The best baseball book I've read in years. -- Sam Walker - An exhilarating story of innovation. -- Ben Reiter - Swing Kings feels like a spiritual successor to Moneyball. -- Baseball Prospectus From the Wall Street Journal's national baseball writer, the captivating story of the home run boom, following a group of players who rose from obscurity to stardom and the rogue swing coaches who helped them usher the game into a new age. We are in a historic era for the home run. The 2019 season saw the most homers ever, obliterating a record set just two years before. It is a shift that has transformed the way the game is played, contributing to more strikeouts, longer games, and what feels like the logical conclusion of the analytics era. In Swing Kings, Wall Street Journal national baseball writer Jared Diamond reveals that the secret behind this unprecedented shift isn't steroids or the stitching of the baseballs, it's the most elemental explanation of all: the swing. In this lively narrative romp, he tracks a group of baseball's biggest stars--including Aaron Judge, J.D. Martinez, and Justin Turner--who remade their swings under the tutelage of a band of renegade coaches, and remade the game in the process. These coaches, many of them baseball washouts who have reinvented themselves as swing gurus, for years were one of the game's best-kept secrets. Among their ranks are a swimming pool contractor, the owner of a billiards hall, and an ex-hippie whose swing insights draw from surfing and the technique of Japanese samurai. Now, as Diamond artfully charts, this motley cast has moved from the baseball margins to its center of power. They are changing the way hitting is taught to players of all ages, and major league clubs are scrambling for their services, hiring them in record numbers as coaches and consultants. And Diamond himself, whose baseball career ended in high school, enlists the tutelage of each swing coach he profiles, with an aim toward starring in the annual Boston-New York media game at Yankee Stadium. Swing Kings is both a rollicking history of baseball's recent past and a deeply reported, character-driven account of a battle between opponents as old as time: old and new, change and stasis, the establishment and those who break from it. Jared Diamond has written a masterful chronicle of America's pastime at the crossroads.

The first book published in either English or Spanish about the cultural significance of Maradona. Covers Maradona as portrayed in fiction literature and cinema, documentary films, non-fiction literature, mass media and music, among other platforms. Includes chapters on Maradona as represented in the culture and media of Argentina, Italy, Mexico, Spain and the UK, highlighting the global appeal of a volume that is already focused on an international figure. By discussing how a sporting icon is constructed, codified, and imagined in popular culture, the book's relevance goes beyond the specific case of Maradona and appeals to any scholars and students interested in the links between sport, culture, and society.

This book brings together a number of perspectives on how different European states have responded to the phenomenon of football crowd disorder and violence, or "hooliganism". It applies a comparative legal approach, with a particular focus on civil and human rights, to analyze domestic legislation, policing and judicial responses to the problem of "football hooliganism" in Europe. Academics and legal professionals from eight different European countries introduce and analyze the different approaches and draw together common themes and problems from their various jurisdictions. They offer insights into the interactions between (domestic) politicians, law enforcers and sports authorities. The book is important reading for scholars and practitioners in the fields of law, sports law, sociology and criminology, and for all those concerned with questions of law enforcement and human rights. While it perfectly fits the curriculum for postgraduate studies in the fields mentioned, it is also highly recommended as secondary reading for undergraduate students. Dr. Anastassia Tsoukala is tenured Associate Professor at the University of Paris XI, France. Dr. Geoff Pearson is Senior Lecturer in Criminal Law at the University of Manchester's Law School, Manchester, United Kingdom. Dr. Peter Coenen was Assistant Professor of Law at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

With pep talks, records, and Bulldogs lore, this lively, detailed book explores the personalities, events, and facts every Georgia fan should know. It contains crucial information such as important dates, player nicknames, memorable moments, and outstanding achievements by singular players. This guide to all things Bulldogs covers the body of water underneath Sanford Stadium, the number of times Herschel Walker was on the cover of "Sports Illustrated," and the Five Commitments and what they signified.

