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150 Years of Racing in Saratoga: Little-Known Stories & Fact's from America's Most Historic Racing City (Sports Ser.)
by Allan Carter Mike KaneCelebrate a century and a half of horse racing in Saratoga Springs with stories of the events, horse and people who have made its summers so special.Since the inaugural meeting of August 1863, Saratoga Springs is home to one of the oldest sports venues in the country and has been the scene of memorable races, often featuring legends of the sport. Although some of the epic moments are still familiar today, such as Upset&’s defeat of Man o&’ War in the 1919 Sanford Memorial, many of the triumphs and defeats that were once famous have been forgotten. Few remember the filly Los Angeles, who thrived at Saratoga, winning sixteen stakes races, or the influential, sometimes suspicious, reasons why the track was closed three times for a total of six years. Authors Allan Carter and Mike Kane take a look back at these and other important but neglected stories and present statistics from the pre-NYRA years and a rundown of the greatest fields assembled at America&’s oldest track.&“As the subtitle promises, the book consists of unexpected tales regarding Saratoga people, horses, and happenings--things that even certain racing historians had no previous clue about. Kane and Carter are uniquely well-equipped to guide readers down this curious road less traveled.&” —Mary Simon, Daily Racing Forum
18 Holes With Teddy Greenstein: Teeing Up With Big Hitters, Hall Of Famers And Legendary Talkers
by Teddy Greenstein18 Holes with Teddy Greenstein is a collection of articles from Greenstein's Chicago Tribune column detailing his time golfing with and interviewing various sports coaches, broadcasters, and players -- some more experienced than others in the game of golf. Greenstein has played with a wide number of sports influencers, both retired and active: members of the Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as Heisman Trophy winners, hall of famers, and course designers. Greenstein includes the interviewee's handicap, final score, and golf philosophy, while his light, conversational style makes for articles that are both humorous and informative. Greenstein refers to his "18 holes with. . . " column as "journalism's greatest scam," as it allows him to tee off with some of his greatest heroes -- but it also allows him to share their stories. 18 Holes with Teddy Greenstein gives readers a glimpse at sports celebrities when they are removed from their comfort zones and placed on the fairway. This collection, from a seasoned Chicago Tribune journalist, is perfect for all fans of golf -- from casual to fanatic -- and sports fans in general.
18 Holes with Bing: Golf, Life, and Lessons from Dad
by John Strege Nathaniel CrosbyIn this love letter to his father, former professional golfer Nathaniel Crosby shares memories of Bing Crosby on the golf course, and the lessons he taught him about the game and about life. With a Foreword by Jack Nicklaus.“Bing Crosby was a great ambassador for our game, as well as a great man,” hails longtime friend and golf partner, Jack Nicklaus. The beloved singer and star was also an extraordinary teacher who instilled an abiding passion and mastery of the game in his youngest son, Nathaniel. Winning the US Amateur at nineteen, Nathaniel went on to compete in high-level professional tournaments for his entire life.In 18 Holes with Bing, Nathaniel introduces us to the Bing Crosby he and his family knew—not the beloved singer who played golf, but a golfer who sang to pay his country club dues. Nathaniel shares exclusive stories about this American icon golfing, working, and playing with some of the most famous people in history—royalty, titans of industry, stars of stage and screen, and champions of the green, including Bob Hope, Dwight Eisenhower, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Louis Armstrong. At the book’s heart is an intimate account of a father and a son—how a mutual love of golf formed an exceptional emotional bond.Full of anecdotes, vignettes, and recollections of Bing’s time on the course, the tournaments he created and later sponsored, and the constant encouragement he showed his son, 18 Holes with Bing honors this celebrated golfer, entertainer, and father, and illuminates his life as never before.
