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Tony Lazzeri: Yankees Legend and Baseball Pioneer
by Lawrence BaldassaroBefore there was Joe DiMaggio, there was Tony Lazzeri. A decade before the &“Yankee Clipper&” began his legendary career in 1936, Lazzeri paved the way for the man who would become the patron saint of Italian American fans and players. He did so by forging his own Hall of Fame career as a key member of the Yankees&’ legendary Murderers&’ Row lineup between 1926 and 1937, in the process becoming the first major baseball star of Italian descent. An unwitting pioneer who played his entire career while afflicted with epilepsy, Lazzeri was the first player to hit sixty home runs in organized baseball, one of the first middle infielders in the big leagues to hit with power, and the first Italian player with enough star power to attract a whole new generation of fans to the ballpark. As a twenty-two-year-old rookie for the New York Yankees, Lazzeri played alongside such legends as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. He immediately emerged as a star, finishing second to Ruth in RBIs and third in home runs in the American League. In his twelve years as the second baseman for Yankee teams that won five World Series, he was their third-most productive hitter, driving in more runs than all but five American Leaguers, and hitting more home runs than all but six. Yet for all that, today Lazzeri is a largely forgotten figure, his legacy diminished by the passage of time and tarnished by his bases-loaded strikeout to Grover Cleveland Alexander in Game Seven of the 1926 World Series, a strikeout immortalized on Alexander&’s Hall of Fame plaque. Tony Lazzeri reveals that quite to the contrary, he was one of the smartest, most talented, and most respected players of his time, the forgotten Yankee who helped the team win six American League pennants and five World Series titles.
Tony Oliva
by Patrick Reusse Thom HenningerIf not for the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, Minnesota might never have known one of its most popular baseball players, Twins three-time batting champion and eight-time All-Star Tony Oliva. In April 1961, the twenty-two-year-old Cuban prospect failed to impress the Twins in a tryout, but the sudden rupture in U.S.-Cuba relations made a return visa all but impossible. The story of how Oliva's unexpected stay led to a second chance and success with the Twins--as well as decades of personal and cultural isolation--is told for the first time in this full-scale biography of the man the fans affectionately call "Tony O."With unprecedented access to the very private Oliva, baseball writer Thom Henninger captures what life was like for the Cuban newcomer as he adjusted to major league play and American culture--and at the same time managed to earn Rookie of the Year honors and win the American League batting title in his first two seasons, all while playing with a knuckle injury. Packed with never-before-published photographs, the book follows Oliva through the 1965 season, all the way to the World Series, and then, with repaired knuckle and knee, into one of the most dramatic pennant races in baseball history in 1967. Through the voices of Oliva, his family, and his teammates--including the Cuban players who shared his cultural challenges and the future Hall of Famers he mentored, Rod Carew and Kirby Puckett--the personal and professional highs and lows of the years come alive: the Gold Glove Award in 1966, a third batting title in 1971, the devastating injury that curtailed his career, and, through it all, the struggle to build a family and recover the large and close-knit one he had left behind in Cuba. Nearly forty years after Oliva's retirement, the debate continues over whether his injury-shortened career was Hall of Fame caliber--a question that gets a measured and resounding answer here.
Too Hot to Handle
by Matthew F ChristopherBaseball runs in David Kroft's family. His father was a good player in his day, his uncles play on professional teams, and David's older brother, Don, is the best short-stop in the history of Penwood High School.
