Named a Best Baseball Book of 2020 by Sports Collectors Digest New York Times 2020 Summer Reading List From the day he first stepped into the Yankee clubhouse, Jim Bouton (1939-2019) was the sports world's deceptive revolutionary. Underneath the crew cut and behind the all-American boy-next-door good looks lurked a maverick with a signature style. Whether it was his frank talk about player salaries and mistreatment by management, his passionate advocacy of progressive politics, or his efforts to convince the United States to boycott the 1968 Olympics, Bouton confronted the conservative sports world and compelled it to catch up with a rapidly changing American society. In Bouton: The Life of a Baseball Original, Mitchell Nathanson gives readers a look at Bouton's remarkable life. He tells the unlikely story of how Bouton's Ball Four, perhaps the greatest baseball book of all time, came into being, how it was received, and how it forever changed the way we view not only sports books but professional sports as a whole. Based on wide-ranging interviews Nathanson conducted with Bouton, family, friends, and others, he provides an intimate, inside account of Bouton's life. Nathanson provides insight as to why Bouton saw the world the way he did, why he was so different from the thousands of players who came before him, and how, in the cliquey, cold, bottom-line world of professional baseball, Bouton managed to be both an insider and an outsider all at once.

The story of how one small boy's near impossible dream became a reality. Growing up in poverty in the austere 1950s Fife coalfield, Tommy Hutchison had an unshakable belief that one day he would wear the dark blue shirt of Scotland. To an outsider it seemed an improbable ambition. Too weak to cross a ball from the byline to the goal area, the teenage Hutchison was overlooked by his teachers and never made the school football team. Through sheer determination, an indomitable spirit and hour upon hour of lonely practice, the adolescent Tommy was finally noticed by his local team, and his journey to Hampden and World Cup glory began. Tommy's football genius ultimately took him all over the world to play with and against some of the greatest footballers of the 1970s and 80s in a career spanning four amazing decades. Hutch, Hard Work and Belief is the funny yet inspiring story of how the seemingly unattainable can be achieved by unwavering, resolute self-belief.

Set against the background of the Great Depression, this book looks at the life of Ralph Guldahl, who for a brief period in the 1930s was recognized as the best golfer in the world. From 1936 to 1940, he won two successive U.S. Opens, one Masters title and three successive Western Opens, held the best scoring average award and was a Ryder Cup player with a 100 percent record. After this memorable run, he ""lost his game"" and almost disappeared from view. This biography is the first to trace the rise and decline of his career and answer the question: ""What happened to Ralph Guldahl?

This first biography of four-time all-star Al Rosen covers the career of perhaps the best player on the fabulous Cleveland Indians' teams of the 1950s. From 1951 to 1956, the Tribe won one American League pennant (1954) and finished second to New York the other five seasons. Rosen was selected as the League's Most Valuable Player in 1953, the last Indians' player to be so honored. He led the League in home runs (43) and RBI (145). Washington's Mickey Vernon edged Rosen by a single percentage point (.337 to .336) for the league batting championship. His play between the white lines was not the only place where Rosen left his mark on the game. He spent 14 seasons as a President/General Manager for the New York Yankees (1978-1979), Houston Astros (1981-1985) and the San Francisco Giants (1986-1992). Under his guidance, those teams won two pennants and one world championship. Rosen is the only person in Major League Baseball history (since 2020) to win an MVP award as a player and to be recognized as Executive of the Year by The Sporting News (1987).

Inside Diego is an intimate portrait of the greatest footballer of all time, from the person in football who knew him best. As Diego Maradona's personal trainer, Fernando Signorini spent more than a decade at the superstar's side, witnessing a dizzying array of highs and lows, from helping Diego recuperate from a broken ankle in 1983 to his dramatic exit from the 1994 World Cup after a failed drugs test. Signorini offers a unique perspective on the troubled legend, giving us the lowdown not only on Diego's evolution as an athlete, but on Diego the human being, a far cry from the character we saw on TV screens. He brings us the inside track on Maradona's preparation for three World Cups: Mexico 86, Italia 90 and USA 94. We also get an insider view on his battles with fame, drugs and extramarital paternity, plus his time in charge of the Argentine national team. Brimming with incredible stories and anecdotes, Inside Diego is an intensely personal rollercoaster account of a flawed football genius.

