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Books > Language & Literature > Biography & autobiography > Sport
Excerpt: "We could get partly undressed-so that we had only such
clothes as would be delicious to hug & squeeze in & then
you could sit in my lap & we'd kiss & hug & squeeze
& cuddle each other until we couldn't stand it any longer. . .
." Ronald A. Smith, a well-known sport historian and emeritus
professor at Penn State University, has published several books in
sport history, including an edited diary belonging to the subject
of these love letters. "Big-Time Football at Harvard, 1905: The
Diary of Coach Bill Reid" chronicles the most important year in
college football, when the crisis in brutality led to the creation
of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the
legalization of the forward pass. Bill Reid had another side to his
life, however-a passionate one in which he and his girlfriend,
fianc, and wife exchanged intimate love letters for well over a
decade. The passionate nature of Bill and Christine's letters
during the late Victorian period and early twentieth century are
rare and distinguish them from other collections. Bill and
Christine wrote intimate love letters when they first met, through
their engagement and a lengthy separation while Christine took an
eight-month voyage with her parents to Europe, and especially after
their marriage and the birth of their first three children. The
explicit love letters of upper-middle and upper class individuals
are an exceptional find, and they broach issues between couples
that are almost universal, often appearing timeless. The love
letters of Bill and Christine not only illuminate aspects of life
in the early twentieth century, but also they make us reflect on
our own lives.
The baseball term, "snake jazz," refers to those squiggly pitches
(curve, slider, screwball, etc.) that deviate from a direct path on
their way to the catcher. This could also describe the strange and
sometimes amusing twists in Dave Baldwin's progress on his way to
the big leagues.
As a skinny, awkward kid in the 1940s, Dave learned to throw under
the searing Arizona sun amidst cacti and snakes. Despite that
modest beginning, his father convinced him that success would come
with focused hard work. His dad's encouragement enabled him to
become one of the most highly sought-after pitching prospects in
the nation as a teenager. Scouts and sportswriters said he was a
"natural," "another Bob Feller." He began to see his ability as a
gift. Scouts had a favorite mantra - "We can teach a kid to throw a
curve, but he has to be born with a fastball." Upon hearing this
often from the "experts," Dave lost the idea of self-development
his father had instilled. If baseball skill is genetic, there's
nothing to be done. Either the kid has the genes or he doesn't.
This philosophy seemed to work well enough until one day during his
sophomore year at the University of Arizona he threw a curveball
that severely damaged his arm. All that "natural" ability went out
the window.
This would have ended his career before it began except he couldn't
see life continuing without baseball. Thus, he started a desperate
eight year struggle that culminated in his transformation into an
unorthodox but successful major league pitcher - the drastic
changes in his throwing style inspired by insights gained from his
study of ecological genetics and advice he received from Max
Surkont, an aging pitcher in Dave's first spring training camp.
On Dave's baseball odyssey he found a roommate who sleepwalked
swinging a bat, another who chewed Gillette double-edged razor
blades, and still another who was working up to a stretch in
prison. He eavesdropped on the witty repartee aboard a burning
airplane and a death-defying bus trip, during epicurean brushes
with the criminal underworld, and in that awkward moment right
after a bullet had ripped through a taxi window. He got to dodge
tornadoes, lightning, and baseball hobgoblins. He experienced the
bonding effect of minor league pranks and comedy acts, and got a
taste of what it was like playing baseball askew in the
metaphysical whirl of Steppenwolf and the hippie generation. And he
learned the irresistible attraction of Janis Joplin and the dry
spitball.
The odd adventures didn't end once Dave made it to the major
leagues. He spent a season busily tormenting Ted Williams, and once
he unexpectedly found himself teaching the knuckleball to Seri
Indians in a remote desert village in northern Mexico.
Snake Jazz includes a number of anecdotes reflecting the world
around baseball during the 1960s and '70s, such as the beginnings
of the Viet Nam war and the impact on baseball of racial bigotry
during the Civil Rights Movement. One chapter recounts the peculiar
and dangerous situation of American ballplayers in Havana shortly
after Fidel Castro's rebels had gained control of Cuba.
Snake Jazz is more than a series of remarkable anecdotes, however.
