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Association Football: A Study in Figurational Sociology (Routledge Research in Sports History)
by Graham Curry Eric DunningThis book presents a synthesis of the work on early football undertaken by the authors over the past two decades. It explores aspects of a figurational approach to sociology to examine the early development of football rules in the middle part of the nineteenth century. The book tests Dunning’s status rivalry hypothesis to contest Harvey’s view of football’s development which stresses an influential sub-culture outside the public schools. Status Rivalry re-states the primacy of these latter institutions in the growth of football and without it the sport’s story would remain skewed and unbalanced for future generations.
Astoria
by Peter StarkIn 1810, John Jacob Astor sent out two advance parties to settle the wild, unclaimed western coast of North America. More than half of his men died violent deaths. The others survived starvation, madness, and greed to shape the destiny of a continent.At a time when the edge of American settlement barely reached beyond the Appalachian Mountains, two visionaries, President Thomas Jefferson and millionaire John Jacob Astor, foresaw that one day the Pacific would dominate world trade as much as the Atlantic did in their day. Just two years after the Lewis and Clark expedition concluded in 1806, Jefferson and Astor turned their sights westward once again. Thus began one of history's dramatic but largely forgotten turning points in the conquest of the North American continent.Astoria is the harrowing tale of the quest to settle a Jamestown-like colony on the Pacific coast. Astor set out to establish a global trade network based at the mouth of the Columbia River in what is now Oregon, while Jefferson envisioned a separate democracy on the western coast that would spread eastward to meet the young United States.Astor backed this ambitious enterprise with the vast for-tune he'd made in the fur trade and in New York real estate since arriving in the United States as a near-penniless immigrant soon after the Revolutionary War. He dispatched two groups of men west: one by sea around the southern tip of South America and one by land over the Rockies. The Overland Party, led by the gentlemanly American businessman Wilson Price Hunt, combined French-Canadian voyageurs, Scottish fur traders, American woodsmen, and an extraordinary Native American woman with two toddlers. The Seagoing Party, sailing aboard the ship Tonquin, likewise was a volatile microcosm of contemporary North America. Under the bitter eye of Captain Jonathan Thorn, a young U.S. naval hero whose unyielding, belligerent nature was better suited to battle than to negotiating cultural differences, the Tonquin made tumultuous progress toward its violent end.Unfolding from 1810 to 1813, Astoria is a tale of high adventure and incredible hardship, drawing extensively on firsthand accounts of those who made the journey. Though the colony itself would be short-lived, its founders opened provincial American eyes to the remarkable potential of the western coast, discovered the route that became the Oregon Trail, and permanently altered the nation's landscape and global standing.
Astounding Sea Stories: Fifteen Ripping Good Tales
by Tom McCarthyStories that will entertain, inform, and inspire.Few people would want to test their mettle in an ice-encrusted boat with Ernest Shackleton, or search for the Northwest Passage with Franklin’s doomed crew, or watch their mates being beheaded by angry pirates like Daniel Collins. But it’s quite another thing to read these true accounts while settled into a favorite chair. Here are stoic and hardy sailors who persevered in the face of travails that would have given even Job pause. Their vivid accounts are stronger and more dramatic for their total lack of affectation, their frankness, and their lack of ego. Their gripping stories are custom-made for the imaginative reader who seeks adventure in a more controlled environment, safe, warm, and well fed. Civilized readers with their armchairs anchored firmly to the living room floor.This eclectic collection will not disappoint. Some are classics that have endured through time and continue to excite new readers. Others are hidden gems about to see the light of a reading lamp for the first time in one hundred years.
Astra
by Chris PlattForbidden to ride after her mother's death in a riding accident, thirteen-year-old Lily nurses her mother's beloved horse, Astra, back to health, hoping that someday Astra will win the Tevis Cup endurance race.
Astra
by Chris PlattRiding Astra makes Lily feel closer to her mom—even if Lily&’s dad blames horses for her mother&’s deathAt thirteen, Lily O&’Neil dreams of riding Arabian endurance horses in the Sierra Nevada foothills like her mom once did—before her fatal accident. Now, Lily&’s father has forbidden her from going near horses ever again—he&’s even sold her beloved pony, Domino. But Grams understands that horses are Lily&’s life, just like they were for her mom.Astra Atomica is Lily&’s favorite, a graceful gray Arabian mare with the potential to become a great champion. Lily&’s mom saw it too—she rode the spirited animal to several victories—and Lily knows that the freak accident wasn&’t Astra&’s fault any more than it was her mother&’s. Lily&’s secret dream is to ride Astra all the way to the Tevin Cup, like her mother had planned to do. If only she can make her father see how much her bond with Astra means to her, and how much riding meant to her mother.
