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The Grand-Slam Kid
by Duane DeckerBlue Sox 13. Fame came to Bucky O'Brian with a pinch-hit home run during his first game with the Blue Sox. Suddenly his chance of replacing fading catcher Pete Gibbs became excellent, for Manager Jug Slavin needed a catcher who could hit. There was nothing to warn any of them that he would be batting .209 the following season and getting boos from the fans. Bucky hated to bunt and never more so than the day his roommate Oklahoma had a no-hitter going. Coming toward Bucky was a pitch too high to bunt, but easy to hit out of the lot. Here was an opportunity to get the Sox in the scoring column, to save the day for Oklahoma, and to redeem himself. What happened then, surprised every player on the field. It also brought Bucky to his senses so that his education as a complete ballplayer could begin in earnest. This warm-hearted installment of the Blue Sox saga is sure to be a favorite with the team's many fans.
The Grandest Stage: A History of the World Series
by Tyler KepnerFrom the New York Times bestselling author of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches comes the ultimate history of the World Series—a vivid portrait of baseball at its finest and most intense, filled with humor, lore, analysis, and fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from 117 years of the Fall Classic.The World Series is the most enduring showcase in American team sports. It&’s the place where legends are made, where celebration and devastation can hinge on a fly ball off a foul pole or a grounder beneath a first baseman&’s glove. And there&’s no one better to bring this rich history to life than New York Times national baseball columnist Tyler Kepner, whose bestselling book about pitching, K, was lauded as &“Michelangelo explaining the brush strokes on the Sistine Chapel&” by Newsday.In seven scintillating chapters, Kepner delivers an indelible portrait of baseball&’s signature event. He digs deep for essential tales dating back to the beginning in 1903, adding insights from Hall of Famers like Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Jim Palmer, Dennis Eckersley and many others who have thrived – and failed – when it mattered most.Why do some players, like Madison Bumgarner, Derek Jeter and David Ortiz, crave the pressure? How do players handle a dream that comes up short? What&’s it like to manage in the World Series, and what are the secrets of building a champion? Kepner celebrates unexpected heroes like Bill Wambsganss, who pulled off an unassisted triple play in 1920, probes the mysteries behind magic moments (Did Babe Ruth call his shot in 1932? How could Eckersley walk Mike Davis to get to Kirk Gibson in 1988?) and busts some long-time myths (the 1919 Reds were much better than the Black Sox, anyway). The Grandest Stage is the ultimate history of the World Series, the perfect gift for all the fans who feel their hearts pounding in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game Seven.
The Grandmaster: Magnus Carlsen and the Match That Made Chess Great Again
by Brin-Jonathan ButlerA firsthand account of the dramatic 2016 World Chess Championship between Norway's Magnus Carlsen and Russia's Sergey Karjakin, which mirrored the world's geopolitical unrest and rekindled a global fascination with the sport.The first week of November 2016, as a crowd of people swarmed outside of Manhattan’s Trump Tower to rail against the election of Donald Trump, hundreds more descended on the city’s South Street Seaport. But they weren’t there to protest. They were there to watch the World Chess Championship between Norway's Magnus Carlsen and Russia's Sergey Karjakin—what by the time it was over would be front-page news and thought by many the greatest finish in chess history. The story lines were riveting. The championship hadn’t been hosted in New York City, the de facto world capital of the sport, in more than two decades. With both Carlsen and Karjakin just 25 years old, the tournament organizers were billing it as a battle of the millennials—the first time the championship had been waged among the generation that grew up playing chess primarily against computers. And perhaps most intriguing were all the geopolitical connections to the match. Originally from Crimea, Karjakin had recently repatriated to Russia under the direct assistance of Putin. Carlsen, meanwhile, had expressed admiration for Donald Trump, and his first move of the tournament he played with a smirk what's called a Trompowsky Attack. Then there was the Russian leader of the World Chess Federation being barred from attending due to US sanctions, and chess fanatic and Trump adviser Peter Thiel being called on to make the honorary first move in sudden death. That the tournament required sudden death was a shock. Oddsmakers had given Carlsen, the defending champion, an 80% chance of winning. It would take everything he had to retain his title. In doing so, he would firmly make his case to be considered the greatest player chess has ever seen. Author Brin-Jonathan Butler was granted unique access to the two-and-half-week tournament and watched every move. In The Grandmaster, he aims to do for Magnus Carlsen what Norman Mailer did for Muhammed Ali in The Fight, John McPhee did for Arthur Ashe in Levels of the Game, and David Foster Wallace did for Roger Federer in his famous New York Times Magazine profile. Butler captures one of the world’s greatest sportsmen at the height of their powers, and attempts to decipher the secret to that greatness.
