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.

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.

Be inspired by Football Legend, Kylian Mbappe! Discover more about this incredible player's journey from his early career at AS Bondy, coached by his father, to his success at Paris Saint-Germain FC and fulfilling his dream of playing for France. Football Legends: Young readers will love finding out all about the lives of their favourite players in this incredible biography series. Packed with footie facts and match stats plus Mbappe's career highlights Also in the series: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Tammy Abraham, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lionel Messi. Amazing cover artwork illustrated by Stanley Chow, whose iconic work has found worldwide acclaim

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.

"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

'I loved it. I thought it was fascinating - really, really interesting story that he's got to tell... I've known him for years and I learned an awful lot.' Marc Priestley Kimi Raikkoenen is the Finnish superstar Formula One driver with a reputation for being fast on the track and silent off it - until now! In this superb and authorised portrait of Raikkoenen, Kari Hotakainen gets to reveal the side of the man that few beyond his close family and friends have ever seen. Enigmatic and private, Ferrari's former world champion driver rarely opens up to outsiders, but he granted Hotakainen exclusive access to his world and to his way of thinking. It ensures that this will be a book that will delight all fans of motorsport, who have long revered the Finn. Including never-previously-seen photographs from his own collection, The Unknown Kimi Raikkoenen takes the reader into the heart of the action at grands prix around the world, behind the scenes as race strategies are planned, and opens up the private side of his life that he normally guards so carefully. With all the cult appeal of I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the raw excitement of Formula One and the insight of the best biographies, this is a book every sports fan will want to treasure.

Eric Tabarly was one of yachting's iconic figures who became a legend in French sailing from the moment he beat the British to win the second edition of the single-handed transatlantic in 1964. It was not so much that he won but the way in which he did it that raised his profile in his native country. Purpose-built for the race, his 44-foot Pen Duick II took yacht development forward in seven league boots, at a time when his more corinthian competitors' advances were only incremental. He beat Sir Francis Chichester, the winner of the first edition of the race, by nearly three days. Tabarly, a French Naval officer, was tough and fearless as well as an innovator; although it was single-handed sailing that elevated him to legendary status (he was awarded France's Legion D'Honneur for his triumph) he was soon taking part in races like the Sydney Hobart, the Fastnet Race and the Transpac, winning line honours in all three and setting a new course record in the Transpac. Before long he had begun to make plans to compete in a new round the world race - the Whitbread. Two dismastings prevented him (the fastest entrant on all points of sail) from winning the 1973 race. By now Tabarly had reached celebrity status in France but despite his appearances in the media it was always his exploits on the open ocean that commanded the most attention...such as winning the 1976 single-handed transatlantic race where he overcame the massive 236-foot schooner Club Mediterranee in his 73-foot Pen Duick VI. In 1984 Eric Tabarly was voted the most popular sports figure in France and ten years later, then 63, he was drafted into the Whitbread again to take over command of the French maxi La Poste where his legendary leadership skills were called upon to pull together a disparate team. Tabarly loved sailing to the very end and it was during a voyage to Ireland in 1998 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Pen Duick that he was struck by the boom just off the Welsh coast and swept overboard to his death. France and the international sailing community mourned his passing.

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.

"He is the greatest fighter alive today" Daily Express Tyson Fury is colossal - six feet nine inches tall and a whisker under 20 stones in weight. He is spectacularly fast. He has a punch that could knock over a rhino and he can dance and weave like no one since the great Muhammad Ali. When he destroyed the fearsome Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas to become two-time world heavyweight champion in February 2020, the world held its breath. Fury was born in 1988 and named after Mike Tyson, who was then the world heavyweight champion. Tyson comes from a long line of gypsy bare knuckle fighters. His father, Gypsy John Fury and grandfather, Tiger Gorman, both fought as professionals. Tyson's success has not come easily, but he has fought the terrible battles of his personal life as bravely as those in the ring. In this extraordinary biography you will read how he overcame addiction to cocaine and alcohol and lost a staggering eight stone in weight to make his comeback. His bravery in talking about his mental health problems is an inspiration to many. Now he is happy and at the top of his game. There seems little doubt that, for Tyson Fury, Gypsy King of the World, the best is yet to come...

