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The Long Distance Runner's Guide to Injury Prevention and Treatment: How to Avoid Common Problems and Deal with Them When They Happen
by Brian Krabak Grant Lipman Brandee WaiteFor any runner who loves hitting the pavement and conquering half-, full-, and ultra-marathons, getting injured is a terrifying, and often heartbreaking, setback. Yet, almost three-quarters of long distance runners will suffer from a serious injury several times in their athletic career.Although it may be impossible to completely avoid injury, The Long Distance Runner’s Guide to Injury Prevention and Treatment is a vital source to help those who love to run understand some of the most common causes of injuries, and learn how to best avoid and treat athletic ailments. In this book, expert editors and long-time runners Brian Krabak and Grant Lipman combine valuable insights, tips, and tactics from over a dozen medical professionals who specialize in treating endurance athletes.With chapters on important and diverse topics such as proper nutrition, muscular ailments, skeletal injuries, medical illnesses caused by racing and proper recovery, The Long Distance Runner’s Guide to Injury Prevention and Treatment is a must-have on the shelf of every harrier.
The Long Game (Par for the Course #2)
by J. L. CampbellHe’s all she’s ever wanted. She’s all he’ll ever need. Aside from a brief stint of madness during their teen years, Vance and Ayisha are not each other's idea of relationship material. Vance is preoccupied with getting his fill of women. Yet, all it takes to turn his world upside down is one remark from Ayisha about his lifestyle. Suddenly, his focus shifts and he's spending his days trying to prove he can be the man she needs. While he’s intent on leaving his player days behind, an unseen enemy is determined to ruin his career as a financial analyst. Ayisha is a go-getter who knows what she's about—a successful business, a lifetime with the man of her dreams, and children to complete the picture. Vance is an expert at romance, but with Ayisha it's all or nothing. She's waited years for him to stop chasing the wind in pursuit of what's already in front of him. Now that he's set his heart on having her, will she accept his love?
The Long Game: A Gay Sports Romance (Game Changers #6)
by Rachel ReidShane and Ilya&’s story, first seen in Heated Rivalry, continues in this long-awaited hockey romance from USA TODAY bestselling author Rachel Reid.To the world they are rivals, but to each other they are everything.Ten years.That&’s how long Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have been seeing each other. How long they&’ve been keeping their relationship a secret. From friends, from family…from the league. If Shane wants to stay at the top of his game, what he and Ilya share has to remain secret. He loves Ilya, but what if going public ruins everything?Ilya is sick of secrets. Shane has gotten so good at hiding his feelings, sometimes Ilya questions if they even exist. The closeness, the intimacy, even the risk that would come with being open about their relationship…Ilya wants it all.It&’s time for them to decide what&’s most important—hockey or love.It&’s time to make a call.Need more Reid? Don't miss The Shots You Take—a sweet and sexy hockey romance about two ex-best friends with benefits who are about to discover whether you can ever really have a second chance. Available now!Game Changers Book 1: Game Changer Book 2: Heated Rivalry Book 3: Tough Guy Book 4: Common Goal Book 5: Role Model Book 6: The Long Game
The Long Golden Afternoon: Golf's Age of Glory, 1864-1914
by Stephen ProctorA history of golf’s boom period from the founding of England’s first golf club to the dawn of World War I.The Long Golden Afternoon tells the story of the transformative generation of golf that followed the rise of Young Tom Morris—an era of sweeping change that saw Scotland’s national pastime become one of the rare games played around the world.It begins with the first epochal performance after Tommy—John Ball’s victory at Prestwick in 1890 as the first Englishman and the first amateur to win the Open Championship – and continues through the outbreak of the Great War. If Tommy ignited the flame of golf in England, Ball’s breakthrough turned that smoldering fire into a conflagration.The generation that followed would witness the game’s coming of age. It would see an explosion in golf's popularity, the invention of revolutionary new balls and clubs, the emergence of professional tours, the organization of the game and its rules, a renaissance in writing and thinking about golf, and the decision that the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews must always remain the sport’s guiding light.Praise for The Long Golden AfternoonNamed one of 10 Best Golf Books in 2022 by LINKS MagazineShortlisted for the 2023 Sports Book Awards for Best Sports Writing of the YearShortlisted for the USGA Herbert Warren Wind Book Award“Proctor’s skill with the language is crisp and fluid. . . . A beautifully crafted examination of a period in the history of golf that will never again be witnessed. It is not to be missed.” —Jim Davis, The Golf
The Long Ride (Pine Hollow #1)
by Bonnie BryantSchool&’s out, and three horse-crazy best friends promise to have the best summer everBefore Lisa Atwood, Stevie Lake, and Carole Hanson become high school juniors in the fall, the girls have a busy summer ahead. Lisa is spending every waking minute with her boyfriend, Alex—who&’s also Stevie&’s twin brother—until she leaves to visit her dad and his new family in California. Stevie just got her driver&’s license, and when she isn&’t delivering pizza, she&’s hanging out with her boyfriend, Phil Marsten. And Carole is working long hours at Pine Hollow Stables—for the horses and for Ben Marlow, the mysterious stable hand who&’s just as horse crazy as she is. But everything changes when the new girl arrives in town with a champion horse in tow. Will Lisa, Stevie, and Carole&’s friendship ever be the same again?