The Grass Ceiling: On Being a Woman in Sport
by Eimear Ryan'A book which will very soon be acknowledged as a classic of Irish sportswriting' Ciarán MurphyWhat is it like to be female in a male-dominated sporting world? If you play with the boys, more people pay attention - but you get treated like an alien. Playing with other girls or women means you have to accept smaller audiences, diminished status and - for professionals - lower pay.And what if, as is the case for camogie player Eimear Ryan, your sport has a completely different name when women play it? What if you don't feel entirely comfortable in an all-female sporting environment because you're shy, bookish, not really one of the girls?In The Grass Ceiling, acclaimed novelist Eimear Ryan digs deep into the confluence of gender and sport, and all the questions it throws up about identity, status, competition and self-expression. At a time when women's sport is on the rise but still a long way from equality, it is a sharp, nuanced and heartfelt exploration of questions that affect everyone who loves sport.Praise for The Grass Ceiling'A gorgeous memoir about a life lived in sport, specifically a female, Irish rural life. I read it in two sittings.' Malachy Clerkin, Irish Times'A love letter to the GAA and a diatribe against the idea sport is not for women' Kathleen McNamee, Irish Times'Brilliant ... Ryan's bold and deep search into so many of those internalised questions provides a fascinating collage of emotional detail' Christy O'Connor, Irish Examiner 'Lyrical, urgent, wise and bracing' Irish Times
The Grasshopper Trap
by Patrick F. McManus“Funniest guy in the Outdoor Life and Field and Stream gang, McManus here offers another bag of whimsey in the Great Outdoors” —Kirkus ReviewsIn this collection of thirty zany stories, spoofing camping, fishing, and other outdoor recreational activities, McManus shares his hilarious wilderness misadventures. From facing an angry bear with an unloaded gun and the folly of running a boat while it’s still on the trailer to not questioning the ingredients found in camp cookout cuisine and the best methods of catching grasshoppers, no one knows how to express Mother Nature’s sense of humor like Patrick F. McManus.Praise for Patrick F. McManus“Patrick McManus is a treasure.” —The Atlantic“Everybody should read Patrick McManus.” —The New York Times Book Review“A style that brings to mind Mark Twain, Art Buchwald, and Garrison Keillor.” —People“Describing Patrick F. McManus as an outdoor humorist is like saying Mark Twain wrote books about small boys . . . the funniest writer around today—indoors or outdoors.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Grasshopper Trap
by Patrick F. McmanusThe bestselling author of They Shoot Canoes, Don't They? is at it again with more of his zany spoofs of The Great Outdoors.
The Great American Foot Race: Ballyhoo for the Bunion Derby!
by Andrew SpenoThis accessible and thoroughly researched nonfiction debut introduces young readers to a fascinating, little-known event—the Transcontinental Foot Race, which came to be known as the Bunion Derby. <P><P>It is set in 1928, the height of the Roaring Twenties—a time of optimism, a time of excess, and the Age of Ballyhoo. Publicity-seeking Americans tried to outdo each other with outrageous stunts. Dance marathoners danced for days on end, pole-sitters sat atop flagpoles for weeks, trained athletes worked to beat records, and Charles Lindbergh made the first solo transatlantic flight. What could top this? Cyrus Avery, an ordinary Oklahoma businessman, teamed up with C. C. Pyle, the “P. T. Barnum of Professional Sports,” to hold a transcontinental foot race. More than 100 men of all races and nationalities started the race in California and faced all manner of obstacles—from extreme weather to poor food and living conditions, to prejudice to injury—to make the cross-country journey across the United States, ending in New York City. This “Bunion Derby” pushed human endurance to the limits in an unforgettable show of “ballyhoo.” <P><P>This book is written in a folksy style that perfectly captures the mood and tone of the late 1920s and includes archival photographs, a map of the derby route, stats, a bibliography, and source notes.
The Great American Novel
by Philip RothWord Smith, who plans to write the "Great American Novel" and also to tell the tragic and hilarious story of the Ruppert Mundys - the only homeless baseball team ever to play in the big league, who have disappeared from all official histories.
The Great American Novel (Vintage International)
by Philip RothGil Gamesh, the only pitcher who ever literally tried to kill the umpire. The ex-con first baseman, John Baal, "The Babe Ruth of the Big House," who never hit a home run sober. If you've never heard of them—or of the Ruppert Mundys, the only homeless big-league ball team in American history—it's because of the Communist plot, and the capitalist scandal, that expunged the entire Patriot League from baseball memory.In this ribald, richly imagined, and wickedly satiric novel, Roth turns baseball's status as national pastime and myth into an occasion for unfettered picaresque farce, replete with heroism and perfidy, ebullient wordplay and a cast of characters that includes the House Un-American Activities Committee.