Too Hot to Handle
by Katie RoseKatie Rose's Boys of Summer series returns for a delicious double-header--with the story of total opposites who are drawn to each other like moths to a flame. Nikki Case is no fan of baseball. Her ex gambled away a fortune on the sport, and now her PR firm has tasked her with cleaning up the league's most notorious bad boys. The New Jersey Sonics are known for wild womanizing and booze-fueled brawls, so Nikki expects the worst. Her first stop in the battle to win hearts and minds is star hitter Jake Baldwin--a legendary ladies man so smokin' he threatens to melt her tough-girl armor. Although his teammates prank her without mercy, Jake admires the way Nikki gives as good as she gets. She may be the queen of frost, but there's kindling beneath those sultry curves--and he's just the man to ignite it. But when a PR nightmare lands the Sonics in headlines across the country, Nikki is ready to walk. Only then does Jake realize how important she is to the Sonics' success--and that winning the love of a good woman is no game.Praise for Too Hot to Handle "Rose knocks this one out of the park. This enjoyable sequel (after Bring on the Heat) will be a quick, fun read for all romance lovers."--Library Journal"Too Hot to Handle will keep readers in the mood until the first pitch is thrown on Opening Day."--Heroes and Heartbreakers"Katie Rose scores a home run with a hero who's Too Hot to Handle!"--New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips "I loved it! With a buttoned-up heroine and a too-hot-for-his-own-good hero, Katie Rose creates a charming love story that's equal parts sweet and sexy."--USA Today bestselling author Lauren Layne"Too Hot to Handle makes for a sizzling escape."--USA Today bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly"A thoroughly enjoyable read . . . If you're after some fun and surprises, this is a definite for you."--Turner's Antics "I adore this series and I can't wait to see which of the boys gets the next book in the series. For her contemporary romance debut, Katie has a surefire winner on her hands."--Crystal Blogs Books "I am loving this series so far. I love it when I can fangirl a series from the beginning. That so rarely happens. I loved this book. The angsty bits were just so well done."--Books Like Breathing "Rose does an amazing job in creating a story that will leave you wanting more. . . . The characters are witty, sexy and charming, the storyline is brilliant and the romance will sweep you away. . . . I can't wait for the next one out of this series!"--Underneath the Covers "I knew this story would be fun, but it was so much more than I expected!"--Fic Central "Too Hot to Handle is a fun and entertaining read with a little bit of romance, heartbreak and heat."--The Reading Cafe"A whirlwind love story that leaves you wanting more of both Jake and Nikki. Together. Great light read with just the right touch of heat to it."--Love Words and Books "A nice, sweet contemporary read."--Living to Read Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from other Loveswept titles.
Too Hot to Touch (Firebirds #2)
by Katy JamesA messy PhD student and a hockey playboy fall for one another in this forbidden love sports romance.He&’s spent a lifetime putting up walls to protect himself, but he never expected one woman to break them all down… Between working multiple jobs and tackling her dissertation, it's hardly unexpected PhD student Murray Silva is a hot mess. What is unexpected? Tyler Valentine. When the hockey playboy and former—okay, current—crush shows up in her summer school class, he immediately becomes the kind of distraction she doesn&’t need.Want, however? That&’s a whole other story. Tyler Valentine understands pressure. He&’s faced it his entire career. Now that he&’s getting older, the pressure to figure out life after hockey brings him back to the classroom. And back into Murray Silva&’s life. The fact that she&’s his teacher and his team captain&’s sister—thus strictly off-limits—doesn&’t stop him from following his heart.Even though the last time he did that, it almost destroyed him.As their relationship heats up, a real shot at a future together seems possible…but only if Tyler can face down his past, head-to-head, and Murray can learn how to open her heart to love again—no matter how unexpected.FirebirdsBook 1: Too Much ManBook 2: Too Hot to Touch
Too Many Men
by Lorna Schultz NicholsonSam is made first goalie on the Kanata Kings, but he feels insecure about his place on the team.
Too Much Man (Firebirds #1)
by Katy JamesA grumpy former hockey player and a bisexual coffee-shop owner refuse to commit—to themselves or each other—in this fun, flirty debut Piper Welborn has created a warm, welcoming space for all in her queer-inclusive coffee shop, even if the long hours came at the cost of her love life. But she&’s not ready to welcome one man in particular—a grumpy, muscular former hockey player. His smoldering presence is a temptation and a challenge to her long-standing vow not to date cis men. Gavin Williams has no business starting a relationship, least of all with a woman he&’s not sure even likes him. He can&’t resist the Friendly Bean&’s hot, pink-haired owner, but a casual fling is all he can commit to. He&’s hoping to leave town for the next stage in his career…if he ever gets the call with the job offer. A friends-with-benefits arrangement is perfect for them both—but neither is ready for the feelings that hit. When the post-hockey life Gavin always dreamed of is suddenly within his grasp, they&’ll both have to make a choice: hold tight to what they thought life should look like, or work together to build something new.FirebirdsBook 1: Too Much Man