The Long Run
by James Acker"A boldly authentic new voice in queer fiction." —Abdi Nazemian, author of Stonewall Honor book Like a Love Story and The Chandler LegaciesTwo track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut. Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being "Bash the Flash," fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro. Sandro Miceli is too nice for his own good. The middle child in an always-growing, always-screaming Italian family, Sandro walks around on a broken foot to not bother his busy parents. All he wants is to get out and never look back. When fate—in the form of a party that gets busted—brings these two very different boys together, neither of them could&’ve predicted finding a love that they&’d risk everything for…
The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion
by Catriona Menzies-PikeAn unlikely marathoner finds her way through grief and into the untold history of women and running.Thirty-year-old Catriona Menzies-Pike defined herself in many ways: voracious reader, pub crawler, feminist, backpacker, and, since her parents' deaths a decade earlier, orphan. "Runner" was nowhere near the list. Yet when she began training for a half marathon on a whim, she found herself an instant convert. Soon she realized that running, "a pace suited to the precarious labor of memory," was helping her to grieve the loss of her parents in ways that she had been, for ten messy years, running away from. As Catriona excavates her own past, she also grows curious about other women drawn to running. What she finds is a history of repression and denial—running was thought to endanger childbearing, and as late as 1967 the organizer of the Boston Marathon tried to drag a woman off the course, telling her to "get the hell out of my race"—but also of incredible courage and achievement. As she brings to life the stories of pioneering athletes and analyzes the figure of the woman runner in pop culture, literature, and myth, she comes to the heart of why she's running, and why any of us do.
The Long Run: A New York City Firefighter's Triumphant Comeback from Crash Victim to Elite Ath lete
by Matt Long Charlie ButlerA New York City firefighter's emotional and inspiring memoir of learning to run again after a debilitating accidentOn the morning of December 22, 2005, Matt Long was cycling to work in the early morning when he was struck by and sucked under a 20-ton bus making an illegal turn. The injuries he sustained pushed him within inches of his life. Miraculously, more than 40 operations and months later, Matt was able to start his recovery. In spite of the severity of his injuries, Matt found the psychological consequences of the accident nearly as hard to process. He would no longer be able to compete at the highest level.In the 18 months before the accident, he had competed in more than 20 events including several triathlons and marathons and had qualified for running's most prestigious race, the Boston Marathon. After the accident, his doctor told him he'd be lucky if he could even walk without a cane.The Long Run is an emotional and incredibly honest story about Matt's determination to fight through fear, despair, loneliness, and intense physical and psychological pain to regain the life he once had. The book chronicles Matt's road to recovery as he teaches himself to walk again and, a mere three years later, to run in the 2008 New York City Marathon—a gimpy seven-and-a-half hour journey through the five boroughs. "Running saved my life," Matt says, and his embrace of the running community and insistence on competing in the marathon has inspired many, turning him into a symbol of hope and recovery for untold numbers of others.
