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Best There Ever Was: Dan Patch and the Dawn of the American Century
by Sharon B. SmithHis winning percentage was well above Jordan's shooting average or Woods's domination of golf tournaments. And he sold products and drew spectators like no one had ever done. He was hands-down the most famous athlete in America's most popular spectator sport, and exactly one hundred years ago you would have been hard pressed to find anybody in the country who didn't know his name. He was Dan Patch, and he was a racehorse. At the turn of the last century, harness racing drew larger crowds and offered bigger paychecks than any other sport. Its stars were household names, and Dan Patch was both the most celebrated and the richest. As successful as he was on the track, Dan Patch was also America's first "marketing machine": the horse who could sell cigars, washing machines, stoves, automobiles, and animal feed, just by the presence of his name and photograph. The Best There Ever Was examines the evolution of sports marketing through the lives of Dan Patch and the three men who owned him: an Indiana breeder, Dan Messner; M. E. Sturgis, who sold the horse for $20,000 (a fortune in those days) and spent the rest of his life trying to buy him back; and Marion W. Savage of Minneapolis, whose entrepreneurial skills presaged today's sports marketing geniuses.Any athlete who can draw a 90,000-person crowd, offer up world records, and then sell a coal stove with his name on it may well be the best by anybody's standards. A fun and fascinating read for sports lovers.
The Best Time to Read
by Debbie Bertram Susan BloomThe little boy from The Best Place to Read can now read by himself, and he's looking for an audience. But everyone--his parents, siblings, grandparents, even his dog!--is too busy to hear a story in this fun and lively tale. When our young reader finally settles in to read to his toys, he gets a surprise visit and learns that the best time to read is whenever you have loved ones to listen! With catchy, rhyming text and vibrant illustrations, this is the perfect read-aloud-- any time!
The Best Wisconsin Sports Arguments
by Andy KendeighAn essential sports reference for Packers, Badgers, Brewers, and Bucks fans! Brand-new to the popular Best Sports Arguments series, The Best Wisconsin Sports Arguments looks at the great debates from the most-loved sports of the state of Wisconsin, including: The great Favre debate: who's right and who's wrong? What's the greatest moment in Wisconsin sports history? Who's the bigger Badger rival-Iowa or Minnesota? Better tradition-"Jump Around" or the sausage race? Written by veteran Wisconsin sports personality Andy Kendeigh, The Best Wisconsin Sports Arguments covers football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and more. Every question a Wisconsin sports fan wants to explore is here, sure to spark controversy and debate.
The Best XI
by Geoffrey BoycottWho'd make it into the best England team ever? And you can chose anyone, regardless of when they might have played. Would W.G. Grace be playing alongside Denis Compton and David Gower? Or Kevin Pietersen? The debate could be endless, so who better to make the selection than Geoffrey Boycott, himself one of England's all-time highest scoring Test batsmen and now the game's most forthright, shrewd and iconoclastic commentator.Based on his own fresh analysis amd interpretation of the statistics, Boycs has come up with his own, sometimes surprising Best Eleven of all time. And he's not just cast a critical eye over England's finest either. Every other test-playing nation comes under the spotlight.You may not agree - in fact, you're almost certain not to - but each player has been carefully chosen and the case for his inclusion forcefully argued in what is sure to be the most entertaining, thought-provoking and memorable cricket books of the year from one of the game's most outspoken and enduring characters.
Betaball: How Silicon Valley and Science Built One of the Greatest Basketball Teams in History
by Erik MalinowskiMoneyball meets The City Game in this compelling look at how the NBA champion Golden State Warriors embraced savvy business practices, next-gen science, and the corporate culture of Silicon Valley to not only produce one of the greatest basketball teams in history but also revolutionize the NBA.Discover the definitive, inside account of how the Warriors, under the leadership of venture capitalist Joe Lacob and Hollywood producer Peter Guber, quickly became one of the most remarkable success stories ever, both in sports and business. In just five years, they turned a declining franchise with no immediate hope into one of the greatest teams in basketball, a period that included the rise of All-Star point guard Stephen Curry and two NBA championships in the past three years. By operating in "beta"—always innovating, unafraid to embrace change, encouraging risk—the Warriors have become a model organization for American professional sports, instituting the best workplace principles found inside the world's most successful corporations and instilling a top-down organizational ethos that allows their employees to thrive, from the front office to the free-throw line. With in-depth access and meticulous reporting on and off the court, acclaimed journalist Erik Malinowski recounts a gripping tale of worlds colliding, a team's reinvention, ordinary people being pushed to extraordinary heights, and the Golden State Warriors' unending quest to remain the best.
