The best baseball book since Moneyball.
Hailed by critics as one of the great books about baseball, Odd Man Out captures the gritty essence of our national pastime as it is played outside the spotA-light. Matt McCarthy, a decent left-handed starting pitcher on one of the worst squads in Yale history, earned a ticket to spring training as the twenty-sixth-round draft pick of the 2002 Anaheim Angels. This is the hilarious inside story of his year with the Provo Angels, Anaheim's minor league affiliate in the heart of Mormon country, as McCarthy navigates the ups and downs of an antic, grueling season, filled with cross-country bus trips, bizarre rivalries, and wild locker-room hijinks.

Alex Blackwell lived and breathed our national sport of cricket for thirty years. Starting as a kid, she spent her childhood and teen years on the field with her identical twin, Kate, who was equally devoted to the bat and ball. While both sisters went on to represent Australia, Alex built a 15-year career in the green and gold, eventually rising to the captaincy, notching up an eye-watering list of sporting achievements and etching her name into cricket's history. But life off the field brought challenges of its own. From her professional debut, Alex was unafraid to call out hypocrisy and go in to battle against the traditional hierarchies of the game. Speaking out and becoming a passionate advocate for women and LGBTQI people in sport won her many fans and much respect, but it didn't come without a price. Fair Game is the unmissable account of life and leadership inside Australia's most loved sporting team, told by one of its most capped players of all time. This is the story of the sacrifices and victories, the extreme highs and devastating lows, that come with playing sport at the highest level, and of what it takes to be truly courageous on and off the field.

The Life of O'Reilly is a chronicle of the career of one of the European PGA Tour's most famous caddies-John O'Reilly-and it's full of funny stories as only this Irishman can tell them. Like the one about the time he and some fellow caddies were arrested and jailed in East Germany on their way to the German Open in Berlin. Or the one about the Tour pro who, in a fit of temper after a bad shot, put his foot through the bottom of his golf bag and could not get it out again The Life of O'Reilly is a rollicking ride around the world-and the world of professional golf-by one of the game's most interesting characters. No golf library would be complete without it.
"I hope that you'll find this book as entertaining as I found Johnny to be throughout our three successful years on tour. There was never a dull moment "
--Padraig Harrington

At dusk on 24 September 1975, Doug Scott and Dougal Haston became the first Britons to reach the summit of Everest as lead climbers on Chris Bonington's epic expedition to the mountain's immense south-west face.As darkness fell, Scott and Haston scraped a small cave in the snow 100 metres below the summit and survived the highest bivouac ever - without bottled oxygen, sleeping bags and, as it turned out, frostbite. For Doug Scott, it was the fulfilment of a fortune-teller's prophecy given to his mother: that her eldest son would be in danger in a high place with the whole world watching.Scott and Haston returned home national heroes with their image splashed across the front pages. Scott went on to become one of Britain's greatest ever mountaineers, pioneering new climbs in the remotest corners of the globe. His career spans the golden age of British climbing from the 1960s boom in outdoor adventure to the new wave of lightweight alpinism throughout the 1970s and 1980s.In Up and About, the first volume of his autobiography, Scott tells his story from his birth in Nottingham during the darkest days of war to the summit of the world.Surviving the unplanned bivouac without oxygen near the summit of Everest widened the range of what and how he would climb in the future. In fact, Scott established more climbs on the high mountains of the world after his ascent of Everest than before. Those climbs will be covered in the second volume of his life and times.

The amazing autobiographical account of the youngest ever solo circumnavigation of the Earth. First time in English! If you want to see the other side of the world, you can do two things: turn the world upside down, or travel there yourself. In 2012, at the age of just 16, Laura Dekker became the youngest sailor ever to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe. In realising her long-held dream, she had not only braved the wild oceans and long weeks of solitude at sea, but also the doubts and sometimes hostile resistance of officials. In this remarkable account of her incredible journey - for the first time in English - Laura describes in her own words what it is like to sail solo around the world, and the determination it takes to do it at such a young age. Exciting, awe-inspiring and inspirational, this is a real-life adventure for readers of all ages.

