sports-related problems for girls, including overtraining, drug use, eating disorders, and abuse from coaches, as well as information about sports-related careers to provide a well-rounded, comprehensive guide for young female athletes.
Muhammad Ali: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)
by Anthony O. EdmondsAt the pinnacle of his boxing career during the 1960s and early 1970s, Muhammad Ali seemed to be a cultural symbol of the times. He has been viewed by some as a hero and by others as a rebel, but either way he is arguably the most famous American in the world. In this volume, Ali's life is described from his birth to the present, with an emphasis on his career through 1975. The work covers such topics as his various boxing matches including The Thrilla in Manilla, his religious conversion to the Nation of Islam, the Vietnam War, and his efforts to promote world peace.
Ringside: A History of Professional Wrestling in America
by Scott BeekmanDespite its status as one of the oldest and most enduringly popular sports in history, wrestling has been pushed to the background of the current American sports scene. Most people today would have a hard time even considering wrestling (with some of its modern theatrics) in the same terms as track and field or boxing. But until the 1920s, wrestling stood as a legitimate professional sport in this country, and a widely practiced amateur one as well. Its past respectability may not have endured, but the advent of cable television in the 1980s offered the sport a renewed opportunity to play a determining role in American popular culture. This opportunity was not wasted, and wrestlers now assume places in politics and film at the highest levels. Ringside, the first work to fully examine the history of professional wrestling in this country, provides an illuminating and colorful account of all of the various athletes, entertainers, businessmen, and national outlooks that have determined wrestling's erratic route through American history.This chronological work begins with a brief account of wrestling's global history, and then proceeds to investigate the sport's growth as a specifically American institution. Wrestling has continued to survive in the face of technological developments, scandals, public ridicule, and a lack of centralized control, and today this supremely adaptable entertainment form represents, in sum, an international industry capable of attracting enormous television and pay-per-view audiences, along with massive amounts of advertising and merchandizing revenue. Ringside focuses on the business of wrestling as well as on the performers and their in-ring antics, and offers readers a fully nuanced examination of the development of professional wrestling in America.
Willie Mays: A Biography (Baseball's All-Time Greatest Hitters)
by Mary LingeWillie Mays' career bridged eras in baseball history, from the Negro Leagues to expansion to free agency. Through it all, his all-around ability and his love of the game set him apart. His career accomplishments include 660 home runs, 2 MVPs, Rookie of the Year, and the first 30-30 season. No other player is cited by so many of his peers as the best they have ever seen.From his childhood growing up in segregated Birmingham, Alabama to becoming the first black team captain in baseball, Mays' life is described in detail. Readers will learn of his early life, his career with the Giants and the Mets, his induction into the Hall of Fame, understanding why he is regarded by many today as baseball's greatest living player.
International Sports Economics Comparisons (Studies in Sports Economics)
by Rodney D. Fort John L. FizelThis book brings together, for the first time under a single cover, international comparisons of the major topics in sports economics. Contributors are all renowned scholars of the international sports scene in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, the Pacific Rim, North America, and Europe. The reader will find an overview of sports in particular countries and regions along with comparisons along the major topics of economic importance. In particular, the contributions compare and contrast revenues and costs, labor markets (restrictions and discrimination), market structures (league and association organizations) and outcomes (team profitability and competitive balance), and policy issues (especially competition policy). Aimed primarily at sports scholars, practicing sports professionals, and policymakers, the volume is also well suited for undergraduate sports economics, sports management, and sports law courses.
Economics of College Sports (Studies in Sports Economics)
by John L. FizelOperating behind a veil of amateurism, the NCAA and collegiate athletic departments oversee big business sports programs. These entities generate revenues comparable to professional sports, practice and play in facilities that rival those found in professional sports, and pay their top coaches salaries comparable to the salaries paid to coaches of professional sports teams. Athletes are courted with lavish stadiums, training facilities, and locker rooms. Customers are wooed with branded apparel, videos, logos, and advertisements. Business interests are captured with stadium billboards, electronic ads on scoreboards, sponsorship of bowl games, logos on uniforms, and exclusive apparel and equipment contracts. Where do, or should, these lucrative athletic ventures fit in the mission of higher education? To what extent is the central mission of creating an environment for learning and extending the frontiers of knowledge enhanced or limited by college sports? Are declarations by the NCAA to promote amateurism and competitive balance supportive of the university mission? Does the NCAA even follow its purported objectives?The Economics of College Sports contains both empirical and theoretical research to address these and related issues. Perhaps the most unique contributions focus on the interactions between legal and institutional aspects of the NCAA and their impact on the objectives and goals of university education; all of the contributions provide insights that will generate significant discussion about the policies necessary to sustain the vitality and integrity of the university education-sports coalition.