The Betrayal of the Living (Blood Ninja #3)
by Nick LakeThe fate of feudal Japan hangs in the balance in this bloody conclusion to the epic trilogy.Taro is at a crossroads: He has vanquished Lord Oda for good, but with no land and no title, he has no hope of marrying Hana, the daughter of a daimyo. So when Taro receives news of a murderous dragon and the large reward for killing it, he and his friends find themselves on a dangerous quest to slay the beast. Their mission has the potential to save the people of Japan--but failure will result in the deaths of thousands. And dragons are not the only monsters they will encounter: The dead, led by the odious Kenji Kira, have begun to rise, and they have Taro in their sights. In this heart-stopping conclusion to the Blood Ninja trilogy, the future of all feudal Japan is in danger, and everything Taro holds dear will be threatened. But it is the betrayal of flesh and blood--his own flesh and blood--that may be his ultimate undoing.
Betsy's Day at the Game
by Greg Bancroft Katherine BlackmoreBetsy loves hanging out with her grandfather, especially at the ballpark. Today is another game day, and Betsy is ready to show her grandpa all she's learned about keeping score. Some exciting things are about to happen at today's game. As the anticipation builds, Betsy keeps track of it all -- foul balls, home runs, and favorite players.This heartwarming story about a family tradition and America's favorite pastime includes a full scorecard. With great illustrations, Betsy's Day at the Game teaches kids how to fill out a scorecard, and encourages them to share their memories with their families.
Better by Saturday -- Driving: Featuring Tips by Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers
by Greg MidlandTips and lessons for improving your golf game, specifically driving.
Better by Saturday -- Iron Play/Long Game: Featuring Tips by Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers
by Dave AllenFor more than forty-five years, Golf Magazine has attracted the best instructors in the sport. Now, Golf Magazine brings together its Top 100 Teachers to offer quick, essential tips -- only one page long and each with its own illustrative photo -- to help you save strokes the very next time you play. Every golfer knows that approach shots often expose a player's inconsistency -- and that no two holes ever play the same. In this book, such renowned teachers as Kent Cayce, Rick Martino, and Jim Flick help you size up and attack your long shots.
Better by Saturday -- Putting: Featuring Tips by Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers
by Dave AllenFor more than forty-five years, Golf Magazine has attracted the best instructors in the sport. Now, Golf Magazine brings together its Top 100 Teachers to offer quick, essential tips -- only one page long and each with its own illustrative photo -- to help you save strokes the very next time you play. Every golfer knows that approach shots often expose a player's inconsistency -- and that no two holes ever play the same. In this book, such renowned teachers as Kent Cayce, Rick Martino, and Jim Flick help you size up and attack your long shots. This book spans every aspect of iron play and the long game with professional-grade help you can put into play now. Try a tip. You'll be playing Better By Saturday.
Better by Saturday -- Short Game: Featuring Tips by Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers
by Greg MidlandFor more than forty-five years, GOLF MAGAZINE has attracted the best instructors in the sport. Now GOLF MAGAZINE brings together its Top 100 Teachers to offer quick, essential tips -- only one page long and each with its own illustrative photo -- to help you save strokes the very next time you play. Some players can hit it long. Others have a great touch on the greens. But if you're like most players, your short game is the crucial link between the fairway and the pin.
