Dick Stuart (1932-2002) began as a minor league first baseman, noted for his outsized ego and terrible fielding. His brash personality and 66 home runs for the Lincoln Chiefs of the Western League made him a national figure in 1956. In 1958, he came up to the majors in Pittsburgh and played some fine seasons with the Pirates, and later the Boston Red Sox. In 1961, he was selected for the National League All-Star team, and he led the American League in RBI in 1963. A wise-cracking bon vivant, his career was not what it might have been. If he had worked harder, he might have been a better player. If Bill Mazeroski hadn't ended the 1960 Series with a home run, Stuart, who was on deck, might have been the hero. Yet his great hitting ability, quick wit and love for the limelight made him one of the most interesting players of his era.

Born Luigi d'Ambrosio, Lou Ambers grew up in Herkimer, New York, during the Great Depression. He and his nine siblings watched their father lose his business. Then they lost their father. Taking to the ring as a "bootleg" boxer to support his family, "The Herkimer Hurricane" soon became an undefeated contender, losing only one of more than fifty fights in his first three years as a professional. A keen judge of distance with prodigious hand speed, he worked just within punching range, busily slipping and feinting, then slashing in with hooks and uppercuts. In 1936, he faced his idol and mentor, Tony Canzoneri, and defeated him to capture the world lightweight championship. Ambers held the title for twenty-three months, losing it in a historic fight with the formidable Henry Armstrong (1938) but regaining it in a rematch the following year. As the 1930s ended, so did Amber's impressive career. This book chronicles the life of one of the great 20th century lightweights, who retired with a Hall of Fame record of 90-8-6 with 30 KOs.

Following an extraordinary debut--17th place in 1911 Boston Marathon--Penobscot Indian Andrew Sockalexis returned to run a spectacular Boston Marathon on muddy, rainy course on April 19, 1912. Only 20 years old, running just his third marathon ever, he came in second and narrowly missed breaking the record time for that course. That same year he became the first Native American to compete in the Olympics, returning to his home of Indian Island, Maine, a champion. Ed Rice chronicles the tragically short life of Sockalexis--he died at the age of 27 from what was likely tuberculosi--focusing on his running and the races that earned him recognition from the sports community and made him revered at home. Mike Ryan, who beat Sockalexis in that 1912 Boston Marathon, had this to say about his rival: "He is a wonder, and when he gains a little more experience he will be a tough one to beat."

When he set out to play each of Golf Digest’s America’s100 greatest golf courses in one year, Jimmie James knew he was attempting the impossible. But then again, he’d spent his entire life defying the odds.

James was born invisible. His birth certificate, long since filed away in some clerk’s office in East Texas, recorded facts about him that were deemed most relevant in the late 1950s: “colored” and “illegitimate.” His great-great-grandmother was enslaved, and his early life was confided by the privation and segregation of the late Jim Crow-era South.

Four decades later—having put himself through an HBCU and determinedly risen through the executive ranks at ExxonMobil—he embarked on his journey to play the 100 greatest golf courses in the United States. In a single year. From the first tee at Augusta National, the distance between the world he grew up in and the world of extreme privilege to which he’d now managed to gain access was impossible to ignore.

Playing from the Rough is a “delightful” (Kirkus Reviews), “beautiful story” (Andrew Campion, former COO of Nike) about race, class, family, and the power of perseverance, as James braids his love of golf with reflections on the path that took him from childhood poverty to the most exclusive and opulent golf courses in America.

Be sure to check out IRON AMBITION: My Life with Cus D'Amato by Mike Tyson "Raw, powerful and disturbing-a head-spinning take on Mr. Tyson's life."-Wall Street Journal Philosopher, Broadway headliner, fighter, felon-Mike Tyson has defied stereotypes, expectations, and a lot of conventional wisdom during his three decades in the public eye. Bullied as a boy in the toughest, poorest neighborhood in Brooklyn, Tyson grew up to become one of the most ferocious boxers of all time-and the youngest heavyweight champion ever. But his brilliance in the ring was often compromised by reckless behavior. Yet-even after hitting rock bottom-the man who once admitted being addicted "to everything" fought his way back, achieving triumphant success as an actor and newfound happiness and stability as a father and husband. Brutal, honest, raw, and often hilarious, Undisputed Truth is the singular journey of an inspiring American original.