Astream: American Writers on Fly Fishing
by Robert Demott Howell RainesThis marvelous collection features stories from some of America's finest and most respected writers about one of the world's most solitary and satisfying sports: fly fishing. For the first time, the stories of thirty-one acclaimed writers including Kim Barnes, Walter Bennett, Russell Chatham, Guy de la Valdène, Robert DeMott, Chris Dombrowski, Ron Ellis, Jim Fergus, Kate Fox, Charles Gaines, Bruce Guernsey, Jim Harrison, Pam Houston, Michael Keaton, Greg Keeler, Sydney Lea, Ted Leeson, Nick Lyons, Craig Mathews, Thomas McGuane, Joseph Monninger, Howard Frank Mosher, Jake Mosher, Craig Nova, Margot Page, Datus Proper, Le Anne Schreiber, Paul Schullery, W. D. Wetherell, and Robert Wrigley come together in one collection. Fly fishers and non-fly fishers alike will recognize in these poignant tales the universal aspects of the appreciation of nature, the necessity of conservation, and the joy and knowledge that come from time spent on fresh and salt water. This is a delightful, handsome volume that captures the allure and spirit of fly fishing and those that love it.
Astrid and Apollo and the Soccer Celebration (Astrid and Apollo)
by V.T. BidaniaAt the Hmong July Fourth Soccer Festival, Astrid and Apollo are excited to join their dad as he watches his favorite soccer team compete. But when they have to babysit their little sister, Eliana, too, they don't know what snack she keeps asking for. To keep her from crying, they buy almost everything they see at the festival. Will they end up with a whole stroller full of yummy food?
Astroball: The New Way to Win It All
by Ben ReiterWhen Sports Illustrated declared on the cover of a June 2014 issue that the Houston Astros would win the World Series in 2017, people thought Ben Reiter, the article’s author, was crazy. <P><P>The Astros were the worst baseball team in half a century, but they were more than just bad. They were an embarrassment, a club that didn’t even appear to be trying to win. The cover story, combined with the specificity of Reiter’s claim, met instant and nearly universal derision. <P><P>But three years later, the critics were proved improbably, astonishingly wrong. How had Reiter predicted it so accurately? And, more important, how had the Astros pulled off the impossible? <P><P>Astroball is the inside story of how a gang of outsiders went beyond the stats to find a new way to win—and not just in baseball. When new Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and his top analyst, the former rocket scientist Sig Mejdal, arrived in Houston in 2011, they had already spent more than half a decade trying to understand how human instinct and expertise could be blended with hard numbers such as on-base percentage and strikeout rate to guide their decision-making. <P><P>In Houston, they had free rein to remake the club. No longer would scouts, with all their subjective, hard-to-quantify opinions, be forced into opposition with the stats guys. Instead, Luhnow and Sig wanted to correct for the biases inherent in human observation, and then roll their scouts’ critical thoughts into their process. The numbers had value—but so did the gut. <P><P>The strategy paid off brilliantly, and surprisingly quickly. It pointed the Astros toward key draft picks like Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman; offered a path for developing George Springer, José Altuve, and Dallas Keuchel; and showed them how veterans like Carlos Beltrán and Justin Verlander represented the last piece in the puzzle of fielding a championship team. <P><P>Sitting at the nexus of sports, business, and innovation—and written with years of access to the team’s stars and executives—Astroball is the story of the next wave of thinking in baseball and beyond, at once a remarkable underdog story and a fascinating look at the cutting edge of evaluating and optimizing human potential.
