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Books > Language & Literature > Biography & autobiography > Sport
Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell is one of Britain's most
successful and popular athletes, yet the real story behind his
success has not been made public, until now. Track Record, his
long-awaited autobiography, reveals how a boy from painfully humble
beginnings in Moss Side, Manchester, and who suffered bullying at
school, was inspired by Carl Lewis at the 1984 Olympics to harness
his athletic ability and break out of a cycle of misbehaviour and
petty crime to enjoy huge success in sport, business and as a
broadcaster. Despite his early promise as a young sprinter Darren
explains how, totally disillusioned with the use of
performance-enhancing drugs in athletics, he turned to football
where he played at a semi-professional level for Cwmbran Town,
Weymouth FC and was offered a contract at Plymouth Argyle. His
realisation, however, that he could either continue to be a decent
lower league footballer, or return to the track and become a world
class sprinter, saw him link-up with coach Linford Christie and
achieve great success, winning a host of gold, silver and bronze
medals at major championships, including silver in the 200m at the
2000 Sydney Olympics, and gold in the 4 x 100m at the 2004 Athens
Olympics Spurred into finally telling his story after suffering a
life-threatening condition in 2018, Track Record is the
heart-warming and inspirational life-story of a talented,
principled and determined man who overcame economic poverty and
racial prejudice to triumph on the athletic tracks of the world.
Sports Book Awards Autobiography of the Year Shortlisted for the
William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award The Sunday Times Sports
Book of the Year The Times Sports Book of the Year Telegraph
Football Book of the Year 'Ferris's wonderful memoir represents a
twin triumph. He has endured every kind of setback in life but has
invariably reinvented himself; and his writing is a pure pleasure.'
The Sunday Times 'Enough depth and humanity to make your average
football autobiography look like a Ladybird book.' Telegraph 'A
masterpiece of the genre' Brian McNally 'Football memoirs rarely
produce great literature but Ferris's The Boy on the Shed is a
glistening exception.' Guardian 'Fascinating and stylishly told.'
David Walsh, The Sunday Times The Boy on the Shed is a story of
love and fate. At 16, Paul Ferris becomes Newcastle United's
youngest-ever first-teamer. Like many a tricky winger from Northern
Ireland, he is hailed as 'the new George Best'. As a player and
later a physio and member of the Magpies' managerial team, Paul's
career acquaints him not only with Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish and
Bobby Robson, Ruud Gullit, Paul Gascoigne and Alan Shearer but also
with injury, insecurity and disappointment. Yet this autobiography
is more than a tale of the vagaries of sporting fortune. It begins
during 'The Troubles' in a working-class Catholic family in the
Protestant town of Lisburn, near Belfast. After a childhood scarred
by his mother's illness and sectarian hatred, Paul meets the love
of his life, his future wife Geraldine. Talented and carefree on
the pitch, shy and anxious off it, he earns a tilt at stardom. His
first spell at Newcastle turns sour, as does his return as a
physio, although obtaining a Masters degree shows him what he could
achieve away from football. When Paul qualifies as a barrister, a
career in Law beckons. Instead, a craving to prove himself in the
game draws him back to St James' Park as part of Shearer's
management triumvirate - with unfortunate consequences. Written
with brutal candour, dark humour and consummate style, The Boy on
the Shed is a riveting and moving account of a life less ordinary.
Cardiff has always been a sporting city, producing several
performers in rugby, cricket, football and many other sports. It is
a city with a rich and proud sporting heritage with a long
tradition of hosting national and international sporting events.
This book celebrates the achievements of many of the city's
sportspeople.
In The DiMaggios, acclaimed sportswriter Tom Clavin reveals the
untold Great American Story of three brothers, Joltin' Joe, Dom,
and Vince DiMaggio, and the Great American Game--baseball--that
would consume their lives.A vivid portrait of a family and the ways
in which their shifting fortunes and status shaped their
relationships, The DiMaggios is a exploration of an era and a
culture.This comprehensive biography that recalls the work of Jane
Leavy offers a trove of insight into one of the game's greatest
players and his family, sure to be treasured by Yankees fans, Red
Sox Fans, and baseball aficionados around the world.