'The reason they're so popular, is because they're so good!' Chris Evans 'The F2 are unbelievable - what they do is not possible!' - Pele HOW TO BECOME THE PERFECT FOOTBALLER WITH THE BESTSELLING FOOTBALL INFLUENCERS We are The F2. And this is Ultimate Footballer. We have scoured the planet and analysed what components you need to become the perfect footballer: the speed of Mbappe, the dribbling of Hazard, the tekkers of Neymar and the tackling of Ramos. If you want to add skills like the OEzil bounce pass, the Messi soft scoop and the Neymar rainbow, then look no further. And this time we reveal the secret tips told to us by the top Pros behind the scenes. And once you've put your ultimate footballer together, you can compare with ours. Who has the best? You decide. There's a free app to download that will make the pages come to life with exclusive videos, tricks and games. So, what are you waiting for? Open, read, learn, download and get out on the pitch and practise.

New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller! Pro wrestler and political commentator Tyrus goes deep into his wild but triumphant life story, from his painfully dysfunctional upbringing to bodyguarding for Snoop Dogg, to becoming a wrestling icon and one of the most provocative on-air voices today. "The author relates all of his adventures through a series of vividly memorable anecdotes.... A revealing glimpse of a multifaceted entertainer who defies easy labeling." -Kirkus "I loved Just Tyrus. I read it in one day and cheered for him when I got to the end. Tyrus has written a book that is at once raw, tender, intelligent, candid, and hilarious. Tyrus took a very rough start to his life and used perseverance, confident humility, and accountability to land firmly on his feet. What a triumph!" -Dana Perino, former White House Press Secretary to George W. Bush and Fox News anchor and host The product of a 1970s mixed marriage, George Murdoch learned to fight early in life, fending off both race-baiting bullies and the demons of a dysfunctional home. Couch surfing all through high school and most of college, the quick-witted, sharp-tongued giant played football, ran drugs, and bounced at clubs to try to survive. After a false start with the WWE, he eventually became Snoop Dogg's bodyguard and traveled the world with the hip hop legend, biding his time and honing his rap. When the WWE urged him to return, George became "Brodus Clay" and, for the next several years, reinvented himself numerous times under the watchful mentorship of the legendary Dusty Rhodes, "the American Dream." He was eventually christened "Tyrus," and shortly after, a chance social media encounter with Greg Gutfeld at Fox News resulted in Tyrus finding a new skill: sage social commentator. Ferociously funny, blunt, and tenacious, Just Tyrus traces his unlikely and spectacular rise. As always with Tyrus, it's in-your-face and offers no apologies. "George aka Tyrus aka the realest most blunt human being on the face of planet earth. Never had a problem telling you what was on his mind or how he felt, good or bad. Tough exterior but a heart of gold. Front liner, great friend, and excellent coach for my youth football team. His work ethic is obvious, taking him from football to bodyguard to pro wrestler to a superb personality on Fox News. I've seen him climb the ladder of success, and I'm happy that I was along for the journey." -Snoop Dogg

"I am just a common man who is true to his beliefs."--John Wooden . .

Evoking days gone by when coaches were respected as much for their off-court performances as for their success on the court, this unique and intimate work presents the timeless wisdom of legendary basketball coach John Wooden.. .

In honest and telling passages about virtually every aspect of life, Wooden shares his personal philosophy on family, achievement, success, and excellence. Raised on a small farm in south-central Indiana, Wooden learned a great deal from his parents--lessons that stayed with him not only throughout his unparalleled career at UCLA, but also as dedicated husband, father, and teacher.. .

These lessons, along with personal letters from Bill Walton, Denny Crum, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bob Costas, among others, mark "Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and off the Court" as an inspirational classic.. .

You know Marty right? The guy during College GameDay hanging off the back of a pickup truck while zooming around the Clemson athletic facilities. The guy who visits Nick Saban's lake house and somehow gets Coach to jump in the lake. The guy who sits down with Dale Jr. at Daytona to talk through tears about his miraculous return to racing. The guy who interviews Tiger Woods, Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning and Jimmie Johnson -- the guy who gets paid to live the fantasy of every sports fan in America. Never Settle is the funny but oh, it's true story of how Marty got here, and a revealing look at his journey. Never Settle includes all the best stories and behind-the-scenes moments from Marty's wild life, covering topics including: college football, racing, fathers and sons, how sports can bring us together, and how it all goes back to growing up on a farm and playing high school ball in Pearisburg, Virginia.

