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The Only Game in Town: Sportswriting from the New Yorker
by David RemnickFor more than eighty years, The New Yorker has been home to some of the toughest, wisest, funniest, and most moving sports writing around. Featuring brilliant reportage and analysis, profound profiles of pros, and tributes to the amateur in all of us, The Only Game in Town is a classic collection from a magazine with a deep bench. Including such authors as Roger Angell and John Updike, both of them synonymous with New Yorker sports writing, The Only Game in Town also features greats like John McPhee and Don DeLillo. Hall of Famer Ring Lardner is here, bemoaning the lowering of standards for baseball achievement-in 1930. A. J. Liebling inimitably portrays the 1955 Rocky Marciano-Archie Moore bout as "Ahab and Nemesis . . . man against history," and John Cheever pens a story about a boy's troubled relationship with his father and "The National Pastime. " From Tiger Woods to bullfighter Sidney Franklin, from the Chinese Olympics to the U. S. Open, the greatest plays and players, past and present, are all covered in The Only Game in Town. At The New Yorker, it's not whether you win or lose-it's how you write about the game.
The Only Game in Town
by Fay VincentIn this delightful book that every baseball fan will cherish, ten outstanding ballplayers remember the heyday of the game in the 1930s and 1940s. It was the era of Gehrig and DiMaggio; of Foxx, Greenberg, and Williams; of Grove and Feller. Elden Auker, Tommy Henrich, Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, and Bob Feller recall some great rivalries: Auker pitched to Ruth and Gehrig, then faced Dizzy Dean in an unforgettable World Series; Henrich was a clutch player for the Yankees who alertly turned a passed-ball third strike into a World Series victory; Dom DiMaggio was a superb center fielder who batted .298 lifetime and nearly ended his brother Joe's hitting streak; Pesky, a Red Sox mainstay, was blamed for Enos Slaughter's dash home that was the most memorable play of the 1946 Red Sox-Cardinals World Series; and Feller was a teenager when he faced -- among others -- Foxx, Greenberg, and Joe DiMaggio. But this was also the era of great Negro Leagues stars who never had the opportunity to play in the major leagues. Buck O'Neil remembers the outstanding players of his day who never got their chance or whose turn came too late -- Oscar Charleston, Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige among them. Two great events happened in the 1940s, and one of them would change the game forever. World War II took some of these great players off the diamond and put them into a different kind of uniform. Warren Spahn pitched his first game in 1942 and didn't pitch again until the war ended, getting his first victory in 1946 (nonetheless he won more games than any other left-hander in history). As he recalls here, he served his country memorably in the war. Then in 1947 Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, followed only a few months later by Larry Doby, the first African-American in the American League, who vividly describes what it felt like to be the only black ballplayer in the clubhouse -- and the league. The game began to change after integration, and home run king Ralph Kiner remembers how some clubs were quick to sign African-American players and thrive. Meanwhile, some Negro Leagues stars, such as Monte Irvin, itched for the opportunity to face the major leaguers and prove that, like Robinson and Doby, they could compete with the best. All of these ballplayers recall their favorite memories: the games that mattered most, the players they all admired, the childhood experiences that shaped their lives, and the deep affection for the game that has always remained with them. Illustrated throughout, The Only Game in Town is a fascinating trip through two decades when baseball changed profoundly. Like The Glory of Their Times, it is a book that will find a permanent place on every fan's bookshelf.