Horse Speak is not a training method or technique it is a practical
system for listening and talking to horses in their language,
instead of expecting them to comprehend ours. Horse Speak can be
used by anyone who works with horses, whether riding instructor,
colt starter, recreational rider, or avid competitor. It promises
improved understanding of what a horse is telling you, and provides
simple replies you can use to tell him that you hear him, you get
it, and you have ideas you want to share with him, too. The result?
Time with your horse will be full of what horse trainer and
equine-assisted learning instructor Sharon Wilsie of Wilsie Way
Horsemanship calls Conversations, and soon the all-too-common
misunderstandings that occur between horse and human will evolve
into civil discussions with positive and progressive results! Learn
Horse Speak in 12 easy steps; understand equine communication via
breath and body language; and discover the Four Gs of Horse Speak:
Greeting, Going Somewhere, Grooming, and Gone. Practice regulating
your intensity, and sample dozens of ready-made Conversations with
your horse, as step-by-step templates and instructional colour
photographs walk you through the eye-opening process of
communicating on a whole new level.
Mike Tucker was born into a life of farming and horses. His passion
and hard work enabled him to progress from international groom to
successful international event rider, top level Eventing official
and television commentator. The pinnacle of Mike's career as a
commentator was covering Nick Skelton's Gold Medal at the Rio
Olympics in 2016 for the BBC. In `The Man Behind the Mike' we learn
about Mike's family history and the connection with the Badminton
Estate where his grandfather farmed; The Beaufort Pony Club, a huge
influence in his life with many top level riders being members; a
visit to Australia, staying with the Roycroft family, which proved
to be a pivotal moment in his efforts to become a successful event
rider; and about Mike's second place at Badminton, which laid the
foundations of his credibility as a rider and commentator. The
`voice behind the microphone' had the experience and knowledge to
commentate with authority and to command respect from the listening
public at venues of not just horse trials but also show jumping,
dressage, and shows in general. The wealth of experience and
lifetime involvement in the world of equestrian sport has enabled
him to travel all over the world meeting many different people and
sharing his expertise. We are told many funny, revealing,
fascinating and sometimes sad anecdotes of his experiences of the
successes and failures along the way and we are given a true
insight into the real stories behind the headlines, and `The Man
Behind the Mike'.
A hilarious look at the world of Ironman triathlons and how one man
tries to juggle training with the demands of a busy family. Why do
people race in Ironmans-a competition that was dreamed up by a U.S.
Navy Officer after a beer-influenced debate over who were the
fittest athletes-swimmers, cyclists, or runners? Only a person
whose good sense was severely impaired would decide to do a race
marked by such agony and suffering-a race that makes no sense to
normal people. What type of person (lunatic) goes to bed at 9:00
p.m. and wakes up at 4:00 a.m. every day for twelve months,
eliminates every fun thing to eat and drink, incurs thousands of
death stares from an angry spouse, and spends a minimum of ten
thousand dollars...all to put their body through a seventeen-hour
torture chamber during which a potpourri of exciting, physiological
wonders-such as dehydration, fuel supply shortages, oxidative
stress, muscle damage, brain fatigue, and overheating-occur,
causing the body to age by twenty years? Russell Newell would find
out when he signed up for the second oldest Ironman in the country:
Lake Placid, in the idyllic Upstate New York village nestled in the
Adirondacks that twice hosted the Winter Olympics. Russell would
then question his sanity and test his resolve as he attempted to
finish the 2018 Ironman Lake Placid...despite almost drowning,
crashing on his bike, and nearly shitting his pants eighteen times.