Encyclopedia of Title IX and Sports
by Nicole MitchellFierce debate has long loomed over Title IX, the landmark legislation prohibiting sex discrimination in schools, whether in academics or athletics. Since its inception, Title IX has inspired both backlash and backlash-against-backlash commentary. Supporters contend that the legislation is a long overdue measure in securing equal opportunities for girls and women in America's school and university athletics. Opponents argue that Title IX is nothing more than a government-enforced quota system that is damaging men's sports programs. Caught in the middle are the schools that struggle to develop equitable sports programs for male and female athletes. From the hard fought passing of Title IX in 1972 to the most recent debates surrounding compliance, this encyclopedia explores the significant individuals, events, key concepts, controversies, and legal cases revolving around Title IX and its application in collegiate athletics.This encyclopedia, the first of its kind, offers a comprehensive guide to various aspects and wide ranging issues associated with Title IX and sports. With more than 150 in-depth entries, this inclusive and authoritative reference will appeal to students, scholars, and general readers interested in both the historic framework and contemporary implications of Title IX and academic athletics. Sample entries include: A League of Their Own Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women v. NCAA (1984) Bonnie Blair Molly Machine Gun Bolin California NOW v. Board of Trustees of California State Universities (1993) Commission on Equal Opportunity in Athletics Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act Patsy Mink Ms. Foundation National Women's Football League National Wrestling Coaches Assocation Pederson v. Louisiana State University (2000) Three Part Test
Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary (Non-ser.)
by David L. PorterFrom its beginnings at the turn of the 20th century to its pervasive presence in 21st-century America, basketball has grown into an undeniably important sport. The 575 entries in this biographical dictionary present concise narratives on the lives and careers on the most important names in basketball history. Entries include both classic players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob Cousy as well as more recently established and up-and-coming stars such as Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James. Entries for coaches such as the Boston Celtics' Red Auerbach and Mike Krzyzewski from Duke University present the figures who have shaped the game from courtside, while the inclusion of female players and coaches such as Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, and Pat Summitt show that basketball is not just a sport for men.From its beginnings at the turn of the 20th century to its pervasive presence in 21st-century America, basketball has grown into an undeniably important sport. The 575 entries in this biographical dictionary present concise narratives on the lives and careers on the most important names in basketball history. Entries include both classic players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob Cousy as well as more recently established and up-and-coming stars such as Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James. Entries for coaches such as the Boston Celtics' Red Auerbach and Mike Krzyzewski from Duke University present the figures who have shaped the game from courtside, while the inclusion of female players and coaches such as Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, and Pat Summitt show that basketball is not just a sport for men. This volume is an ideal reference for students seeking easily accessed information on the greats of the game.
Rogers Hornsby: A Biography (Baseball's All-Time Greatest Hitters)
by Jonathan D'AmoreRogers Hornsby has the highest career batting average of any right-handed hitter and the second highest career mark overall. The Rajah won seven batting titles and hit over .400 three times. He was also one of baseball's most successful player-managers, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a historic World Series triumph over the Yankees in 1926. Hornsby had an unrivaled passion for baseball; as a young player, he once even donned a disguise to play in a women's league. But his unyielding drive to succeed often alienated him from lesser players, and his penchant for the racetrack made him powerful enemies in baseball's higher ranks. Jonathan D'Amore presents a fascinating look at this outstanding hitter and complicated man.It has been said that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing in professional sports. Baseball's All-Time Greatest Hitters presents biographies on Greenwood's selection for the 12 best hitters in Major League history, written by some of today's best baseball authors. These books present straightforward stories in accessible language for the high school researcher and the general reader alike. Each volume includes a timeline, bibliography, and index. In addition, each volume includes a Making of a Legend chapter that analyses the evolution of the player's fame and (in some cases) infamy.
Ted Williams: A Biography (Baseball's All-Time Greatest Hitters)
by Bruce MarkusenThe last player to hit .400 in the Major Leagues, Ted Williams approached hitting as both an art and a science. Through his discipline, drive, and extraordinarily keen eyesight, "The Splendid Splinter" became the best hitter in baseball. From his early days as a cocksure rookie for the Boston Red Sox, through his two Triple Crown seasons, six batting titles, his service in two wars, and his tenure as a Major League manager, Ted Williams forged an indelible image in the minds of baseball fans. Yet Williams's public resentment toward fans and, especially, the media, made him few friends. Bruce Markusen presents the brilliant and often embittered career of the man whose mission was to become the greatest hitter of all time. A timeline, bibliography, and narrative chapter on the making of Williams' legend enhance this biography.It has been said that hitting is the hardest thing to do in professional sports. Baseball's All-Time Greatest Hitters series presents biographies on Greenwood's selection for the twelve best hitters in Major League history, written by some of today's best baseball authors. These books present straight forward stories in accessible language for the high school researcher and the general reader alike.