The Only Game That Matters: The Harvard / Yale Rivalry
by Bernard M. Corbett Paul SimpsonAs Harvard graduate Roger Angell once said, "The Game picks us up each November and holds us for two hours and... all of us, homeward bound, sense that we are different yet still the same. It is magic." For hundreds of thousands of alumni and fans, the annual clash between Harvard and Yale inspires a sense of nostalgia and pride unequaled anywhere in sports. For much of the year Ivy League football is overshadowed by powerhouse programs such as Miami and Michigan. But not on the third Saturday of November, when all eyes turn to New England for the legendary battle between the Crimson and the Blue. In The Only Game That Matters, Bernard M. Corbett and Paul Simpson explore what makes this iconic rivalry so revered, so beloved, and so pivotal in college football history. Known simply as "The Game," this tradition-soaked Ivy League feud began in 1875, and it has been leading the evolution of college football ever since. Although the Ivy League hasn't had a national champion in decades, The Game still stands alone in the college football pantheon. It is a living history, its roots reaching back to a time when young men took to the field for the sake of competition, not for a chance at a million-dollar pro contract. The Game, then and now, features the true student athlete. Of course, it also features bloody brawls, ingenious pranks, and breathtaking comebacks. The Only Game That Matters recounts the 2002 season through the eyes of players and coaches, interweaving the modern-day experience with great stories of classic games past. By tracing this venerable competition from its inception--looking at such legendary games as 1894's Bloodbath in Hampden Park and Harvard's 29-29 "win" in 1968 and such influential coaches as Yale's Walter Camp, the father of football as we know it--the anatomy of a rivalry emerges. Culminating in the thrilling 2002 contest, The Only Game That Matters illuminates the unique place this storied feud occupies in today's sports world. To the game of football, to the spirit of rivalry, to the Crimson and Blue faithful, The Game is the only game that matters. "In this book about the remarkable football rivalry between Harvard and Yale, Bernard M. Corbett and Paul Simpson capture the unique intensity of this famous game, as felt by the teams who go all out on each play, and by the families and the alumni in the stands who live and die by each touchdown." --From the Foreword by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Harvard '56. "The Only Game That Matters does a great job of explaining why Yale/Harvard is The Game - one that does matter, and should matter more. It is a shining example of what college football and amateur sports should be." --From the Foreword by Governor George E. Pataki, Yale '67. "Harvard is playing Yale in football again and again in The Game, and you're part of the crowd with Bernard M. Corbett and Paul Simpson's wonderful look at this great rivalry. Stand next to a Kennedy on one side, a Bush on the other, and watch The Only Game That Matters unfold through the years. By the end you'll feel like a successful alum. Great stuff!" --Leigh Montville, author of Ted Williams and At the Altar of Speed. "In 1894, Harvard president Charles Eliot claimed football was 'unfit for colleges,' and condemned the game as 'more brutalizing than prizefighting, cockfighting, or bullfighting.' Happily, his view didn't prevail over the long run, or else we'd not have The Only Game That Matters." --Bill Littlefield, Yale '70.
The Only Golf Lesson You'll Ever Need: Easy Solutions to Problem Golf Swings
by Hank Haney John HugganThe Only Golf Lesson You'll Ever Need, Hank Haney, one of the most respected and soughtafter golf instructors in the world, shares the secrets he's learned by observing hundreds of thousands of students--from top PGA Tour pros to high-handicappers. He explains how intelligent observation of your ball-flight tendencies--the way your shot behaves in the air--provides the answers to helping you develop a consistent repeating swing that will lower your scores. You'll also pick up valuable pointers on how to precisely match your equipment to your game. Hank Haney believes that a "flawed swing" that still produces a good shot is a good swing. By focusing on the outcome of your swing first, rather than on the swing itself, he believes you can often avoid making the awkward and unnatural changes to grip, stance, posture and alignment that many golf instructors ask of their students.The Only Golf Lesson You'll Ever Need will help you straighten your hook or slice, add distance to your drives, identify and fix the flaws in your swing, and become a wizard around the greens. "I'm proud of the way my swing holds up ion all kinds of conditions and under the severest pressure. Both are a tribute to Hank Haney and his teaching. Hank knows more about ballflight and what controls it than anyone in the game. And if you understand that, you're on your way." -- Mark O'Meara from the Foreword to The Only Golf Lesson You'll Ever Need
Only Here For A Visit: A Life Lived to the Full – from Sporting Glories to Wild Stories
by Alan Brazil'The only book that will give you a hangover' Chris Evans Breakfast Show---The hilarious, no holds barred autobiography from sporting legend and broadcaster Alan Brazil.As Alan recounts tales from his extraordinary life, he relives the sporting occasions, radio broadcasts and famously long drinking sessions that have defined his career. He takes readers inside the talkSPORT studio for a behind-the-scenes view of his most memorable interviews, and talks for the first time about the on-pitch rivalries and dressing room debriefs of his footballing career.With his typically outspoken and irreverent delivery, Alan shares everything from his thoughts on how the sports he loves have changed to his top tips for picking winners (and many losers) at Cheltenham. And he revels in wine-soaked jaunts in the South of France and late-night supermarket sweeps with Ray Parlour - if you can keep up.Packed full of never-before-told stories, refreshing appraisals, sporting controversy and a cast of larger-than-life characters, this is a brutally honesty and wickedly funny insight into an extraordinary life.