In 1984, John Hanrahan was featured in Interview magazine's iconic Olympic Issue as one of America's top athlete's vying for a spot on the US Olympic Team. He had come within a point of defeating the mighty Soviet world medalist and had defeated other international competitors. He had a shot at a lifelong dream, but then abandoned the final trials. The coach searched frantically for him at LaGuardia airport. He was nowhere to be found. He hadn't exactly fallen off the face of the earth; his face was appearing in worldwide ad campaigns as a top fashion model but he'd become crippled by addiction, unable to face his competition, and unwilling to confront the severity of his situation. Then, in 1985, Hanrahan died from an overdose. He went to a divine place while a doctor worked frantically to revive him. He was shown the prayers of loved ones and given another chance at life, and he feels he came back for a reason... He returned wanting to shout his story from the rooftops, but was unable to fully share his experiences to help others. He was shackled by the stigma of being judged as an addict, and it wasn't until he nearly lost his own son to the ravages of addiction that he broke through and gained the strength and courage to tell his story. He describes how he continued to work amidst the craziness of the world fashion markets Milan, Paris, Zurich, Tokyo, and New York while trying to find his way toward exorcising the demons of his past and gaining a life worthy of the one he had miraculously regained. He transformed himself to become the trusted personal trainer to influential New Yorkers, such as John Kennedy Jr., Julia Roberts, Howard Stern, Natasha Richardson, Diane Sawyer, Rosie O'Donnell, Mercedes Ruehl, Betty Buckley, and Joan Lunden. He moved his family west and quickly corralled a high-powered Hollywood client base, including Patricia Heaton, David Geffen, Tim Burton, Sandy Gallin, Tara Reid, Beverly DeAngelo, Annabella Sciorra, Cyndi Lauper, Donald De Line, Amy Pascal, Kevin Huvane, Bryan Lourd, Davis Guggenheim and Graydon Carter...all while keeping his past a secret.

In 2005, at the age of 20, Andy Lee decided he was going to try to make it in the harsh and unforgiving world of professional boxing. Leaving home for the dust and faded glamour of Detroit, over the next ten years, under the guidance of the legendary Manny Steward, he set about honing his craft, winning fight after fight, and slowly ascending the professional ranks. Then, in 2012, his star ascendant, Lee suffered two devastating blows in quick succession: defeat in his first world championship bout and the sudden loss of Steward, his guide and confidant. Bereft, his career in jeopardy, the path to redemption would test every hard-won lesson of the previous decade. 'Not so much a memoir as a lyrical treatise on the great themes: defeat, death, persistence, redemption, and the importance of friendship and family' Sunday Times

The "New York Times" bestseller, now in paperback. America's most visible sports commentator recounts some of the most dramatic moments in American sports and pays tribute to the man who inspired him-his beloved father
As vivid as an instant replay, "Always by My Side" gives readers an insider's look into an unprecedented sixty-three- day stretch from February through April of 2007, when Jim Nantz became the first broadcaster to call the Super Bowl, the Final Four, and the Masters. Though Nantz was unable to share the voyage with his dad, the devoted son felt his father's presence every step of the way, and used this championship odyssey to celebrate the people, venues, and moments that tapped into all the goodness that his dad-and his dad's generation- represent.
In recounting the highlights of more than two thrilling decades with CBS Sports, Nantz recalls legendary voices of his youth-such as Jim McKay, Chris Schenkel, Pat Summerall, Jack Whitaker, and Dick Enberg-who sparked his imagination and shaped his style.
"Always by My Side" traces Nantz's life and career, and along the way readers are treated to an array of memories, including Nantz's special relationship with former president George H. W. Bush and his friendships with such sports royalty as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Mike Krzyzewski, John Wooden, and many others. "Always by My Side" turns every day into Father's Day.