The Toon: A Complete History of Newcastle United Football Club
by R Hutchinson Roger HutchinsonThis is the full story, unofficial and uncensored, of one of the greatest football clubs in the country. From its birth in the 1890s to its rebirth in the 1990s and up to season 2003-4, The Toon tells of a small soccer club, long in the shadow of an enormous rival, which grew to eclipse that rival - and every other club in Great Britain. Roger Hutchinson brings to life the sensational early successes of Newcastle United, recreating the great Anglo-Scottish team which dominated the Football League before the First World War. He vividly describes the helter-skelter attacking sides of the 1930s and the Cup giants of the 1950s, and gives us the European conquerors of the 1960s and the squads of the 1970s and '80s, before showing us how today's cosmopolitan side of title-chasing internationals was built.This lively, hard-hitting book portrays the brilliant management of such legends as Frank Watt and takes us down through the thrilling decades right up to the reign of Sir Bobby Robson. In its pages we see the educated play of Andy Aitken and Colin Veitch; we watch as the fast and furious centre-forward play of Jock Peddie paves the way for the era of the great Hughie Gallacher and the unique Jackie Milburn. It assesses the merits of all of their heirs, from Keegan to Beardsley, from Macdonald to Shearer, from Moncur to Dyer. Exploring and explaining the lean years as well as the successful decades, The Toon exposes the bad managers, incompetent directors and players who were unworthy of the black and white stripes. It takes an unflinching look at the lost opportunities and the Geordie footballers who went missing. But it also offers us the geniuses, the household names, the men who have lit up Tyneside and the world beyond in a hundred-year sequence of unforgettable League and Cup campaigns. Most of all, The Toon looks from the past towards a glorious future.
Top 10 Baseball Base Stealers
by Peter C. BjarkmanProfiles ten professional baseball players with outstanding records for stealing bases, from Ty Cobb and Eddie Collins to Ricky Henderson and Kenny Lofton.
Top 10 of Football: 250 lists on the beautiful game
by Russell Ash Ian MorrisonFootball fans love lists: league tables; starting 11s; performance statistics. From the bestselling author of Hamlyn's Top 10 of Everything series comes a brand new collection of 250 exclusive lists that cover everything from the obvious to the obscure and uncover fascinating facts about the planet's favourite sport, including: Top 10 bestselling World Cup songs 10 World Cup unsung heroes Top 10 longest team names in the League of Wales 10 FA Cup giant-killers Top 10 highest-paid players 10 celebrities who had trials for professional clubs Top 10 football singles 10 unfortunately-named players Last 10 winners of the Mascot Derby 10 unusual football injuriesThe youngest goalscorers, the greatest comebacks, the worst disciplinary records and the most unusual club nicknames - all of these stats and more are revealed in this pocket-sized homage to the beautiful game. A conversational goldmine for men and the perfect present for the footy fanatic, Top 10 of Football is a must for every soccer-nut.
Top Dawg: Mark Richt and the Revival of Georgia Football
by Rob SuggsVince Dooley. Herschel Walker. The 1980 National Championship. The names and accomplishments are forever etched in Bulldog folklore. And now, with one of the best coaches in the game, a powerful young running back, and a team stacked with talent, another national title draws within reach. Top Dawg offers the inside scoop on how Georgia seized a place among the college football elite. Packed with stories of incredible victories, heartbreaking defeats, and quiet acts of integrity, author Rob Suggs hits all the highlights of one of the proudest programs in the country. It's time to revisit the incredible story of Georgia's return to the top of the Dawgpile.
Top Dog: And Other Doggone Delightful Expressions
by Carli DavidsonFrom the lens of expert animal photographer and New York Times bestselling author Carli Davidson, an adorable cast of canine characters star in this doggone delightful tribute to everyone's favorite idioms, from "working like a dog" to "the dog days of summer." These endearing and hilarious images are sure to make any animal enthusiast smile in "two shakes of a dog's tail!"
Top Dog: And Other Doggone Delightful Expressions
by Carli DavidsonFrom the lens of expert animal photographer and New York Times bestselling author Carli Davidson, an adorable cast of canine characters star in this doggone delightful tribute to everyone's favorite idioms, from "working like a dog" to "the dog days of summer." These endearing and hilarious images are sure to make any animal enthusiast smile in "two shakes of a dog's tail!" Plus, this is the fixed format version, which looks almost identical to the print edition.