The Great American Sports Page: A Library of America Special Publication
by Charles P. Pierce John SchulianA first-of-its-kind celebration of the newspaper scribes who made sportswriting a glorious popular art, and immortalized America's greatest games and athletesSpanning nearly a century, The Great American Sports Page presents essential columns from more than three dozen masters of the press-box craft. These unforgettable dispatches from World Series, Super Bowls, and title bouts for the ages were written on deadline with passion, spontaneity, humor, and a gift for the memorable phrase. Read avidly day in and day out by a sports-mad public, these columnists became journalistic celebrities in their home cities, their coverage trusted and savored, their opinions hotly debated. Some even helped change the games they wrote about. Gathered here in a groundbreaking anthology, their writings capture some of sport's most enduring moments and many of its all-time greats: Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Jordan among them. But the best American sportswriters also found ways to write powerfully about lesser-known athletes and to convey, often with heartbreaking honesty and insight, the less glamorous and more tragic facets of the games we love. In its survey of the finest American sportswriting from Ring Lardner to Thomas Boswell, from Red Smith and Jimmy Cannon to Bob Ryan and Michael Wilbon, The Great American Sports Page takes the measure of the human richness, complexity, and competitive spirit of sports and the athletes who continue to fascinate and inspire us.
The Great Baseball Revolt: The Rise and Fall of the 1890 Players League
by Robert B. RossThe Players League, formed in 1890, was a short-lived professional baseball league controlled and owned in part by the players themselves, a response to the National League’s salary cap and “reserve rule,” which bound players for life to one particular team. Led by John Montgomery Ward, the Players League was a star-studded group that included most of the best players of the National League, who bolted not only to gain control of their wages but also to share ownership of the teams. Lasting only a year, the league impacted both the professional sports and the labor politics of athletes and nonathletes alike. The Great Baseball Revolt is a historic overview of the rise and fall of the Players League, which fielded teams in Boston, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Though it marketed itself as a working-class league, the players were underfunded and had to turn to wealthy capitalists for much of their startup costs, including the new ballparks. It was in this context that the league intersected with the organized labor movement, and in many ways challenged by organized labor to be by and for the people. In its only season, the Players League outdrew the National League in fan attendance. But when the National League overinflated its numbers and profits, the Players League backers pulled out. The Great Baseball Revolt brings to life a compelling cast of characters and a mostly forgotten but important time in professional sports when labor politics affected both athletes and nonathletes.
The Great Bicycle Experiment: The Army's Historic Black Bicycle Corps, 1896-97
by Kay MooreStationed at Fort Missoula in 1896 was the 25th Infantry, an all-black regiment. From these African American troops, Lt. Moss chose an elite group to form the Bicycle Corps and attempt a historic 2,000-mile journey to St. Louis. <P><P> In The Great Bicycle Experiment, Kay Moore chronicles this challenging journey, highlighting the hardships and triumphs of these stalwart soldiers as they pedaled and pushed their way across the mountains and plains into history.
The Great Bike Rescue (Orca Young Readers)
by Hazel HutchinsThe summer is off to a lousy start when Levi's bike is stolen from outside the corner store. He feels even worse because he didn't lock it. But when his best friend Riley's locked bike is stolen the very next day, the boys are determined to get both of them back. When they discover there has been a string of bicycle thefts in the area, the friends hatch several plans to find the culprit. There are so many potential suspects—Steve Morrow and his gang, the tattooed guy who sits at the bus stop, the owners of the secondhand-bike store. There's also Emily Grimshaw, Levi's childhood nemesis, who keeps popping up and showing a peculiar interest in the thefts. Does she really want to help or is she involved somehow? And will Levi and Riley ever see their beloved bikes again?
The Great Black Hope: Doug Williams, Vince Evans, and the Making of the Black Quarterback
by Louis MooreThe story of two pioneering Black NFL football players that changed the face of America&’s game for generations to come. There is no position in pro sports more important than an NFL quarterback. But quarterbacking was the exclusive domain of white players for many years, and when Doug Williams and Vince Evans arrived in the league in the late 1970s, they got death threats, faced racist questions, and knew that a single mistake could end their careers. The Great Black Hope tells the twin stories of Vince Evans,an electrifying dual-threat quarterback ahead of his time, and of Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to become a champion. Moore shows how easily Williams' triumphant story could have gone wrong and how his success changed the game and the country. A skillful blend of game-time drama and social commentary, this book captures unheralded heroes of the NFL and all that they meant, both on the field and off.