Brian Clough, arguably Britain's greatest ever football manager, died in September 2004 at the age of 69. His passing was marked by a minute's silence at both the Derby County and Nottingham Forest grounds and provoked a wave of tributes from across the sporting spectrum. A memorial service due to be held at Derby Cathedral had to be moved to Pride Park to accommodate the fans' demand for tickets. This overwhelming affection and respect was fully deserved for the man who was often described as being controversial, outspoken and opinionated. His achievements in football speak for themselves: he took two lowly Midlands sides to the very top, winning two consecutive European Cups, with unfashionable Nottingham Forest, in a feat that will surely never be matched by a club of similar stature. This special edition contains two new chapters, written shortly before he died, which offer his candid and entertaining views on club directors and chairmen and on Newcastle's treatment of Sir Bobby Robson, as well as his scathing analysis of England's recent performances. Cloughie also talks honestly about his battles with alcohol and the liver transplant that gave him 21 months of health and happiness.

All or Nothing At All is the life story of Billy Bland, fellrunner extrordinaire and holder of many records including that of the Bob Graham Round until it was broken by the foreword author of this book, Kilian Jornet. It is also the story of Borrowdale in the English Lake District, describing its people, their character and their lifestyle, into which fellrunning is unmistakably woven. Filled with stories of competition and rich in northern humour, All or Nothing At All is testimony to the life spent in the fells by one of their greatest champions, Billy Bland.

One of the most colourful and controversial characters in Welsh rugby history, Mike 'Spikey' Watkins remains the only player since 1882 to captain Wales on his debut, and win. Discarded by Cardiff RFC and banned by the WRU after the infamous 'Hookers Night Out' incident in November 1978, Spikey, who had regularly played for the Wales B team and was understudy to Bobby Windsor, thought his chance of a prized Welsh cap has disappeared. In this brutally frank and hard-hitting autobiography, 'Spikey' Watkins, the loveable rogue of Welsh rugby, lifts the lid on his roller-coaster playing career and explains how he fought back against the 'blazer-brigade' he despised, returned to captain a hugely successful Newport team and finally got the call from the WRU, due to public pressure from the supporters who adored him, to captain his country to victory against Ireland in 1984.

It is rare in modern football that a player becomes synonymous with a club but through the 70s and 80s Steve Perryman was the heart and soul of Tottenham Hotspur. Loyal, loved by the fans and trusted by his managers and players the Spurs Captain became the club's record appearance maker, won two UEFA cups, two FA Cups and two League cups. In doing so he endeared himself to a generation of fans as the leader and face of club that, while not always successful, was always entertaining and gave its all on the pitch. In this new autobiography Steve recalls his time at Tottenham, the players he shared the dressing room with, the managers he learnt from (including the great Bill Nicholson) and the colourful adversaries he squared up to on the pitch. He also tells of his time in management, including his spell working with Ossie Ardiles at Spurs under the chairmanship of the controversial Alan Sugar and his successful period in Japan where he won the League Championship. As honest and uncompromising in his book as he was as a player this is a must read for all football fans who recall fondly the era of muddy pitches and approachable players but also for those who want to understand more about the 'beautiful game'.

Walter "Smokey" Alston is best known for his long and successful tenure as manager of the Dodgers-first in Brooklyn, then in Los Angeles. Yet few fans are aware of his years in the minors, where he honed the skills that would make him famous. Raised in rural Ohio, Alston graduated from Miami University, where he was noticed by scouts for the St. Louis Cardinals. Signed in 1935, he played on minor league teams in the Cardinals' system. He went to bat in the majors just once-and struck out. But Cardinals President Branch Rickey recognized other talents in Alston and made him a player-manager for several clubs. He steadily produced winning teams and in 1946 led the racially integrated Nashua "Little" Dodgers to a championship. In 1953, he was tapped to run the big club and over the next 23 seasons led the Dodgers to nine pennants and four World Series wins. This book traces Alston's rise through the minor and major leagues to become a Hall of Famer with more than 2000 career wins.