Explores Jackie Robinson's compelling and complicated legacy Before
the United States Supreme Court ruled against segregation in public
schools, and before Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat in
Montgomery, Alabama, Jackie Robinson walked onto the diamond on
April 15, 1947, as first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers, making
history as the first African American to integrate Major League
Baseball in the twentieth century. Today a national icon, Robinson
was a complicated man who navigated an even more complicated world
that both celebrated and despised him. Many are familiar with
Robinson as a baseball hero. Few, however, know of the inner
turmoil that came with his historic status. Featuring piercing
essays from a range of distinguished sportswriters, cultural
critics, and scholars, this book explores Robinson's perspectives
and legacies on civil rights, sports, faith, youth, and
nonviolence, while providing rare glimpses into the struggles and
strength of one of the nation's most athletically gifted and
politically significant citizens. Featuring a foreword by
celebrated directors and producers Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and
David McMahon, this volume recasts Jackie Robinson's legacy and
establishes how he set a precedent for future civil rights
activism, from Black Lives Matter to Colin Kaepernick.
From his status as Heavyweight Champion of the World to his ongoing
battle with Parkinson's disease, Muhammad Ali is a celebrated icon
known the world over for his athletic championships and his civic
and humanitarian enterprises. Ali has been both underdog and
champion, villain and prince, playboy and staunch Muslim, exalted
hero and reviled conscientious objector- the very spirit of the
20th Century, (Norman Mailer). Organized by decade and illustrated
with sixteen pages of classic photos, "The Muhammad Ali Reader"
tells Ali's story in more than thirty essays from a stellar array
of authors, athletes, and social commentators, including A. J.
Liebling, Tom Wolfe, George Plimpton, Norman Mailer, Pete Hamill,
Gary Wills, Hunter Thompson, and Joyce Carol Oates. Floyd Patterson
defends Ali's right to criticize the Vietnam War; Malcolm X
explains how Ali went from entertainer to threat with his
declaration as a man of race; Ali shares some intimate and
definitive thoughts in a Playboy magazine interview; and Gay Talese
gives us a front seat on a 1996 ride to Cuba where Ali meets up
with Fidel Castro. Fascinating and diverse, this collective
portrait reveals the many facets of the awe-inspiring,
controversial, and beloved man and legend known to all as The
Greatest: the one and only Muhammad Ali.
Walter Sutherland played rugby for Scotland between 1910 and 1914.
He was a brilliant player, a genuine folk-hero and also a very good
athlete who also represented Scotland at sprinting. This book is a
comprehensive biography of Walter Sutherland.
After watching his career as a professional baseball player go down
in flames, Cy Young Award-winner Barry Zito discovered a real
connection with God and a renewed passion for life. In 2007,
pitcher Barry Zito signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with
the San Francisco Giants. At that time, it was the largest contract
ever given to a pitcher. He was at the top of his game, in peak
physical condition, and had the kind of financial security most
people can only dream of. He was also miserable. And it began to
show. Zito's career declined over the next few years until he hit
rock bottom-watching from the bench as his team won the World
Series in 2010. In the months that followed, Zito came face-to-face
with the destructiveness of his own ego-his need to be viewed as
the best. He also came face-to-face with God and with the truth
that he was loved no matter what he achieved. In Curveball, Zito
shares his story with honesty and transparency. The ups and the
downs. The wins and losses. By sharing his experiences as a man who
had everything except happiness, Zito offers readers a path through
adversity and toward a life defined by true success.
Rising to prominence with his hat-trick in the Scottish Cup final
of 1904 against Rangers, Jimmy Quinn became the spearhead of Willie
Maley's great Edwardian side who won six League titles in a row.
Some of the very essence of Scottish football lies in the story of
Jimmy Quinn.
SIR ALEX FERGUSON has dominated English football for over 26 years.