Popular and outspoken NFL cornerback Hanford Dixon offers an inside look at the turbulent, exciting, and frustrating Cleveland Browns seasons of the 1980s. A three-time Pro Bowler and co-inventor of the Dawg Pound, Dixon recalls both the roller-coaster on-field action and a culture of drug use that permeated the NFL and led to the tragic death of a teammate.

He shares in detail what it was like to be a first-round NFL draft pick fighting for the starting job in training camp . . . What it took, mentally and physically, to play the toughest game at the highest level for a storied franchise . . . The adrenaline rush of whipping up a frenzied crowd of 80,000 rabid fans in Municipal Stadium . . . The thrill of being one game away from the Super Bowl--three times . . . And the crushing disappointment of losing those big games.

Dixon refers to himself as "a top-notch, speedy, loud-mouth, cocky, shutdown cornerback." That gives an idea of his outsized personality as well as his willingness to say exactly what he means. He's not shy about delivering praise or criticism where he thinks it's due--to teammates, coaches, officials . . . or himself.

This Dawg tells it the way it was.

Nile Wilson is known to many as a Great Britain Gymnast who won a Bronze Medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and who is England's most successful ever gymnast at a Commonwealth Games following his 5 medals in 2018\. Yet, Nile is so much more than just a gymnast. A YouTuber with over a million subscribers, a social media influencer, a successful businessman and entrepeneur, Nile is also an advocate for mental health awareness, and who has been very open about his own personal struggles. Nile Wilson - My Story gives an unprecedented look into Nile's true battle to be fit and ready for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics - throughout the Games and the aftermath. The public perception of Nile Wilson is his humour, openness and how down to earth he is, all of which is true. Due to this perception however, people presume they know everything about him. This book will shatter that perception, and reveal the struggles behind the smiles, from the brutal reality of performing at an elite sporting level, to the mental health battles Nile has had to fight - and continues to fight - every day.

"He could do it all, beat every opponent . . . except one."
-plaque honoring Ernie Davis, in the lobby of Elmira Free Academy
Ernie Davis was an All-American on the gridiron, and a man of integrity off the field. A multi-sport high school star in Elmira, New York, Davis went on to Syracuse University, where as a sophomore he led his team to an undefeated season and a national championship in 1959, and earned his nickname, the Elmira Express. Two seasons later, Davis had broken the legendary Jim Brown's rushing records, and became the first black athlete to be awarded the Heisman Trophy.
The number one pick in the 1962 NFL draft, Davis signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns and appeared to be headed for professional stardom. But Davis never ended up playing in the NFL: He was diagnosed with leukemia during the summer before his rookie season and succumbed to the disease less than a year later. In battling his illness, Davis showed great dignity and courage, inspired the nation, and moved President John F. Kennedy to eulogize him as " an outstanding man of great character."
An enduring story of a true scholar-athlete, The Express is a touching, impeccably researched, deeply personal portrait of Ernie Davis, and a vivid look at sport in America at the dawn of the Civil Rights era.

Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher, or a colleague.  Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, helped you see the world as a more profound place, gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it.

For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.

Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded, and the world seemed colder.  Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you, receive wisdom for your busy life today the way you once did when you were younger?

Mitch Albom had that second chance.  He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life.  Knowing he was dying, Morrie visited with Mitch in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college.  Their rekindled relationship turned into one final "class": lessons in how to live.

Tuesdays with Morrie is a magical chronicle of their time together, through which Mitch shares Morrie's lasting gift with the world.

April 15, 1947, marked the most important opening day in baseball history. When Jackie Robinson stepped onto the diamond that afternoon at Ebbets Field, he became the first black man to break into major-league baseball in the twentieth century. World War II had just ended. Democracy had triumphed. Now Americans were beginning to press for justice on the home front -- and Robinson had a chance to lead the way.

He was an unlikely hero. He had little experience in organized baseball. His swing was far from graceful. And he was assigned to play first base, a position he had never tried before that season. But the biggest concern was his temper. Robinson was an angry man who played an aggressive style of ball. In order to succeed he would have to control himself in the face of what promised to be a brutal assault by opponents of integration.