A story about running away, crashing through and hitting my stride

When the whole world seems set against you, how you keep the negative voice out of your head?

Candice Warner knows all about the damaging consequences of living life in front of the cameras and has learned a lot about how to insulate from the worst of public life - for herself, as a wife and partner, and as a mother. Growing up with, competing in and living among some of the most abrasive environments, Candice has had her integrity attacked, her worth questioned, and her decisions, body and mind judged. But she has never been stronger or more determined to forge the space she and her family need to be safe, and to live a life filled with love, purpose, ambition and optimism.

Candid, raw and uplifting, Candice tells it straight - about the ugly, bruising pivotal moments that almost broke her, to the extraordinary turning points that buoyed her ... and the saving grace of the transformative, regenerative power of running.

From her beginnings as Australia's youngest Ironwoman and the joys and heartbreak of elite sport, to being publicly shamed as a woman, and her crucial role in Australia's most successful and highest profile partnership, Running Strong is Candice's story - about climbing back from rock bottom, the power of creating precious sanctuary for yourself and protecting the people closest to you.

What baseball player had more hits than Babe Ruth, a better batting average than Willie Mays, a better slugging average than Ty Cobb, and more bases on balls than Stan Musial? This is the inspirational story of Melvin Thomas Ott, who at the strapping age of sixteen became a major league baseball player under the tutelage of the legendary manager of the New York Giants, John McGraw. Beyond the statistical record of this truly great baseball player, this book focuses on Mel Ott's personal life, his strong family ties, and the contributions which he made to the game of baseball. This volume is enhanced by intimate contact with the Ott family, particularly his daughters Lyn and Barbara, both of whom contributed to the story.

Jonathan Trott was England's rock during one of the most successful periods in the team's history - he scored a century on debut to clinch the Ashes in 2009, and cemented his position as their pivotal batsman up to and beyond the team's ascendancy to the number 1 ranked test team in 2011. Yet shortly after reaching those heights, he started to crumble, and famously left the 2012-13 Ashes tour of Australia suffering from a stress related illness. His story is the story of Team England - it encompasses the life-cycle of a team that started out united by ambition, went on to achieve some of the greatest days in the team's history but then, bodies and minds broken, fell apart amid acrimony. Having seen all of this from the inside, Jonathan's autobiography takes readers to the heart of the England dressing room, and to the heart of what it is to be a professional sportsman. Not only does it provide a unique perspective on a remarkably successful period in English cricket and its subsequent reversal, it also offers a fascinating insight into the rewards and risks faced as a sportsman carrying the hope and expectation of a team and a nation. And it's a salutary tale of the dangers pressure can bring in any walk of life, and the perils of piling unrealistic expecations on yourself.

My Time At Bat is one man's tale of success in a career where the odds were clearly not in his favor - in Major League Baseball. Chuck Hinton takes us down the road to the big league, over every bump and hurdle along the way. He took a chance and hitchhiked 300 miles for a baseball tryout and made it. He reveals his secrets about how he stayed there for eleven years. But this book offers much more. Chuck Hinton persevered just as much off the field. He offers many principles to live by that will benefit everyone, male or female, in any walk of life. After all, it was important to him to be more than a Major League player. He strove to be a Major Person in everything he did. In the early '60s, he led the Senators in batting three out of the four seasons he played for the team. He also led that team in stolen bases and triples all four years. His Minor League career highlights include 1959 Rookie of the Year, back-to-back league batting championships and league Most Valuable Player. As you embark on his journey, you will see what it was like to be in the Major Leagues- and what it took to stay there. lessons, this book is sure to be a hit for players and fans alike.