Top Gear: The Alternative Highway Code
by Ministry of Top GearAs everyone knows, there are three ways of doing things. The right way, the wrong way and the Top Gear way. Although, on reflection, that's usually just the wrong way, but faster and with more shouting. Anyway, the good news is that this third way of doing things can be applied to almost anything, and that includes motoring in general. All you need is the right guidance, which is where the brand new Top Gear Alternative Highway Code comes in. Top Gear's Altnernative Highway Code will show you how to bring the ambitious but rubbish philosophies of the world's most popular TV programme to your driving, containing advice on general motoring, as well as specific tips on how to deal with common eventualities like a rapidly sinking amphibious camper van, a caravan airship that's just crashed into a small bush, or a stupid home-made limousine that's snapped in half while transporting a top celebrity to an awards ceremony.Road users should not leave home without it.
Top Gear Ultimate Supercars
by Jason BarlowGuaranteed to rev the engines of car fans everywhere.Supercars are the purest and most extreme expression of automotive performance there is - and no one knows the territory better than the TopGear team. With ever-increasing power outputs, radical new designs, and eye-popping price tags, this book is a celebration of the supercar in all its fabulous glory. Supercars also brings this incredibly fast-moving, hi-octane world bang up to date. The world's best writers and photographers explore the latest developments in thrilling style - from the new generation of pure-electric cars that have raised the bar for zero emissions performance, to the crazy machines hell-bent on breaking the 300mph barrier ... this is TopGear Supercars. Buckle up. Are you ready?
The Top of His Game: The Best Sportswriting of W. C. Heinz
by Bill Littlefield W. C. HeinzBill Littlefield (NPR's Only a Game) presents the second installment in the Library of America series devoted to classic American sportswriters, a defintive collector's edition of the pathbreaking writer who invented the long-form sports story. Like his friend and admirer Red Smith, W. C. Heinz (1915-2008) was one of the most distinctive and influential sportswriters of the last century. Though he began his career as a newspaper reporter, Heinz soon moved beyond the confines of the daily column, turning freelance and becoming the first sportwriter to make his living writing for magazines. In doing so he effectively invented the long-form sports story, perfecting a style that paved the way for the New Journalism of the 1960s. His profiles of the top athletes of his day still feel remarkably current, written with a freshness of perception, a gift for characterization, and a finely tuned ear for dialogue. Jimmy Breslin named Heinz's "Brownsville Bum"--a brief life of Al "Bummy" Davis, Brooklyn street tough and onetime welterweight champion of the world--"the greatest magazine sports story I've ever read, bar none." His spare and powerful 1949 column, "Death of a Race Horse," has been called a literary classic, a work of clarity and precision comparable to Hemingway at his best.Now, for this essential writer's centennial, Bill Littlefield, the host of NPR's Only A Game, presents the essential Heinz: thirty-eight columns, profiles, and memoirs from the author's personal archive, including eighteen pieces never collected during his lifetime. Though Heinz's great passion was boxing--the golden era of Rocky Graziano, Floyd Patterson, and Sugar Ray Robinson--his interests extended to the wide world of sports, with indelible profiles of baseball players (Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio), jockeys (George Woolf, Eddie Arcaro), hockey players, football coaches, scouts and trainers and rodeo riders.
Top of the Order
by John CoyTen-year-old Jackson lives for baseball, but becomes distracted by the approach of middle school, his mother's latest boyfriend, and the presence of a girl--his good friend's sister--on his team.
Top of the Order: The 4 For 4 Series (The 4 for 4 Series #1)
by John CoyFour sports-crazy 5th grade boys deal with family, school, and friendship issues against the backdrop of their baseball season.Jackson's parents are divorced and his mother has started dating. Gig's dad is in the National Guard and has been called up to serve in the Middle East. Isaac's dad wants him to go to a different middle school than all his friends. Diego is the new kid in school, a power-hitter who works with his family on the weekends and can't make every team practice. These four friends lead different lives, but on the baseball field, they're a strong team, the top of the order. In this crucial last year of elementary school, they're faced with preparing for middle school and dealing with a new member of their team—a girl!Acclaimed author John Coy takes readers into the hearts and minds of 5th grade boys, with plenty of baseball action that's sure to keep even the most reluctant readers turning the pages.
