Part memoir, part history, and part travelogue, World Serious is all love and devotion for the San Francisco Giants and their 2012 World Series championship. Take a journey with Paul Kocak as he goes from Syracuse to San Francisco searching for fan love in all the right places.

Plattsmouth, Nebraska lies at the confluence of the Platte and Missouri rivers. The people of Plattsmouth are proud of their small town's rich history, of their strength and determination as a community. They also share something that larger towns cannot, something that for generations has helped unite them and shape their very lives. What they share is a community-wide excitement on fall Friday nights, the rush of a close game, the heartbreaking losses, the exhilaration of a big win - what they share is the Plattsmouth Blue Devils.

" Go Blue Devils : A History of Plattsmouth High School Football, 1893 -1979," by former Plattsmouth resident Jim Elworth, presents a one-of-a-kind account of a high school football team and the town that has rallied around it for more than one hundred years. Elworth's comfortable and at times humorous prose brings us season after season of game-day excitement, rendered in detail from years of researching and writing.

But "Go Blue Devils " is more than a story of game scores. It is a history of accomplished, hard working, down-to-earth townspeople. It is a history of the town itself, told through the exploits of local boys giving their all on the fields of sport. It is a story of those local boys inspiring their community and going on to live rich, positive and valuable lives.

MILLIONS OF AMERICAN BASEBALL FANS KNOW, WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, that umpires are simply overpaid galoots who are doing an easy job badly. Millions of American baseball fans are wrong.
"As They See 'Em "is an insider's look at the largely unknown world of professional umpires, the small group of men (and the very occasional woman) who make sure America's favorite pastime is conducted in a manner that is clean, crisp, and true. Bruce Weber, a "New York Times "reporter, not only interviewed dozens of professional umpires but entered their world, trained to become an umpire, then spent a season working games from Little League to big league spring training. "As They See 'Em "is Weber's entertaining account of this experience as well as a lively exploration of what amounts to an eccentric secret society, with its own customs, its own rituals, its own colorful vocabulary. Writing with deep knowledge of and affection for baseball, he delves into such questions as: Why isn't every strike created equal? Is the ump part of the game or outside of it? Why doesn't a tie go to the runner? And what do umps and managers say to each other during an argument, really?
Packed with fascinating reportage that reveals the game as never before and answers the kinds of questions that fans, exasperated by the cliches of conventional sports commentary, pose to themselves around the television set, Bruce Weber's "As They See 'Em "is a towering grand slam.

The Chicago Bulls are one of basketball's most storied teams--from Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippin, and Phil Jackson to Hall of Famers and MVPs, the Bulls' NBA championship legacy will likely never be surpassed. Author and Bulls' beat reporter Kent McDill provides a closer look at the great moments of the 1990s championship teamss, which saw the Bulls win six championships in eight seasons. Through multiple interviews conducted with current and past Bulls, readers will meet the players, coaches, and management and share in their moments of greatness and defeat. "If These Walls Could Talk: Chicago Bulls" will make fans a part of the Bulls' history from a new perspective.

At the outset of summer break in 1959, Texas Tech senior Jerry Craft had no more enticing options than to stay home and help on the family ranch–so the telephoned offer to play for a semipro baseball club he'd never heard of came as a welcome surprise. But Craft was in for an even bigger surprise when he reported for tryout and discovered he'd been recruited for the West Texas Colored League. Wichita Falls/Graham Stars manager Carl Sedberry persuaded Craft to put aside his misgivings and pitch for the Stars. Despite the derision of black teammates, fans, and opponents, and his own trepidation, �that white boy� took the mound to close a rousing victory in his first game. At home and on the road in segregated Texas, Craft saw discrimination firsthand and from every side. Yet out of his two seasons with the Stars comes an unlikely story of respect, character, humor, and ultimately friendship as the teammates pulled together to succeed in a game they loved.

In 1997, Dave Ridpath walked onto the campus of Marshall University as a sports-loving athletic administrator with a career on the rise. Less than five years later, Ridpath's quest to reform one of the most corrupt athletic departments in college sports, while simultaneously standing up to the behemoth governing body that is the NCAA, had all but destroyed that career. While serving as assistant athletic director for compliance and student services at Marshall University from 1997 through 2001, Ridpath unearthed violations of several NCAA rules. These violations included overt academic fraud and impermissible, booster-devised employment for members of the Marshall University football team-a team had taken the nation by storm because of its incredible success on the field. Ridpath now chronicles his experiences through this trying time in Tainted Glory: Marshall University, the NCAA, and One Man's Fight for Justice. Instead of being hailed as a conquering hero determined to clean up an outlaw program, Ridpath had the tables turned on him. He found himself out of a job when Marshall University and the NCAA determined that the path of least resistance would be to remove him rather than address the issues head-on. With this action, they hoped to avoid damaging the university, the athletic department, and the NCAA overall. This story is about more than the NCAA or Marshall University. It is about the state of the business of intercollegiate athletics told by someone on the inside who lived it-the good and the bad.

