The complete, official history of the England football team as you've never seen it before! England: The Official History is a fascinating account of the world's oldest and most iconic national football team. * Includes England's fantastic performance at EURO 2020. * A great gift for any England fan. * Features more than 250 exceptional photographs of England icons past and present including Alf Ramsey, Bobby Charlton, Gary Lineker, Hope Powell, David Beckham, Steph Houghton and Harry Kane. * The complete story of the England men's and women's teams - from 1872 right up to the present day. * Written by award-winning journalist and author Daniel Storey in association with the FA and filled with incredible stories spanning 150 years of England football. The book charts the highs (and lows) of the England national teams and the men and women who've worn the Three Lions with pride. Each chapter delves into a specific era, covering key figures, famous and infamous matches, and the evolution of football over the course of more than a century and a half. This is the definitive visual history of English Football.

The Little Book of Man United is a collection of words of wit and wisdom by and about Manchester United's players, managers and officials past and present. Since the arrival of the Premier League, no club in England can match the Red Devils' 13 titles, two UEFA Champions League victories, the FIFA World Club Cup, six triumphs in the FA Cup, three in the League Cup and 11 in the FA Charity/Community Shield - and there was plenty more glory in the club's first 115 years too. From Alan Hansen's falsely prophetic 'You'll never win anything with kids' to Eric Cantona's existentialist aphorism on the theme of seagulls, sardines and trawlers, the book contains more than 170 Red Devilish football quotes. Each quote is attributed to its source and, where appropriate, entries will be accompanied by explanatory asides and/or supporting statistics. Broken down into seven chapters, each one focuses on what makes being a supporter of Manchester United FC such a special experience.

Inside you'll find: a punchy, rabidly red-eyed review of every single match and goal, from the Reading false start to the Wigan and Moscow highs. It is an entertaining, minute-by-minute guide to the matches that really mattered - Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona, Wigan and Chelsea.It contains all the season's best quotes from everyone from Ferguson and Crerand to the dreaded Scousers. And, uniquely, it also contains a round-up of all the news, jokes, gossip and rumours affecting both United and our fiercest rivals between matches. Most season reviews follow the same old blueprint of stats and dry match reports. "Destination Moscow" is a book for everyone who lives and breathes United, not just on match day but every single day

"Olympic Obsession" brings to life the personalities behind British rowing's incredible success story at the Sydney Games. Set to a compelling narrative, the book unfolds against the story of Martin Cross, himself an Olympic champion, turned BBC commentator. Cross' unique relationship with the sport over the last 30 years allows him to take us under the skin of the likes of Sir Steven Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent, and Miriam Batten. What is Redgrave really like to be with? Cross, Pinsent and a resentful Andy Holmes have their say. Why was Foster the only one who seemed to smile during the BBC's fly-on-the-wall "Tales of Gold" documentary? How was it that the British eight's gold medal depended on a man given only a few months to live in March 1997? Cross answers all these questions and many more, through a fascinating story that begins over 25 years ago. With a foreword written by BBC Radio Five Live's controversial commentator Alan Green, "Olympic Obsession" will appeal to all sports lovers, as Cross takes us from the 'highs' of winning Olympic gold, through the depths of personal failure, to giving a flavour of the heady brew that results when sport and politics are mixed at the highest levels. But the Inside Story of Britain's Most Successful Sport is much more than just 'another book on sport'. The intensity, passion and depth of the many relationships sensitively described here by Cross will sound a powerful note in any reader's heart. As you turn the pages, take care: you may find the inspiration in this book infectious.

Plymouth Argyle Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the Pilgrims. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the 90-year-old director who was registered as a squad member? How about the two London-born midfielders called Lee Hodges who both played for the club? Or the penalty kick that ended up in the hippo pen at Plymouth Zoo, Home Park's 70s neighbour? Do you know which Greens forward let young children swing from his outstretched arms? Which Pilgrim became a saint by saving a baby from drowning? Or how long Sean McCarthy wore his undergarments before celebrating his 200th goal? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any fan who holds the riches of green-and-white history close to their heart.