In "Opening Day," Jonathan Eig tells the true story behind the national pastime's most sacred myth. Along the way he offers new insights into events of sixty years ago and punctures some familiar legends. Was it true that the St. Louis Cardinals plotted to boycott their first home game against the Brooklyn Dodgers? Was Pee Wee Reese really Robinson's closest ally on the team? Was Dixie Walker his greatest foe? How did Robinson handle the extraordinary stress of being the only black man in baseball and still manage to perform so well on the field? "Opening Day" is also the story of a team of underdogs that came together against tremendous odds to capture the pennant. Facing the powerful New York Yankees, Robinson and the Dodgers battled to the seventh game in one of the most thrilling World Series competitions of all time.

Drawing on interviews with surviving players, sportswriters, and eyewitnesses, as well as newly discovered material from archives around the country, Jonathan Eig presents a fresh portrait of a ferocious competitor who embodied integration's promise and helped launch the modern civil-rights era. Full of new details and thrilling action, "Opening Day" brings to life baseball's ultimate story.

One of the most talked about stars in the world of soccer, Wayne Rooney now talks about . . . Wayne Rooney--no-holds-barred.

Wayne Rooney is barely twenty-two years old, and he's already one of the finest soccer players in the world. Colorful and controversial, he plays--and lives--with an intensity that's unmatched on and off the field. With remarkable candor, he now tells the true story of his life.

From his working-class upbringing on the back streets of Liverpool and his Premiership debut as a sixteen-year-old phenom to his ebullient entrance on the international scene in the 2004 European tournament and the raw drama of the 2006 World Cup, Wayne Rooney: My Story is an honest and inspiring account of a prodigiously gifted youngster and his meteoric rise to fame and fortune. It is a riveting tale of adversity and triumph, of champions and championships, of a private life that never could escape the headlines . . . and of a remarkable athlete whose destiny was forever altered when Manchester United came calling in the summer of 2004.

Samir Chopra is an immigrant, a "voluntary exile," who discovers he can tell the story of his life through cricket, a game that has long been an influence-really, an obsession-for him. In so doing, he reveals how his changing views on the sport mirror his journey of self-discovery. In The Evolution of a Cricket Fan, Chopra is thus able to reflect on his changing perceptions of self, and of the nations and cultures that have shaped his identity, politics, displacement, and fandom. Chopra's passion for the sport began as a child, when he rooted for Pakistan and against his native India. When he migrated, he became a fan of the Indian team that gave him a sense of home among the various cultures he encountered in North America and Australia. This "shapeshifting" exposes the rift between the Old and the New world, which Chopra acknowledges is "cricket's greatest modern crisis." But it also illuminates the identity dilemmas of post-colonial immigrants in the Indian diaspora. Chopra's thoughts about the sport and its global influence are not those of a player. He provides access to the inner world of the global cricket fan navigating the world that colonial empire wrought and that cricket continues to connect and animate. He observes that the Indian cricket team carries many burdens-not only must they win cricket matches, but their style of play must generate a pride that assuages generations of wounds inflicted by history. And Chopra must navigate where he stands in that history. The Evolution of a Cricket Fan shows Chopra's own wins and losses as his life takes new directions and his fandom changes allegiances.

"An extraordinary book . . . invitingly written and brisk."
--"Chicago Tribune"

"Perhaps no one has ever told the tale [of Robinson's arrival in the major leagues] so well as [Simon] does in this extended essay."
--"The Washington Post Book World"

"Scott Simon tells a compelling story of risk and sacrifice, profound ugliness and profound grace, defiance and almost unimaginable courage. This is a meticulously researched, insightful, beautifully written book, one that should be read, reread, and remembered."
--Laura Hillenbrand, author of the "New York Times" bestseller "Seabiscuit"

The integration of baseball in 1947 had undeniable significance for the civil rights movement and American history. Thanks to Jackie Robinson, a barrier that had once been believed to be permanent was shattered--paving the way for scores of African Americans who wanted nothing more than to be granted the same rights as any other human being.