The Only Poker Book You'll Ever Need: Bet, Play, And Bluff Like a Pro--from Five-card Draw to Texas Hold 'em
by John WenzelThe Only Poker Book You’ll Ever Need makes picking up the smartest tips and slyest tricks a cinch.In a brief, to-the-point format, this plucky guide helps readers master the basics of play and use poker probability and psychology to the best advantage. This savvy, straight-shooting handbook explains the ins and outs of the most popular poker games; the vitals on betting, bluffing, and blinds; the secrets to zeroing-in on other players’ tells; and so many more tips and strategies. Whether a novice is planning her first at-home poker party or a card shark is craving casino action, this book is a sure bet every time.
The Only Rule Is It Has to Work: Our Wild Experiment Building a New Kind of Baseball Team
by Ben Lindbergh Sam MillerThe New York Times bestseller about what would happen if two statistics-minded outsiders were allowed to run a professional baseball team.It’s the ultimate in fantasy baseball: You get to pick the roster, set the lineup, and decide on strategies -- with real players, in a real ballpark, in a real playoff race. That’s what baseball analysts Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller got to do when an independent minor-league team in California, the Sonoma Stompers, offered them the chance to run its baseball operations according to the most advanced statistics. Their story in The Only Rule is it Has to Work is unlike any other baseball tale you've ever read.We tag along as Lindbergh and Miller apply their number-crunching insights to all aspects of assembling and running a team, following one cardinal rule for judging each innovation they try: it has to work. We meet colorful figures like general manager Theo Fightmaster and boundary-breakers like the first openly gay player in professional baseball. Even José Canseco makes a cameo appearance.Will their knowledge of numbers help Lindbergh and Miller bring the Stompers a championship, or will they fall on their faces? Will the team have a competitive advantage or is the sport’s folk wisdom true after all? Will the players attract the attention of big-league scouts, or are they on a fast track to oblivion?It’s a wild ride, by turns provocative and absurd, as Lindbergh and Miller tell a story that will speak to numbers geeks and traditionalists alike. And they prove that you don’t need a bat or a glove to make a genuine contribution to the game.
Only the Ball Was White: A History of Legendary Black Players and All-Black Professional Teams
by Robert Peterson<p>Early in the 1920s, the New York Giants sent a scout to watch a young Cuban play for Foster's American Giants, a baseball club in the Negro Leagues. During one at-bat this talented slugger lined a ball so hard that the rightfielder was able to play it off the top of the fence and throw Christobel Torrienti out at first base. The scout liked what he saw, but was disappointed in the player's appearance. "He was a light brown," recalled one of Torrienti's teammates, "and would have gone up to the major leagues, but he had real rough hair." Such was life behind the color line, the unofficial boundary that prevented hundreds of star-quality athletes from playing big-league baseball. <p>When Only the Ball Was White was first published in 1970, Satchel Paige had not yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame and there was a general ignorance even among sports enthusiasts of the rich tradition of the Negro Leagues. Few knew that during the 1930s and '40s outstanding black teams were playing regularly in Yankee Stadium and Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. And names like Cool Papa Bell, Rube Foster, Judy Johnson, Biz Mackey, and Buck Leonard would bring no flash of smiling recognition to the fan's face, even though many of these men could easily have played alongside Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Hack Wilson, Lou Gehrig--and shattered their records in the process. Many baseball pundits now believe, for example, that had Josh Gibson played in the major leagues, he would have surpassed Babe Ruth's 714 home runs before Hank Aaron had even hit his first. And the great Dizzy Dean acknowledged that the best pitcher he had ever seen was not Lefty Grove or Carl Hubbell, but rather "old Satchel Paige, that big lanky colored boy." <p>In Only the Ball Was White, Robert Peterson tells the forgotten story of these excluded ballplayers, and gives them the recognition they were so long denied. Reconstructing the old Negro Leagues from contemporary sports publications, accounts of games in the black press, and through interviews with the men who actually played the game, Peterson brings to life the fascinating period that stretched from shortly after the Civil War to the signing of Jackie Robinson in 1947. We watch as the New York Black Yankees and the Philadelphia Crawfords take the field, look on as the East-West All-Star lineups are announced, and listen as the players themselves tell of the struggle and glory that was black baseball. In addition to these vivid accounts, Peterson includes yearly Negro League standings and an all-time register of players and officials, making the book a treasure trove of baseball information and lore. <p>A monumental and poignant book, Only the Ball Was White reminds us that what was often considered the "Golden Age" of baseball was also the era of Jim Crow. It is a book that must be read by anyone hoping not only to understand the story of baseball, but the story of America.</p>
Only the Strong Survive: The Odyssey of Allen Iverson
by Larry PlattFilled with exclusive interview material granted through unprecedented access to Allen Iverson, the iconic basketball superstar himself, "Only the Strong Survive" provides an in-depth look at the truth behind this newly minted legend.