He is the goal-scoring legend of the Treble Triumph, a local hero in Manchester and back home in Norway. But when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was announced in December 2018 as interim Manchester United manager, his only Premier League experience was overseeing Cardiff City's relegation. After a dismal time following Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, could he really be the one to see the club challenge again for major honours? It all started so well - a record-breaking run of victories, Solskjaer seemingly the antidote to the confusion of Moyes, the stagnation of Van Gaal, the trauma of Mourinho, and the permanent job was secured. His first full season in charge was a bumpy ride, but Solskjaer steered the club to three semi-finals and a creditable third-place finish. He has reinvigorated players like Luke Shaw, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford, given opportunities to newcomers such as Mason Greenwood, and brought in fresh talent in the shape of Bruno Fernandes, Edinson Cavani and Harry Maguire. In this updated edition, Jackson reveals how Solskjaer inspired United back into title contention once again during 2020-21, also taking them to a European final. In The Red Apprentice, Jamie Jackson takes the reader back to Solskjaer's early days in Norway to discover the making of the man. He relives his extraordinary playing career and that goal in the Champions League final of 1999, exploring his move into coaching and seeks an answer to the vital question: can he do it? Can Ole Gunnar Solskjaer draw on his experience and knowledge of the United way and bring the club its 21st league title?

The King of Dens Park is the authorised life story of Alan Gilzean, the legendary, world-class Dundee, Spurs and Scotland footballer. Exclusive insights provided by his family, closest friends and colleagues add to the author's own experience to reveal Gilzean, the man and the player. A reserved, charming and intelligent individual who shunned the limelight off the field, Gilzean played with a swagger as a maker and taker of goals. We discover how the native of the Perthshire town of Coupar Angus became one of the greatest performers in the history of both his clubs. Gilzean emerged a Scottish folk hero having scored the winning goal against England in front of 133,000 at Hampden Park - and was later welcomed back with open arms by the game after ending a self-imposed exile during which the uninformed conjured often defamatory myths. The elegant striker dubbed 'Nureyev in Boots' left us on Sunday, 8 July 2018. There will never be another like him.

This first biography of W. Glenn Killinger highlights his tenure as a nine-time varsity letterman at Penn State, where he emerged as one of the best football, basketball and baseball players in the U.S. Situating Killinger in his time and place, the author explores the ways in which home-front culture during World War I-focused on heroism, masculinity and sporting culture-created the demand for sports and sports icons and drove the ascent college athletics in the first quarter of the 20th century.

When African American first baseman George "Boomer" Scott made his debut in the major leagues in 1966, he took the field for the Boston Red Sox--the last major league team to field a black ballplayer, only seven years before. An eight-time Gold Glove Award winner, a three-time All-Star, and an important member of the Red Sox 1967 Impossible Dream American League Champions, Scott stroked 271 "taters"--a term he coined for home runs that has been memorialized in baseball lexicon. Yet throughout his career, the outspoken player faced an ongoing struggle to gain racial acceptance. This detailed biography chronicles Scott's youth in violently racist Mississippi, his impressive 14-year professional career, and the challenges he faced off the field. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews with the former slugger, this work celebrates one of Boston's legends and reveals the barriers that still existed for black ball players years after Jackie Robinson paved the way.

When Bob "Bull" Watson was hired as general manager of the New York Yankees in 1996, his orders were to give the club a title it had not had since 1977 and 1978 World Series Champions -- to do it as soon as possible, preferably that same year. Watson survived that pressure just as he survived his bout with cancer and his difficult climb out of the minor leagues in the racially turbulent 1960s. "After 32 years in baseball .. surviving may be the one thing I do best." Interwoven with his life story is an informative and entertaining discussion of all things baseball -- how a hitter thinks, how to build a powerful ball club, how to manage the personalities and egos in the game, and how the game has changed over the years.