An amazing and captivating story of how a kid on a farm in the depression years who never played the game rose to the pinnacle of the high school coaching profession in the basketball arena. Recognized as one of the best by his peers and former players, Dusty Carter wound his way from the hills of Clay County, Alabama into the Alabama High School Athletic Association Coaches Hall of Fame. During his journey, he endeared himself to those along the way--his family, his coaching colleagues, and his former players. This is his story of that pilgrimage, told through the mouths of those he touched along the way.

LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 'Excellent and compellingly honest' Alyson Rudd, The Times In I Love This Game, the long-awaited autobiography of Patrice Evra, the former Manchester United and France star looks back on a remarkable life and career. Having played alongside some of the club's greatest legends, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes, in one of United's most successful eras, Evra has now found a new role as an in-demand pundit and social media star. But, as he reveals in this frank, often shocking, but always compelling memoir, beneath the surface things were not so simple, and he had to fight all the way to get to the top. Initially, it was football that saved him from being sucked into the gang culture of his tough neighbourhood of Les Ulis in the suburbs of Paris. Then, once he achieved his dream of becoming a professional, he had to deal with racism and a notorious dispute with Luis Suarez; he also became a central figure in the infamous 'strike' by the France national team in the 2010 World Cup; and there was the moment he launched an attack against a Marseille fan while warming up. 'I Love This Game' has become Evra's catchphrase. Throughout this wonderful book, his passion for his sport shines through and there are revealing and entertaining behind-the-scenes insights about the players and managers he's worked with, from Sir Alex Ferguson to Paul Pogba, who knows him as Uncle Pat. With infectious enthusiasm and sharp observation, Evra takes the reader where few football autobiographies dare to tread.

Diving Dream to Olympic Team is the fascinating story of 1968 Olympic diver Keith Russell. At the age of 20, Keith was the youngest athlete ever named the world's best diver by an international poll of coaches. Sports Illustrated named him to win the gold medal at the 1968 Olympics, where he was the only American to qualify in both the springboard and platform events. But the controversial platform finals proved to be more of a test of inner strength than athletic skill. By the time he retired from competition after the 1976 Olympic Trials, Keith was a six-time National Champion, World University Games Champion, and World Championship medalist.

Since his retirement from diving, Keith has been coaching and grooming national champions and Olympians. The former President of the United States Professional Diving Coaches Association, Inc., Keith coached the U.S. National Teams at the 1999 and 2001 World Student University Games. He recently represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics as the only American diving judge.

This is a feel-good story that will leave readers deeply satisfied and uplifted as they learn about one man's incredible struggles and astonishing achievements in one of the world's favorite sports.

If you enjoyed the 1994 fictitious movie Forrest Gump, you'll love Roy Story, the remarkable, rags-to-riches true account of the colorful, comical and quick-witted Roy Bucek, who succeeded beyond his wildest dreams on the football field, the battlefield and in numerous business fields with a combination of a tremendously strong backbone and an incomparable funny bone. Bucek came from such poverty that he and his family barely noticed the so-called "Great Depression." His athleticism earned him a college scholarship, where he became the first official track and field All-American in Texas A&M history and helped the 1939 Aggies win the football national championship. Bucek lost his eye in the historic Battle of the Bulge in World War II, but he became a man of remarkable entrepreneurial vision. He built so many successful businesses in Schulenburg, Texas that he resided in a sprawling home he built just south of Interstate-10 and at the end of...Bucek Street. His fascinating stories are guaranteed to mesmerize you and motivate you to pursue your own dreams, no matter how far-fetched they may seem. Roy Story is a captivating read that will take you back in time and challenge you to build a brighter future.

Four-year-old Sam Payne can knock the baseball out of the park. That "the park" is only the back yard of his suburban home makes little difference to his mother, Martha Payne, who understands baseball a lot better than she understands parenting. She yearns to make her son a star on the Little League field, where promising young players are rewarded with a spot on the All-Star team.

Fueled by endless ambition but only a pinch of maternal instinct, Payne helps her son navigate through the thrilling but often heartless world of Little League baseball. While revealing a host of parental neuroses and coaching excesses, "Put Him In, Coach "delves into the inscrutable bond between mother and son-a bond sometimes forged in unlikely places.

As Sam progresses from tee-ball through years of strikeouts and wild pitches and up to the brink of adolescence, he and his mother discover as much about each other as they do about the perils of the game. Most importantly, Payne learns that in raising a son, sometimes less is more-even if your kid does have a shot at becoming the next Babe Ruth.