In this book, renowned broadcaster Scott Simon reveals how Robinson's heroism brought the country face-to-face with the question of racial equality. From his days in the army to his ascent to the major leagues, Robinson battled bigotry at every turn. Simon deftly traces the journey of the rookie who became Rookie of the Year, recalling the taunts and threats, the stolen bases and the slides to home plate, the trials and triumphs. Robinson's number, 42, has been retired by every club in major league baseball--in homage to the man who had to hang his first Brooklyn Dodgers uniform on a hook rather than in a locker.

Shortlisted - Cross British Sports Book Awards 2015. Grand Prize Winner - 2014 Banff Mountain Book Festival. 'The wall was the ambition, the style became the obsession.' In the autumn of 1982, a single stone fell from high on the south face of Annapurna and struck Alex MacIntyre on the head, killing him instantly and robbing the climbing world of one of its greatest talents. Although only twenty-eight years old, Alex was already one of the leading figures of British mountaineering's most successful era. His ascents included hard new routes on Himalayan giants like Dhaulagiri and Changabang and a glittering record of firsts in the Alps and Andes. Yet how Alex climbed was as important as what he climbed. He was a mountaineering prophet, sharing with a handful of contemporaries - including his climbing partner Voytek Kurtyka - the vision of a purer form of alpinism on the world's highest peaks. One Day As A Tiger, John Porter's revelatory and poignant memoir of his friend Alex MacIntyre, shows mountaineering at its extraordinary best and tragic worst - and draws an unforgettable picture of a dazzling, argumentative and exuberant legend.

From track and field to swimming and diving, and of course basketball and soccer, Indiana University Olympians celebrates over a century of Indiana University Olympic competitors. Beginning in 1904, at the 3rd summer games in St. Louis, IU's first Olympic medal went to pole vaulter LeRoy Samse who earned a silver medal. In 2016, swimmer Lilly King rocketed onto the world stage with two gold medals in the 31st Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. Featuring profiles of 49 athletes who attended IU, Indiana University Olympians includes the stories of well-known figures like Milt Campbell, the first African American to win decathlon gold and who went on to play pro football, and Mark Spitz, winner of seven swimming gold medals. The book also highlights fascinating anecdotes and the accomplishments of their less well-known colleagues, including one athlete's humble beginnings in a chicken house and another who earned a Silver Star for heroism in the Vietnam War. Despite their different lives, they share one key similarity-these remarkable athletes all called Indiana University home.

Meet Gary Fisher. The maverick kid bike racer who cycled straight into the Acid Test scene and lit up the Grateful Dead gigs, the relentless tinkerer who transformed an industry and sold mountain biking to the world and the visionary who's still working flat-out every day to prove that bikes are the answer to a healthier, happier future for everyone. A collaboration with cycling writer Guy Kesteven, Being Gary Fisher and the Bicycle Revolution is an autobiography of sorts. It's also a mind-blowing trip of ingenious innovation, dogged determination and boundless energy. Get caught up in Gary's crazy tales and his lifelong mission to invite everyone to the greatest dance on earth.

Winner of the Daily Telegraph Rugby Book of the Year The Sunday Times bestselling rugby book of the year Brilliant, honest, combative - Eddie Jones is a true legend of world rugby and remains an enigmatic figure in the game. In My Life and Rugby he tells his story for the first time, including the full inside account of England's 2019 World Cup campaign. He describes his experience growing up in a tough working-class area of Sydney, where he first played rugby, and how he learnt from the extreme highs and lows of his own playing career - the numerous successes but also the painful disappointment of never playing for Australia. He tells how he then embarked on a coaching career that has seen him become one of the most experienced and decorated coaches in Rugby Union, spanning four World Cups and three finals. His successes have included masterminding England's spectacular victory over New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup and engineering the sport's most stunning upset when Japan beat South Africa in 2015. My Life and Rugby is the story of one of the most compelling and singular figures in rugby. Told with unflinching honesty, this is the ultimate book for all fans of the sport. Written with Donald McRae, twice winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award and three-time Sports Feature Writer of the Year, My Life and Rugby is the story of one of the most compelling and singular figures in rugby. Told with unflinching honesty, this is the ultimate rugby book for all fans of the sport. A Best Book of the Year - Daily Mail, Sunday Times, The Times