The story of a man who gives up the rock 'n' roll dream... to play bowls. Alex Marsh wanted to be a rock star - but it didn't work out. Instead he toiled away in the big city - only to give up his career, move to rural Norfolk, and become a househusband. But he isn't a very good one. Whilst his pride won't let him admit it, he struggles with the cooking, the housework and the isolation. He hires a cleaner without telling his wife, his repertoire of baked potatoes exhausts quickly. He becomes hooked on daytime television and computer solitaire. He is in danger of becoming weird. So he takes up bowls. In Sex & Bowls & Rock and Roll we follow a season in the life of the village bowls team, a group of amateur sportsmen and mild eccentrics. In doing so we see this unfashionable pastime in a whole new light, and very funny it is too. But Alex hasn't quite given up on his dreams of rock stardom. Discovering that some of his mates down the pub are a bit handy with bass and drums he makes one final stab at being in a band, with an eagerly awaited local gig. It is a complete disaster. Join Alex has he comes to terms with life as a domestic disappointment, attempts to learn the fine art of bowls and finally realises that supporting the Sultans Of Ping at the Pink Toothbrush in Rayleigh really was the highpoint of his musical career. Sex & Bowls & Rock and Roll is a hilarious account of the life of a genuinely modern man. Everyone will recognise themselves (or their husbands) and you will be hard pressed not to laugh out loud.

Aston Villa On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's distinguished past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable diary of Villa history - with an entry for every day of the year. From the club's Victorian foundation by the congregation of Handsworth's Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel through to the Premier League era, Villa's rollercoaster history takes in FA Cup glory from the Victorian age to the 1950s, Third Division ignominy in the early '70s followed by league championship success just a decade later, all crowned by European Cup victory in Rotterdam. Pivotal historic events such as Villa committee man William McGregor's founding of the Football League form a backdrop against which Villa Park heroes - Archie Hunter, Pongo Waring and Peter McParland, Andy Gray, David Platt and Paul McGrath - all loom larger than life.

A celebration of 100 Test matches at Lord's - the home of English cricket. Each of the matches, from the first in 1884 to the hundreth against the West Indies in 2000, is recorded with full scores, analysis and commentary. It also recalls the feats of cricketing greats such as Grace and Gooch.

Why is a football field sometimes called a gridiron? Who are some of the best left-handed quarterbacks ever? Who was the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl? Why do players form a huddle when plays are called? When did quarterback sacks become an official statistic? What is the record for the most passes thrown by a quarterback in a game? This book provides a slew of questions and in-depth answers concerning the traditions, rules, records, and history of pro football (and more). From the early days of football to the hugely popular game seen today, Wayne Stewart answers questions even the most knowledgeable fan may have pondered. Whether the topic is quarterbacks or coaches, famous "firsts" or memorable moments, if a Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How? question is on your mind, this is the book for you.

Football as Literature adopts semiotics as a framework to compare football (soccer) to literature. The football field is akin to the plot or stage in narrative or dramatic modes, respectively, and the players are viewed as characters whose metamorphoses, in the text of football, are occasioned from the label of their positions to the completeness of the plot by the kinetic power of the ball. In employing this commentary, a standard football match is seen as a representation of the active text. Particularly, without commentary football unfolds as an unspoken semiotic narrative. Football is seen, therefore, as existing in a continuum of signification encapsulated especially in the acknowledged genres of literature.

This book offers the first ever academic study of women's cricket in Britain from its origins in the 18th century to the present day. It examines women's cricket from grassroots to international level, in schools, universities, the workplace and clubs. The book draws on a wealth of new source material including player diaries and scrapbooks, club records and the records of the Women's Cricket Association. Through use of oral history interviews with many former players, the book argues that women's cricket was a site of feminism across its history, and an important source of empowerment to the women who participated in the sport. However, it also examines barriers to women's participation, analyzing the persistence of opposition to women's sport across the twentieth and into the twenty-first century. Overall, the book uses women's cricket as a case study to highlight the existence of ongoing fundamental inequalities in the quantity and quality of women's leisure in contemporary Britain.