Put Him In, Coach A Mother's All-Star Memoir, is a recipient of the prestigious Mom's Choice Award. The Mom's Choice Awards honor excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. The Awards esteemed panel of judges includes education and media experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, and scientists, including Dr. Twila C. Liggett, ten-time Emmy-winner and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, creator of Baby Einstein and the Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times best-selling author; LeAnn Thieman, motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books, and Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach and founder of the Mom's Choice Awards. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. Martha Payne's memoir has been honored with this distinguished award.

In 1964, Dan Reilly landed the dream job of every New York Mets fan. Pulled from his humble position in Shea Stadium's ticket office to become the Mets' mascot-and Major League Baseball's first official mascot-Reilly donned the baseball-shaped, papier-mache head of Mr. Met and began a career rubbing elbows with some of the game's most illustrious players. "The Original Mr. Met Remembers" is packed with never-before-told anecdotes, detailed team history, and intimate glimpses of players on and off the field. With a cast of characters that include the inimitable Casey Stengel, the bumbling Marv Throneberry, and Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn, Reilly delivers a rollicking ride from the Mets' celebrated first season in 1962 to their unexpected and thrilling 1969 World Series victory.

A must-read for baseball fans and sports historians alike, "The Original Mr. Met Remembers" recalls America's favorite pastime in all its glory, and is a devoted fan's personal tribute to one of New York's most celebrated teams.

Queens of Pain tells the remarkable and largely unknown tale of women's cycle racing from the 1890's to the early 1990's. From the fin-de-siecle velodromes of North America to the glamour and chaos of the first women's Tour de France, Queens of Pain offers a sweeping panorama of female racing history. Told through the lives of the great champions, its heroines include stuntwomen and speed skaters, young mothers and teenage tearaways, shop assistants and coal-delivery girls. When prejudice and officialdom denied them one stage they found another: from six-day track racing to epic place to place records, from 12-hour time trials to unofficial road races. The greatly expanded women's racing scene of today is the direct legacy of these pioneering riders whose stories form an unbroken thread since the invention of the bicycle.

Grabbing the Brass Ring is an epic Homeric tale of a complex and enigmatic man, Richard Mansan - a front-line fighter, an adventurer, and a natural leader. In a time close to ours...on a world not unlike our own...Mansan is either blessed or cursed with the ability to clearly see the inevitable consequences of mankind's actions, choices, and hubris - a vision shared by no one else. As a result of serendipity or design, he finds himself inextricably entwined with the major leaders of the day. Yet, despite the benefit of his friendship and counsel, as well as their own valiant efforts, they are unable to stem the tide of events as the world catapults madly to an unavoidable fate. A story of power, war, greed, ignorance, pride, and redemption, Grabbing the Brass Ring will give the reader a glimpse at the worst...and the best within all of us. After a phenomenal career as a legendary football player, record-setting track and field star, powerhouse wrestler and weightlifter, and multi-titled heavyweight boxing champion - Michael Earl Nolan joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1941. He fought at Guadalcanal, Bougainville with the famed Raiders, and Iwo Jima, rising from private to captain during the war, and retiring a major. With an amazing life that spanned hopping freight trains in the 1930s to becoming the highly respected civil engineer responsible for the massive Coronado National Forest, Nolan was a fascinating individual, a sensitive and prophetic novelist, a devoted family man and friend. To this day, he remains an inspiration, a real-life hero in every sense of the word.

An illustrated compendium of kickass women in sport, from around the world and throughout history, including legends like Billie Jean King and modern-day superstars like Simone Biles and Dina Asher-Smith. The perfect book to inspire any sports fan. Meet your new superheroes Discover the fascinating stories behind 38 iconic and internationally renowned women in sport, all of them record-breakers, trailblazers and game-changers. Whether from the world of soccer, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, boxing or skiing, every one of these women has been a ground-breaker in her field. It's time these individuals took centre stage and had their achievements celebrated the world over. Be empowered and inspired by their extraordinary stories, their awesome achievements and their wonder-words of wisdom with this pocketbook of remarkable women from across the globe and throughout history. Among others, you will learn about the incredible lives and achievements of: Simone Biles Serena Williams Dina Asher-Smith Rachael Heyhoe Flint Jessica Ennis-Hill Nicola Adams Danica Patrick Paula Radcliffe Michelle Kwan Megan Rapinoe Ellen MacArthur Ibtihaj Muhammad Ronda Rousey Each inspiring profile also features a bespoke illustration.