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The Grind
by Barry SvrlugaShortlisted for the 2016 PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports WritingAT 162 GAMES, it is the sports world's longest season. Grueling. Thrilling. Routine. Lonely. Exhilarating. Major league ballplayers even have a name for this relentless, unmatchable rhythm: The Grind.In The Grind, Barry Svrluga, The Washington Post's national baseball correspondent, zooms in on the 2014 Washington Nationals, reporting not just on the roster's star players, but also on the typically invisible supporting cast who each have their own sacrifices to make and schedules to keep. There's The Wife, who acts as a full-time mom, part-time real estate agent, occasional father, and all-hours dog walker; The 26th Man, a minor leaguer on the cusp of job security who gets called up to the majors only to be sent back down the very next week; The Reliever, one of the most mentally taxing, precarious, and terribly exposed positions on any pro squad. These and many more players, scouts, equipment managers, and even travel schedulers create the fabric of Svrluga's intimate and unusual book; they could be from any team or any big-league city. As he writes: "There is no other sport with an everydayness, a drum-drum-drum beat like baseball."Built on material that appeared in The Washington Post, Svrluga's book is a raw, inside look at the wear and tear, the glory and impermanence, of America's pastime. From the Hardcover edition.
Grind
by Eric WaltersWhen Wally is badly injured skateboarding, Philip must decide what is more important--skating or making things right with his friends. (Orca Soundings)
Grimmish
by Michael WinklerSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 MILES FRANKLIN LITERARY AWARD‘I just don’t believe that man is made of flesh and blood.’ - Jack Johnson, World Heavyweight Boxing ChampionPain was Joe Grim’s self-expression, his livelihood and reason for being. In 1908–09 the Italian-American boxer toured Australia, losing fights but amazing crowds with his showmanship and extraordinary physical resilience. On the east coast Grim played a supporting role in the Jack Johnson–Tommy Burns Fight of the Century; on the west coast he was committed to an insane asylum. In between he played with the concept and reality of pain in a shocking manner not witnessed before or since.Michael Winkler braids the story of Grim in Australia and meditations on pain with thoughts on masculinity and vulnerability, plus a talking goat and questionable jokes, in a haymaker of experimental non/fiction.“The strangest book you are likely to read this year.” – JM Coetzee"Grimmish meets a need I didn't even know I had. I lurched between bursts of wild laughter, shudders of horror, and gasps of awe at Winkler’s verbal command: the freshness and muscle of his verbs, the unstoppable flow of his images, the bizarre wit of the language of pugilism – and all the while, a moving subterranean glint of strange masculine tenderness." – Helen Garner"A powerful blast of literary ingenuity and originality." – Lloyd Jones, author of Mister Pip“All the makings of a cult classic. It’s grotesque and gorgeous, smart and searching.” – Beejay Silcox, The Guardian
The Grim Reaper: The Life and Career of a Reluctant Warrior
by Stu GrimsonA powerful memoir from an NHL heavyweight champion who moved from the dressing room to the courtroom.NHL tough guys all tell the same story. They all grew up dreaming of skating in the big league as stars. Then one day, a coach tells them the only way to make it is to drop the gloves. And every guy says the same thing: I'll do whatever it takes to play in the NHL.Not Stu Grimson, though. When he was offered a contract to patrol the ice for the Calgary Flames, he said no thanks, and went to university instead. And that's the way Grimson has approached his career and his life: on his own terms. He stared down the toughest players on the planet for seventeen years, while working on his first university degree. He retired on his own terms, and went on to practice law, including a stint as in-house counsel for the NHLPA.This has put him in a unique position when it comes to commenting on the game. He's seen it from the trenches, and he's seen it from the courtroom. This puts him in the eye of the storm surrounding fighting and concussions. And he handles that the way he does everything: on his own terms. When Don Cherry called him out on televison, it was the seemingly indominable Cherry who backed down. Hockey fans will be fascinated by his data-driven defence of fighting.But in the end, this is not a book about fighting and locker-room stories. It's the story of a young man who ultimately took on the toughest role in pro sports and came out the other side. Where many others have not.