18 in America
by Dylan DethierAn exhilarating account of one remarkable teenager's solo trek to play golf in each of the lower forty-eight states--a compelling coming-of-age story and a surprising look at the equalizing power of the sport in America. At seventeen, Dylan Dethier couldn't help but think he'd never really done anything with his life. So, two months before his freshman year was set to begin, he deferred admission to Williams College. With the reluctant blessing of his parents, Dylan set out on his idea of the Great American Road Trip: play a round of golf in each of the forty-eight contiguous states. What began as the teenage wanderlust of a sheltered New England kid soon became a journey to find America's heart and soul, "to figure out where--and why--golf fit in," and to explore what it means to be a young man today. From a three-dollar nine-holer in rural West Virginia to a municipal course amid the failing factories of Flint, Michigan, and to the manicured greens of Pebble Beach, Dylan explored the variety of the nation's golf courses, the multiplicity of its towns and cities, and, most strikingly of all, the diversity of its people. Hoping to shatter golf's elitist reputation, he would play with war veterans, autoworkers, and a livestock auctioneer and discovered golf's unique capacity to serve as an equalizer. In Wyoming, he decided the state's courses matched his own style of play: "unbridled, rough and tumble in a T-shirt and jeans sort of way." Over one year, 35,000 miles, and countless nights alone in his dusty Subaru, Dylan would shower at truck stops, sleep with an axe beside him, lose his virginity, and meet legends like Phil Mickelson and Michael Jordan. Dylan's eighteenth year was one of many firsts--venturing into the world alone, exploring serious questions about his future, and fulfilling an ambitious quest. In crisp prose and with a wry, engaging voice, this precocious writer takes us beyond his own reflections to weave a poignant portrait of America and its golfers, making 18 in America the perfect gift for the golf enthusiast in your family.
18 in America: A Young Golfer's Epic Journey to Find the Essence of the Game
by Dylan DethierA "winning" (Parade) and "well-conceived" (The New York Times) account of one teenager's solo trek to play golf in each of the lower forty-eight states--"two parts coming-of-age story, one part golf travel adventure, and one part survival test" (Golfweek).Shortly before his freshman year of college was set to begin, seventeen-year-old Dylan Dethier--hungry for an adventure beyond his small town--deferred his admission and, "like Jack Kerouac and Ken Kesey before him, packed his used car and meager life savings and set off to see and write about America" (ABC News/ Yahoo). His goal: play a round of golf in each of the lower forty-eight states. From a gritty municipal course in Flint, Michigan, to rubbing elbows with Phil Mickelson at Quail Hollow, Dylan would spend a remarkable year exploring the astonishing variety of the nation's golf courses--and its people. Over one year, thirty-five thousand miles, and countless nights alone in his dusty Subaru, Dylan showered at truck stops, slept with an ax under his seat, and lost his virginity, traveling "wherever the road took him, with golf as a vehicle for understanding America" (The New York Times). The result is a book that "would be considered fine work by any writer, let alone one so young" (Maine Edge).
180° South
by Jeff Johnson Yvon Chouinard Doug Tompkins Chris Malloy180° South takes readers behind the scenes of the film, 180° South, made by Chris Malloy, to learn more about the people who made the original overland journey to Patagonia in 1968, and the repeat journey over ocean and land 40 years later. The book includes stories of events and experiences that inspired Chris Malloy, Yvon Chouinard, and Doug Tompkins to choose paths committed to saving what's left of the wild world. Open it anywhere and enjoy the photographs by the world's leading surf and climbing photographers Jeff Johnson, Jimmy Chin, Scotty Soen, and Danny Moder.
18: A Novel Of Golf And Life
by John BarnesCraig Cantwell is well known as a journeyman millionaire and 'the best professional golfer who has not won a major.' His successful life as a tour pro is shattered when he is suspended from the PGA Tour. Without a place to compete and with a personal life tangled with drama, Craig has to find his way back to a life he knows. His fight is not with the scions of the tour, the public, or the scores of great golfers who would be his opponents. He has to prevail over the toughest of adversaries - himself. "18" beautifully tells the story of Cantwell and those in his life: Rachelle Keys, the mother of Craig's daughter and a heroic FBI Agent. Kelly Keys, the new 'IT' girl of golf. Thomas Kincaid, agent and lawyer to the rich and scandalous. And Seth Reede, the personal development guru with a past more shocking than any fallen hero. Far more involved than just a tale of athletic triumph, "18" is a story of forgiveness, truth, courage, and redemption.