Better Faster Farther: How Running Changed Everything We Know About Women
by Maggie Mertens&“From foot-binding to corsets, patriarchal societies have found ways to immobilize women, but now, marathoners and Olympians are proving that women can run like the wind!&” —GLORIA STEINEM "A look behind the curtain that all women who love running and sport should read.&” —KARA GOUCHER, Olympic runner and New York Times-bestselling author of The Longest RaceMore than a century ago, a woman ran in the very first modern Olympic marathon. She just did it without permission. Award-winning journalist Maggie Mertens uncovers the story of how women broke into competitive running and how they are getting faster and fiercer every day—and changing our understanding of what is possible as they go. Despite women proving their abilities on the track time and again, men in the medical establishment, media, and athletic associations have fought to keep women (or at least white women) fragile—and sometimes literally tried to push them out of the race (see Kathrine Switzer, Boston Marathon, 1967). Yet before there were running shoes for women, they ran barefoot or in nursing shoes. They ran without sports bras, which weren&’t invented until 1977, or disguised as men. They faced down doctors who put them on bed rest and newspaper reports that said women collapsed if they ran a mere eight hundred meters, just two laps around the track. Still today, women face relentless attention to their bodies: Is she too strong, too masculine? Is she even really a woman? Mertens transports us from that first boundary-breaking marathon in Greece, 1896, to the earliest &“official&” women&’s races of the twentieth century to today&’s most intense ultramarathons, in which women are setting all-out records, even against men. For readers of Good and Mad, Born to Run, and Fly Girls, Better Faster Farther takes us inside the lives and the victories of the women who have redefined society&’s image of strength and power."An essential read to normalize women's existence, excellence, and humanity within the sport of running.&” —ALISON MARIELLA DÉSIR
Better Than Perfect (Wild Cards)
by Simone Elkeles<p>A fresh and fun repackage of Wild Cards, Better Than Perfect launches a romantic new series from New York Times bestselling author Simone Elkeles. <p>After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek's counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else's family drama. <p>Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain—people you care about leave without a backward glance. So when her older sister comes home after abandoning her ten years earlier, with her hot new stepson in tow, Ashtyn wants nothing to do with either of them. Then she comes up with a plan that would finally give her the chance to leave, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and get the future she wants?</p>
Better Than Perfect (More Than A Game #1)
by Kristina MathewsMore Than A Game, #1 The woman he left behind and the son he never knew are tougher opponents than any he's met on the field. Pitcher Johnny "The Monk" Scottsdale has won awards, been named an All-star and has a perfect game to his credit. Known for his legendary control both on and off the field, his pristine public image makes him the ideal person to work with youth players in a preseason minicamp. Except the camp is run by the one woman he can't forget...the woman who made him a "monk." Alice Harrison's three strikes include an unexpected pregnancy, a marriage of convenience and young widowhood. She once traded her dreams so Johnny could have a chance at making it to the Majors. Johnny comes back into her life just as she's ready to resign as foundation director and pursue her own dreams of finally earning her teaching credential. Her plans may go on hold, though, depending on the reaction when she confesses she may have kept a major league secret from Johnny and her son. With the minutes ticking by until Johnny will leave for spring training, they'll need to let go of the past and work together in order to win the game of love. CONTENT WARNING: Some strong language, consummated love scenes83,204 Words
Better to Reign in Hell
by Kelly Mayhew Jim MillerThe silver-and-black-clad Oakland Raiders fans are the most notorious in American professional sports, with a mythic reputation for cursing, drinking, brawling, and generally wreaking mayhem. The devotion of the team's multiracial, largely blue-collar supporters runs deep, creating a profound sense of community. As Jim Miller and Kelly Mayhew reveal in this hair-raising and entertaining new book, the self-described Raider Nation, smitten with its outlaw mystique, provides a gritty alternative to California's sunshine-and-granola image.Over the course of the harrowing 2003 season, Miller and Mayhew explored the reality behind the myth and interviewed legions of rabid Raiders fans--from suburban families to bikers--while attending games in the "Black Hole" (the rowdiest section in Oakland's stadium), frequenting sports bars, and crashing tailgate parties. Featuring the extraordinary photography of Joseph A. Blum, Better to Reign in Hell is both a rollicking tale of obsessive fandom and a fascinating study of the intersection of class, race, gender, and community in professional sports.
Betting Against the Crowd: A Complex Systems Approach
by Yair NeumanCrowds are misleading, both in their simplicity and in their complexity. On the one hand, they behave according to expected trends; on the other, they present sudden shifts and frantic, unexpected behavior. Therefore, “betting against the crowd,” whether in politics, sports, or finance, requires a deep understanding of the crowd’s dynamics. In this book, Prof. Neuman addresses this challenge by delving into the complexity of crowds. The book involves foundational issues and novel ideas, such as why crowds behave unexpectedly, why betting against the crowd is possible only in short time frames, why is it important to be attentive to suspicious signs that are indicative of the crowd’s behavior, and why the long tail of fatalities in armed conflicts leaves us surprised by blitz attacks of violent mobs. The book combines scientific knowledge, experiments, and accessible, often humorous, exposition. It can be read by anyone with a basic science education who seeks to understand crowds and how one can act within and against them.