Asymmetry as a Foundational and Functional Requirement in Human Movement: From Daily Activities to Sports Performance (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)
by José Afonso Cristiana Bessa Filipe Pinto Diogo Ribeiro Beatriz Moura Tiago Rocha Marcus Vinícius Rui Canário-Lemos Rafael Peixoto Filipe Manuel ClementeThis book describes the structural and functional asymmetries in human body movement by providing cases and examples using illustrations and easy-to-understand scenarios. Specifically, it adopts an evidence-based approach to demonstrate (i) the role of structural (e.g., bone dimensions) and functional (e.g., hemispheric dominance) asymmetries in the human body; (ii) the asymmetric nature of most daily activities (e.g., gait, mastication); (iii) the benefits of asymmetry for physical performance; and (iv) the role of asymmetry in preventing injury. More than just a scientific book, it bridges the gap between theory and practice, and includes practical examples and applications. The book appeals to academics and practitioners in the fields of kinesiology, human movement, sports sciences, strength and conditioning, and physiotherapy.
At All Costs (The Red Zone #4)
by Patrick Jones Brent ChartierKyle and Mike share a dream of playing college football. They're both members of the Central High Trojans. And lately their dream is in danger, because Mike has taken some serious hits. A head injury is affecting his performance on the field—and it might mean he'll have serious health problems. When Kyle figures out a way to cheat the football program's new concussion tests, he decides he's protecting Mike's chances of playing college ball. But is he also putting Mike at risk of further harm? And when Mike's symptoms get worse, will Kyle pressure his friend to leave the game—or pressure him to play?
At Easter Road They Play, Volume 1: A Post-War History of Hibs, 1945–1967
by John CampbellFirst in a new trilogy about Scotland&’s storied Hibernian Football Club—from the on-the-pitch exploits of the Famous Five to the rise of Joe Baker. Since 1875 Hibernian Football Club has been an integral part of sporting life in the City of Edinburgh and Port of Leith; its early history up to 1946 has been brilliantly documented in The Making of Hibernian trilogy by Alan Lugton. John Campbell&’s At Easter Road They Play is the first part of a new trilogy that brings the history up to date, picking up the story from 1946 and covering what was the most successful part of the club&’s history when Hibernian won three Championship titles and became the first British club to play in the European Cup, reaching the semifinal. Packed with anecdotal tales of the times, it gives a fascinating insight into life at the club when the Famous Five were in their heyday right through to the mid-sixties when a young lad by the name of Joe Baker burst onto the scene. A game-by-game, goal-by-goal account of the many highs and numerous lows, At Easter Road They Play takes the reader on a fantastic journey back to the days when massive crowds flocked to Easter Road to see Hibernian play. For any Hibs fan that lived through those heady days this book will bring back to life a host of happy memories whilst at the same time allowing those fans who were perhaps too young or not even born at the time to see just how different football was back then when compared to the modern-day game.&“A thoroughly enjoyable read.&” —Lawrie Reilly
At Fenway: Dispatches from Red Sox Nation
by Dan ShaughnessySeeing baseball played at Fenway is an experience like no other for Red Sox fans and rivals alike because the park reminds us of what baseball used to be. Fenway may not offer fans the best seats or even adequate parking, but when game-goers walk through the park's gate, the smell of hotdogs and roasted peanuts, the sight of Fenway's brilliant green grass and the roar of the Fenway faithful overwhelms the most jaded of baseball enthusiasts, even Yankee fans. At Fenway celebrates the rich history of Fenway Park home to the Boston Red Sox. Told through the wit and perceptions of Dan Shaughnessy, sports columnist for the Boston Globe and one of New England's most admired sportswriters, At Fenway is the writer's hometown tribute to the park how growing up with Fenway and the Red Sox affected his life and the lives of the many die-hard fans living in "Red Sox Nation. " Author of The Curse of the Bambino, Shaughnessy takes readers on a walking tour of the fabled park itself, exploring every nook and cranny that makes Fenway unique. He traces the early history of Fenway from the day owner John I. Taylor broke ground for its construction in 1911 to the building material that went into the making of Fenway's "Green Monster" wall. In addition, Shaughnessy introduces readers to some of the unrecognized figures who keep Fenway's cherished traditions alive, including Helen Robinson, who has operated the park's switchboard for more than half a century, and head groundskeeper Joe Mooney, who "protects and defends the green, green grass of Fenway Park. " A book that uniquely captures the spirit of Fenway Park and what it means to be a Boston Red Sox fan, At Fenway also explores the "good, bad, and ugly" moments that have nurtured Fenway's love-hate relationship with fans. From the dark day of January 5, 1920, when Babe Ruth left the Red Sox to play for the Yankees, to the Red Sox's 1967 Cinderella-story pennant victory; from Carlton Fisk's 1975 World Series home run to the crowd-silencing homer Bucky Dent hit that clinched the Yankees' 1978 playoff birth, At Fenway recalls the park's greatest and worst moments and talks with the players who created them. Rumors that the Red Sox will close Fenway in a few years have already provoked outrage among the faithful. Closing Fenway will mark the end of an era, and Dan Shaughnessy captures this era in all its tragic glory. At Fenway will be read and cherished by Red Sox fans and all fans of baseball as it ought to be.
