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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Ball games
Keith Earls started out in senior rugby as a teenage star and
during the course of his long career has become one of the most
admired and respected players of his generation. A British &
Irish Lion at the age of 21, he is now closing in on his 34th
birthday and still playing at the top of his game. He has won 93
caps for Ireland and played 179 times in the famous red of Munster.
He started every game of the 2018 Six Nations campaign that
culminated in an Irish Grand Slam victory. A lethal finisher
blessed with thoroughbred speed, Earls is the second-highest try
scorer of all time for his country. With Munster he is one try
short of the all-time total and looks set to break that record next
season. Behind the glittering success, there is another story to be
told. He has achieved these milestones whilst being racked by
private battles with his mental health for most of his career. A
number of crises brought him to the brink of voluntary retirement
from the game. A long series of injuries have taken their
psychological toll too. A native of Limerick city, Earls grew up in
one of its most socially disadvantaged housing estates. Moyross was
blighted by crime and violence and he did not escape unscathed from
the surrounding fear and trauma visited upon his beloved community.
His natural sporting talent brought him into the privileged bastion
of elite rugby union. His frank and fearless autobiography tells
the story of his long struggle to reconcile the world whence he
came with the world opened up by his brilliance with an oval ball.
Earls has maintained a low profile throughout his career. For the
first time he will talk in depth and at length about the inner
turmoil that went unseen by team-mates, friends and fans. It is a
confessional, intimate and courageous story of the pain that was a
constant companion to the glory.
Sue Barker first walked through those famous wrought-iron gates aged 13
in 1969 to play in the National Schools event. What Sue didn't know
then, was that every year for the next half century, she would be back
in some capacity. As a junior, aged 15, as a semi-finalist and
Grand-Slam winner ranked No.3 in the world, as a broadcaster leading
the BBC coverage for thirty years and for the first time, as a fan in
2023.
And now she returns as a storyteller.
The magic has stayed the same,but times have changed. With her
first-hand insight and perspective, Sue paints an intimate portrait of
the place, past and present, full of behind-the-scenes details drawn
from her own experiences as well as personal conversations with her
former mentors, contemporary players, friends and colleagues - giants
of the game such as Rod Laver, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Roger
Federer, Venus Williams and many others. They share poignant memories
with her and some startling revelations, from Sampas's deep regret that
he didn't involve his parents more in his Centre Court triumphs to Borg
divulging that McEnroe was always the quietest presence in the locker
room ... You cannot be serious!
From the most talked-about matches and famous rivalries to the fashions
and trends, from the stunning breakthroughs, to the near wins and
gut-wrenching disappointments, Sue's personal history of Wimbledon is
touched throughout by Championship stardust and is as tightly packed
with stories as the courts are with blades of grass.
The Masterful, Definitive History of Argentinian Soccer Lionel
Messi, Diego Maradona, Alfredo Di Stefano: in every generation
Argentina has uncovered a uniquely brilliant soccer talent. Perhaps
it's because the country lives and breathes the game, its theories,
and its myths. Argentina's rich, volatile history-by turns sublime
and ruthlessly pragmatic-is mirrored in the style and swagger of
its national and club sides. In Angels with Dirty Faces, Jonathan
Wilson chronicles the operatic drama of Argentinian soccer: the
appropriation of the British game, the golden age of la nuestra,
the exuberant style of playing that developed as Juan Peron led the
country, a hardening into the brutal methods of anti-futbol, the
fusion of beauty and efficacy under Cesar Luis Menotti, and the
emergence of all-time greats. Praise for Inverting the Pyramid
"Here, for the first time in decades, is a top-notch soccer book on
how soccer is actually played on the field." -Simon Kuper "An
outstanding work...The soccer book of the decade." -Sunday Business
Post
A great technique is not enough. To succeed in tennis, each day you
must overcome challenges that affect where and how you play.
Playing Tennis like a Pro addresses these challenges with its clear
focus on empowering you to make the decisions that are right for
you and your game. Drawing upon his personal experience on the
tennis circuit, William Ralston analyses the key stages on the
journey to becoming a more successful tennis player, combining his
own knowledge with that of some of the sport's leading players,
coaches and experts. While guiding you through the trickier aspects
of the sport, Playing Tennis like a Pro helps you to find answers
to those all-important doubts that can so often hold you back from
realizing your potential. With colour photos and explanatory
illustrations, the book provides an in-depth analysis of the
techniques, equipment, strategy and tactics used in the modern
game.If you are a keen player at intermediate level or beyond and
looking to raise your game with invaluable insights into the
methods of the pros, this is the book for you.
The 50 Greatest Players in Braves History examines the careers of
the 50 men who made the greatest impact on one of Major League
Baseball's oldest and most iconic franchises. Using as measuring
sticks the degree to which they impacted the fortunes of the team,
the extent to which they added to the Braves legacy--in Boston,
Milwaukee, and Atlanta--and the levels of statistical compilation
and overall dominance they attained while wearing a Braves uniform,
The 50 Greatest Players in Braves History ranks, from 1 to 50, the
top 50 players in team history. Quotes from opposing players and
former teammates are provided along the way, as are summaries of
each player's greatest season, most memorable performances, and
most notable achievements.