1930: The Story of a Baseball Season When Hitters Reigned Supreme
by Lew FreedmanThe 1930 Major League baseball season was both marvelous and horrendous, great for hitters, embarrassing for pitchers. In totality it was just this side of insane as an outlier among all seasons.Major League Baseball began with the founding of the National League in 1876. In the 145 seasons since then, one season stands out as unique for the astounding nature of hitting: 1930.A flipside of 1968&’s &“Year of the Pitcher,&” when the great St. Louis Cardinals Bob Gibson compiled a 1.12 earned run average and Detroit Tigers Denny McLain won 31 games, the 1930 season was when the batters reigned supreme. During this incredible season, more than one hundred players batted .300, the entire National League averaged .300, ten players hit 30 or more home runs, and some of the greatest individual performances established all-time records. From New York Giants Bill Terry&’s .401 average—the last National Leaguer to hit over .400—to the NL-record 56 home runs and major league–record 192 runs batted in by Chicago Cubs Hack Wilson, the 1930 season is a wild, sometimes unbelievable, often wacky baseball story.Breaking down the anomaly of the season and how each team fared, veteran journalist Lew Freeman tells the story of a one-off year unlike any other. While the greats stayed great, and though some pitchers did hold their own—with seven winning 20 or more games, including 28 by Philadelphia Athletics&’ Lefty Grove and 25 by Cleveland Indians&’ Wes Ferrell—Freedman shares anecdotes about those players that excelled in 1930, and only 1930. More than ninety years later, 1930 offers insight into a season that still stands the test of time for batting excellence.
1941 -- The Greatest Year In Sports
by Mike VaccaroJoe DiMaggio . . . Ted Williams . . . Joe Louis . . . Billy Conn . . . WhirlawayAgainst the backdrop of a war that threatened to consume the world, these athletes transformed 1941 into one of the most thrilling years in sports history.In the summer of 1941, America paid attention to sports with an intensity that had never been seen before. World War II was raging in Europe and headlines grew worse by the day; even the most optimistic people began to accept the inevitability of the United States being drawn into the conflict. In sports pages and arenas at home, however, an athletic perfect storm provided unexpected--and uplifting--relief. Four phenomenal sporting events were underway, each destined to become legend.In 1941--The Greatest Year in Sports, acclaimed sportswriter Mike Vaccaro chronicles this astounding moment in history. Fueled by a somber mania for sports--a desire for good news to drown out the bad--Americans by the millions fervently watched, listened, and read as Joe DiMaggio dazzled the country by hitting in a record-setting fifty-six consecutive games; Ted Williams powered through an unprecedented .406 season; Joe Louis and Billy Conn (the heavyweight and light-heavyweight champions) battled in unheard-of fashion for boxing's ultimate championship; and the phenomenal (some say deranged) thoroughbred, Whirlaway, raced to three heart-stopping victories that won the coveted Triple Crown of horse racing. As Phil Rizzuto perfectly expressed, "You read the sports section a lot because you were afraid of what you'd see in other parts of the paper."Gripping and nostalgic, 1941--The Greatest Year in Sports focuses on these four seminal events and brings to life the national excitement and remarkable achievement (many of these records still stand today), as well as the vibrant lives of the athletes who captivated the nation. With vast insight, Vaccaro pulls back the veil on DiMaggio's anxieties and the building pressure of "The Streak," and chronicles the brash, young confidence Williams displayed as he hammered his way through the baseball season largely in DiMaggio's shadow. He takes readers inside the head of Billy Conn, a kid who traded in his light-heavyweight belt for a shot at the very decent and very powerful Joe Louis, and tells the story of the fire-breathing racehorse, Whirlaway, who was known either for setting track records or tearing off in the wrong direction. Rich in historical detail and edge-of-your-seat reporting, Mike Vaccaro has crafted a lasting, important book that captures a portrait of one of America's most trying, and extraordinary, eras.From the Trade Paperback edition.
1947: When All Hell Broke Loose in Baseball
by Red BarberThis is a great baseball story and an even better one about a crucial moment in American history. When Jackie Robinson was penciled into the lineup for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, America's national pastime and America's future changed forever. How much is reflected in a remark Martin Luther King, Jr. made to Don Newcombe: "You'll never know what you and Jackie and Roy did to make it possible to do my job." Red Barber was perfectly situated to observe this drama. Broadcaster for the Dodgers, friend of Branch Rickey who confided in him before and during the year of decision, and keen student of the game and the behavior of its players, Red held the microphone as the story unfolded with a cast of characters that included baseball immortals Duke Snyder, Leo Durocher, Pee Wee Reese, Pete Reiser, Larry McPhail and Joe DiMaggio. Towering above them all are Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey, who together made baseball and American history and whose courage and toughness Red Barber captures so beautifully in this book.