It is a demonstration of the importance of motivation and mindset
in reaching objectives. Dave's dream of playing major league
baseball and his stubborn determination drove him to overcome the
notion that ability is inherent. If his dad was right, there must
be some way to make it to the majors through hard work, even after
inherent advantage had been lost. The big question was, "Work hard
at what?" He needed a good pitching coach to give him that critical
suggestion that would turn his career around. He rarely saw a
pitching coach in the minor leagues, and those few that were
available did more harm than good.
He continued to work hard to improve, but he was still practicing
the same way
This brief but readable biography tells the story of the most
recognized figure in baseball-Babe Ruth. Besides vividly describing
the highlights of Ruth's career, author Wayne Stewart examines the
unprecedented impact Ruth had on the nature and future of the game.
Ruth's ability to hit the long ball and the flamboyance of his
off-field persona infused the game with a new excitement that
rescued baseball from the negative effects of the 1919 Black Sox
scandal. Making extensive use of interviews conducted by the author
with members of Ruth's family and with players who knew Ruth, this
biography is an engaging exploration of how Ruth helped shape
modern baseball. Babe Ruth is the most recognized figure in
baseball and a true American icon. In this brief but readable
biography, author Wayne Stewart engagingly describes the highlights
of Ruth's career and deftly examines the reasons for the
unprecedented impact Ruth had on the game. Ruth's ability to hit
the long ball and the flamboyance of his off-field persona infused
the game with a new excitement that rescued baseball from the
negative effects of the 1919 Black Sox scandal. The author draws
new insights into Ruth's life and career through interviews he
conducted with members of Ruth's family and with other baseball
players who knew him. Readers are also provided with a quick
reference chronology to Ruth's career, a bibliography of important
print and non-print information resources on Ruth, a statistical
appendix summarizing Ruth's on-field production by season, and a
discussion of how Ruth has been depicted in books, movies, plays,
and other media since his death. This biography will both explain
and satisfy the continuing curiosity about Ruth among young
basbeball fans who never had the opportunity to see him play.
Born in the segregated South in 1943, Ashe overcame racial
prejudices and segregation to break into the world of tennis, which
had traditionally been dominated by whites. He rose to the top of
the sport, winning three Grand Slam trophies and playing on the
Davis Cup team. His tennis career came to an abrupt end when he
suffered a heart attack while in his thirties. Ashe began a
post-tennis career that included speaking out on social issues that
mattered most to him, including educational excellence for African
American athletes, the injustice of the apartheid system in South
Africa, and better health care for all Americans. After contracting
the AIDS virus through a blood transfusion, he began to speak out
on the subject of AIDS in order to help people understand the
disease. After a brilliant career on the tennis court, Ashe devoted
the remainder of his life to fighting for social justice at home
and abroad and to fighting the illnesses that had struck him while
he was still a young man. Steins tells the inspiring story of
Arthur Ashe, a great tennis champion whose skills on the court as
well as his exceptional and honorable personal characteristics made
him stand out among all players of his generation. A timeline and
other appendices highlight Ashe's career and life.
Legendary college basketball coach John Wooden and Jay Carty know
that when it comes down to it, success is an equal opportunity
player. Anyone can create it in his or her career, family, and
beyond. Based on John Wooden's own method to victory, Coach
Wooden's Pyramid of Success reveals that success is built block by
block, where each block is a crucial principle contributing to
lifelong achievement in every area of life. Each of these 32 daily
readings takes an in-depth look at a single block of the pyramid,
which when combined with the other blocks forms the structure of
the pyramid of success. Join John Wooden and Jay Carty to discover
the building blocks and key values--from confidence to faith--that
have brought Coach to the pinnacle of success as a leader, a
teacher, and a follower of God.
Miami, 1963. A young boy from Louisville, Kentucky, is on the path
to becoming the greatest sportsman of all time. Cassius Clay is
training in the 5th Street Gym for his heavyweight title clash
against the formidable Sonny Liston. He is beginning to embrace the
ideas and attitudes of Black Power, and firebrand preacher Malcolm
X will soon become his spiritual adviser. Thus Cassius Clay will
become 'Cassius X' as he awaits his induction into the Nation of
Islam. Cassius also befriends the legendary soul singer Sam Cooke,
falls in love with soul singer Dee Dee Sharp and becomes a
remarkable witness to the first days of soul music. As with his
award-winning soul trilogy, Stuart Cosgrove's intensive research
and sweeping storytelling shines a new light on how black music lit
up the sixties against a backdrop of social and political turmoil -
and how Cassius Clay made his remarkable transformation into
Muhammad Ali.