The inspirational story of African American trailblazer Kenny Washington, the first player to reintegrate the NFL. On September 29, 1946, football star Kenny Washington made history. When he trotted onto the field for the Los Angeles Rams, Washington broke the color barrier in the NFL. In Walking Alone: The Untold Journey of Football Pioneer Kenny Washington, Dan Taylor reveals Washington's immeasurable impact on his sport and beyond. Legends of the game hailed Washington as one of the greatest players in football history. He was also a baseball star, and Taylor recounts never-before-told details of the efforts to make Washington the first Black player in big league baseball along with Jackie Robinson. Taylor also delves into the heinous verbal and physical abuse Washington was subjected to, his refusal to play in the South, and how he positively impacted ignorant teammates and rivals through his character and talent. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, there was no more popular athlete in Los Angeles than Kenny Washington. Walking Alone chronicles for the first time the life story of this trailblazing football legend.

Six-time world surfing champion, actor, and US heart-throb Kelly Slater tells of the struggles and triumphs he's experienced throughout his life and how they have helped him to become one of the world's most loved sports figures. From beach blanket bingo to Baywatch, surfing has fascinated people for years, and Kelly Slater is the sport's newest star. He's one of the world's most popular surfers; his radical moves have revolutionised the sport. Born in Cocoa Beach, Florida, in 1972, he found surfing to be a great way to escape problems at home. When he was 11, his parents divorced. Slater and his brother, Sean, were raised by their suddenly single mother, who struggled to support two young sons. After Slater's surfing career took off, he made the transition into acting and modelling. He spent a season starring on the popular television show Baywatch, where he won the hearts of women young and old, including Pamela Anderson, whom he dated for about a year. He has also been featured in Versace ads. In Pipe Dreams, he shares the stories that have influenced his life and have inspired him to overcome both personal and professional hurdles and achieve his dreams.

Drawing on the unique resources of the Racing Post, the tale of one of the sport's most popular racehorses is told. Since almost literally bursting onto the scene in the 2010 Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, when an unconsidered 40/1 shot, he hasn't left the Racing public's affections. Charismatic connections have helped colour the story but it is the achievement on the racecourse, the toughness in battle and the willingness to do it all over again, year in year out, even after that crunching, "million pound fall" in the 2016 Gold Cup. that has garnered this horse such a remarkable following. With the blessing and help of the Bishops (Cue Card's owners), plus the most heartfelt work of the Racing Post's formidable writers through the years, a fitting tribute is produced to a really special horse.

How did a young boy born into poverty become not only an international soccer star but a celebrity who visited and dined with kings and presidents? Where did the passion that fueled his success originate? This book examines the life of Pele to find the answers. Pele is not simply an extraordinarily talented athlete who achieved incredible success on the soccer field; his performances inspired millions of soccer fans as well as individuals outside the sport around the world. During the peak of his career, Pele was arguably the most famous person in the world-at a time when there was no Internet or social media to help build sweeping international awareness of a pop star. This work is the most up-to-date examination of Pele's life, covering his personal history from childhood, his star-studded career as a multi-time World Cup champion playing for Brazil, his experiences in the United States playing for the New York Cosmos, as well as Pele's more recent, current, and future activities as ambassador for Brazil when it hosts the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016. All readers-ranging from the completely uninitiated who do not even recognize Pele's name, to die-hard soccer fans and players-will gain a full appreciation of the greatest soccer player of all time. Provides detailed information about Pele's life and amazing career that reveals the unique mindset that was instrumental to his success, allowing readers to fully appreciate how special and inspirational this athlete's accomplishments were Supplies insights into how Pele singlehandedly brought more worldwide attention to soccer and helped spawn professional soccer-and generate a true fanbase for the sport of soccer in general-in the United States