The Long Running Life of Helena Zigon: A True Story in 21 Kilometers (NIU Series in Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies)
by Jasmina Kozina PraprotnikAnthropologist Jasmina Praprotnik met Helena Zigon while running. Over the course of an icy Slovenian winter, the two marathon runners got together frequently, and Zigon told Praprotnik about her life. Here, Praprotnik tells Zigon's captivating story in Zigon's own voice. Each chapter is marked by a kilometer of the half-marathon Zigon ran along the Adriatic Sea on her eighty-sixth birthday, shortly after losing her husband of sixty years, Stane. Zigon's life spanned most of the twentieth century. She witnessed the Second World War, the rise and fall of Yugoslavia, and the founding of the new state of Slovenia. Abandoned by her parents and having grown up poor and mistreated by her stepmother, Zigon demonstrates the stoic resilience of a long-suffering Slavic woman. Though beset with challenges, she found a source of strength in the act of running. From a young girl running errands to an old woman running in the face of new grief, running has been a bright thread braided throughout her life. It has served her as a balm and a joy—one that she is grateful to still be able to savor. This inspirational memoir will appeal to general readers, especially those interested in history and running.
The Long Season
by Jim BrosnanThe classic inside account of a baseball year by a major league pitcher.
The Long Snapper: A Second Chance, a Super Bowl, a Lesson for Life
by Jeffrey MarxWritten by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jeffrey Marx, The Long Snapper chronicles one of the most improbable and inspirational sports stories of our time. Marx, the New York Times bestselling author of Season of Life, tells of Brian Kinchen’s remarkable journey from Bible teacher to New England Patriot to Super Bowl champion in this transcendent tale of football and faith.
The Long and the Short of It
by Burton Rocks Andy NorthAndy North is a two-time United States Open champion, current player on the Senior PGA Tour, and a commentator for ESPN. In this book, Andy offers golfing fans a treasure chest of anecdotes and shares his insight and wisdom into the game of golf. Andy first talks about the pioneers of the game and shares memories of his time with the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Gary Player, and many others. He shares the heartwarming story of his life growing up in Wisconsin and his rise to success on the PGA Tour.He offers advice on how to better understand and play golf. This book has both the drills and games you can play with your children to make golf fun and the games that you as an amateur golfer should play to improve your own game. Finally, Andy talks about the changes facing golf in the coming years and shares his experiences working with his friends at ESPN. The drama, the excitement, and the suspense of professional golf are all captured in this book. Golfers of all ages will enjoy Andy North's unique perspective on golf.
The Long-Distance Runners of Copper Canyon (Fountas & Pinnell LLI Purple #Level S)
by Jacqueline AdamsThe Long-Distance Runners of Copper Canyon by Jacqueline Adams
The Longbow
by Peter Dennis Mike LoadesBoasting a rate of shooting not seen again in English hands until the late 19th century, the longbow was the weapon at the heart of the English military ascendancy in the century after 1340. Capable of subjecting the enemy to a hail of deadly projectiles, the longbow in the hands of massed archers made possible the extraordinary victories enjoyed by English forces over superior numbers at Crécy and Poitiers, and remained an important battlefield weapon throughout the Wars of the Roses and beyond; it also played a leading role in raiding, siege and naval warfare. Its influence and use spread to the armies of Burgundy, Scotland and other powers, and its reputation as a cost-effective and easily produced weapon led to calls for its widespread adoption in the nascent armies of the American Republic as late as the 1770s. Wielded by Englishmen, Welshmen and others, the longbow fulfilled the requirements of all infantry missile weapons throughout history - it was a well-made weapon suitable for production in quantity that projected a man-stopping missile over a suitable distance at a sustainable, relatively rapid rate of shooting. The longbow was a ''self-bow'' - that is to say, it was made from one piece of wood, normally yew, with the ''belly'' of the bow being ''heartwood'' and a thinner layer of ''sapwood'' being the ''back'' of the bow. Its arrows were normally made of aspen, a light and strong wood - although ash and other woods were also used - with a variety of metal heads available, depending on the intended use. A sophisticated piece of ammunition requiring many resources and skill to manufacture, the longbow arrow could penetrate plate armour if the conditions were right; this study argues, however, that the ''blunt trauma'' inflicted on the target, however well armoured, resulted in debilitating injuries and was far more significant on the field of battle. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and informed by the latest research into this intriguing weapon, this lively study debunks lingering myths and casts new light on the battle-winning longbow, the lethal missile weapon that enabled English victories against the odds in a series of famous battles of the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Longest Mile: A Doctor, a Food Fight, and the Footrace that Rallied a Community Against Cancer
by Christine Meyer MDWinner of the Gold Medal in the 2016 Living Now Book Awards In the course of their lifetime, one out of two men and one out of three women will be diagnosed with cancer. Many of us watch in desperation as our friends and loved ones fight for their lives. But after seeing several of her patients and her dearest aunt engage in a battle with cancer, Dr. Christine Meyer decided to embark on a quest for hope—and through happenstance and love, a team of runners emerged that empowered a community to make a difference, not only in the lives of cancer patients, but in one another&’s lives. Along the way, Meyer learned that the true measure of a doctor&’s success is not the number of lives saved but the number of lives touched.