Betting Game (Orca Sports)
by Heather M. O'ConnorJack's a star player on an elite soccer team along with his brother, Alex. The Lancers are on top of the league, even favored to win the National Championship. But the game's about to change. A slick bookie wins Jack's friendship and introduces him to illegal betting. Before long, Jack is hooked on the adrenaline rush, and early wins convince him that gambling could make him rich. Meanwhile, an ever-widening rift is forming between the two brothers. Suddenly, Jack's "system" fails and his luck runs out. How could a few losses pile up to a gut-kicking ten grand? When he can't pay, the bookie gives Jack one way out--throw the National Championship. But can he betray his brother, his team and himself?
Betting on Horse Racing For Dummies
by Richard EngBetting on Horse Racing For Dummies is packed with information that teaches you the ins and outs of the racetrack. You&’ll learn how to improve your odds, avoid common betting mistakes, and just plain have fun at the races. This is a spectator&’s easy-to-understand guide, so you&’ll have no trouble identifying the racing breeds with their strengths and weaknesses, sizing up the jockey, understanding the importance and role of a trainer, placing bets, managing money, and beyond. Can&’t make it to the track? No worries! You&’ll get the scoop on online betting with off track betting sites and apps. This update covers the latest changes in the betting world and in the racing world, so you&’ll know just what you&’re wagering. Learn about the different types of horse racing Discover and identify the best racing breeds Know your jockeys and trainers Make smart wagers and manage your fundsFor beginning betters, Betting on Horse Racing For Dummies is your ticket to well informed wagers and a winning edge. Already know the ropes? You&’ll love the market trends and insider tips you&’ll find inside.
Betting on Horse Racing For Dummies
by Richard EngHow to enjoy a day at the races-and bet to win! The last two years have seen a record number of Americans tune in for climatic Triple Crown races featuring Smarty Jones and Funny Cide; in 2004, television viewership jumped a whopping 61 percent over the record set in 2003, and the Belmont Stakes race itself drew a record crowd of more than 120,000! This easy-to-understand guide shows first-time visitors to the track how to enjoy the sport of horse racing-and make smart bets. It explains what goes on at the track, what to look for in horses and jockeys, how to read a racing form and do simple handicapping, and how to manage betting funds and make wagers that stand a good chance of paying off. Complete with coverage of off-track and online betting, it's just what anyone needs to play the ponies-and win! Richard Eng (Las Vegas, NV) is a racing writer and handicapper for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a columnist for the Daily Racing Form, and the host of a horseracing radio program in Las Vegas. He was formerly a part of the ABC Sports team that covered the Triple Crown.
Betting on the Rookie
by Stephanie DoyleThey've both got their eye on the prize Sports agent Samantha Baker needs an epic comeback after the disaster that destroyed her career. Just one client, and she'll prove she can do this thing again. And that one client has to be Evan Tanner. A late-blooming rookie with talent for the record books, Evan's got everything it takes. And, sure, Evan can win on the field, but winning over Samantha is a whole other ball game. She's been hurt personally and professionally, so just one lie will strike him out for good. So while Sam's intent on the major league, Evan won't give up on an even bigger prize: the trust of this woman he loves.
Betty Bunny Wants a Goal (Betty Bunny)
by Michael KaplanFor fans of Ladybug Girl and Charlie & Lola, check out the loveable handful nobunny can resist! Betty Bunny puts her own funny preschool spin on soccer (and practice). From the creator of Disney’s T.V. series Dog with a Blog.Soccer is the first sport most kids play, and Betty Bunny is taking the field. She proudly announces that she will score ten goals in her first game. But like most preschoolers, Betty Bunny's ideas are not exactly in line with reality. When she fails to score a single goal, she decides that "soccer is yucky" and stuffs her uniform in the trash. Now it's up to her family to help Betty Bunny see the value of not giving up when things get hard. In a story about hard work and achieving your goals, Betty Bunny learns that with practice, she can do anything. But in Betty Bunny's world, this lesson has surprising results.