Grigs!: A Beauuutiful Life
by Bill GrigsbyIt has, most definitely, been A Beauuutiful Life for Bill Grigsby, a Kansas City icon and Grand Master of Ceremony. No one can paint a more illustrious image of Midwestern sports and its famous and not-so-famous participants than the man affectionately known as Grigs. From humble beginnings during the Depression through his war years as a code breaker to his development as a colorful broadcaster in Major League Baseball and the National Football League, Bill Grigsby is the supreme storyteller who crosses the generational timeline. He was there when Mickey Mantle took his first professional swing, when a brash entrepreneur by the name of Charlie Finley bought the AA's, and when a reserved dreamer named Lamar Hunt came to Kansas City. Along the way his path has crossed with a virtual Who's Who of several Halls of Fame: George Brett, Lenny Dawson, Tom Watson, Whitey Herzog, Joe Montana, Dan Devine, Dick the Bruiser, Phog Allen, Marcus Allen, George Toma, Roy Williams, Hank Stram, and even Baby Doe, the women's world champion midget wrestler from South Africa. Even Grigs himself is in two Halls-the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Grigs has had not one single full-time job during his life, but more than 40, from fertilizer salesman to federal deputy to big-league broadcaster. His loyalty and longevity, though, are legend. He was there for the beginning of the Kansas City Sportshow, now more than a half-century old, and the Kansas City Chiefs, who came to town in the 1960s. To this day he remains a vital part of both organizations. No one, in fact, has longer tenure as an NFL broadcaster than Grigs, who first began to imagine himself as a sportscaster during the 1930s in Lawrence, Kansas. Bill Grigsby grew up in a desperate time, but it forged a man who, along with Fran, his wife of more than 50 years, created a beautiful family and A Beauuutiful Life.
Griefer's Revenge: An Unofficial League of Griefers Adventure, #3 (An Unofficial League of Griefers Adventure #3)
by Winter MorganCan Violet and Noah protect their village from griefers and ensure the Olympic Games continue uninterrupted? Noah and Violet’s village is hosting the Olympics for Minecrafters. The events are disrupted when a TNT attack destroys the Olympic stadium. Noah and Violet are forced to gather the townspeople to wage a battle against Daniel and his powerful griefers. They all must stop the griefers before they destroy the games entirely. With a full agenda of Olympic games from relay races to boat races, the group has to save the legendary competition. The griefers, angered by their recent defeat, are getting their revenge on Noah and Violet. They are planning a serious attack on the town, which could have devastating consequences on the duo and their hometown. Can Violet and Noah stop the griefers in time? Will the Olympic games go on safely? Find out in this thrilling third installment of the League of Griefers series!
Gridiron Underground: Black American Journeys in Canadian Football
by James R. WallenCanada couldn’t guarantee them greatness but offered the freedom and opportunity they needed to achieve it. In 1951, Bernie Custis, a standout quarterback at Syracuse, had his invitation to the national East-West All-Star game rescinded when the organizers discovered he was black. In 1978, Warren Moon — the only player to be inducted into both the Canadian and American football halls of fame — went unselected as a quarterback in the NFL draft. With the NFL insisting that a black player could not lead a team, generations of promising athletes were denied a chance to compete at the highest levels. But with their minds set on getting the recognition they deserved, many of them found that Canadian teams were ready to welcome them aboard. Gridiron Underground tells the story of how talented Black American players who were overlooked, ignored, or prevented from playing football in their home country came to Canada, from the 1940s right through to the present day.
Gridiron Showdown (Jake Maddox JV)
by Eric Stevens Mike Ray Jake MaddoxWhen Jasper gets in trouble at school, he's given a choice: rejoin the football team or else. But after he quit abruptly at the end of the last season, Jasper's old teammates aren't exactly thrilled to see him, and finding a spot on the team isn't easy. Does Jasper have what it takes to make it on the football field, or is he doomed to detention?