At Forest's Edge: Tales of Hunting, Friendship, and The Future
by Joel SpringOutdoor literature lends itself well to reminiscence of the past; days gone by, hunts with old friends, and good dogs long gone. Joel Spring explored the past in depth with The Ghosts of Autumn (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016). In his latest work, At Forest&’s Edge, Spring turns his thoughts and insights to the future and the future of the sport of hunting. In essays span - ning a season afield, At Forest&’s Edge speaks to the upcoming generation of hunters as well as those of us who have a few more miles on our boots. The au - thor weaves humor, sadness, and a sense of hope seamlessly together in another engaging book. Inside you&’ll find deer and ducks, dogs and friends, adventure and reflection. Most importantly, you&’ll find hope for the future. Come take a walk with Joel Spring At Forest&’s Edge .
At Gleason's Gym
by Ted LewinA knockout of a book about the world's most famous gym. "At Gleason's Gym the world works out. It's down on the Brooklyn waterfront just a left hook away from the Brooklyn Bridge." This spectacular book puts you smack in the middle of the action. But it's more than a book about boxing: It's about the heart of a community, and about the power of practice, perseverance, and staying true to yourself. Paintings, sketches and words by Caldecott Honor artist and former professional wrestler Ted Lewin are your guide to this extraordinary place.
At Home with Muhammad Ali: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Forgiveness
by Hana AliMuhammad Ali’s daughter captures the legendary heavyweight boxing champion, Olympic Gold medalist, activist, and philanthropist as never before in this candid and intimate family memoir, based on personal recordings he kept throughout his adult life.Athlete. Activist. Champion. Ambassador. Icon. Father. The greatest, Muhammad Ali, is all of these things. In this candid family memoir, Hana Ali illuminates this momentous figure as only a daughter can. As Ali approached the end of his astonishing boxing career, he embraced a new purpose and role, turning his focus to his family and friends. In that role, he took center stage as an ambassador for peace and friendship. Dedicated to preserving his family’s unique history, Ali began recording a series of audio diaries in the 1970s, which his daughter later inherited. Through these private tapes, as well as personal journals, love letters, cherished memories, and many never-before-seen photographs, she reveals a complex man devoted to keeping all nine of his children united, and to helping others. Hana gives us a privileged glimpse inside the Ali home, sharing the everyday adventures her family experienced—all so “normal,” with visitors such as Clint Eastwood and John Travolta dropping by. She shares the joy and laughter, the hardship and pain, and, most importantly, the dedication and love that has bonded them. “It’s been said that my father is one of the most written-about people in the world,” Hana writes. “As the chronicles continue to grow, the deepest and most essential essence of his spirit is still largely unknown.” A moving and poignant love letter from a daughter to a father, At Home with Muhammad Ali is the untold story of Ali’s family legacy—a gift both eternal and priceless.
At Speed: My Life in the Fast Lane
by Mark CavendishWritten off as "fat" and "useless" in his youth, Mark Cavendish has sprinted to the front of the Tour de France peloton to become cycling's brightest star--and its most outspoken. Following his debut book Boy Racer, Cavendish has truly come of age as one of the best cycling sprinters of all time. In At Speed, the Manx Missile details what it took to become the winningest Tour sprinter ever, examines the plan that led to his world championship victory, reveals the personal toll of his sacrifice that helped teammate Bradley Wiggins become the UK's first-ever Tour de France winner, and confesses his bitter disappointment at the London Olympic Games. Screaming fights with teammates, rancorous contract negotiations, crushing disappointments--for Mark Cavendish, winning is always the cure. His book At Speed is the page-turning story of a living legend in the sport of cycling.