1951: When the Giants Played the Game
by Kerry KeeneA look back at baseball's most exciting season when the cross town rivalry between the New York Giants and New York Yankees burned brighter than ever: 1951.
1954: The Year Willie Mays and the First Generation of Black Superstars Changed Major League Baseball Forever
by Bill Madden1954: Perhaps no single baseball season has so profoundly changed the game forever. In that year#151;the same in which the US Supreme Court unanimously ruled, in the case of Brown vs. Board of Education, that segregation of the races be outlawed in America's public schools#151;Larry Doby's Indians won an American League record 111 games, dethroned the five-straight World Series champion Yankees, and went on to play Willie Mays's Giants in the first World Series that featured players of color on both teams. Seven years after Jackie Robinson had broken the baseball color line, 1954 was a triumphant watershed season for black players#151;and, in a larger sense, for baseball and the country as a whole. While Doby was the dominant player in the American League, Mays emerged as the preeminent player in the National League, with a flair and boyish innocence that all fans, black and white, quickly came to embrace. Mays was almost instantly beloved in 1954, much of that due to how seemingly easy it was for him to live up to the effusive buildup from his Giants manager, Leo Durocher, a man more widely known for his ferocious "nice guys finish last" attitude. Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Bill Madden delivers the first major book to fully examine the 1954 baseball season, drawn largely from exclusive recent interviews with the major players themselves, including Mays and Doby as well as New York baseball legends from that era: Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford of the Yankees, Monte Irvin of the Giants, and Carl Erskine of the Dodgers. 1954 transports readers across the baseball landscape of the time#151;from the spring training camps in Florida and Arizona to baseball cities including New York, Baltimore, Chicago, and Cleveland#151;as future superstars such as Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, and others entered the leagues and continued to integrate the sport. Weaving together the narrative of one of baseball's greatest seasons with the racially charged events of that year, 1954 demonstrates how our national pastime#151;with the notable exception of the Yankees, who represented "white supremacy" in the game#151;was actually ahead of the curve in terms of the acceptance of black Americans, while the nation at large continued to struggle with tolerance.
1960 Winter Olympics, The (Images of Sports)
by David C. AntonucciThe 1960 Olympic Winter Games were a long-shot effort that succeeded beyond the wildest expectations. Working in a sparsely populated valley in the Sierra Nevada with only rudimentary facilities, organizers created a world-class Olympic site in four short years. For the only time in Olympic history, the venues and athlete residence halls were located in a compact, intimate setting that encouraged sportsmanship and interaction between athletes. There was elaborate pageantry in the ceremonies and decorations. The underdog American ice hockey team won the first-ever USA gold medal in that sport. American figure skaters swept gold in the individual events. Well-trained Soviet and Scandinavian athletes dominated the speed skating and cross-country skiing events. American women proved their mettle in the Alpine skiing events. German skiers made surprise upsets in the Nordic combined and ski jumping contests. And CBS-TV was there to capture the most exciting moments and make groundbreaking live broadcasts to American audiences.
1962: Baseball and America in the Time of JFK
by David KrellIn the watershed year of 1962, events and people came together to reshape baseball like never before. The season saw five no-hitters, a rare National League playoff between the Giants and the Dodgers, and a thrilling seven-game World Series where the Yankees, led by Mickey Mantle, won their twentieth title, beating the San Francisco Giants, led by Willie Mays, in their first appearance since leaving New York. Baseball was expanding with the Houston Colt .45s and the New York Mets, who tried to fill the National League void in New York but finished with 120 losses and the worst winning percentage since 1900. Despite their record, the &’62 Mets revived National League baseball in a city thirsty for an alternative to the Yankees. As the team struggled through a disastrous first year, manager Casey Stengel famously asked, &“Can&’t anybody here play this game?&” Earlier that year in Los Angeles, Dodgers owner Walter O&’Malley launched Dodger Stadium, a state-of-the-art ballpark in Chavez Ravine and a new icon for the city. For the Dodgers, Sandy Koufax pitched his first of four career no-hitters, Maury Wills set a record for stolen bases in a season, and Don Drysdale won twenty-five games. Beyond baseball, 1962 was also a momentous year in American history: Mary Early became the first Black graduate of the University of Georgia, First Lady Jackie Kennedy revealed the secrets of the White House in a television special, John Glenn became the first astronaut to orbit Earth, and JFK stared down Russia during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Weaving the 1962 baseball season within the social fabric of this era, David Krell delivers a fascinating book as epochal as its subject.