Now, having decided to call it a day, 20/13 pays tribute to the
man's remarkable achievements by recounting each of Manchester
United's 20 title triumphs from the Edwardian era to the present
day and the 13 titles won by Sir Alex during his United reign. The
signing of Robin Van Persie provided the last great coup of the
Ferguson era, the Dutchman shunning Manchester City in favour of
Old Trafford following a summer long transfer chase. Sure enough,
Van Persie went on to earn a second successive Premier League
Golden Boot and with the league title he craved. Yet 20 is about
more than just United's most recent triumph. Award-winning
journalist Harry Harris looks back at every title winning season
and analyses each one from the viewpoint of a player who
distinguished himself in that title year. It is a tribute to Sir
Alex Ferguson that the future of English football suddenly seems
unpredictable without the last great football manager and the power
and influence he wielded within the game.
THE STORY BEHIND THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED THE FACE OF BOXING FOREVER,
OBE NICOLA ADAMS At London 2012, Nicola Adams made history when she
became the first woman ever to win an Olympic Gold medal for
boxing. In Rio 2016, with the nation cheering her on, she did it
all over again. Years of relentless training, fundraising and
determination have seen Nicola battle through injury, prejudice and
defeat to become one of Britain best-loved athletes and an
inspiration to all those who are chasing after a seemingly
impossible dream. From a leisure centre in Leeds to the Olympic
Stadium in Rio, Nicola with her famous smile has become an LGBTQ+
icon and the poster girl for women in sport. This is her story of
grit, talent and the real person behind the smile. Nicola is soon
to be a contestant on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in the show's
first same-sex pairing. ____________________ WHAT READERS ARE
SAYING ABOUT NICOLA: 'One book every woman or girl should read'
Reader Review 'Fascinating to see how Nicola and her family had to
fight to get women's boxing recognised' Reader Review 'Nicola tells
this story from the heart, very honest, very open' Reader Review
'The positivity, strength, determination of Nicola is uplifting. I
really appreciated how she fought for women's rights to do boxing'
Reader Review
At the 1984 Olympics, American Scott Hamilton skated into the
history books when he claimed a gold medal in Sarajevo. Beside him
the entire time was his coach, Don Laws. A member of the U.S.
Figure Skating Hall of Fame and a U.S. Junior Champion, Laws is one
of the most respected and admired ice skating coaches in the world.
In addition to Hamilton, Don was the coach of champions Michael
Weiss and Patrick Chan. This authorized biography tells the story
of Law's exemplary life and chronicles his singular dedication to
figure skating. Don Laws: The Life of an Olympic Figure Skating
Coach recounts Don's youth, from his childhood in Washington, D.C.
to his Junior Men's Figure Skating Championship to his triumphs as
a coach on the international stage. Featuring personal interviews
with many of his former pupils, this humorous and enlightening
biography captures Don's dedication to the sport and to his
students. In addition, this book goes behind the scenes of the
controversial new judging system-for which Laws was one of only
four coaches worldwide to take part in its creation-as well as
touches upon the break between Don Laws and his star pupil, Patrick
Chan. Including exclusive interviews with Scott Hamilton, Michael
Weiss, premier Russian coach Tamara Moskvina, former International
Skating Union member Sonia Bianchetti, and current ISU President
Ottavio Cinquanta, this book is a one-of-a-kind look at a man who
never broke from his beliefs and ideals and never wavered in his
love for the sport. A chapter devoted to skating techniques laid
out by Laws will be a helpful tool for figure skating coaches; but
for the figure skater, and for any fan of the sport, it will be the
stories, interviews, photographs, and history that make this book
entertaining and inspiring.
Thirty years after Michael Jordan's first NBA game comes an oral
history of his legendary career, told by the men who played with
him and against him, coached him, and witnessed first-hand the
iconic greatness of the most dominant athlete sports has ever seen.
FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH: Larry Bird * Magic Johnson * Phil
Jackson * Reggie Miller * Isiah Thomas * Reggie Theus * Chris
Mullin * Doug Collins * Dominique Wilkins * Steve Kerr * John
Paxson * David Stern * Gregg Popovich * Derek Harper * Bill Walton
* Karl Malone * Horace Grant * Joe Dumars * Danny Ainge * B.J.