The Longest Race: A Lifelong Runner, An Iconic Ultramarathon, and the Case for Human Endurance
by Ed Ayres“It soon becomes clear that this book isn’t just about an athletic race. It’s also about the human race” (Bloomberg Businessweek). Having run in more than six hundred races over the span of fifty-five years, Ed Ayres is a legendary distance runner—and this book is his urgent exploration of the connection between individual endurance and a sustainable society. The Longest Race begins at the starting line of the 2001 JFK 50 Mile—the nation’s oldest and largest ultramarathon and, like other such races, it’s an epic test of human limits and aspiration. At age sixty, his sights set on breaking the age-division record, Ayres embarks on a course over the rocky ridge of the Appalachian Trail, along the headwind-buffeted towpath of the Potomac River, and past momentous Civil War sites such as Harpers Ferry and Antietam. But even as Ayres focuses on an endurance runner’s familiar concerns—starting strong and setting the right pace, controlling his breathing, overcoming fatigue, and staying mindful of the course ahead—he finds himself as preoccupied with the future of our planet as with the finish line. A veteran journalist and environmental editor, Ayres reveals how the skills and mindset necessary to complete an ultramarathon are also essential for grappling anew with the imperative to endure—not only as individuals, but as a society—and not just for fifty miles, but over the real long haul, in a unique meditation that “ought to be required reading even for people who have never run a step” (The Boston Globe). “He seamlessly moves between discussing running to exploring larger life issues such as why we run, our impact on the environment, and the effects of the nation’s declining physical fitness . . . Thought provoking.” ―Booklist “To read this book is to run alongside a seasoned athlete, a deep thinker, and a great storyteller. And Ayres doesn’t disappoint: He is the best kind of running companion, generously doling out hilarious stories and hard-won insights into performance conditioning and the human condition. His lifetime of ultra-running and environmental writing drive his exploration of what keeps us running long distances―and what it might take to keep the planet from being run into the ground.” ―Nature Conservancy magazine
The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike's Elite Running Team
by Kara GoucherIn this unvarnished and affecting memoir, Olympian Kara Goucher reveals her experience of living through and speaking out about one of the biggest scandals in running. <p><p>Kara Goucher grew up with Olympic dreams. She excelled at running from a young age and was offered a Nike sponsorship deal when she graduated from college. Then in 2004, she was invited to join a secretive, lavishly funded new team, dubbed the Nike Oregon Project. <p><p>Coached by distance running legend Alberto Salazar, it seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime. Kara was soon winning a World Championship medal, going to the Olympics, and standing on the podium at the New York and Boston marathons, just like her coach. But behind the scenes, Salazar was hiding dark secrets. He pushed the limits of anti-doping rules, and created what Kara experienced as a culture of abuse, the extent of which she reveals in her book for the first time. Meanwhile, Nike stood by Alberto for years and proved itself capable of shockingly misogynistic corporate practices. <p><p>Told with stunning honesty, The Longest Race is an unforgettable story and a call to action. Kara became a crusader for female athletes and a key witness helping to get Salazar banned from coaching at the Olympic level. Kara’s memoir reveals how she broke through the fear of losing everything, bucked powerful forces to take control of her life and career, and reclaimed her love of running. <p> <b>New York Times Bestseller</b>
The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey (Orca Biography #2)