1964, A Year in African American Performance History (ISSN)
by David KrasnerThis book examines the Civil Rights Movement from the perspective of a single year, 1964.The book analyses specific events that occurred in 1964 as benchmarks of the Civil Right Movement, making the case that 1964 was a watershed year. Each chapter considers individually politics, rhetoric, sports, dramatic literature, film, art, and music, breaking down the events and illustrating their importance to the social and political life in the United States in 1964. This study emphasizes 1964 as a nodal point in the history of the Civil Rights Movement, arguing that it was within this single year that the tide against racism and injustice turned markedly.This book will be of great interest to the scholars and students of civil rights, theatre and performance, art history, and drama literature.
1966 And Not All That
by Mark PerrymanA unique 50th anniversary collection of superlative writing and new football thinking. A first-ever oral history of '66 combined with match reports provided by writers from each of the countries England played, create a highly original view of the tournament - how the fans watched the games, the stadia, the newspaper and TV reporting are each revisited. The politics, music and fashion of '66 are examined too, exploring the forces of fan resistance in England and Germany that have found common cause in opposition to the corporate take over of the game, as well as the entirely new ranking system that calculates England's fall, and occasional rise, from 1966 to 2016, showing who has overtaken England and why.
1966: My World Cup Story
by Bobby CharltonWembley, 1966. England wins the World Cup to roars of a euphoric home crowd.Sir Bobby Charlton, England’s greatest ever player, was there on the pitch. In 1966, he looks back on the most glorious moment of his life and England's greatest sporting achievement.He takes us through the build-up to the tournament and to the final itself - what he saw, what he heard, what he felt. He tells us what it was like to be part of Sir Alf Ramsey’s team, his memories of his teammates, the matches, the atmosphere; the emotion of being carried on the wave of a nation’s euphoria and how it felt to go toe-to-toe with some of the foremost footballers to ever play the game.His life was forever defined by a single moment: one day when a man stood side-by-side with his best friends, united in a single aim in front of a watching nation. This is his story.‘It’s gripping stuff… This is a mellow book, the product of many years’ contemplation, and emotional in a way that may surprise you…He has a wonderful story to tell’ Daily Mail
1967 Red Sox: The Impossible Dream Season (Images of Baseball)
by Raymond SinibaldiA photo-packed celebration of Boston&’s 1967 pennant win. It was a summer that united a city and transformed a franchise. Led by 1967 MVP Carl Yastrzemski and Boston&’s first Cy Young Award winner, Jim Lonborg, the youngest Red Sox team since the days of Babe Ruth went from ninth to first place in what remains the closest pennant race in baseball history. Tony Conigliaro, Rico Petrocelli, George Scott, Reggie Smith, Billy Rohr, Jerry Adair, and their teammates became household names to the Fenway Faithful as they carried the Red Sox to their first World Series in twenty-one years under manager Dick Williams—and this book is filled with personal reminiscences and photos of that glorious season.
1972: The Series That Changed Hockey Forever
by Scott MorrisonThe legacy of the greatest hockey series ever played, fifty years later, with stories from the players that shed new light on those incredible games and times.&“Cournoyer has it on that wing. Here&’s a shot. Henderson made a wild stab for it and fell. Here&’s another shot. Right in front...they score! Henderson has scored for Canada!&” These immortal words, spoken to hockey fans around the world by the legendary broadcaster Foster Hewitt, capture the historic final-seconds goal scored by Paul Henderson that won the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. Hockey fans know the moment well, but the story of those amazing eight games has never been fully told—until now. The series was the first of its kind, and one of the most dramatic sporting showdowns in history. With the Soviets dominating international hockey, this series was meant to settle the debate, once and for all, of who owned the game. It was Canada&’s best against the Soviets for the first time. And in the shadow of the Cold War, this was about more than eight games of hockey. Expectations were high as the series began. This was supposed to be easy for Team Canada, but after the disappointing first four games on home ice with only one win, victory seemed out of reach. With the final four games in Moscow, Canada got a rare glimpse behind the iron curtain as the team, as well as three thousand raucous fans, arrived in the USSR. Amid the culture shock and strained relations, what followed was a tug-of-war battle that lasted to the dying seconds of game 8. Now, five decades after this historic event, it&’s time to reflect on the greatest hockey series ever played. Veteran journalist and hockey analyst Scott Morrison uses a storyteller&’s voice to reveal what it meant to hockey then, and what it means now. Filled with the memories of the players and others involved with the series, he shows how it changed the game, and challenged a nation&’s sense of identity and place in the world.