This is a book about football. It's about unconditional love for a club, even when it doesn't always seem to love you back. But it is also a book about much more than that. Anthony Clavane loves Leeds - certainly the football club, but also the city, and the tribes that make it. Now that he is an exile in the South, his frequent pilgrimages to the stadium speak for themselves. But he no less loves the rarely-glimpsed back-streets of his youth; and even has a feel for the long-gone slums where his ancestors once settled. Leeds is his promised land; idealised and unreachable, yet still it defines him. 'Sports writing at its very best' Daily Telegraph

"The Surfing Tribe" is the definitive story of the history of surfing in Britain. First published in 2009, this second edition has been significantly updated and expanded with an additional 32 pages and 60 new photos. Written by renowned surf historian Roger Mansfield, the book pieces together the origins and history of the sport around the country. All the key characters are profiled, from early pioneers like Rod Sumpter to international heroes on the pro circuit like Russell Winter. The book also charts the evolution of British surfboards and looks back at the films and magazines that have portrayed the British scene over the decades.

There are few football clubs in the world that attract as much interest in the modern game as Chelsea. Whether it is the latest observations from former coach Maurizio Sarri, his successor Frank Lampard, big-money transfer targets, the style of play or results in Europe, everybody thinks they know what's happening – or at least has an opinion on it. The arrival in 2003 of Russian billionaire tycoon Roman Abramovich as owner turned a glamorous club with a long history of under-achievement, into an international powerhouse. After one championship in 99 years, the Blues have, in a dozen years, won five Premier League titles, plus the UEFA Champions League, two UEFA Europa League titles, five FA Cups and three Football League Cups. The club always was a magnet for well-known names – vaudeville legend George Robey played for the Pensioners in the club's earliest days – and, in the modern era, Stamford Bridge has become home to a dazzling array of world stars. From Ron 'Chopper' Harris and Ken Bates through Ruud Gullit, Roberto Di Matteo and Glenn Hoddle to Jose Mourinho, John Terry, Zola, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard, there is no lack of characters to draw on for quotes.

On 25 March 1876, the Football Association of Wales played its inaugural match, against Scotland in Glasgow. On that day 11 intrepid footballers became the first of over 700 players to proudly represent the senior men's team of the world's third oldest football nation. Sons of Cambria is the first volume of a landmark three-part collection that will feature every footballer capped for Wales' senior men's team since 1876 and is the essential reference guide for all followers of Welsh international football. Listed in the order in which they won their caps, every player has for the first time been assigned their unique player number, with Volume I containing biographical listings of the 374 players capped between 1876 and 1939 (as well as the 30 players who represented Wales in uncapped war-time matches) including photographs of almost all the players. In addition to the players, Sons of Cambria also lists every international match (capped and uncapped) played between 1876 and 1946, and includes team photographs from 38 of those games. Packed with incredible stories, fascinating facts and hundreds of photos, Sons of Cambria is a book all Welsh football fans will treasure.

The untold story of Real Madrid: one of the most incredible turnarounds in sports and business history. Real Madrid is the most successful sports team on the planet. The soccer club has more trophies than any other sports team, including 11 UEFA Champions League trophies. However, the story behind the triumph goes beyond the players and coaches. Generally unnoticed, a management team consisting mostly of outsiders took the team from near bankruptcy to the most valuable sports organization in the world. How did Real Madrid achieve such extraordinary success? Columbia Business School adjunct professor Steven G. Mandis investigates. Given unprecedented behind-the-scenes access, Mandis is the first researcher to rigorously ana- lyze both the on-the-field and business aspects of a sports team. What he learns is completely unexpected and challenges the conventional wisdom that moneyball-fueled data analytics are the primary instruments of success. Instead, Real Madrid's winning formula both on and off the field, from player selection to financial management, is based on aligning strategy with the culture and values of its fan base. Chasing the most talented (and most expensive) players can be a recipe for a winning record, but also financial disaster, as it was for Real Madrid in the late 1990s. Real Madrid's management believes that the club exists to serve the Real Madrid community. They discovered that its fans care more about why the team exists, how their club wins, and whom it wins with versus just winning. The why, how, and whom create a community brand and identity, and inspire extraordinary passion and loyalty, which has led to amazing marketing and commercial success--in turn, attracting and paying for the best players in the world, with the values the fans expect. The club's values and culture also provide a powerful environment for these best players to work together to win trophies. The Real Madrid Way explains how Real Madrid has created and maintains a culture that drives both financial and on-the-field success. This book is an engrossing account of the lifetime of one of the greatest clubs in the most popular sport in the world, and for business and organization leaders, it's an invaluable inside look at a compelling alternative model with lasting competitive advantages that can deliver superior and sustainable returns and performance.