Gridiron Genius: A Master Class in Winning Championships and Building Dynasties in the NFL
by Bill Belichick Michael LombardiFormer NFL general manager and three-time Super Bowl winner Michael Lombardi reveals what makes football organizations tick at the championship level. From personnel to practice to game-day decisions that win titles, Lombardi shares what he learned working with coaching legends Bill Walsh of the 49ers, Al Davis of the Raiders, and Bill Belichick of the Patriots, among others, during his three decades in football. <P><P>Why do some NFL franchises dominate year after year while others can never crack the code of success? <P><P>For 30 years Michael Lombardi had a front-row seat and full access as three titans--Bill Walsh, Al Davis, and Bill Belichick--reinvented the game, turning it into a national obsession while piling up Super Bowl trophies. Now, in Gridiron Genius, Lombardi provides the blueprint that makes a successful organization click and win--and the mistakes unsuccessful organizations make that keep them on the losing side time and again. <P><P>In reality, very few coaches understand the philosophies, attention to detail, and massive commitment that defined NFL juggernauts like the 49ers and the Patriots. The best organizations are not just employing players, they are building something bigger. Gridiron Genius will explain how the best leaders evaluate, acquire, and utilize personnel in ways other professional minds, football and otherwise, won't even contemplate. How do you know when to trade a player? How do you create a positive atmosphere when everyone is out to maximize his own paycheck? And why is the tight end like the knight on a chessboard? <P><P>To some, game planning consists only of designing an attack for the next opponent. But Lombardi explains how the smartest leaders script everything: from an afternoon's special-teams practice to a season's playoff run to a decade-long organizational blueprint. Readers will delight in the Lombardi tour of an NFL weekend, including what really goes on during the game on and off the field and inside the headset. First stop: Belichick's Saturday night staff meeting, where he announces how the game will go the next day. Spoiler alert: He always nails it. <P><P>Football dynasties are built through massive attention to detail and unwavering commitment. From how to build a team, to how to watch a game, to understanding the essential qualities of great leaders, Gridiron Genius gives football fans the knowledge to be the smartest person in the room every Sunday.
Gridiron Capital: How American Football Became a Samoan Game
by Lisa UperesaSince the 1970s, a “Polynesian Pipeline” has brought football players from American Sāmoa to Hawaii and the mainland United States to play at the collegiate and professional levels. In Gridiron Capital Lisa Uperesa charts the cultural and social dynamics that have made football so central to Samoan communities. For Samoan athletes, football is not just an opportunity for upward mobility; it is a way to contribute to, support, and represent their family, village, and nation. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, archival research, and media analysis, Uperesa shows how the Samoan ascendancy in football is underpinned by the legacies of US empire and a set of imperial formations that mark Indigenous Pacific peoples as racialized subjects of US economic aid and development. Samoan players succeed by becoming entrepreneurs: building and commodifying their bodies and brands to enhance their football stock and market value. Uperesa offers insights into the social and physical costs of pursuing a football career, the structures that compel Pacific Islander youth toward athletic labor, and the possibilities for safeguarding their health and wellbeing in the future.Duke University Press Scholars of Color First Book Award recipient
Gridiron: Stories from 100 Years of the National Football League
by Fred BowenThis accessible, informative, and beautifully illustrated book celebrates the 100th anniversary of the NFL and is the perfect keepsake for football fans of all ages.The National Football League is the most popular sports league in the United States. Its championship game, the Super Bowl, is watched by millions of people every year. But it wasn&’t always like this. In the last one hundred years, football has changed from a poorly organized, often overlooked sport to America&’s favorite pastime. Here are the stories of that remarkable transformation. The stories of the greatest players, the most successful coaches, the most memorable games—and the amazing plays that made us gasp as we watched them in stadiums and on televisions all over America. Discover the league&’s scrappy beginnings in an automobile showroom, and early players like Red Grange, the Galloping Ghost. Relive the very first championship game, played indoors after a circus had visited, and famous games like the Ice Bowl. See the NFL at war, and meet some of the remarkable athletes who helped desegregate the league. Learn how the draft came into existence, and about the teams that strove for that almost impossible goal—a perfect season. Veteran sportswriter Fred Bowen brings his in-depth knowledge and lively prose to these fascinating stories, and award-winning artist James E. Ransome has created stunning full-page illustrations that bring the sport of football to life like never before.
Greyhound Tales: True Stories of Rescue, Compassion & Love
by Nora StarHeartwarming stories of rescue and adoption of greyhounds discarded by the dog racing industry.
