Sportsbiografier

This book covers a century of the best, most charismatic and most controversial men ever to don the white coat and stand for first-class cricket.

Part cycling story, part cold war and love story, this is Ben MacIntyre meets the great escape, a sporting equivalent of Anna Funder's seminal Stasiland.

This book examines Terry Bradshaw's celebrity status that has grown and developed through years of interacting with football fans and the larger U.S. culture. It covers his early years playing football, his growing status as an icon with the Pittsburgh Steelers, his career in broadcasting, and his forays into country music, television, and movies.

Ralph Kiner (1922-2014) was one of the most feared power hitters of his era. Babe Ruth predicted Kiner would be the slugger most likely to break Ruth's single season home run record. While the left fielder from New Mexico missed that mark, he did break one of the Babe's records, leading his league in home runs for seven consecutive seasons - a record unbroken since. This is his story.

Two-time All-Star and thirteen-year NBA veteran Caron Butler has an impressive basketball record. He was Big East Co-Player of the Year at UConn, the 10th overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft and a key player for the Dallas Mavericks in their championship-winning season in 2011.But before Butler had a chance to prove himself on the court, he spent his time trying to prove himself on the streets, as a gang member and drug dealer in his hometown of Racine, Wisconsin. He saw friends gunned down in the bloody street wars near his home, was arrested nearly 15 times and wound up behind bars and in solitary confinement before his 15th birthday. Tuff Juice shares Caron Butler's extraordinary journey from his delinquent youth in the streets of Racine to his role as an accomplished pro basketball player, dedicated husband and father, active philanthropist and burgeoning businessman. Along the way, the book explores the incredible impact his single mother's unconditional love and his college coach's unwavering support had on him, and what drives him to be so successful in basketball and in life.

This book follows the lives and careers of two Jewish boxers, Max Baer and Barney Ross. Fighting in the 1920s and 1930s when anti-Semitism was rampant, American Jews found symbols of strength and courage in these two world champions. This book provides a vivid picture of Baer and Ross as they fought opponents in the ring and prejudice outside it.

And Eddie Eagan, a heavyweight boxer and brilliant lawyer, remains the only man to win gold at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. This is their story, of loose living, risk-taking and hell-raising in an age of decadence, and of their race against the odds to become the fastest men on ice.

This is the first full-length biography of Jess Willard who won the heavyweight boxing title in 1915 by defeating Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion. The book sheds new light on Willard who became the most famous man in America as a result of his victory.

The inside story of Bradley Wiggins's record-breaking rideFor 60 minutes this summer, the British public stopped what they were doing, switched on their radios, their TVs, refreshed their Twitter feeds and followed Bradley Wiggins's attempt to break one of sport's most gruelling records: The Hour.

Twenty football stars talk about God and the difference their faith makes to them, both on and off the pitch

This sensitive commentary on Jackie Robinson's life describes his childhood in Pasadena, through his years as a sports hero, to his later involvement in politics and the Civil Rights movement. Harvey Frommer has drawn upon interviews with Robinson's family, friends, and fellow ball players to tell the story of a courageous man who triumphed over bi

During the more than one hundred years that baseball has been our national pastime, all types of individuals have been managers of teams. They have run the gamut from political appointees to tyrants, schemers, incompetents and geniuses. Legendary baseball stars have been managers such as Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Walter Johnson, Mel Ott, George Sisler, and Honus Wagner. And Mediocre players, including Branch Rickey, Earl Weaver, Walter Alston have become managers.Antics galore have accentuated managerial behavior: the pratfalls of Charley Grimm in the third-base coaching box; the umbrella-carrying Frankie Frisch arguing with the umpires that a game should be called; the cap twisting, body-gyrating movements of Earl Weaver, puffing cigarettes in the dugout and attempting to use body language to will his players to perform better.Idiosyncrasies and special styles have characterized managers through the years. An entire collection of one-liners has developed over the years to characterize the managing profession. For trivia buffs, there's an entire world of statistical records about managers. This books attempts to capture the style and substance of some of the greatest managers of all time. An effort has been made to give representation to the different eras of baseball, the various managing styles, and all the nuances and nostalgia that shape this fascinating subject.

This book tells the story of Hall of Fame pitcher Herb Pennock (1894-1948), considered one of the best left-handed pitchers in the history of the game. He pitched for the 1920s New York Yankees, won 241 games, and never lost in the World Series. Herb Pennock features interviews with family and friends and never-before-seen photographs.

Schooled on the sandlots of Milwaukee, Chicago Black Sox center fielder Oscar "Happy" Felsch (1891-1964) was a rising star who then blew a promising career for a few bucks by participating in the throwing of the 1919 World Series. On the field, Felsch was hitting his peak in 1920, the year the scandal hit the newspapers. His speed, run-producing power and defensive prowess--all attributes that might have garnered consideration by the Hall of Fame--earned comparisons to the great Tris Speaker. Instead, he ended up playing the fallen hero for remote baseball enclaves in Montana and Canada. Did he really play to lose the series or just say that he did out of fear of reprisal by crooked gamblers? Felsch talked about the scandal more than any of the other eight banned players. This book analyzes his three interviews, revealing his ultimate gullibility and greed and rampant contradictions.