Scotland: Club, Country, Collectables continues the authors' offbeat look at the issues and idiosyncrasies associated with Scottish international football. It's a celebration of the good, the bad and the mementoes treasured by fans irrespective of results. There's a flavour of the contributions made by our clubs - the players who became legends, those who tried hard, and others who merely tried our patience. A sideways look at Scottish football culture includes opposition teams and past tournaments, statistical overviews and memories full of typical Scottish weltschmerz and schadenfreude. The Road to Euro 2020 is covered, with clues offered as to whether Scotland can qualify for our first 'finals' in over 20 years - or will we achieve the rare distinction of being a host that fails to make it to our own party? While some Scotland supporters may only have tears for souvenirs, Club, Country, Collectables has everything from match programmes and trading cards to badges and beer labels, postcards, postage stamps and replica jerseys.

Harry Redknapp spent 15 years at AFC Bournemouth as a player, coach and manager, longer than at any other club in his colourful career in football. Despite this lengthy association, Redknapp's days at Dean Court have featured only fleetingly in his biographies to date. Now, with the co-operation of Harry himself, the tale of his rise from barely remembered player to the country's brightest young manager is told for the first time. Harry shot to fame when lowly Bournemouth dumped Manchester United out of the FA Cup, overcoming a backdrop of financial turmoil to guide the Cherries out of English football's third tier for the first time. He then bounced back from relegation and from almost losing his life to nurture his son, Jamie, from schoolboy sensation into one of Britain's most expensive teenage players. Featuring painstakingly researched archive material and interviews with team-mates, colleagues and friends, this is an inside account of Redknapp's years at Dean Court, as well as a history of two decades in the life of the Cherries.

'pulls no punches' The Sun 'full of eventful tales from the past' Daily Mail 'punchy, earthy ... entertaining stories that capture football in an era long before sanitised PR and Instagram self-promotion' The Independent From West Ham's cult hero, Julian Dicks, a hugely entertaining romp through football and the East End of the Eighties and Nineties. 'Cult figure' is a term hardly used in football these days: where have they all gone? In the sterile and corporate modern game, is there room for the mercurial midfielder or the tough-tackling defender or the pot-bellied goal poacher? Rewind two or three decades and British professional football was stuffed to the gunnels with these 'one-offs': players with bags of talent, yes, but also lorryloads of personality and a hugely relatable quality which meant they'd all be playing Sunday morning park football if they hadn't become professionals. No media training, no filter, no 5% body fat, no cryotherapy chambers, and no quiet nights in with a curly kale salad and a glass of carrot juice. Meet Julian Dicks. Wonderful name, wonderful player and undoubtedly one of the greatest cult figures to play for West Ham United. Hammer Time is Dicks' hugely entertaining romp through his career with West Ham, shot through with all the great anecdotes of life as a pro back then, and peppered with all the marvellous characters who crossed his path in those halcyon days. It evokes memories of intimidating away crowds, muddy pitches, no-nonsense tackling, card schools on the bus, big nights out after matches, and the special camaraderie that was forged between players of that era. Hammer Time is also an open love letter to the unique character and atmosphere of West Ham United and East London, conjuring up - with great warmth and nostalgia - a fast disappearing world of strong working-class communities, proper East End boozers and those iconic pie and mash shops.