Only the Strong Survive: The Odyssey of Allen Iverson
by Larry PlattPart sports star, part antihero, part hip-hop icon, Allen Iverson has managed to cross over into the mainstream of American culture -- without compromise. Defiantly tattooed, with his hair in cornrows, the six-foot Philadelphia 76ers point guard is one of the most recognizable and controversial stars of the sports world. His meteoric rise from a troubled childhood in the ghetto to NBA superstardom has been marked by five straight playoff appearances, including a finals berth in 2001 and an MVP award. From his rap sheet to his rap album, fans and journalists alike hound his every move. But never before has a biographer presented a full portrait of this complicated and intensely private star -- a man whose loyalty to his family, the streets, and his friends trumps any other concern. Filled with exclusive interview material and unprecedented access to many of Iverson's inner circle, Only the Strong Survive is the first in-depth look at the truth behind this newly minted legend.
The Only Way I Know
by Cal Ripken Mike BryanThere aren?t many Americans who didn?t feel a lump in their throat watching Cal Ripken, Jr. take a historic jog around the bases on the evening of September 6, 1995--the night he smashed Lou Gehrig?s record number of 2,130 consecutively played games. But, as "the hardest working man in baseball" will tell you, he was just doing his job. And now he tells you just how he does it, why he does it, and how it makes him feel. With the candor and grace that have endeared him to fans everywhere, Cal Ripken, Jr. tells the story of his journey to the major leagues: of his early childhood and life with a baseball manager for a father; his stint in the minors, working his way up from the Rookie Leagues to Triple-A; and finally to the permanent call from Baltimore where he began the drive to an All-Star career. Cal talks with warmth of his mentors and teammates, and with honesty of the Orioles? roller-coaster ride from the pennant to a lamentable 0-21 start in the eighties. He reveals his innermost thoughts on the game, and leads us through his strategies at the plate and on the field. Best of all, Cal reveals what makes him tick: his commitment to the game, to his family, to his career, and to the team. In this rich and rewarding memoir, we find out why he?s credited with putting the "great" back into America?s greatest game: it?s the only way he knows.
Only When It's Us (The Bergman Brothers #1)
by Chloe LieseMeet the Bergmans in this enemies-to-lovers new adult romance that tackles the vulnerability of love with humor and heart.From the moment Willa sat next to Ryder in class, she&’s made it clear she hates his guts. Her reason is a mystery, but its outcome suits him fine. Willa Sutter is the feisty, tempting chaos he doesn&’t need in his quiet, tidy life. She&’s the next generation of women&’s soccer. Wild hair. Bee-stung lips. And a temper that makes the devil seem friendly. He&’ll leverage her hate as long as possible to keep his distance.When Willa asked Ryder to borrow his lecture notes, the silent, surly, mountain man ignored her. Ryder Bergman is an arrogant, infuriating flannel-wearing enigma. Mangy beard. Frayed ball cap that hides his eyes. And a stubborn refusal to acknowledge her existence. But Willa&’s never backed down from a challenge.Forced to work together on their final project, Willa and Ryder begin a game of pranks and practical jokes, each determined to come out the champion. But once they catch unexpected feelings, victory begins to mean something else—winning each other&’s hearts.