by George Chiang Chad SoonLarry Kwong became the first player of Asian descent in the NHL when he played one shift with the New York Rangers in 1948. Even though Larry's achievement happened more than 70 years ago, his contribution to hockey is only now being recognized. He broke hockey's color barrier and fought racism and discrimination at every step of his career. From his humble beginnings on the outdoor rinks in Vernon, British Columbia's Chinatown all the way to playing at Madison Square Garden and in the NHL, this inspiring hero has a timeless story for young readers. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
The Longest Shot: Jack Fleck, Ben Hogan, and Pro Golf's Greatest Upset at the 1955 U.S. Open
by Neil SagebielThe Longest Shot tells the inspirational story of the unknown golfer from Iowa who beat his idol in the 1955 U.S. Open.With the overlooked Jack Fleck still playing the course, NBC-TV proclaimed that the legendary Ben Hogan had won his record fifth U.S. Open and signed off from San Francisco. Undaunted, the forgotten Iowan rallied to overcome a nine-shot deficit over the last three rounds—still a U.S. Open record—and made a pressure-packed putt to tie Hogan on the final hole of regulation play. The two men then squared off in a tense, 18-hole playoff from which Fleck emerged victorious in one of the most startling upsets in sports history. On par with the classic golf narratives of Mark Frost and John Feinstein, The Longest Shot will surprise and delight fans as they trace the improbable journey of an unheralded former caddie who played his way into the record books by out-dueling the sport's greatest champion of his time.
The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing
by Thomas McguaneWith ten books over a thirty-year span, Thomas McGuane has proven himself over and over again "a virtuoso . . . a writer of the first magnitude," as Jonathan Yardley wrote in the New York Times Book Review. "His sheer writing skill is nothing short of amazing." But he has devoted a couple decades more to another sustaining passion: the pursuit of most every sporting fish known to the angler's hopes and dreams.The quarry--from trout and salmon to striped bass, massive tarpon, and chimerical permit--inhabit these thirty-three essays as surely as the characters of a novel, luring the author back to childhood haunts in Michigan and Rhode Island, and on through the stages of his life in San Francisco, Key West, and Montana; from the river in his backyard to the holiest waters of the American fishery, and to such far-flung locales as Ireland, Argentina, New Zealand, and Russia. As he travels with friends, with his son, alone, or in the literary company of Roderick Haig-Brown or Isaak Walton, the fish take him to such subjects as "unfounded opinions" on rods and reels, the classification of anglers according to the flies they prefer, family, and memory--right down to why fisherman lie. "His essay subjects are the stuff of epics," Geoffrey Wolff has written, "and his narratives can make you laugh out loud."Infused with a deep experience of wildlife and the outdoors, dedicated to conservation, reverent and hilarious by turns or at once, The Longest Silence sets the heart pounding for a glimpse of moving water, and demonstrates what a life dedicated to sport reveals about life.
The Longshot: A Novel
by Katie KitamuraCal and his trainer, Riley, are on their way to Mexico for a make-or-break rematch with legendary fighter Rivera. Four years ago, Cal became the only mixed martial arts fighter to take Rivera the distance -- but the fight nearly ended him. Only Riley, who has been at his side for the last ten years, knows how much that fight changed things for Cal. And only Riley really knows what's now at stake, for both of them. Katie Kitamura's brilliant and stirring debut novel follows Cal and Riley through the three fraught days leading up to this momentous match, as each privately begins to doubt that Cal can win. As the tension builds toward the final electrifying scene, the looming fight becomes every challenge each of us has ever taken on, no matter how uncertain the outcome. In hypnotic, pared-down prose, The Longshot offers a striking portrait of two men striving to stay true to themselves and each other in the only way they know how.