Many books have been written about the 1966 World Cup but this one is different. Brian Scovell was the only national newspaper sports writer-for the 'Daily Sketch'-to report on both the World Cup and the England v West Indies series dominated by Gary Sobers. He had full access to the heroes like Bobby Charlton, who was nearly run over on the day of the Final, Bobby Moore, who was sacked by West Ham just before the event and reinstated, Eusebio, Alf Ramsey, Colin Cowdrey, Tom Graveney, Brian Close, Ken Barrington, Wes Hall and all the leading figures. He contrasts these stirring and sportsmanlike happenings against what is occurring now-greed and corruption in football and the absence of genuine heroes in cricket. His 'on the spot reports' from his cuttings and the book he wrote on the Test series at the time, 'Everything that's cricket,' brings to life the action which captivated the nation. This is his 27th book and four of them have been short listed by the British Sports Books Award. After the 'Sketch' was merged with the 'Daily Mail' in 1971, he completed forty years with Associated Newspapers before retiring to write books.

Beginning in the late 1970s, "Gentleman" Gerry Cooney's professional boxing career was marked by exhilarating fights, exciting wins, and a powerful left hook. In 1982, Cooney landed a lucrative match against world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes on one of the biggest stages in championship boxing. Yet Cooney's bouts in the ring were nothing compared to the inner turmoil that he dealt with and eventually overcame. Gentleman Gerry: A Contender in the Ring, a Champion in Recovery chronicles the career of a boxing legend, the challenges and triumphs of a trauma survivor, and an alcoholic's journey to sustained recovery. Gerry Cooney and John Grady provide a detailed account of how the former contender went from an abused childhood to becoming a two-time Golden Gloves champion. More than just a biography, this book explores the challenges of surviving difficult moments and overcoming obstacles such as alcohol addiction. The authors also provide historical perspectives of the era and behind-the-scenes insight into the world of professional boxing. Complete with photographs from esteemed sports photographer Joe DiMaggio and stories directly from Cooney himself, this book offers an unprecedented look into Cooney's life and the lessons he learned. Fans of boxing, as well as sports enthusiasts and others recovering from addiction, will find Gentleman Gerry a must-read.

In 2014, Kevin Pietersen's autobiography was one of the most talked about sporting media stories of the year, largely due to the shockwaves it sent through the cricketing establishment. Now, Kevin turns his focus to events on the pitch, offering his views on what it takes to be a successful cricketer in the modern age. This summer's Ashes series has demonstrated just how demanding and unpredictable the game has become, and Kevin is ideally - perhaps uniquely - placed to comment on those developments. In KEVIN PIETERSEN ON CRICKET we'll see exactly how today's player approaches batting, bowling, bowling, captaincy, preparation, and many other aspects of the game itself, through the prism of the author's own experience. We'll see what it's like to face a bowler like Mitchell Johnson at his menacing best, learn how cricketers cope with the challenges presented by foreign climates and conditions, and gain a fresh understanding of how players manage the psychological side of the game.

This vivid portrait of Bart Giamatti encompasses his entire eventful life but focuses especially on his years at Yale University (1966-1986) and his brief career as a major league baseball executive (1986-1989). As scholar, teacher, and then university president, Giamatti was an admired and respected figure on campus. He forged his academic career during turbulent decades, and his tenure in baseball was no less contentious, for as commissioner of baseball he oversaw the banishment of Cincinnati's Pete Rose from the game for gambling. The book draws on Giamatti's numerous writings and speeches to illuminate the character and complexities of the man and to understand the values that motivated his leadership.
Bart Giamatti was a cultural conservative and institutional moderate at a time when such values were out of favor and under attack. At Yale, as a baseball executive, and indeed in all things, Giamatti championed the related values of freedom and order. Robert P. Moncreiff places Giamatti in the context of major events at Yale, recounts in detail the legal context in which the Pete Rose affair unfolded, and arrives at a nuanced understanding of this memorable man's life.

When UK Sport removed funding for women's BMX, Bethany Shriever's dream of Olympic glory seemed shattered. Throw in the impact of a broken leg sustained in childhood, plus an untimely arm injury weeks before the final Olympic qualification event, and few would have thought the 22-year-old would be on the plane to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, let alone the podium. And with the uncertainty caused by a global pandemic, the external pressures on Beth were intense and pervasive. However, the BMX racer from Essex is made of stern stuff and, perhaps just as importantly, so are the team around her. From her deeply involved family, to her dedicated coaching team, to her friends within the BMX community, Beth's story recognises the team behind an athlete. This compelling tale of triumph over adversity reveals how the power of belief overcame the obstacles that threatened to derail Bethany's dreams of becoming the best ever female BMX racer.