Open: An Autobiography
by Andre AgassiFrom Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography. Agassi's incredibly rigorous training begins when he is just a child. By the age of thirteen, he is banished to a Florida tennis camp that feels like a prison camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. He dyes his hair, pierces his ears, dresses like a punk rocker. By the time he turns pro at sixteen, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning-fast return. And yet, despite his raw talent, he struggles early on. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world's best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favorite and a media target. Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match and every relationship. Never before has the inner game of tennis and the outer game of fame been so precisely limned. Alongside vivid portraits of rivals from several generations-- Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer-- Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his brief time with Barbra Streisand and his doomed marriage to Brooke Shields. He reveals a shattering loss of confidence. And he recounts his spectacular resurrection, a comeback climaxing with his epic run at the 1999 French Open and his march to become the oldest man ever ranked number one. In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf. Inspired by her quiet strength, he fights through crippling pain from a deteriorating spine to remain a dangerous opponent in the twenty-first and final year of his career. Entering his last tournament in 2006, he's hailed for completing a stunning metamorphosis, from nonconformist to elder statesman, from dropout to education advocate. And still he's not done. At a U. S. Open for the ages, he makes a courageous last stand, then delivers one of the most stirring farewells ever heard in a sporting arena. With its breakneck tempo and raw candor, Open will be read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi's game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed, and power.
Open: Inside the Ropes at Bethpage Black
by John FeinsteinIn June of 2002, the U.S. Open was played, for the first time in history, on a true public golf course. Bethpage State Park is owned by the state of New York, and no membership is required to play there. This is golf at its most populist, most pure-and most challenging. In what Tiger Woods himself would declare 'the most difficult national championship,' Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Nick Faldo, and the rest would, through days of rain and roughs, learn the hard way that while Bethpage may be open to the public, even for the pros the chance of winning can be closed off to mere mortals. With unprecedented backstage access, John Feinstein finally removes the mystery shrouding golf's most famous event, unraveling how pairings are made; qualifiers; setting up the golf course; and all the complexities of bringing golf's most exclusive competition to a truly public setting. In fascinating detail, Feinstein takes readers through every step, every thorny hole, every bitter rivalry of golf's greatest tournament.
An Open Book - My Autobiography: My Story to Three Golf Victories
by Darren ClarkeA golfer loved for his courage and charisma, Darren Clarke has the crowds behind him. They know he is a warm, funny raconteur who likes a Guinness, who both works hard and plays hard. More important, they know that this man pulled himself up by his bootstraps, having lost his wife Heather to cancer, to triumph at the 2006 Ryder Cup. Just days before the start of the 2011 Open at Royal St George's, Darren's game had once again deserted him, leaving him 'putting like a man with blurred vision'. A month before his 43rd birthday he was not in a good place. But Heather was 'watching from above', the crowd were roaring him on, golf guru Dr Bob Rotella was telling him to 'go unconscious' - and something sparked inside him. The rest is golfing history. Born in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Darren caddied for his golf course greenkeeper father, turning pro in 1990. He has played in four victorious Ryder Cup sides and beat his close friend Tiger Woods in the 36-hole final of the 2000 WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play. In 2002 he became the only player to win the English Open three times. In An Open Book he speaks candidly about fellow-players, coaches and golfing psychologists; about how he was bullied at school, narrowly missed and IRA bomb and eventually set up a foundation to develop junior golf in Ireland; and about how he found personal happiness again, marrying Alison Campbell in April 2012. Most vividly of all, he takes the reader down those rainswept fairways to the ecstasy of that final putt when, at his 20th attempt, he lifted the silver claret jug.
An Open Book - My Autobiography: My Story to Three Golf Victories
by Darren ClarkeA golfer loved for his courage and charisma, Darren Clarke has the crowds behind him. They know he is a warm, funny raconteur who likes a Guinness, who both works hard and plays hard. More important, they know that this man pulled himself up by his bootstraps, having lost his wife Heather to cancer, to triumph at the 2006 Ryder Cup. Just days before the start of the 2011 Open at Royal St George's, Darren's game had once again deserted him, leaving him 'putting like a man with blurred vision'. A month before his 43rd birthday he was not in a good place. But Heather was 'watching from above', the crowd were roaring him on, golf guru Dr Bob Rotella was telling him to 'go unconscious' - and something sparked inside him. The rest is golfing history. Born in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Darren caddied for his golf course greenkeeper father, turning pro in 1990. He has played in four victorious Ryder Cup sides and beat his close friend Tiger Woods in the 36-hole final of the 2000 WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play. In 2002 he became the only player to win the English Open three times. In An Open Book he speaks candidly about fellow-players, coaches and golfing psychologists; about how he was bullied at school, narrowly missed and IRA bomb and eventually set up a foundation to develop junior golf in Ireland; and about how he found personal happiness again, marrying Alison Campbell in April 2012. Most vividly of all, he takes the reader down those rainswept fairways to the ecstasy of that final putt when, at his 20th attempt, he lifted the silver claret jug.