Betty Bunny Wants a Goal (Betty Bunny)
by Michael B. Kaplan Stephane JorischSoccer is the first sport most kids play, and Betty Bunny is taking the field. She proudly announces that she will score ten goals in her first game. But like most preschoolers, Betty Bunny's ideas are not exactly in line with reality. When she fails to score a single goal, she decides that "soccer is yucky" and stuffs her uniform in the trash. Now it's up to her family to help Betty Bunny see the value of not giving up when things get hard. In a story about hard work and achieving your goals, Betty Bunny learns that with practice, she can do anything. But in Betty Bunny's world, this lesson has surprising results.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
by Aron RalstonOne of the most extraordinary survival stories ever told -- Aron Ralston's searing account of his six days trapped in one of the most remote spots in America, and how one inspired act of bravery brought him home. It started out as a simple hike in the Utah canyonlands on a warm Saturday afternoon. For Aron Ralston, a twenty-seven-year-old mountaineer and outdoorsman, a walk into the remote Blue John Canyon was a chance to get a break from a winter of solo climbing Colorado's highest and toughest peaks. He'd earned this weekend vacation, and though he met two charming women along the way, by early afternoon he finally found himself in his element: alone, with just the beauty of the natural world all around him. It was 2:41 P.M. Eight miles from his truck, in a deep and narrow slot canyon, Aron was climbing down off a wedged boulder when the rock suddenly, and terrifyingly, came loose. Before he could get out of the way, the falling stone pinned his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall. And so began six days of hell for Aron Ralston. With scant water and little food, no jacket for the painfully cold nights, and the terrible knowledge that he'd told no one where he was headed, he found himself facing a lingering death -- trapped by an 800-pound boulder 100 feet down in the bottom of a canyon. As he eliminated his escape options one by one through the days, Aron faced the full horror of his predicament: By the time any possible search and rescue effort would begin, he'd most probably have died of dehydration, if a flash flood didn't drown him before that. What does one do in the face of almost certain death? Using the video camera from his pack, Aron began recording his grateful good-byes to his family and friends all over the country, thinking back over a life filled with adventure, and documenting a last will and testament with the hope that someone would find it. (For their part, his family and friends had instigated a major search for Aron, the amazing details of which are also documented here for the first time.) The knowledge of their love kept Aron Ralston alive, until a divine inspiration on Thursday morning solved the riddle of the boulder. Aron then committed the most extreme act imaginable to save himself. Between a Rock and a Hard Place -- a brilliantly written, funny, honest, inspiring, and downright astonishing report from the line where death meets life -- will surely take its place in the annals of classic adventure stories.
Between Boardslides and Burnout: My Notes from the Road
by Tony HawkWith this all-access pass, Tony Hawk shares the joy, the exhaustion, the adrenaline, and the pain of life on the road. Between Boardslides and Burnout puts you right on the edge of the ramp and on the road with him -- from competitions to demos, to store openings, to autograph signings, to movie sets, and back home.Never before has a professional skateboarder offered such a complete look into his life -- and mind.
BETWEEN COMMITMENT AND BETRAYAL: a dark, fake-dating romance from the Tiktok sensation and USA Today bestselling author (The Hardy Billionaires Series)
by Shain RoseOUR MARRIAGE ISN'T REAL. SO WHY DO OUR KISSES FEEL SO GOOD?Declan Hardy, heartthrob and retired billionaire, is my complete opposite.He's commanding: I'm cooperative.He's loud when I stay quiet.All we have in common is that both our names are on my father's will.He'll inherit an empire - and I'll keep the one thing I hold dear.But there's a catch: I have to marry him - or at least, pretend to.One year of fake marriage.One year of living together.But it's not that simple.Especially when I can't tell if his kisses are fake - and if I'm really still pretending when I kiss him back...There's a fine line between commitment and betrayal... and neither of us knows where it falls. Declan and I would never work for real - or would we?A HOT, DARK ROMANCE FROM THE TIKTOK SENSATION - SHAIN ROSE IS YOUR NEW OBSESSION.