Ethnicity and Sport in North American History and Culture (Contributions to the Study of Popular Culture)
by George Eisen David K. WigginsThe editors use the unique lens of the history of sports to examine ethnic experiences in North America since 1840. Comprised of 12 original essays and an Introduction, it chronicles sport as a social institution through which various ethnic and racial groups attempted to find the way to social and psychological acceptance and cultural integration. Included are chapters on Native Americans, Irish-Americans, German-Americans, Canadians, African-Americans, Italian-Americans, Hispanics, and several more, showing how their sports participation also provided these communities with some measure of social mobility, self-esteem, and a shared pride.
Michael Jordan: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)
by David L. PorterWith the possible exceptions of boxer Muhammad Ali and baseball player Babe Ruth, no athlete has made a greater impact on American society-or in the world-than Michael Jordan. Follow the life of one of the most recognizable athletes and living brands inside this engaging and balanced biography.He is among the best-known and wealthiest athletes in the history of organized sports. With the possible exceptions of boxer Muhammad Ali and baseball player Babe Ruth, no athlete has made a greater impact on American society-or in the world-than Michael Jordan. Follow the life of one of the most recognizable athletes and living brands inside this engaging and balanced biography.When basketball stars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson retired in the early 1990s, Michael almost single-handedly propelled the NBA to stratospheric levels of success and international visibility. As a player for the Chicago Bulls, he generated instant crowd thrills with his record-setting drives and dunks, selling countless books, newspapers, videotapes, NBA game tickets, and hours of television time. The NBA promoted Michael, basing its popularity on his image as the greatest showman in sports history. Yet his sports hero status extends beyond NBA records. Michael changed the game by becoming the most effectively marketed athlete of his generation. Nike and many other companies rode-and continue to ride-on the coattails of Air Jordan's legend. Author David Porter highlights Jordan's on and off the court accomplishments and examines his relationship with Chicago Bulls' coaches, his commercial endorsements, and his current role as part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. A chronology, photos, career stats, and a bibliography of print and electronic resources round out this biography of one of the most influential athletes of the twentieth century.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)
by Louise Krasniewicz Michael BlitzFrom his role in The Terminator to his more recent work as Governator of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has played a major role in American popular culture. This accessible and entertaining biography traces the trajectory of Arnold's career-sports figure turned movie star turned entrepreneur turned politician. Elected as governor of California in 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger now dramatically and vividly represents the determination and, to a great extent, the relentlessness necessary for achieving great fame, political power, and iconic status. While many readers will have read about his benchmark achievements, this biography will reveal the surprising complexities behind the public scenes and put them into a larger cultural context. Photos and a timeline of significant events round out this insightful biography.From his role in The Terminator to his more recent work as Governator of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has played a major role in American popular culture. This biography traces the fascinating trajectory of Arnold's career-sports figure turned movie star turned entrepreneur turned politician. Elected as governor of California in 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger now dramatically and vividly represents the determination and, to a great extent, the relentlessness necessary for achieving great fame, political power, and iconic status.Arnold's life has been characterized by public notoriety. While many readers will have heard or read about his benchmark achievements, this biography will reveal the surprising complexities behind the public scenes and put them into a larger cultural context. Photos and a timeline of significant events round out this entertaining and insightful biography.
The Sports Industry's War on Athletes
by Peter Finley Laura L. FinleyIn America, sports are a popular passion, and an astoundingly lucrative business as well. Americans pay out millions of dollars annually for channels and stadiums to bring them closer to their favorite players, and every year, young athletes go to greater lengths to reach those exalted fields of play themselves. Unfortunately, in the quest to offer an ever more compelling product, the sports industry is blind to the manner in which that product is created. Doping, playing through injury, and eating disorders are widespread problems in both professional and college athletics, and speak volumes about the lengths to which people will go in order to make themselves successful. Dirty play, hazing, and cheating are common even at the lowest levels. Most troubling of all, however, are the societal problems created by the sports industry, which include racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.Peter and Laura Finley's comprehensive work confronts the many problems facing athletics today. Using numerous examples (both historical and current), they begin with the issue as they exist at the highest levels and as they are represented in the media. They then go on to look at how the values and models expressed by professionals are adopted and utilized by coaches, parents, and eventually by amateur athletes of all ages. Finally, the Finleys provide recommendations for improving the sports environment in America, suggesting ways we can work to counteract some of these many harmful influences to ensure that sports realize their potential as a positive and rewarding activity.