open court
by Carol ClippingerHere I am not someone's little sister. Not someone's daughter. Not someone's friend. This game beckons me—chooses me. I am a warrior. An Amazon. I am beautiful. And I play to win. Holloway Braxton takes no prisoners on the tennis court. She's nationally ranked on the junior circuit, and she has outgrown the local competition. Her parents want to send her to a tennis academy where they regularly churn out professional players, but Hall isn't sure she's ready to devote her entire life to tennis, especially after her training partner has a breakdown at a tournament. Is it possible to be a tennis phenom and a regular teenager at the same time? From the Hardcover edition.
Open Door Marriage
by Naleighna KaiUSA TODAY Bestselling Author, Naleighna Kai, tells the dynamic love triangle of a chance encounter that lands wealthy NBA star, Dallas Avery, back in the arms of Alicia, the woman of his dreams. A woman he hasn’t seen in years. A woman he soon discovers is his fiancée’s long-lost aunt!But Tori, isn’t ready to give up all that she’s worked for in their relationship, so she makes him a shocking offer—go through with the wedding and she’ll still allow him to be with the one woman he now can’t seem to do without. Dallas will get a family, something her aunt can’t give him and Tori will have the lifestyle she clamors. And Alicia will embrace the love she’s longed for all her life and that had already been in her reach before she disappeared. Everyone will get a little of what they want. . . and maybe a whole lot of what they don’t.The details of the trio’s love life play out in the tabloids and on talk shows, making Dallas the center of an NBA scandal. Eventually, the doors slam shut on this open marriage in the making and Dallas is forced to make a choice to end the chaos. Unfortunately, moving on is easier than it looks and by the time all is said and done, secrets will be revealed, passions will be extinguished, and everyone’s lives will be forever changed.
Open Heart, Open Mind
by Clara HughesFrom one of Canada's most decorated Olympians comes a raw but life-affirming story of one woman's struggle with depression.In a world where winning meant everything, her biggest competitor was herself. In 2006, when Clara Hughes stepped onto the Olympic podium in Torino, Italy, she became the first and only athlete ever to win multiple medals in both Summer and Winter Games. Four years later, she was proud to carry the Canadian flag at the head of the Canadian team as they participated in the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. But there's another story behind her celebrated career as an athlete, behind her signature billboard smile. While most professional athletes devote their entire lives to training, Clara spent her teenage years using drugs and drinking to escape the stifling home life her alcoholic father had created in Elmwood, Winnipeg. She was headed nowhere fast when, at sixteen, she watched transfixed in her living room as gold medal speed skater Gaétan Boucher effortlessly raced in the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Dreaming of one day competing herself, Clara channeled her anger, frustration and raw ambition into the endurance sports of speed skating and cycling. By 2010, she had become a six-time Olympic medalist. But after more than a decade in the gruelling world of professional sports that stripped away her confidence and bruised her body, Clara began to realize that her physical extremes, her emotional setbacks, and her partying habits were masking a severe depression. After winning bronze in the last speed skating race of her career, she decided to retire from that sport, determined to repair herself. She has emerged as one of our most committed humanitarians, advocating for a variety of social causes both in Canada and around the world. In 2010, she became national spokesperson for Bell Canada's Let's Talk campaign in support of mental health awareness, using her Olympic standing to share the positive message of the power of forgiveness. Told with honesty and passion, Open Heart, Open Mind is Clara's personal journey through physical and mental pain to a life where love and understanding can thrive. This revelatory and inspiring story will touch the hearts of all Canadians.
Open Ice: Reflections and Confessions of a Hockey Lifer
by Jack FallaIn this new collection of exquisitely crafted essays, veteran sports writer Jack Falla writes about hockey as he has seen and experienced it over the past fifty years. Reflections on the game, its personalities and arenas, and twenty-five years of commitment to creating his backyard rink are woven into family memories and other fond remembrances. A heartwarming and amusing collection, "Open Ice" is sure to touch every hockey fan and all those who have grown up loving the game.