At the Altar of Speed: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of Dale Earnhardt
by Leigh MontvilleHe was The Intimidator. A nightmare in the rear-view mirror. A unique winner in the boardroom. A seven-time Winston Cup champion. A driver whose personal success story and dedication inspired the adoration of millions of fans. Then on February 18, 2001, just seconds from the Daytona 500 finish line, the world of stock-car racing suffered a devastating loss as Dale Earnhardt fatally careened into a track wall. The tragic shock waves, and an unprecedented outpouring of respect and love, have not stopped since. At the Altar of Speedtakes readers behind the scenes of Earnhardt's celebrated life, tracing his rags-to-riches journey to the top of America's fastest-growing sport. Beginning with Earnhardt's early days growing up in small-town North Carolina, veteran sports writer Leigh Montville examines how a ninth-grade dropout started on the dusty dirt tracks of the South, went through two marriages and a string of no-future jobs before turning twenty-five, then took about a million left turns to glory. Through the pitfalls and triumphs, Earnhardt would ultimately become a celebrated champion, whose lifetime earnings would top forty-one million dollars. The son of a legendary racer, the father of a NASCAR star, he lived a total auto-racing life filled with triumph and sadness, great joy and great pain. Transporting readers to the colorful, noisy world of stock-car racing, where powerful engines allow drivers to reach speeds of 200 m. p. h. ,At the Altar of Speedvividly captures the man who drove the black No. 3 car, a man whose determination and inner strength left behind a legacy of greatness that has redefined his sport. Illustrated with a section of full-color photographs,At the Altar of Speedis a tribute to both the man and his unbeatable spirit.
At the Center (Bounce)
by Patrick JonesCody's basketball team, The Rebels, has an almost perfect record, thanks to the skills of his best friend Jayson "Dominator" Davis. Jayson is new to the team and to the nearly all-white high school. Tension between the coach and Jayson has simmered since he transferred from the inner city. When Coach kicks Jayson off the team, more than the school's record is at stake. A school-wide dispute falls along racial lines, and Cody finds himself at the center. Can Cody step up his game where it really counts?
At the Edge: Riding for My Life
by Danny MacAskill'I've already had my nine lives on the bike...'Danny MacAskill lives on the edge. The cyclist is legendary for his YouTube viral videos like 'The Ridge': nerve-jangling blurs of stunts and speed over towering buildings and mountain peaks. His life is one of thrills, bloody spills and millions of online hits.It hasn't been an easy ride. Fear, stress and the 'what if?' factor circle every trailblazing trick, which require imagination, daredevil techniques and movie-making smarts. He has spent his life pushing the extremes; somehow, he's still around to tell the tale.In this unflinching memoir of mayhem, Danny shares his anarchic childhood on the Isle of Skye and early days as a street trials rider, takes us behind the scenes of his training and videos, and reveals what it takes to go beyond the next level - both mentally and physically.Join Danny for a nerve-shredding ride. Just be sure to bring a crash helmet.
At the Edge of the World
by Kari JonesMaddie and Ivan have been friends forever. They go to school together, surf, party, and hang out all the time. Ivan eats at Maddie's house almost every day. <P><P> But all is not well in Ivan's world, and as control of his life slips farther away from him, Maddie agonises over her role in his life. Ivan fears the fallout if the people in his community discover what he's been hiding, but Maddie thinks telling his secret will help him. <P><P> As Maddie struggles to figure out her own post-high-school path, she worries about how to deal with the things she knows about Ivan's life. Is she a keeper of his secrets? Should she help him hide what's going on in his family? Or should she tell someone and get help? What does betrayal look like when your best friend is in trouble?
At the End of the Storm: Stories from Liverpool's Historic Title Win
by James Pearce Oliver Kay Simon HughesA collection of articles from the writers of The Athletic detailing Liverpool F.C.’s 2019–2020 championship season.As Liverpool ended their thirty-year wait to be crowned champions of England, they were followed by their equivalent from the world of sports writing: a team of elite talents, assembled to leave all competition trailing in their wake. This is the story of Liverpool’s title win in the longest season, as told by the writers of The Athletic, with their blend of inside access and expert analysis; great ideas and beautiful writing.Articles include profiles of each of Liverpool’s title winners by their former youth team coaches; Oliver Kay watches Sadio Mane score against Manchester City in the company of the striker’s family, in his hometown in Senegal; James Pearce spends 90 minutes analysing Virgil van Dijk; plus there are exclusive interviews with Jurgen Klopp, and the club’s US owners.Read the stories behind a unique and historical season from a team of writers every bit as good as the footballers they were following.
