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Books > Language & Literature > Biography & autobiography > Sport
In Copying It Down, Harvey Dorfman recounts his experiences in the
world of sports. From his childhood sickbed, Dorfman went on to
achieve a myriad of successes, including goalie on a national
co-champion soccer team and coach of a high school basketball team
that won a state championship, and is a possessor of four World
Series Rings (three with Oakland; and one with Florida). He
eventually attained a status of world renown in the field of sport
psychology. Here, in the second of three volumes, Dorfman shares
anecdotes that include the fourteen years spent in the dugouts of
three major league teams. The book concludes in 1998, when his
professional associations with major league baseball organizations
ended.
When Peter Minto first discovered the name of F N S Creek, he began
to unravel a forgotten legend of British football. He soon found
that there was far more to this man than it seemed...When the First
World War broke out, F N S Creek found himself battling in the
squalid trenches of Flanders and soon transferred into the Royal
Flying Corps performing dangerous aerial reconnaissance and bombing
missions behind enemy lines, eventually earning a military cross
for his contributions. Despite the short life expectancy of
aircrew, Creek returned to England to study at Trinity College,
Cambridge, and there he first discovered his talent for football. F
N S Creek quickly grew to celebrity status with his spectacular
scoring ability, earning caps for England and later going on to
coach the Olympic team for sixteen years. Throughout his career he
revolutionised the coaching of football throughout the nation
whilst also becoming a successful cricketer, writer, journalist and
broadcaster. In this extensively-researched biography of a
forgotten legend of English football, Peter Minto presents the
remarkable life of F N S Creek.
'If you were expecting to read Razor's views on politics then
you're going to be disappointed. Anybody who wants to read that
needs help! This is yours truly talking about some of the
experiences that have helped to create the absolute legend that is
moi. Some of the tales involve a bit of mischief and most involve a
drink or two. Most importantly, though, they're all a bit of a
laugh so I'd settle down and have yourself a nice little read' The
two things Razor Ruddock can't resist in life are a pint and a
dare. That and seventeen years as a professional footballer under
his belt means he's got a story or two to tell. Chickening out of a
fight with Eric Cantona, robbing Alan Shearer's minibar, cinema
trips with Gazza, becoming mates with Ian Wright - Razor has seen
and done it all. Packed full of hilarious anecdotes, Razor gives us
his take on the beautiful game, sharing his tactics (good banter is
a defender's duty), red mist (and red cards) on the pitch, run-ins
with the FA and his theory as to why Ingerland never do as well as
we'd like, as well as his best ever goal and the greatest night of
his sporting life. Razor also lifts the lid on his bad reputation
and reveals his regrets, his heroes, his greatest fears (notably
upsetting the missus) and what it takes to make Britain's hardest
footballer cry. Poignantly, he shares his views on the importance
of family and his concerns over footballers' mental health. And the
biggest surprise of all: that he was a shy and retiring young lad
(and that his love of swearing comes from his mum). Cameo
appearances include: Bobby Robson, Diego Maradona, Eric Cantona,
Dennis Bergkamp, Harry Redknapp, David Beckham, Alan Shearer,
Gazza, Jimmy Case, Phil 'The Power' Taylor, Robbie Williams and
Nelson Mandela ('Nelse'). With his trademark sense of humour and
foot-in-mouth disease, The World According to Razor is like having
a pint down the pub with Razor himself.
Billy Southworth was the most successful major league baseball
manager of the 1940s including the three straight years in which
his St. Louis Cardinal teams won more than 100 games. He won three
National League pennants with the Cardinals and one with the Boston
Braves, and his .597 winning percentage is the fifth highest in
baseball history. But Southworth was dogged by demons off the
field, including the deaths of three children. On the field, his
achievements were minimised by many because they occurred during
the war years when the baseball talent level was below par. When he
finally got top recognition, being elected to the Hall of Fame in
2007, the honour occurred 38 years after his death.
'Sunny' Jim Young is reckoned by some Celtic historians to be the
greatest Celt of them all, winning nine League Championships (three
as captain) and six Scottish Cups. Amazingly, he was only capped
once for Scotland, and his tragic death aged only forty plunged the
whole of Scottish football into sadness. This book profiles the
life and career of a Parkhead legend.
Paperback edition available October, 2003. Billy Sunday was among
the greatest of American evangelists. During the first quarter of
the twentieth century his sermons reached hundreds of thousands of
people, and he was widely quoted and admired. He was an influential
social leader who supported and popularized conservative causes,
and he was an ardent champion of Prohibition. But this was not all
Billy Sunday was noted for. He was also well known as a former
professional baseball player. During the heyday of Ty Cobb and
Christy Matthewson, he set base-stealing records in the 1880s and
to have been the first baseball player to refuse to play on
Sundays. Many say his reputation as a baseball player was not
rightfully deserved. Although his skill alone may not have topped
the charts, he was exceptional in his personality, behavior and
exciting style of play. In this work, Wendy Knickerbocker explores
Sunday's professional baseball career to examine the coming of age
of an interesting and important character in American history.
Detail is given to the entirety of his career as well as his
playing style. She includes his struggles and accomplishments in
his professional career as well as his religious one. A
bibliography encourages further reference.