Top of the Order: 25 Writers Pick Their Favorite Baseball Player of All Time
by Sean ManningThere have been many anthologies devoted to our national pastime’s greatest players, but here, at last, is one dedicated to those, for reasons far more personal than stats-based, we call our favorites. In Top of the Order twenty-five of today’s premier sports journalists, cultural critics, novelists, and humorists (as well as a couple of former major leaguers) deliver memorable, never-before-published odes to their favorite players, past or present. By turns uplifting, woeful, and hilarious, these essays define what it means to be beset by that strange, incurable condition known as baseball fandom. Featuring original essays by: Roger Kahn on Jackie Robinson, Buzz Bissinger on Albert Pujols, Jonathan Eig on Lou Gehrig, Neal Pollack on Greg Maddux, Laura Lippman on Brooks Robinson, Jeff Pearlman on Garry Templeton, Jim Bouton on Steve Dembowski, Pat Jordan on Tom Seaver, Michael Ian Black on Mookie Wilson, Matt Taibbi on Jim Rice, Steve Almond on Rickey Henderson, and many more.
The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest
by Steve JenkinsSteve Jenkins takes us to Mount Everest - exploring its history, geography, climate, and culture. This unique book takes readers on the ultimate adventure of climbing the great mountain. Travel along and learn what to pack for such a trek and the hardships one may suffer on the way to the top. Avalanches, frostbite, frigid temperatures, wind, and limited oxygen are just a few of the dangers that make scaling this peak one of the most extreme physical challenges one can experience. To stand on the top of Mount Everest is to stand on top of the world. With informative text and exquisitely detailed cut paper illustrations, Steve Jenkins brings this extreme journey alive for young adventurers.
Top of the World: The Inside Story of the Boston Celtics' Amazing One-Year Turnaround to Become NBA Champions
by Peter MayI'm on top of the world!" shouted Kevin Garnett after the Boston Celtics demolished the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers for a league-leading seventeenth NBA championship. Peter May chronicles the amazing run of the team, who went from having the second-worst record in 2007 to leading the pack in 2008.Drawing on interviews with the players, Coach Doc Rivers, and General Manager Danny Ainge, May charts the pivotal moments of the Celtics' magical season. From rebuilding the team to capping off their stunning year with another championship, Top of the World brings readers every key moment of the Celtics' wild ride.
Top Prospect
by Paul VolponiTravis Gardner lives to play quarterback. He's a standout QB by the middle school, and he's prepared to put everything he has into the game. Then Gainesville University's head coach makes Travis a promise: Travis will have a place on the team, and a scholarship to go with it. He just has to get through high school first. <P><P>As Travis starts ninth grade, he'll have to earn his teammates' trust and dodge opponents aiming to sack the star quarterback. But his biggest challenge might be staying focused in the face of sudden fame. Because now the pressure is on, and Travis has to prove himself with every pass.
Top Prospect
by Paul VolponiTravis Gardner lives to play quarterback. He's a standout QB by middle school, and he's prepared to put everything he has into the game. Then Gainesville University's head coach makes Travis a promise: Travis will have a place on the team, and a scholarship to go with it. He just has to get through high school first. As Travis starts ninth grade, he'll have to earn his teammates' trust and dodge opponents aiming to sack the star quarterback. But his biggest challenge might be staying focused in the face of sudden fame. Because now the pressure is on, and Travis has to prove himself with every pass. "Travis' love for the game . . . seems absolutely authentic. This engaging read will resonate with middle schoolers, especially aspiring athletes."—Booklist
Top Shot
by A E Networks Colby DonaldsonBehind the scenes and behind the trigger on the History Channel's hit TV show.On Top Shot, some of the most skilled shooters in the world are gathered together to test their mettle in competition for $100,000. <P><P>From former military snipers and ex-law enforcement officers to quick-draw artists, modern-day cowboys, and self-taught shooters, they are the best of the best with guns. In this fascinating book, readers will learn what makes Top Shot one of the most popular reality shows on television. * The weapons the contestants depend on to win * Facts and anecdotes about the colorful contestants throughout the years * The history of sharpshooting, and what it takes to be a master gunfighter* Behind-the-scenes stories about how Top Shot is created.
The Top Teams Ever: Football, Baseball, Basketball and Hockey Winners
by Dalton RossLearn how history's greatest sports teams rose to the top with that "something special." Maybe it was a unique player--like Wayne Gretzky lifting the Edmonton Oilers to a higher level of excellence. Perhaps it was raw talent, like that of the 1998 New York Yankees. Check out these up-close stories of the ten greatest teams of all time from the worlds of football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.