Armstrong * Marv Albert * Grant Hill * Jerry Colangelo * Bill
Cartwright * Jerry Reinsdorf * Johnny Bach * Rod Thorn * Rick Barry
* Kevin Loughery * David Axelrod * President Barack Obama * and
many more! Written by Sam Smith-author of the New York Times
bestseller The Jordan Rules and recent inductee into the NBA Hall
of Fame-There is No Next assembles a cast of Hall-of-Famers,
teammates, opponents, coaches, and others who experienced the
ferocious drive and unparalleled greatness that defined Jordan's
career. Packed with previously untold stories and stunning insight
into Jordan and his six championships, There is No Next is the last
word on why there has never been, and will never be, another
Michael Jordan. -- Sam Smith * There Is No Next: NBA Legends on the
Legacy of Michael Jordan *
As the first African American player to be drafted by the NFL and
the first African American to play quarterback, George Taliaferro
was a trailblazer whose athletic prowess earned him accolades
throughout his football career. Instrumental in leading Indiana
University to an undefeated season and undisputed Big Ten
championship in 1945, Taliaferro was a star when many major
universities had no black players on their rosters and others were
stacking black players behind white starters. George Taliaferro
would later rack up impressive statistics while playing
professionally for the New York Yanks, Dallas Texans, Baltimore
Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles. His athletic prowess did little to
prevent him from facing segregation and discrimination on a daily
basis, but his popularity as an athlete also gave him a platform.
Playing professionally gave Taliaferro more opportunity to use
football to fight oppression and to interact with other important
trailblazers, like Joe Louis, Nat King Cole, Muhammad Ali, and
Congressman John Lewis. Race and Football in America tells
Taliaferro's story and profiles the experiences of other athletes
of color who were recognized for their athleticism yet oppressed
for their skin color, as they fought (and continue to fight) for
equal rights and opportunities. Together these stories provide an
insightful portrait of race in America.
As the first African American player to be drafted by the NFL and
the first African American to play quarterback, George Taliaferro
was a trailblazer whose athletic prowess earned him accolades
throughout his football career. Instrumental in leading Indiana
University to an undefeated season and undisputed Big Ten
championship in 1945, Taliaferro was a star when many major
universities had no black players on their rosters and others were
stacking black players behind white starters. George Taliaferro
would later rack up impressive statistics while playing
professionally for the New York Yanks, Dallas Texans, Baltimore
Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles. His athletic prowess did little to
prevent him from facing segregation and discrimination on a daily
basis, but his popularity as an athlete also gave him a platform.
Playing professionally gave Taliaferro more opportunity to use
football to fight oppression and to interact with other important
trailblazers, like Joe Louis, Nat King Cole, Muhammad Ali, and
Congressman John Lewis. Race and Football in America tells
Taliaferro's story and profiles the experiences of other athletes
of color who were recognized for their athleticism yet oppressed
for their skin color, as they fought (and continue to fight) for
equal rights and opportunities. Together these stories provide an
insightful portrait of race in America.
Brock Lesnar has been, and is one of the most popular - and
polarizing - figures in sports and sports entertainment. Whether
fans love him or hate him, they never miss an opportunity to watch
Brock when he squares off with an opponent. He is a celebrity of
the first order, but disdains fame, avoids the media, and remains
intensely private. Now, for the first time, Brock tells his
incredible story in his own words. Brock relives his long journey
to become the best college wrestler in the country, his meteoric
rise in World Wrestling Entertainment, and what lead him to walk
away from fame and fortune when he was at the top. He talks openly
about the accident that derailed his plans to play in the NFL, his
professional wrestling comeback in Japan, and his transformation
and rebirth as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter. Fans will get an
insider's look at Brock's career in the UFC - the training, the
competition and what it takes to be, and to remain a champion.
Brock will also talk about the illness that nearly killed him, his
will to survive, and what he really values and aspires to be.
Powerful and real, this remarkable memoir is the story of Brock's
determination and domination, and the making of a true champion.
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