"I've worked many soccer camps with Gibbo over the years and
observed as he excites and empowers kids to reach their potential,
my own included. His spirited passion for people translates to a
great teacher and a great friend. This journal of his life gives us
all occasion to absorb a bit more of his wisdom of the game and his
philosophy of life. Paul Gibbons is a world class coach."
Darryl Butt, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Boise State University
"Paul, in a quiet, caring, and gracious spirit, simply falls
into step and puts into place the missing pieces of the puzzle to
make the parts of the whole come together. His eyes give away his
warm heart and we are most grateful for what he brings to Botswana
every year. We look forward once again to hear the chants of
"Gib-bo, Gib-bo-""
Lesley Boggs, Director,
Coaching for Conservation
Botswana, Africa
"Driven, dedicated, and as passionate as a soccer coach could
possibly be. GIBBO- In My Life, finds Paul sharing the story of
what made him that way, and in so doing, he presents an excellent
blueprint, not just for soccer coaches, but for all teachers." Bill
Meredith,
"Palm Beach Post," Florida
Sultan is the official biography of Wasim Akram, the "sultan of
swing", one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of cricket.
For twenty years, Wasim Akram let his cricket do the talking - his
electrifying left-arm pace, his explosive left-handed striking, his
leadership and his inspiration. For another twenty years he kept
his own counsel about those days, full of drama, controversy and
even mystery, in a country, Pakistan, that to outsiders is a
constant enigma. Until now. Sultan tells the story of cricket's
greatest left-arm bowler, and one of its greatest survivors, who
was chosen from the streets of Lahore and groomed by Imran Khan to
become champion of the world - man of the match in the final of the
1992 World Cup. Along the way were unforgettable rivalries with the
greatest of his time, from Viv Richards and Ian Botham to Sachin
Tendulkar and Shane Warne. Along the way, too, a backdrop of
conspiracy and intrigue over ball tampering and match fixing about
which Wasim finally sets the story straight. But there's more:
Sultan goes frankly into the crumbling and rebuilding of Wasim's
private life, marred by the tragedy of his first wife's death and
the torment of addiction. The result is an unprecedented insight
into the life of a cricketer who revolutionised the game with his
speed and swing, and a patriot buoyed and burdened by the
expectation of one of the game's most fanatical publics.
Often characterized as David facing Goliath on the tennis court, at
5'9" and 150 pounds Michael Chang is used to playing with the big
hitters. What he lacks in stature, he makes up for in
determination. A serious contender at any Grand Slam event, his
bold statement of faith in God makes him a role model we can all
look up to. "What's nice," Michael says, "is that, as long as my
priorities are straight, I'm able to go out with the mentality to
really leave the winning and losing up to the Lord." In Holding
Serve readers get a unique glimpse at Team Chang, Michael's
powerful family unit that he credits with much of his success.
Michael also shares the story of how he became a Christian and the
central role his faith has played in his achievements.
As the saying goes, "When life deals you lemons, make lemonade."
Having a handicap of his own, the author tells his story of finding
his niche in life after retirement with the creation of a community
baseball program for children with disabilities. Awakened to the
opportunity quite by accident, and aided in funding by Green Bay
Packer great Brett Favre and wife Deanna, along with local
philanthropist Dick Resch, his mission included building a
handicap-safe, rubber surface, baseball field. Touched by the lives
of special children, he describes, in detail, the labor of love
that went into the development of the program. Relationships
develop with parents and their children. After a while it feels
like family. Nothing, however, can prepare a person for the loss of
someone's child.
With the field completed he could sit back and turn over the
program to be run by others. But no, he teamed up with the mother
whose child passed away and went on to raise funds to develop a
handicap accessible playground to add to the venue. His hope is
that others may replicate his experiences and develop the same
Miracle of joy and happiness for children in their communities.
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