The Look Book: Fall 2016 Non-Fiction Sampler
by Jay Ingram Charlotte Gray Wendel Clark Peter C Newman Marty KlinkenbergExploring bold new perspectives on our country, our athletic heroes, and the magic of the natural world, The Look Book offers a taste of nonfiction from across the Fall 2016 Simon & Schuster Canada list.Experience the sweeping history of Canada through its people and ideas, then discover the tales of those who found shelter here from the storm of revolution. Learn the bizarre and fascinating science behind every day phenomena, and answer more than a few age-old questions. Connect with two of hockey's greatest players: one who helped define the game today and one who's forging its future. With chapter excerpts from the following fall 2016 new releases: The McDavid Effect: Connor McDavid and the New Hope for Hockey, by Marty Klinkenberg The Promise of Canada: 150 Years--People and Ideas That Have Shaped Our Country, by Charlotte Gray Bleeding Blue: Giving My All for the Game, by Wendel Clark The Science of Why: Answers to Questions About the World Around Us, by Jay Ingram Hostages to Fortune: The United Empire Loyalists and the Making of Canada, by Peter C. Newman We hope you learn something extraordinary. The Team at Simon & Schuster Canada If you would like to learn more about any of our authors or the titles featured, please visit us at SimonandSchuster.ca, follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @simonschusterCA, or like us at Facebook.com/SimonandSchusterCanada.
The Look Book: Fall 2018 Sampler
by Anna Porter Mark Abley Dr Dave Williams Bob McKenzie Jay TrianoCelebrate Canadians from all walks of life with The Look Book, featuring a few of Simon & Schuster Canada’s highly anticipated fall books.Meet extraordinary Canadians who have helped make our country great. Read your way into the far reaches of space with celebrated astronaut, aquanaut, and ER doctor, Dave Williams. Meet the amateurs and the professionals behind Canada’s most beloved sport with everybody’s favourite broadcaster, Bob McKenzie. Explore the weird everyday sayings we use and the stories behind them with award-winning journalist and author Mark Abley. Go behind the scenes in the publishing trenches with the iconic publisher Anna Porter. And finally, follow the rise of basketball with NBA coach, Jay Triano. Includes samples from the following fall 2018 new releases: Defying Limits: Lessons from the Edge of the Universe, Dr. Dave Williams Everyday Hockey Heroes: Inspirational Stories On and Off the Ice, Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang Watch Your Tongue: What Our Everyday Sayings and Idioms Literally Figuratively Mean, Mark Abley In Other Words: How I Fell in Love with Canada One Book at a Time, Anna Porter Open Look: Canadian Basketball and Me, Jay Triano Happy Reading! The Team at Simon & Schuster Canada If you would like to learn more about any of our authors or the titles featured, please visit us at SimonandSchuster.ca, follow us on Twitter at @SimonSchusterCA, or like us at Facebook.com/SimonandSchusterCanada.
The Look of Love (Mama's Boys #1)
by Crystal Bright"Engaging characters you want to get to know better." -Library Journal You can't fight love...There's only one thing MMA fighter Gunnar Wells is more devoted to than his career, and that's his mother, "Queen" Elizabeth. An elegant African American woman who adopted Gunnar and his two white brothers, Elizabeth was there when they needed her, and they'll do anything for her. For Gunnar, that means running her hair salon when she suddenly falls ill. And if that's not awkward enough for the champion fighter, he'll have to work alongside Eboni Danielson, the other love of his life. The one he left behind to pursue his dream. The one he's never forgotten...Between the salon and her volunteer work, Eboni keeps busy to keep her mind off the man who broke her heart. So when Gunnar shows up again, she does her best to stay cool--on the outside. But the more she watches Gunnar step up and help out, the less she can deny her feelings. Soon Gunnar is doing everything he can to convince Eboni to give him a fighting chance. Can she trust him again--even when old secrets and new dangers come between them once more?
The Lords of the Realm: The Real History of Baseball
by John HelyarIn this fascinating, colorful chronicle -- based on hundreds of interviews and years of research and digging -- John Helyar brings to vivid life the extraordinary people and dramatic events that shaped America's favorite pastime, from the dead-ball days at the turn of the century through the great strike of 1994. Witness zealous Judge Landis banish eight players, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, after the infamous "Black Sox" scandal; the flamboyant A's owner Charlie Finley wheel and deal his star players, Vida Blue and Rollie Fingers, like a deck of cards; the hysterical bidding war of coveted free agent Catfish Hunter; the chain-smoking romantic, A. Bartlett Giamatti, locking horns with Pete Rose during his gambling days of summer; and much more. ... "The ultimate chronicle of the games behind the game." -- The New York Times Book Review.