While a multitude of books on Major League Baseball have been written by those within the industry, this book is the voice of an educated and opinionated fan. Included are comprehensive examinations of players, teams, and the game itself, with a chronological emphasis on the 1980 through 2013 seasons. Within these pages, bold and intriguing arguments are made on the topics of statistical analysis and strategy. Unorthodox tactics and elements are presented which could revolutionize the game if implemented. The presentation of new statistical categories offers readers an opportunity to compare contemporaries as well as the careers of baseball legends to modern stars utilizing new criteria. This book also serves as an alternative baseball almanac, as it chronicles over three decades of Major League Baseball listing leaders in new or obscure statistical categories, as well as identifying and analyzing various trends throughout the game. An array of lists, charts, and graphs enliven the text which will delight any stats junkie. Beer in the Bleachers examines various facets of America's Pastime, including attendance, stadium design, and the much debated topic of the Hall of Fame, which has reached a crossroads due to the recent eligibilities of Steroid Era stars. Arguments regarding who should have won various awards and suggestions to improve the league are also presented. Beer in the Bleachers offers the viewpoint of a fan regarding where the game has been, where it is now, and where it may be headed in the near future.

SHORTLISTED FOR FOOTBALL BOOK OF THE YEAR & BEST SPORTS WRITING
AWARD AT THE 2025 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS

A TIMES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR
A TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR
AN IRISH TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR
AN IRISH INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE YEAR

Fully updated to cover Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup bid, the Manchester City charges case and the events of the 2024/25 season.

'Important, perfectly timed and hugely necessary.' The Guardian
'Football needs this book. A monumental piece of investigative journalism.'Irish Times
'A must-read on how modern football works.' Ian Wright
'Brave, forensic and utterly gripping.' Tom Holland

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The definitive account of how capitalism and the world's elite corrupted modern football.

As the 2022 World C up in Qatar drew to a close, there was a bitter undercurrent to Argentina's triumph. Throughout the tournament, numerous allegations of sportswashing and financial misconduct had been made against the state of Qatar, moving what had previously been a smaller conversation into the worldwide spotlight.

The question had been asked, who really owns and runs football?

Journeying from Abu Dhabi to Newcastle, and onto London, Paris, Moscow and New York, journalist Miguel Delaney investigates the allegations of sportswashing and misconduct in the beautiful game. The result is a gripping account of how football has been taken over by the world's wealthiest businessmen, state-backed corporations, media tycoons and oilrich oligarchs.

From Neymar's £198 million transfer to Paris Saint-Germain and Abu Dhabi's construction empire in Manchester to failed Financial Fair Play constraints and the dawn of the European Super League, Miguel draws on exclusive interviews and unprecedented access to key stakeholders to produce an all-encompassing exposé of modern footballs highest echelons.

Authoritative, riveting and eye-opening, States of Play reveals how football has become a tool for the world's elite.

In 1962, following two losing seasons, Coach John McKay was fighting for his job. The 1962 team was undersized but smart quick and tough. Although underdogs in four games, including the Rose Bowl, the Trojans finished with an 11-0 record and defeated Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl and become national champions. Although the 1962 Trojans were the least talented of Coach McKay's four national championship teams, their success enabled USC to once again become a football power. You'll meet the players from this team and learn about their joys and sorrows as well their successes and failures.

The team included tempestuous end "Prince" Hal Bedsole, who still holds USC's season and career records for most yards per reception. Fleet Willie Brown, whose clutch plays on offense and defense preserved an undefeated season. Fiery Trojan captain Marv Marinovich, whose athletic techniques have become legendary, and Fred Hill, whose daughter, Kim, became the inspiration for the Ronald McDonald House.

Though basketball dates back more than 120 years, it did not make its Olympic debut until 1936. The presence of basketball at the Berlin games that year was due in large part to the creation of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in 1932 and the organization of the European Championship in 1935. In the European Championship s inaugural competition, ten teams participated; since then, as basketball has increased in popularity across the continent, the championship has expanded considerably. In the most recent European Championship popularly called Eurobasket 36 teams competed. In European Basketball Championship Results: Since 1935, Tomasz Malolepszy charts the growth and expansion of this popular sport in Europe with a complete statistical history of both the men s and women s competition. For the first time ever, basketball fans can find detailed results, rosters, medalists, and standings for the European Championships all in a single volume. In addition, this book contains a list of interesting records, many of which have never before been published. European Basketball Championship Results is a valuable resource for any basketball fan, journalist, or researcher. Companion volumes to this book include European Soccer Championship Results: Since 1958, European Ice Hockey Championship Results: Since 1910, and European Volleyball Championship Results: Since 1948."

An innovative and diverse football playbook can be the difference between winning and losing. In today's game, fresh and unpredictable plays are crucial, so it's vital to pick your plays from a wide and creative arsenal. Sixteen-year-old Warren Erdmann provides just that for coaches everywhere.

In "My Motion Offense at 16," Erdmann has compiled an original array of offensive plays based on a philosophy of spreading out the defense, using the entire field, keeping the play-calling simple, making the defense adjust to the offense, and using the team's strengths to exploit the opponents' weaknesses.

In explaining and diagramming each play, Erdmann clearly illustrates how to maximize the talent on the field and breaks down how a play capitalizes on the strengths of the offense and the weaknesses of the defense. In most of his plays, Erdmann emphasizes that seconds count, communication matters, and carefully orchestrating the eleven players on offense is critical to maximizing their talent and ultimately putting points on the scoreboard.

This ambitious book constructively uses terminology and diagrams to describe each play and its execution for coaches, players, and devoted fans. You will be impressed that a high school junior has devised so many interesting plays and has organized them so well to make your team successful on the football field.