1975 Red Sox: American League Champions (Images of Baseball)
by Raymond Sinibaldi Fred LynnThe 1975 American League Champion Boston Red Sox squared off with the Cincinnati Reds in what is widely recognized as one of the best World Series ever played. The Major League Baseball Network has named its sixth game "the greatest game ever played." The Red Sox were led by two rookies, 21-year-old Jim Rice and 22-year-old Fred Lynn, who formed a rookie duo the likes of which baseball had never seen. They combined with a budding superstar in Carlton Fisk and his aging counterpart Carl Yastrzemski to lead the Red Sox attack, while a wily Luis Tiant anchored the pitching staff. After a first-round sweep of the three-time World Champion Oakland A's, they advanced to a Fall Classic that echoes through the ages, and in the words of Carlton Fisk, the Red Sox won "three games to four.
1978: Baseball and America in the Disco Era
by David KrellAmericans struggled to find their footing in the late 1970s. The Vietnam War ended with more than fifty-eight thousand American soldiers&’ deaths; the public&’s trust in politicians plummeted amid the Watergate scandal. As deadly blizzards ripped through the Midwest and Northeast in early 1978 and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, Americans turned to baseball for the welcome distraction and promise of a new season. From spring training to the World Series, 1978 gave baseball fans one of the sport&’s greatest seasons, full of legendary moments like the battle between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox for the American League East pennant, Gaylord Perry&’s three thousandth strikeout, Tom Seaver&’s only career no-hitter, Willie McCovey&’s five hundredth home run, and Pete Rose&’s marathon forty-four-game hitting streak. The 1978 season played out against a backdrop of disco music, bell-bottom pants, and gas-guzzling cars, while Hollywood answered a desperate longing for a simpler time with nostalgic offerings such as Grease, The Buddy Holly Story, American Hot Wax, Animal House, and Superman. Robin Williams became a household name with a guest appearance on the popular TV show Happy Days, Atlantic City debuted its first casino, and Jill Clayburgh symbolized the emerging independence of women in An Unmarried Woman. In a memorable end to the baseball season, Reggie Jackson and Bucky Dent led the Yankees to their second consecutive World Series over the Dodgers after losing the first two games, then winning four in a row. With a month-by-month approach, David Krell breaks down major events in both baseball and American culture at large in 1978, chronicling in novelistic detail the notable achievements of some of the greatest players of the era, along with some of the national pastime&’s quirkiest moments, to capture an extraordinary year in baseball.
1996: Reliving the Legend-Packed, Dynasty-Stacked, Most Iconic Sports Year Ever
by Jon FinkelOn its 25th anniversary, relive the legend-stacked, dynasty-packed, most iconic sports year ever with the athletes, teams, and more whose collective influence affected every aspect of a generation of sports and pop culture fans—Jordan, Shaq, Iverson, Kobe, Gretzky, Tiger, Griffey, Jeter, Tyson, the Cowboys, the Yankees, the Bulls, The Rock, Stone Cold, Kentucky, Florida, Agassi, Graf, the Williams Sisters, Happy Gilmore, Space Jam, the Olympics in Atlanta, Muhammad Ali, the Magnificent Seven and more! Take a rollicking tour through the sports world of 1996, when debuts, comebacks, movies, and pop culture crossover changed the sports landscape forever. From college to the Olympics to the pros; from the NBA to golf, tennis, and boxing, 1996 was home to athletes and teams who were among the best marketed, most beloved, colorful, and greatest in history. In 1996: A Biography, sportswriter and author Jon Finkel uncovers the stories behind the stories while interviewing a who’s who of ’96ers to reveal in thrilling detail how their collective influence on sports and pop culture still resonates to this day. For those of us who remember when Iverson, Kobe, The Rock and Stone Cold, the MLS and the WNBA all debuted; when the US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Team—the Magnificent Seven—won gold for the first time in history; when Mike Tyson and Magic Johnson made their comebacks; when MTV’s Rock n’ Jock, Michael Jordan’s Space Jam, and ESPN’s Dan Patrick and Stuart Scott were the bomb; when the Fun ’n’ Gun offense changed college football; when Ken Griffey Jr. ran for president (really! remember?); when Derek Jeter won Rookie of the Year, Favre marched to his first Super Bowl and Jerry Maguire had everyone saying “show me the money”. . . . 1996 is a sports time machine you’ve got to take for a spin.