The 100 Greatest Jews in Sports takes the greatest Jewish athletes in all major sports from the past eleven decades and ranks them against each other, using a limited scope and quantitative criteria. Each decade has seen someone new emerge as the greatest Jewish athlete, from boxer Abe Attell to baseballs' Sandy Koufax and Ken Holtzman, to golf's Amy Alcott, to footballs' Harris Barton. Sports profiled include baseball, basketball, hockey, tennis, golf, auto racing, boxing, soccer, football, swimming, and many others. Silverman takes a scholarly approach to ensure reliability and validity of the statistics given. The author identified the most common categories of statistics in which the highest paid athletes in all sports had excelled, and he assigned numeric values to reflect the performance categories. That provided a proportional representation of the most important individual accomplishments in sports. By applying those numbers to the records of selected athletes, each was ranked against the other. Additionally, the author asked selected experts of each sport to perform the same ranking with no specific criteria, and the results were the same. Filled with historic photographs of the athletes profiled, and interspersed with interesting tidbits of each athlete's personal life and career, this book is certain to be of interest to the casual to serious sports enthusiast alike.

The seven-foot Dirk Nowitzki is one of the greatest players in basketball history. The Dallas Maverick's legend revolutionized the sport, redefining the role of the big man in the modern game. Dirk moved differently: flexible and fast, confident and in control. He thought differently, too. On the court, his shots were masterful-none more venerated than his signature one-legged flamingo fadeaway, a move that lives on in the repertoire of today's most skilled NBA players. How did this lanky kid from the German suburbs become an all-time top ten scorer and NBA champion? How can a superstar stay so humble? Award-winning novelist and sportswriter Thomas Pletzinger spent over seven years traveling with Nowitzki. He witnessed Dirk's summer workouts, involving fingertip pushups and the study of the physics, and spent days discussing literature and philosophy with Holger Geschwindner, Dirk's enigmatic mentor and coach. Watching Nowitzki in empty gyms and in packed arenas with 30,000 fans, Pletzinger began to understand how Dirk and Holger's philosophical insights on performance, creativity, and freedom enabled his success and longevity. The Great Nowitzki tells Dirk's dramatic story like never before. Pletzinger describes Dirk's youth in small-town Germany, follows the steep learning curve of Dirk's early seasons, the devastating Finals loss to the Miami Heat, and the triumphant championship five years later. Traveling with Dirk in his final seasons, Pletzinger immerses himself in the community of people impacted by Nowitzki's game, interviewing everyone from average fans in Dallas and security guards at the arena to front office executives and Hall of Fame teammates, who reflect on what Dirk's career means to the next generation of ballplayers. And to the game itself. A masterpiece of sports writing that reads like a novel, The Great Nowitzki brims with a fan's passion. Pletzinger shows how strongly basketball influences our imagination and the extraordinary journey an icon like Dirk Nowitzki must take to reach the pinnacle of the game.

During the more than one hundred years that baseball has been our national pastime, all types of individuals have been managers of teams. They have run the gamut from political appointees to tyrants, schemers, incompetents and geniuses. Legendary baseball stars have been managers such as Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Walter Johnson, Mel Ott, George Sisler, and Honus Wagner. And Mediocre players, including Branch Rickey, Earl Weaver, Walter Alston have become managers. Antics galore have accentuated managerial behavior: the pratfalls of Charley Grimm in the third-base coaching box; the umbrella-carrying Frankie Frisch arguing with the umpires that a game should be called; the cap twisting, body-gyrating movements of Earl Weaver, puffing cigarettes in the dugout and attempting to use body language to will his players to perform better. Idiosyncrasies and special styles have characterized managers through the years. An entire collection of one-liners has developed over the years to characterize the managing profession. For trivia buffs, there's an entire world of statistical records about managers. This books attempts to capture the style and substance of some of the greatest managers of all time. An effort has been made to give representation to the different eras of baseball, the various managing styles, and all the nuances and nostalgia that shape this fascinating subject.