The Great Book of Boston Sports Lists
by Michael Connelly Andy GreshThere's nothing more important to Bostonians than their sports teams. From the Red Sox and Celtics to the Patriots and Bruins to a number of major college programs, millions of fans from all generations discuss, debate, and live-and-die with their hometown squads all year long. In The Great Book of Boston Sports Lists, two high-profile sports-media pros--along with original contributions from over 20 famous sports heroes and fans including Fred Lynn, Dave Goucher, Mike Eruzione, Dan Shaughnessy, Adam Vinatieri, Mayor Ray Flynn, Micky Ward, Zdeno Chara, Bill Rodgers, and more--fan the flames of the ongoing sports debate with informative and entertaining lists that highlight and rank the best, worst, and most remarkable of local sports past and present.
The Great Book of Chicago Sports Lists
by Sherman Mcneil Dan EdChicago sports fans are the most passionate, knowledgeable, and dedicated in the country. Now, the Windy City’s top sports-radio jock and a longtime native sportswriter engage this phenomenon with a compilation of informative and entertaining lists sure to stir up dialogue and debate within the buzzing Chicago sports scene. With original contributions from top Chicago sports and entertainment personalities such as Norm Van Lier, Bill Wennington, Dan Jiggetts, Pat Hughes, Len Kasper, John McDonough, Mike North, U. S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, and many more, this is a must-have reference and entertaining read for all jocks, wannabes, haters, dreamers, and died-in-the-wool Chicago sports fans.
The Great Book of Cleveland Sports Lists
by Bill Livingston Greg BrindaSports talk in America has evolved from small-time barroom banter into a major media smorgasbord that runs 24/7 on TV and radio.<P><P> With hundreds of billions of dollars generated annually by pro and college teams in major markets nationwide, sports fans across the country are more dedicated than ever to their teams. And when it comes to sports talkOCoespecially all-sports radioOCoitOCOs all about entertainment, information, prognostication, analysis, rankings, and endless discussion. Prominent sports-media figures in each of the three target citiesOCoCleveland, Detroit, and Washington, D. C. OCoengage in this phenomenon with a compilation of sports lists sure to delight as well as stir up debate within these already-buzzing sports communities. List topics include: OCo What were the most lopsided trades in local sports history? OCo Who were the most overrated athletes to play in our town? OCo What local athlete had the best appearance in TV or film? OCo What was the most heartbreaking loss in local sports history? OCo What was the greatest single play in local sports history? OCo Who are our teamOCOs most hated rivals? OCo Plus dozens of OC guestOCO lists contributed by famous local sports and entertainment celebrities. With franchises in three of the four major pro sportsOCothe Browns (NFL), the Indians (MLB), and the Cavaliers (NBA)OCoplus a dedicated following of the Ohio State University athletics, ClevelandOCOs fans are some of the most rabid and knowledgeable in the country, and Bill Livingston and Greg Brinda are the acknowledged authorities on Cleveland-area sports. a"
The Great Book of Denver Sports Lists
by Irv Brown Joe WilliamsSports talk in America has evolved from small-time barroom banter into a major media smorgasbord that runs 24/7 on TV and radio. With hundreds of billions of dollars generated annually by pro and college teams in major markets nationwide, sports fans across the country are more dedicated than ever to their teams. And when it comes to sports talk--especially all-sports radio--it's all about entertainment, information, prognostication, analysis, rankings, and endless discussion. Prominent sports-media figures in each of the three target cities--Cleveland, Detroit, and Washington, D.C.--engage in this phenomenon with a compilation of sports lists sure to delight as well as stir up debate within these already-buzzing sports communities.List topics include:* What were the most lopsided trades in local sports history?* Who were the most overrated athletes to play in our town?* What local athlete had the best appearance in TV or film?* What was the most heartbreaking loss in local sports history?* What was the greatest single play in local sports history?* Who are our team's most hated rivals?* Plus dozens of "guest" lists contributed by famous local sports and entertainment celebrities.Denver has franchises in each of the major pro sports--the Broncos (NFL), the Avalanche (NHL), the Rockies (MLB), and the Nuggets (NBA). And no one knows Denver sports better than Irv Brown and Joe Williams.