The Greyhound
by John CooperFifteen-year-old Danny is a troubled kid, and trouble always seems to follow him. Things are changing just too fast his family has moved to a new town, his father is battling alcoholism, and Danny has a hair-trigger temper that causes him problems with the teachers and the other kids at his new school. But as they say, everybody can do at least one thing well, and for Danny its judo. The dojo is the one place where Dannys aggression can find an outlet, even as he tries to make sense of a life that seems way out of control. As he gets ready for an upcoming competition, things just might be on the upswing in Dannys life. Its all thanks to the arrival of a four-legged wonder, a remarkable greyhound named Long Shot that may hold the key to Danny finding both balance in his life and, especially, a greater understanding of his father.
Grey Skies, Green Waves: A Surfer's Journey Around the UK and Ireland
by Tom AndersonTom Anderson has always loved surfing – anywhere except the UK. But a chance encounter leads him to a series of adventures on home surf… As he visits the popular haunts and secret gems of British surfing he rekindles his love affair with the freezing fun that is surfing the North Atlantic.
Grey Skies, Green Waves: A Surfer's Journey Around the UK and Ireland
by Tom AndersonTom Anderson has always loved surfing – anywhere except the UK. But a chance encounter leads him to a series of adventures on home surf… As he visits the popular haunts and secret gems of British surfing he rekindles his love affair with the freezing fun that is surfing the North Atlantic.
Grey Owl and Me: Stories From the Trail and Beyond
by Hap Wilson Ingrid ZschognerHap Wilson is back for another journey, this time on the lighter side of the adventure trail, where the bizarre melds with the sublime. Nurtured by the writings of Canadian environmentalist and wannabe-Native, Grey Owl, Wilson adopted a lifestyle similar to the 1930s conservationist but with his own twists and turns along a meandering path full of humorous misadventures. Wilson, too, learned many of his nature skills as a youth, paddling in Temagami, working as a wilderness canoe ranger and guide, and following in the footsteps of one of Canada’s most revered outdoor icons. The author recounts early days winter camping, motorcycling the Labrador coast, and teaching actor Pierce Brosnan how to throw knives and paddle a canoe for the Richard Attenborough film about Grey Owl. He also takes us to a few of his favourite places and shares intimate secrets of wilderness living. Here, Grey Owl has returned as an ever-present critic – a buckskin-clad spectre in a modern world of Gore-Tex, Kevlar canoes, and gear freaks.
Grey Cup Century
by Michael JanuskaThe biggest single sports and television event in Canada marks its 100th championship in 2012. The Terrible Tripper of 1957, the 1962 Fog Bowl, Vic Washington’s Fabulous Fumble in 1968, Tony Gabriel’s Classic Catch in 1976, Henry "Gizmo" Williams’s Wild Run in 1987, and Dave Ridgway’s Magnificent Kick in 1989 are some of the legendary moments leading up to the 100th Grey Cup game in November 2012 in Toronto. You’ll find all of them in Grey Cup Century and much more.Canadian football has had a long and storied history dating back to the 1860s. In 1909, Earl Grey, the governor general of Canada, donated a trophy to honour the best amateur rugby football club in the country. The first team to win a Grey Cup was the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.In 1954 the Canadian Football League, a professional organization, took over sole control of the Cup. Since then gridiron giants such as Sam Etcheverry, Norm Kwong, Jackie Parker, Russ Jackson, Ron Lancaster, Lui Passaglia, Doug Flutie, and Michael "Pinball" Clemons have dazzled fans in an annual championship that now attracts as many as six million television viewers.