This book is aimed at players and coaches (male & female) of
all levels. James Knott and Andrew O'Connor have created a
comprehensive and up to date guide to batting for coaches, players
and parents featuring photographs and diagrams along with sixty
accessible drills. This is an essential guide to the intricate
skills required to become a successful batter for both players and
coaches. With input from a wide range of elite players and coaches,
past and present, this is an invaluable guide to developing batting
skills for young and old alike.
'An intriguing study of the minds of some of rugby's greatest
leaders' - Tom English, BBC Sport An Official Licensed Product of
the British & Irish Lions A British & Irish Lions tour
presents one of the greatest challenges in sport. Rugby is a game
that rewards creative expression, toil, teamwork and a
never-say-die attitude. It can be joyful, vibrant and beautiful.
Equally, it can brutally expose human flaws and frailties - even
more so in the hugely pressurised environment of a Lions tour.
Every team, no matter how talented, will find itself in dark and
difficult situations both on and off the field; the successful ones
are those with a leadership group that can navigate these
challenging moments. In Legacy of the Lions, former Lions captain
Gavin Hastings draws on his own experiences in the famous red
jersey and interviews other greats of the game - including, among
many others, Sam Warburton, Warren Gatland, Paul O'Connell, Brian
O'Driscoll, Martin Johnson, Finlay Calder and Sir Ian McGeechan,
plus a selection of their illustrious opponents, such as Kieran
Read, John Smit and John Eales - to explore how to forge a
successful team in this most rarefied of environments, the
difficulties they each encountered and what leadership lessons they
learned. Inspiring, humorous and illuminating, Legacy of the Lions
casts a unique light on leadership, team-building and elite
performance and reveals a new perspective on touring with - and
playing against - The British & Irish Lions in the modern era.
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Simplicity
(Hardcover)
Steven Yellin
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R650
R579
Discovery Miles 5 790
Save R71 (11%)
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Ships in 18 - 22 working days
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Aberdeen have competed on the European stage since season 1967/68
and have enjoyed some epic encounters along the way, culminating in
the club's greatest ever victory - beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the
1983 Cup Winner's Cup final. Ally Begg charts a path through
Aberdeen's storied history in Europe, vividly brining to life the
most interesting, exciting, and unforgettable games by interviewing
players from Aberdeen and their rivals and augmenting them with his
own richly rendered memories. Aberdeen European Nights takes the
reader on a nostalgic romp around the continent, crossing beyond
the Iron Curtain and building a fortress at home at Pittodrie.
Humorous, quirky and insightful, it is the perfect book for
Aberdeen fans, young and old.
It is so statistically unlikely as to be almost unbelievable.
Somehow, the Gronkowski family has produced three sons who play in
the NFL (Rob, Chris, and Dan), one who was drafted into Major
League Baseball (Gordie, Jr.), and another who is the starting
fullback for Kansas State (Goose). Their father, Gordy, even played
college football for Syracuse.
How did it happen? From an early age, Gordy realized the
potential his sons had and worked with them to make the most of it.
Beyond their monstrous size, physicality, and raw talent, he
instilled in them a commitment to fitness, health, drive, and
determination that would give his boys a leg up in ways other
families simply couldn't match. And the boys' motivation certainly
wasn't something solely triggered by a driven father. They were
like a pack of adolescent wolves readying themselves for the
recruiting hunt. Still, all were honor roll students; the three
oldest earned college degrees. Each was motivated and inspired by
his brothers. Competition and bragging rights were -- and continue
to be -- a big part of what makes the Gronkowskis tick. "Growing Up
Gronk "reveals the secrets to the Gronkowski's astonishing
collective success while opening the door to a lively,
entertaining, one-of-a-kind household.
Red Sox MVP Pedroia tells this feel-good story about his love of
baseball, overcoming the naysayers, and winning a World Series in
his first season.
Could Confucius hit a curveball? Could Yoda block the plate? Can the Dalai Lama dig one out of the dirt? No, there is only one Zen master who could contemplate the circle of life while rounding the bases. Who is this guru lurking in the grand old game? Well, he's the winner of ten World Series rings, a member of both the Hall of Fame and the All-Century Team, and perhaps the most popular and beloved ballplayer of all time. And without effort or artifice he's waxed poetic on the mysteries of time ("It gets late awful early out there"), the meaning of community ("It's so crowded nobody goes there anymore"), and even the omnipresence of hope in the direst circumstances ("It ain't over 'til it's over"). It's Yogi Berra, of course, and in What Time Is It? You Mean Now? Yogi expounds on the funny, warm, borderline inadvertent insights that are his trademark. Twenty-six chapters, one for each letter, examine the words, the meaning, and the uplifting example of a kid from St. Louis who grew up to become the consummate Yankee and the ultimate Yogi.
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