Dick Bosman's career in Major League Baseball as a player and coach has spanned more than 50 years. He pitched eleven seasons in the American League, was the Major League pitching coach for multiple teams, and has served as a minor league pitching coordinator for the Tampa Bay Rays since 2001. Throughout his years in baseball, Bosman has developed a distinct pitching philosophy and astute insights into the cat-and-mouse game between hitter and pitcher. In Dick Bosman on Pitching: Lessons from the Life of a Major League Ballplayer and Pitching Coach, author Ted Leavengood examines Bosman's life in baseball, from his winning the ERA title in the American League in 1969 and his no-hitter in 1974 to his current coaching position with the Tampa Bay Rays. For those wanting an inside look at the essentials of pitching, Leavengood includes insights and tips from Bosman throughout the book, compiled through hours of personal interviews. Bosman has worked for and with some of the best pitchers and coaches in major league baseball, and he not only shares stories from their time together but also the many things he learned from them about the game. Dick Bosman has found enormous success working with young ballplayers at all levels and fostered innovations-such as his signature slide step-that have impacted pitching in today's game. With personal anecdotes from Bosman, his teammates, and those he coached, Dick Bosman on Pitching will entertain and inform young pitchers as well as baseball fans of all generations.

The number of athletes who have died competing in the sport of motor racing, including amateurs and professionals around the world, stretches into the thousands. Despite the danger, drivers continue to compete day in and day out for the thrill and joy of the race. In Taken by Speed: Fallen Heroes of Motor Sport and Their Legacies, Connie Ann Kirk pays tribute to professional racing drivers who died while competing in the sport they loved. Covering tragedies from 1955 to the present, Kirk carefully reflects on the legacies of the racers and the impact of the tragic events, including on safety regulations, innovations, and on society as a whole. Drivers and incidents covered in this book include the 24 Heures du Mans race of 1955 where over 80 people died; the 1964 crash at the Indianapolis 500 that stopped the race for the first time in history; and the tragic losses of racers Ayrton Senna, Dale Earnhardt, Alberto Ascari, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, Gilles Villeneuve, Francois Cevert, Dan Wheldon, Justin Wilson, and Jules Bianchi. Taken by Speed features exclusive interviews with legends of motor sport-Mario Andretti, Derek Bell, Sir Stirling Moss, Bobby Rahal, Brian Redman, and Sir Jackie Stewart-who raced in the sport's most dangerous era. It also includes timelines of safety improvements in the sport and key moments in motor sport history. Using motor sports as its lens, this book explores moving stories of what it means to pursue a life's passion with unwavering drive, commitment, and courage.

'an enjoyable and interesting journey through football' Donald McRae, The Guardian 'This is really good. Raw, funny and revealing on football, on Ferguson, Clough, Dalglish & worth getting for the Roy Keane selfie story alone. Emotional on his ITV exit. Talent like Tyldesley's appeals to all ages.' Henry Winter 'Started reading this and couldn't stop ... wise and entertaining on the big names and games. Clever work.' Paul Hayward 'Clive Tyldesley's brilliant, emotive commentaries became the soundtrack to matches that will stay with the fans for the rest of their lives.' Oliver Holt Football changes everything. It changes how we feel, how we think, how we behave. It turns us into someone else. You love your team first. It's tribal. Except I did love something else. I loved the idea of commentating on my team, on every team. I loved it even more than my team. I ditched the girl next door for the diva on the silver screen. Like all true romances, it was irrational and intoxicating, it was tangled and foolish, it became addictive and occasionally heart-breaking and it kept on changing. Two United goals inside two minutes changed it in 1999. A teenage Evertonian called Rooney twisted the plot in 2002. Three Liverpool goals in less than six minutes changed everything again in 2005. Hello, hello. Moments. Mere blinks of wide eyes. Football happens in heartbeats. Meeting those moments is my job. Seeing them, saying them, spelling out the difference they have just made. It's all I've ever wanted to do. Probably all I can do. Spending time in the company of the 'greats' of football like Sir Alex Ferguson, Bill Shankly, Brian Clough and Sir Kenny Dalglish has changed everything for me, and probably for you too.