Gretzky to Lemieux: The Story of the 1987 Canada Cup
by Ed WillesGretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Coffey, Fuhr, all on the same team -- in their prime. The greatest collection of hockey talent ever assembled, playing the games of their lives.Three epic 6-5 contests between Canada and the Soviet Union decided the '87 Canada Cup.Canada evened the series, after the Soviets won Game 1, when Gretzky's fifth assist of the game set up Lemieux's hat trick, ending Game 2 in double overtime. Game 2 is widely considered one of the greatest hockey games ever played.With time running out in Game 3, after Canada battled back from a 3-0 deficit, Team Canada coach Mike Keenan sent the Gretzky / Lemieux / Hawerchuk line on the ice for a faceoff in Canada's end. The rest is history as Gretzky, Lemieux, and Larry Murphy rushed up the ice, Gretzky skating on the left wing, setting up Lemieux's game-winner in the slot with 1:26 left in the game. Gretzky's pass to Lemieux, followed by Lemieux's goal, is one of the most memorable plays in hockey history.Gretzky to Lemieux captures the on-ice drama that led to the historic three-game final, and the stories behind it. Ed Willes adds depth and weight to the games by revealing the rebellion among Soviet hockey stars in the early days of Glasnost and a crumbling Soviet Union; the trouble brewing for Alan Eagleson; the ascendancy of Mario Lemieux; and the end of the glorious Gretzky era in Edmonton.Packed with interviews of players and coaches, Gretzky to Lemieux tells the full story of the greatest hockey ever played.From the Hardcover edition.
Gretzky: An Autobiography
by Wayne Gretzky Rick ReillyFrom one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century, a fascinating autobiography which provides an insider's view into the world of professional hockey.
Greg Maddux, Ace!
by John Albert TorresA biography of the ace pitcher who won the Cy Young award four times and who currently plays for the Atlanta Braves.
Greg Biffle (NASCAR Champions)
by Connor DaytonIntroduces the career of race car driver Greg Biffle.
Greeting the Sun
by Cricket MediaTake a deep breath in, breathe out, and read on to learn some simple yoga moves that will help you start out the day! Learn all about different yoga poses like Heart Pose, Downward Dog, and Cobra in this step-by-step guide for a quick yoga session.
Greenville-Pickens Speedway
by Scott KeepferAs the second-oldest NASCAR track still running weekly races, Greenville-Pickens has earned a unique niche in racing history. In 1959, local driver David Pearson sped to a record 15 victories in one season, jump-starting a Hall of Fame career. As a young boy, Dale Earnhardt played in the infield while his father, Ralph, raced to the track championship in 1965. In 1971, ABC's Wide World of Sports televised the first live, start-to-finish NASCAR race at Greenville-Pickens. Many big names have competed here, but for every David Pearson and Richard Petty, there have been dozens of Donnie Bishops and Toby Porters: local favorites providing weekly thrills for a loyal fan base.
The Greening of London, 1920–2000
by Matti O. HannikainenThe long-term development of public green spaces such as parks, public gardens, and recreation grounds in London during the twentieth century is a curiously neglected subject, despite the fact that various kinds of green spaces cover huge areas in cities in the UK today. This book explores how and why public green spaces have been created and used in London, and what actors have been involved in their evolution, during the course of the twentieth century. Building on case studies of the contemporary boroughs of Camden and Southwark and making use of a wealth of archival material, the author takes us through the planning and creation stages, to the intended (and actual) uses and ongoing management of the spaces. By highlighting the rise and fall of municipal authorities and the impact of neo-liberalism after the 1970s, the book also deepens our understanding of how London has been governed, planned and ruled during the twentieth century. It makes a crucial contribution to academic as well as political discourse on the history and present role of green space in sustainable cities.
Green Monster: A Sam Skarda Mystery (Sam Skarda Mysteries #0)
by Rick ShefchikAfter a second World Championship in four years, the Boston Red Sox have finally buried the Curse of the Bambinoaor have they? Sox owner Louis Kenwood receives an extortion note signed aBabe Rutha claiming that the 2004 World Series was fixedaand demanding $50 million to keep the information from getting to the press and the Commissioneras office. If the allegation of a fix becomes public, Kenwood fears irreparable damage to the value of his franchise and to his legacy as aLucky Louie, a the man who finally brought a championship to Boston after 86 years. Thus, the Red Sox turn to private detective Sam Skarda to find out whoas behind the extortion plot. Kenwood insists that his beautiful executive assistant Heather Canby accompanyaand monitoraSam on every step of his investigation. Unsure whom he can trust, Sam follows the clues to the Los Angeles underworld and then to the slums of Venezuela. Can he assemble all of the pieces to this puzzle before more lives are lost and scandal blasts the Red Sox Nation? Green Monster is the second novel in the Sam Skarda series, following Amen Corner.