The Great Book of Detroit Sports Lists
by Michael Stone Srthur RegnerSports talk in America has evolved from small-time barroom banter into a major media smorgasbord that runs 24/7 on TV and radio.<P><P> With hundreds of billions of dollars generated annually by pro and college teams in major markets nationwide, sports fans across the country are more dedicated than ever to their teams. And when it comes to sports talk--especially all-sports radio--it's all about entertainment, information, prognostication, analysis, rankings, and endless discussion. Prominent sports-media figures in each of the three target cities--Cleveland, Detroit, and Washington, D. C. --engage in this phenomenon with a compilation of sports lists sure to delight as well as stir up debate within these already-buzzing sports communities. List topics include: * What were the most lopsided trades in local sports history? * Who were the most overrated athletes to play in our town? * What local athlete had the best appearance in TV or film? * What was the most heartbreaking loss in local sports history? * What was the greatest single play in local sports history? * Who are our team's most hated rivals? * Plus dozens of "guest" lists contributed by famous local sports and entertainment celebrities. Not only does Detroit host major pro sports teams--the Lions (NFL), the Red Wings (NHL), the Tigers (MLB), and the Pistons (NBA)--the area also includes prominent college sports programs such as the University of Michigan. Detroit's fans are some of the most educated and fanatical in the country, thanks to the work of long-time commentators Mike Stone and Art Regner.
The Great Book of Los Angeles Sports Lists
by Steve Hartman Matt 'Money' SmithWith multiple franchises in pro sports--Lakers and Clippers (NBA), Dodgers and Angels (MLB), and Kings and Ducks (NHL)--plus major interest in UCLA and USC athletics, LA's fans are some of the most sports-crazed in the country. Matt "Money" Smith and Steve Hartman--two of the leading authorities on So-Cal sports--stir up the scene with this entertaining compilation, including guest lists from Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, Luc Robitaille, Jeanie Buss, Steve Garvey, and many more.
The Great Book of Nascar Lists
by John Roberts M. B. RobertsWith more than 75 million fans, NASCAR® is one of the world's most popular sports. Racing Broadcaster John Roberts tracks down the answers to the pressing questions, such as: What are the fastest tracks on the circuit? Who had the longest winning streak? What were the longest races? Who are the best female drivers of all time? And many more. Each list has an introductory paragraph followed by a number of ranked entries, each featuring a brief explanation of ranking plus entertaining and informative background information. Also included are original lists contributed exclusive to this book by top personalities from the world of NASCAR®, including Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Greg Biffle, and more.
The Great Book of Nascar Lists
by John Roberts M. B. RobertsWith more than 75 million fans, NASCAR® is one of the world's most popular sports. Racing Broadcaster John Roberts tracks down the answers to the pressing questions, such as: What are the fastest tracks on the circuit? Who had the longest winning streak? What were the longest races? Who are the best female drivers of all time? And many more. Each list has an introductory paragraph followed by a number of ranked entries, each featuring a brief explanation of ranking plus entertaining and informative background information. Also included are original lists contributed exclusive to this book by top personalities from the world of NASCAR®, including Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Greg Biffle, and more.
The Great Book of Nascar Lists
by John Roberts M. B. RobertsWith more than 75 million fans, NASCAR® is one of the world's most popular sports. Racing Broadcaster John Roberts tracks down the answers to the pressing questions, such as: What are the fastest tracks on the circuit? Who had the longest winning streak? What were the longest races? Who are the best female drivers of all time? And many more. Each list has an introductory paragraph followed by a number of ranked entries, each featuring a brief explanation of ranking plus entertaining and informative background information. Also included are original lists contributed exclusive to this book by top personalities from the world of NASCAR®, including Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Greg Biffle, and more.
The Great Book of Nascar Lists
by John Roberts M. B. RobertsWith more than 75 million fans, NASCAR- is one of the worldOCOs most popular sports. Racing Broadcaster John Roberts tracks down the answers to the pressing questions, such as: What are the fastest tracks on the circuit? Who had the longest winning streak? What were the longest races? Who are the best female drivers of all time? And many more. Each list has an introductory paragraph followed by a number of ranked entries, each featuring a brief explanation of ranking plus entertaining and informative background information. Also included are original lists contributed exclusive to this book by top personalities from the world of NASCAR-, including Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Greg Biffle, and more. "
The Great Book of Penn State Sports Lists
by David Pencek Matt PencekPenn State fans number in the millions and can be described in one word: rabid. This book presents lists about the good, the bad, and the ugly in Nittany Lion sports history. From Favorite Players to Greatest Flukes, Best Players to Worst Losses, this is a must-read book for anyone who's had the pleasure of yelling "We are Penn State!"Includes original contributions from famous PSU alumni!