1999: Manchester United, the Treble and All That
by Matt DickinsonIn 1999, Manchester United completed a unique Treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League - but more remarkable than that was how they did it, and the stories behind the historic achievement. Matt Dickinson covered the whole story at the time, and now in 99 compelling chapters brings it all vividly to life.When the season began, Manchester United were up for sale, the club's iconic talisman Eric Cantona had gone, rivals Arsenal were the reigning Double winners, David Beckham was a national hate figure after being sent off during the World Cup, and even manager Alex Ferguson's position was being questioned. Early signs weren't promising, despite record spending to bring in new stars, among them Jaap Stam and Dwight Yorke, but soon things began to change.Driven by the indomitable will of skipper Roy Keane, supported by a nucleus from the Class of 92 - Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, the Nevilles and Paul Scholes - who had grown up at the club, they went on a long unbeaten and unbeatable run, featuring some of the most dramatic games in fans' memories. Matt Dickinson highlights the key moments, speaking to those at the centre of the story and to those whose moment went unnoticed. 1999: Manchester United, the Treble and All That is so much more than a book for United fans; it is an insight into team building, the will to success and a tale of local pride. It reveals the real stories behind the legend that was sealed with a last-minute scrambled goal from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to win the Champions League.
19th Century Baseball in Chicago (Images of Baseball)
by Mark Rucker John FreyerThe Chicago area today hosts two of the most historic major league franchises and half a dozen minor or independent league teams. Baseball's roots run deep in the Windy City. Indeed, it was Chicago businessman William "I'd rather be a lamp-post in Chicago than a millionaire in any other city" Hulbert, who, according to baseball lore, staged the coup that in 1876 would put the National League on the map. The Chicago White Stockings (now ironically called the Cubs) were one of eight charter members, winning the inaugural NL Championship with such legendary names as A.G. Spalding, "Cap" Anson, and Roscoe Barnes.But The National Pastime arrived in Chicago well before the 1876 season, as is proven in this fascinating new book, 19th Century Baseball in Chicago, illustrated with over 150 vintage images.Any local fan of the modern game-whether the action takes place at the "Friendly Confines," 35th & Shields, or the cozy setting of a minor league ballpark out in Kane or suburban Cook County-will enjoy the wealth of information offered in 19th Century Baseball in Chicago.
1: The Sub-Two-Hour Marathon Is Within Reach?Here?s How It Will Go Down, and What It Can Teach All Runners about Training and Racing
by Philip MaffetoneWhat will it take to run a marathon in less than two hours?The world's fastest times for the marathon have been dropping since the distance of 26.2 miles was made official nearly one hundred years ago. But after a noticeable decline that occurred for a half century, the times, while still edging lower, have stalled several minutes north of two hours for the past decade.For the first time, 1:59 examines what it will take for an elite distance runner to go sub-two hours. It will require more than raw talent, optimal body size, and great athletic genes. In order to become marathon's Roger Bannister and smash this elusive record, this runner must follow a healthy diet and an individualized training regimen that takes advantage of specific environmental factors ("live high, train low"). Because precious seconds count over each mile run, other critical considerations include improved running form and economy, sharpened mental focus, and wearing the right type of racing flats (or even going barefoot).The athlete who finally breaks distance running's most tantalizing barrier will become a worldwide celebrity overnight. Will the runner be a Kenyan, an Ethiopian, an American, or a marathoner from another country? And how soon will it happen?By providing a unique window into the highly competitive world of elite marathon running, this book also allows running enthusiasts to have a thorough understanding of the true potential of endurance athletes. And in turn, they can apply the same training and racing principles discussed in 1:59 to their own running, whether it's a 10K, half marathon, marathon, or ultramarathon.