"This is the book for the serious DiMaggio and sports-as-culture buff. Moore . . . has sifted through most of what has been written and rumored about the Yankee Clipper in newspapers, magazines, books and even songs. The narrative portion--there's also a bibliography and DiMaggio's baseball stats--is divided into two sections: DiMaggio's life on and off the field, and his evolving stature as a mythic figure. All rendered in sensitive, but refreshingly unsentimental, prose." USA Today "Anyone serious about building an excellent baseball library or interested in the role of sports in American society should get a copy of this book. . . . All in all, an excellent and well-researched book." The Sporting News

For five incredible years from 1976 to 1980, Bjorn Borg ruled the men's singles at Wimbledon by carrying off consecutive titles. It was a phenomenal feat, all the more so because it was achieved on the lawns of the All England Club when the young Swede was essentially a clay-court specialist. No player in tennis's modern era had ever pulled it off and only one, Roger Federer, has subsequently matched it. Featuring vivid accounts of some of his most memorable matches, The Golden Boy of Centre Court tells the story of Borg's entire Wimbledon odyssey - from his first appearance in 1972 (when he won the Junior title) to his last in 1981. It's a journey that saw him evolve from a teeny-bopper heart-throb into a hero almost unanimously loved by the British tennis-watching public, and one of the greatest champions in the tournament's long history.

The NFL is the most popular professional sports league in the United States. Its athletes receive multi-million dollar contracts and almost endless media attention. The league's most important game, the Super Bowl, is practically a national holiday. Making it to the NFL, however, is not about the promised land of fame and fortune. Robert Turner draws on his personal experience as a former pro and interviews with over 120 current and former NFL players to get behind the bravado and reveal what it means to be an athlete in the NFL and why so many players struggle with life after football. Without guaranteed contracts, the majority of players are forced out of the league after a few seasons. Over three-quarters of retirees experience bankruptcy or financial ruin, two-thirds live with chronic pain, and too many find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Robert Turner argues that the fall from grace of so many players is no accident. The NFL, he contends, is a total institution, powerfully determining their experiences in and out of the league. The labor agreement provides little job insecurity and few health and retirement benefits, and the owners refuse to share power with the players, making change difficult. Even more, the entire process of becoming an elite football player-from high school through the pros-leaves athletes with few marketable skills and little preparation for their first Sunday off the field. With compassion and objectivity, Not for Long reveals the life and mind of the NFL athlete and provides a guide on what reforms and policies might help players transition successfully out of the sport.

Also Available as a Time Warner AudioBook

Bill Geist is known to millions as an Emmy Award-winning CBS News commentator and the author of The Big Five-Oh! and Little League Confidential. So why is this otherwise well-adjusted man whacking plastic golf balls in a New Jersey grade school gym with an instructor whose first advice is: "Once you've doubled par, pick up your ball and move on"? The answer: Geist has just become possibly the last American male to take up golf. And in his case, the pursuit will have the game's fans and detractors laughing every step of the fairway.

FORE! PLAY

In this memoir of a golfer wannabe, Geist goes to a golf expo where predators sell everything from performance golf socks to "techno-tees" guaranteed to improve your score. He competes in the Bad Golfers Association Tournament, as well as a U.S. Blind Golfers Association Tournament-and loses. He skillfully analyzes Tiger Woods's game and offers his own insider's tips on playing better golf, including: "Every so often skip a hole-it's still the best way to take 8-10 strokes off your game" and "Always play the closest hole."

Here is Geist's wit and wisdom on:
Golf Balls: "Buy the family 36-pack for nine holes. No sense in buying too few."

Getting Beat: "To sum up, I finish a distant fourth in the foursome. But I receive no citations for dress code violations. I don't hit anybody. I don't throw any clubs, don't pee on any bushes, and I keep the ball off the surrounding thoroughfares and hit no houses. Damnit, I'm getting good."

Golfing with His Son: "We moved along, the two of us taking turns advancing the one ball we had left. The final 9th hole yielded ground begrudgingly, like the Japanese soldiers dug into those hilltop machine-gun nests in The Thin Red Line. It grew late.
'Dad,' Willie said in the gathering darkness.
'Yes, son.'
'I hate golf.'
'So do I, son. I think we all do.'"

The ultimate everyman's guide to falling in love with a sport that will torture you for the rest of your life, FORE! PLAY is the first golf book for anyone who has ever wondered: "Just what do they mean by handicap, anyway?"