Open Ice (Lorimer Sports Stories)
by David TrifunovSet in a co-ed environment, this bookfollows teens Jillian and Jacob, who must attempt to deal with their problems through communication, problem-solving, and teamwork, not unlike the typical methods kids see when dealing with challenges. Touching on the sports-based — as opposed to social — pressures that discourage girls from continuing in team sports as they get older, Open Ice handles the issue of sexism in sports in a positive way. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
Open Look: Canadian Basketball and Me
by Jay TrianoA thoughtful, entertaining memoir about one of Canada’s most decorated basketball stars, his love of the sport, and the rise of basketball in Canada.As a child growing up in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Jay Triano did what everyone else in the city did on Friday nights: he went to watch basketball. Along with dozens of other fans, Jay and his family would crowd into the gymnasium of the local high school. Of all the places in the world, Jay only ever wanted to be courtside, surrounded by the game he loved with the roar of the crowd behind him. Jay never lost that passion for the game. A talented basketball player, Jay competed at the highest levels of the sport. He broke school records, traveled the world with the national team, and twice played against some of basketball’s biggest stars at the Olympics, all in the hopes of one day becoming a professional athlete. But the road wasn’t always smooth. Basketball was in its infancy in Canada, and Jay’s options were limited. Jack Donohue, the imposing forefather of the national game in Canada, held the fortunes of many players in his hands, and he tested the mettle of those around him. Throughout it all, Jay’s love of the sport drove him onward. As Jay matured, so too did the game of basketball in Canada, from humble origins in quiet communities to international competitions and the peak of the professional game. Along the way, Jay drew inspiration from the remarkable people in his life. When he was playing at university, Jay’s trainer was a young man named Terry Fox, who showed Jay the true meanings of discipline, gratitude, and giving back. Years later, when Jay was coaching Olympic and NBA teams, it was those same lessons that helped him realize that he wasn’t just shaping athletes; he was shaping a new generation. Told with honesty, warmth, and passion, Jay Triano’s story is an uplifting reminder of what it means to love a sport and a country.
Open Net: A Professional Amateur in the World of Big-Time Hockey
by Denis Leary George PlimptonGeorge Plimpton takes to the ice with the Boston Bruins in this memorable portrait of the rough-and-tumble world of professional hockey, repackaged and now featuring a foreword from Denis Leary and photographs from the Plimpton archives.In OPEN NET, George Plimpton takes to the ice as goalie for his beloved Boston Bruins. After signing a release holding the Bruins blameless if he should meet with injury or death, he survives a harrowing, seemingly eternal five minutes in an exhibition game against the always-tough Philadelphia Flyers. With reflections on such hockey greats as Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, and Eddie Shore, OPEN NET is at once a celebration of the thrills and grace of the greatest sport on ice and a probing meditation into the hopes and fears of every man.
Open Season
by William HumphreyThe book contains the following essays: My Moby Dick, The Spawning Run, Cast and Cast Again, The Rigors of Bonefishing, Great Point, Bill Breaks His Duck, The Fishermen of the Seine, Ditches Are Quicker, The Trick-shot Artist, Guardian Dragon, The Guns of Boyhood, Birds of a Feather and Royal Game.
Open Secrets: The Extraordinary Battle for the 2009 Open
by Robert WinderThe Open Championship has been a high point of the British sporting calendar for 150 years, but few have been so memorable as in 2009. After four heady days on the fabled Turnberry links (one day it went see, the next it went saw) Tom Watson, an all-tim e great but nearly 60 and with an artificial hip, faced an eight-foot putt to become not just the oldest but also the most successful (along with Harry Vardon) player in Open history. The golfing world held its breath. History hung on the roll of a small white ball. As drama it verged upon the magical. Surely he couldn't prevail; surely he couldn't falter. But this was only one of hundreds of such moments. Robert Winder followed them all, from the start of the qualifying process to the dramatic last gasp. Here he traces the thrills and spills of a resonant sporting drama, listens to the players and administrators, and describes the many ways in which the Open truly is open: the world, to the elements, and to the neverending outrages of fortune.