The thinking fan's footballer with a thinking fan's football book.

Growing up, Pat Brown had two dreams: to play baseball and to attend college. In spite of the obstacles, she achieved both of these dreams, playing for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1950 and 1951 and going on to attend college. This is her memoir.

A Dazzling Darkness is the emotional autobiography of the brave and popular Darren Barker, who fought on after the tragic death of his hugely talented 19-year-old boxing brother Gary and realised a dream of winning the world middleweight title one hot August night in Atlantic City, a triumph he dedicated to the memory of Gary.

Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas ... what could possibly go wrong?

Although most baseball fans are familiar with the on-the-field accomplishments of Hall of Famers, few are as knowledgeable regarding who the players were beyond the ballpark. This book probes into the personal lives of fifty members of the Hall of Fame, examining their childhoods, families, influences, impactful life-changing events, and more.

Set against the background of the Great Depression, this book looks at the life of Ralph Guldahl, who for a brief period in the 1930s was recognized as the best golfer in the world. This biography is the first to trace the rise and decline of his career and answer the question: "What happened to Ralph Guldahl?"

Forgotten today, Sam Thompson (1860-1922) was one of the most dominant five skills Baseball players of his era. This comprehensive biography traces Thompson's life and career from his childhood in rural Danville, Indiana, to his last days as a US deputy marshall in Detroit, and clarifies his status of one of the greatest players in baseball's long and storied history.

Brian Clough was a very successful football manager. By turning two medium size clubs in the east Midlands into football powerhouses he deserves his place in football history. Yet he was so much more than that... Clough''s character and interaction with the people of the area, many of whom were not football fans, is almost unique. Whether it was helping old ladies with their shopping or giving them a lift home in his car or allowing young fans in to see their idols, Cloughie always seemed to have time for those around him without the condescension of it being a PR stunt or a way to win affection from the local populace. Many of the stories in "The Fans Behind The Legend" speak of Brian''s generosity and humility. His TV persona as an opinionated loudmouth may have antagonised some, indeed in the opinion of many it cost him the England job, but his down to earth interactions with often awestruck fans is commonplace. In this heart-warming appreciation of Brian Clough, he comes across as a man of the people, someone who is still very much missed and revered particularly in Derby and Nottingham and a man who continues to influence many of those who came into contact with him decades ago. Steve Brookes is a life-long Aston Villa fan but has always been aware of the high esteem with which Brian Clough has been held. In writing the book he says: "this book has been a fascinating project, speaking to so many Derby County and Nottingham Forest fans and a lot of neutral football supporters and even people with no interest in sport who shared the same admiration and respect for Brian Clough.

Presents the story of the seven baseball-playing brothers from Western Missouri who in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s signed professional contracts. Led by oldest brother Cloyd, a pitcher, third baseman Ken Boyer, and third baseman Clete Boyer, three of the seven siblings in a family of 14 reached the majors. This is the story of their hardscrabble upbringing and how they fought their way to success.

David Millar offers us a unique insight into the mind of a professional cyclist during his last year before retirement. Over the course of a season on the World Tour, Millar puts us in touch with the sights, smells and sounds of the sport.

Frank Robinson was one of the greatest baseball players of the 20th century. He was Rookie of the Year in 1956, won the Triple Crown in 1966, led the Baltimore Orioles to four World Series appearances, and is the only player to be voted MVP in both the American and National leagues. He became the first black manager in both leagues and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. This is the story of a man who "crowded the plate” in all aspects of his baseball life.

The funny, heart-warming tale of Adam Carroll-Smith's enduring love of sport on the radio. From furtively listening to Premier League matches under his duvet as a boy, to secretly following Ashes Tests and Wimbledon championships when he should have been working, all the way to sleep-deprived nocturnal sessions with the Super Bowl and Ryder Cup.

Covering Mike Tyson's rise through the amateur and professional boxing ranks, this book follows the Brooklyn native from his early years as a young criminal in Brownsville to his 1988 heavyweight unification match with Michael Spinks. The book focuses on the Catskill Boxing Club--where boxing guru Cus D'Amato trained the 210-pound teenager in the finer points of the sport and developed his impregnable defense--and on his home life with D'Amato and surrogate mother Camille Ewald and the other young fighters who lived with them. Tyson's boxing education began in the unauthorized "smokers" held every week in the Bronx, matching his skills against older, more experienced fighters. He won the 1981 Amateur Heavyweight Boxing Championship in Colorado Springs at the age of 14 and repeated the amazing feat the following year. By 1985, finding no other challenging amateur competition, he was forced to join the professional ranks where, in November 1986, he became the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history. Less than two years later, he unified the crown, establishing himself as one of the most dominant heavyweight fighters the sport had ever seen.

In the early winter of 1983, a generous season for memories, Michael Tierney attended his first - and only - game with his father, John.