Tony Kelly was football crazy from the age of seven. At sixteen
Nyrere Anthony Kelly was the youngest ever player in the first team
at Bristol City and in his twenties he went professional, playing
for clubs such as Stoke City, Cardiff City, Leyton Orient and Bury
in the second and third divisions of the Football League and
starring in a Swedish side. But his blossoming soccer career was
marred by a series of mishaps and misdeeds which drove him to
disaster. Ruined by an addiction to gambling, he lost his job, his
career, his partner and all his money. Now he has written his story
- as Kelly puts it, to "invite the public, my family and my friends
into my secret hell of racism, despair, depression, stardom,
gambling addiction and ultimately self-destruction". Red Card is a
tragic yet uplifting story of a sportsman's battle with his demons,
on and off the pitch. Published with the kind assistance of the
Professional Footballers' Association
Step back in time to the thrilling year of 1912, where rugby forged its indomitable spirit, and a legendary team emerged to win all five of the international matches they played. "The Forgotten Springboks" takes you on a voyage with this iconic South African national rugby team, as they embark on an extraordinary tour of England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Led by Billy Millar, the tour captain, the Springboks embarked on a quest that would forever change the course of rugby's narrative. As they set foot on foreign soil, they were met with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, but these determined men were ready to showcase the strength of their spirit and the finesse of their game. Yet this remained unrecorded, until now.
The book delves into the heart-stopping moments on the field, where every try, every scrum, and every tackle took the spectators' breath away. With unparalleled unity and skill, the Springboks defeated their opponents, carving a path of triumph wherever they went. Each match was a test of their mettle, and each victory became a testament to their unwavering determination.
Beyond the rugby pitches, the book offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of these remarkable individuals who went on to become soldiers, farmers, miners, and doctors who faced major adversity.
Buck Ewing (1859-1906) was regarded by contemporaries as the
greatest catcher and all-around player of his era, though he is
virtually forgotten today. A lifetime .300-hitter, he played every
position on the diamond and led the league in fielding at two
different positions. The first hitter to reach double digits in
home runs, Ewing once stole six bases in a game, pioneered the snap
forearm throw to catch runners napping, averaged 35 steals a
season, and is the only catcher to lead his team in stolen bases
(53 in 1888). Off the field, Ewing's personality proved as
multifaceted as his playing skills. Considered both affable and
modest, he still received criticism from fellow players for
negotiating contracts directly with the National League and was
accused of faking injuries. This revealing biography provides a
detailed exploration of Ewing's life and career, shedding new light
on one of baseball's most talented and versatile players.
Johnny 'Budgie' Byrne played for Crystal Palace, Fulham and
England, as well as several clubs in South Africa, but he is most
associated with West Ham, where he delighted the fans as he made
goals, scored goals and put in fearless tackles. In the heady days
of the 1960s he was on a par with the greats: Bobby Moore, Geoff
Hurst, Martin Peters and Johnny Sissons. But Budgie was left out of
the squad for the 1962 World Cup in Chile, so in some ways he never
completely fulfilled his enormous potential. It was during Johnny
Byrne's time at West Ham that the club really built its reputation
for quality football. Loved by the fans, hated by the opposition,
he is widely thought to be one of the finest players ever to have
pulled on a claret and blue West Ham shirt. In this fascinating new
biography Brian Belton tells the story of Budgie's life and career,
focussing on the football and resisting the temptation to cast
Johnny as a 'loveable rogue' in the manner that others have written
about such famous subjects as Alex Higgins and George Best.There
was much more to Budgie than his life off the pitch, and this is a
book about a football hero who played like a demon and was adored
by the fans.
This is a paperback reprint - back due to popular demand. It
includes analysis of his greatest races and the changing technology
of his bikes. It is an in-depth, richly illustrated biography of
one of motorcycling's best-loved characters. Fourth in a series
intended to cover the careers of the world's greatest motorcycle
racing champions, "Bob McIntyre - The Flying Scot" tells the story
of the man who never actually won a world championship - but
certainly deserved to. In many ways he was the two-wheel equivalent
of car racing driver Stirling Moss, who is seen as one of the
greats in his sport although he never won an official world title.
Well over four decades since his untimely death, following an
accident that occurred while racing his 500cc Manx Norton at Oulton
Park, Cheshire in August 1962, Bob McIntyre's memory lives on. An
annual Bob McIntyre Memorial race meeting held at East Fortune
attracts racing enthusiasts from as far afield as Australia. Not
only was 'Bob Mac' a brilliantly gifted rider and self-taught
mechanic, he was also a man of the people, someone who would always
help a fellow competitor or take the time to sign an autograph or
chat to a fan. He was also honest, loyal and modest; his word was
his bond. Unlike the three riders already covered in this series,
John Surtees, Mike Hailwood and Giacomo Agostini, Bob Mac was very
much a self-made man; someone who started from the very bottom and
reached the very top in his chosen profession. He was the first man
to lap the Isle of Man TT circuit, the most fearsome in the world,
at over 100 mph; and this was just one of his great achievements.
This in-depth account of his career focusses on the bikes and the
races but also provides an insight in Bob's life away from the
track. Lavishly illustrated with many previously unpublished
photographs, it is a must-read for any motorcycling fan.
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