Since 2002, Mike Pratt and Tom Leach have become as much a part of Kentucky Basketball as Rupp Arena itself, as longtime colour analysts for the UK Radio Network. This collection of candid and intimate conversations between Pratt and Leach gifts fans and readers insights into each season between 2002 and 2021 that only they could have. Pratt and Leach cover it all here: the games, the players, the coaches, and the moments that stood out. Mike Pratt is colour analyst for the UK Radio Network, alongside Tom Leach. Pratt was a three-year letterwinner under legendary coach Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky from 1967 through 1970. Tom Leach began his work on the UK Radio Network in 1989 as host of the postgame scoreboard and call-in shows. Eight years later, he was named the play-by-play voice for Kentucky football and he added the basketball responsibilities in 2001. Leach is an acclaimed sports journalist, winning several awards including two Eclipse Awards for Thoroughbred racing coverage, and six Sportscaster of the Year awards for Kentucky from the National Sports Media Association.

Originally published in the 1920s, this is a detailed guide to golf technique. With all points illustrated by wealth of photographs, this book still has much practical advice to offer the modern golfer, as well as historical interest. "Only a gifted writer, who is also a player of wide experience, could have dealt so admirably with the lore and traditions of the game, and at the same time offerd the reader such masterly instruction on how to become a golfer. Golfers - whether beginners or not - will find knowledge of value, especially in the skilfully selected illustrations and their captions."Contents Include Dedication Foreword by Bernard Darwin First Things First "Where Am I to Play?" Golfing Language Implements Grip and Stance First Steps Iron Club Play The Wooden Clubs The Short Game Hazards and Bunker Play On Practice Thoughts on 'Tips'-and Some of my Own A Matter of Temperament On Foursomes and Other Matters The Links of Delight Let us now Praise Keywords: Short Game Bernard Darwin Bunker Play Golf Technique Wooden Clubs Gifted Writer Foursomes First Steps Captions 1920s Golfers Golfing Lore Stance Temperament

A look at baseball data from a statistical modeling perspective! There is a fascination among baseball fans and the media to collect data on every imaginable event during a baseball game and this book addresses a number of questions that are of interest to many baseball fans. These include how to rate players, predict the outcome of a game or the attainment of an achievement, making sense of situational data, and deciding the most valuable players in the World Series. Aimed at a general audience, the text does not assume any prior background in probability or statistics, although a knowledge of high school abgebra will be helpful.

An absolutely essential book for every modern football fan, about the development of Premier League tactics, published to coincide with 25 years of the competition. Back in 1992, English football was stuck in the dark ages, emerging from a five-year ban from European competition. The game was physical, bruising and attritional, based on strength over speed, aggression over finesse. It was the era of the midfield general, reducers, big men up front and getting it in the mixer; 4-4-2 was the order of the day. Few teams experimented tactically. And then, almost overnight, it all changed. The creation of the Premier League coincided with one of the most seismic rule changes in football history: the abolition of the back-pass. Suddenly defenders had no-get-out-of-jail-free card, goalkeepers had to be able to field and play the ball and the pace of the game quickened immeasurably. Tactics evolved dramatically, helped by an increased foreign influence. The Mixer is the first book to delve deep into the tactical story of the Premier League, and take a long view of how the game has developed over the last quarter century. From Ferguson's directness to Keegan's relentlessly attacking Newcastle outfit, to Mourinho's cagey, reactive Chelsea, all the way to Ranieri's counter-attacking champions, The Mixer is one of the most entertaining, rich and knowledgeable football books ever written.

A "New York Times "Notable Book of the Year
Scheduled for release in July 2007 as an ESPN original miniseries, starring John Turturro as Billy Martin, Oliver Platt as George Steinbrenner, and Daniel Sunjata as Reggie Jackson.
A kaleidoscopic portrait of New York City in 1977, "The Bronx Is Burning "is the story of two epic battles: the fight between Yankee Reggie Jackson and team manager Billy Martin, and the battle between Mario Cuomo and Ed Koch for the city's mayorship. Buried beneath these parallel conflicts--one for the soul of baseball, the other for the soul of the city--was the subtext of race.
Deftly intertwined by journalist Jonathan Mahler, these braided Big Apple narratives reverberate to reveal a year that also saw the opening of Studio 54, the acquisition of the "New York Post" by Rupert Murdoch, a murderer dubbed the "Son of Sam," the infamous blackout, and the evolution of punk rock. As Koch defeated Cuomo, and as Reggie Jackson rescued a team racked with dissension, 1977 became a year of survival--and also of hope.