At the Fights: American Writers on Boxing
by Various George Kimball Colum Mccann John SchulianNamed a best book of 2011 by the San Francisco Chronicle, At the Fights is a gritty and glittering anthology of the very best writing about boxing. Here are Jack London on the immortal Jack Johnson; Richard Wright on Joe Louis's historic victory over Max Schmeling; A. J. Liebling's brilliantly comic portrait of a manager who really identifies with his fighter; Jimmy Cannon on Archie Moore, the greatest fighter of the 1950s; James Baldwin and Gay Talese on Floyd Patterson's epic fight with Sonny Liston; George Plimpton on Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X; Norman Mailer on the Rumble in the Jungle; Mark Kram on the Thrilla in Manila; Pete Hamill on legendary trainer and manager Cus D'Amato; Mark Kriegel on Oscar De La Hoya; and David Remnick and Joyce Carol Oates on Mike Tyson. National Book Award-winning novelist Colum McCann (Let the Great World Spin) offers a foreword and, in a new preface, John Schulian pays tribute to his co-editor, George Kimball, who lost his battle with cancer in 2011.
At the Grave of the Unknown Fisherman
by John GierachAt the Grave of the Unknown Fisherman is a journey through the year with America's finest fishing writer, John Gierach. The journey begins with an early spring expedition to Wyoming, where the dirt roads are still covered with a thin sheen of ice that quickly turns to mud underfoot. The conditions are so uninviting that everyone involved agrees they must be crazy to be fishing so early in the season. But, as Gierach observes, "nothing makes a fisherman happier than to have just proved that he must be crazy. " Gierach's fishing year ends with a winter fly-fishing trip in the Colorado Rockies, a time of year when, Gierach says, "it's still possible to have what seems like a whole river all to yourself. " Of course, the chances of catching any fish are small, a situation about which Gierach comments, "Anyone would go fishing thinking he'll catch something. It's when you go figuring you probably won't that you know you've crossed some kind of line. "In between, Gierach entertains us as always, mixing the one-liners about the fishing life with deeper insights into friendship, how we spend our time, and why nature still matters to us. At the Grave of the Unknown Fisherman contains Gierach's trademark blend of humor and acuity. Comparing trout and carp, he says, "If you wanted a fish that could sip white wine and discuss Italian poetry, you'd look for a trout. If you needed a ditch dug, you'd hire a carp. " Commenting on the value of a good map, he observes, "It seems like I've spent half my life trying to locate myself on maps, either just out of curiosity or to answer specific questions like Where the hell am I?' and 'How do I get out of here?' Gierach offers his opinions on the etiquette of sharing secret fishing spots, the ethics of lying to protect these spots, the secretive subculture of bamboo rods, and many other topics important to fishermen everywhere. Above all, however, Gierach understands that the real pleasure in fishing is greater than the sum of its accessories. He describes fish, mountain streams, birch thickets, and the joy of a beautiful day outdoors with a naturalist's eye and appreciation. And he understands fishing like the sage observer that he is: Fishing is one of the few ways I know of to let go of the past, forget about the future, and live in the moment. "Keenly observed and wryly recorded as always, John Gierach's latest book of fishing adventures and misadventures is sure to be enjoyed by anyone who fishes -- and everyone who wishes he fished more.
At the Mercy of The Mountains: True Stories of Survival and Tragedy In New York's Adirondacks
by Peter BronskiIn this compelling book, award-winning adventure writer and former Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue team member Peter Bronski chronicles true stories of survival and tragedy, from famous historical cases during the early 20th century, to modern tales of harrowing struggle in the mountains and wilderness. Extensively researched, these gripping tales pull together historical accounts, first-hand interviews, previously untold stories and expert analysis to retrace each misadventure
At the Plate with...Ichiro (Matt Christopher)
by Matthew F ChristopherAfter playing the sport he loved in his home country of Japan for 17 years, Ichiro left in 2000 and joined the Seattle Mariners. Would Ichiro succeed in the world's most challenging baseball league? Includes black-and-white photos and players' statistics.