In the first edition of Classic Pens readers were reminded of the franchise's most memorable contests, from its beginnings in the 1960s through the 2010s. is new edition brings the team's standout games up to date, including their triumphant 2016 Stanley Cup victory. During the Penguins' early years, it wasn't uncommon to buy a $5 ticket for a seat at the top of the Civic Arena (the "Igloo") and at the end of the first period move to a seat in the first row behind the glass. Except for a few winning moments scattered through their first three decades, the idea of a full-season sold-out arena was too farfetched, never mind the thought of a Stanley Cup. The only constant was that the Penguins were always in financial trouble and often threatening to move out of the Steel City. The 1983-84 campaign proved to be the season that turned everything around. e Penguins' prize was Mario Lemieux, an 18-year-old center from Montreal, Quebec, who would lift the Pens out of the canyon of last-place finishes to the lofty heights of backto-back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. Lemieux went on to become one of the greatest players the game had ever seen. He and teammates such as Jaromir Jagr, Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis, Joe Mullen, Kevin Stevens, Larry Murphy, and Paul Coffey soon made the Civic Arena the place to be. In 1999 Mario Lemieux, now in his 30s, headed a group that purchased the club. e new ownership began a renaissance in which players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury, Kris Letang, and Jordan Staal again made the Pens a powerhouse on the ice, led them to a third Stanley Cup championship in 2009, and secured one of the best new buildings in the NHL: the Consol Energy Center. In 2016 the Penguins qualified for the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season, winning their fourth Stanley Cup by defeating the San Jose Sharks in a 4-2 series. In Classic Pens, author David Finoli's tour of the best moments in the Penguins' long history will evoke special memories from longtime fans and delight those who currently follow the team.

More than 20 AFC Bournemouth legends come together to relive the magical moments from the most memorable matches in the club's illustrious history. From Ted MacDougall on his record-breaking nine-goal haul to hat-trick hero Callum Wilson and the Cherries' historic first top-flight victory, this book brings to life treasured memories for fans of all ages. Bournemouth Match of My Life includes the celebrated conquerors of Cup holders Manchester United and players who won the battle to save the club in the 1990s. Here are previously untold insights on the 2014/15 Premier League promotion from captain Tommy Elphick and an emotional Yann Kermorgant. And club legend Steve Fletcher picks out his favourite memories from his never-to-be repeated 728 games in the famous red-and-black shirt. Carl Fletcher reflects on the League Two play-off final win over Lincoln at Cardiff's majestic Millennium Stadium, while Keith East recalls holding Bill Shankly's all-conquering Liverpool to a draw in front of a packed Dean Court - all the stars winding back the clock to revisit unforgettable memories of the Match of Their Lives for the Cherries.

WINNER OF THE BRITISH SPORT BOOK AWARDS - RUGBY BOOK OF THE YEAR This is the story of 15 men killed in the Great War. All played rugby for one London club; none lived to hear the final whistle. Rugby brought them together; rugby led the rush to war. They came from Britain and the Empire to fight in every theatre and service, among them a poet, playwright and perfumer. Some were decorated and died heroically; others fought and fell quietly. Together their stories paint a portrait in miniature of the entire War. The Final Whistle plays tribute to the pivotal role rugby played in the Great War by following the poignant stories of fifteen men who played for Rosslyn Park, London. They came from diverse backgrounds, with players from Australia, Ceylon, Wales and South Africa, but they were united by their love of the game and their courage in the face of war. From the mystery of a missing memorial, Cooper's meticulous research has uncovered the story of these men and captured their lives, from their vanished Edwardian youth and vigour, to the war they fought and how they died.

Charlton Athletic On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's rollercoaster past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable Addicks diary - with an entry for every day of the year. From the club's formation in 1905 through to the Premier League era, the red-and-white faithful have witnessed record-breaking dramas unfold: the greatest ever recovery in a league match; the first rise from the old Division Three to the old Division One, eventually finishing runners-up; the first ever substitute used; the first retention of a top-tier spot via the playoffs - plus an all-time Wembley classic. Timeless greats such as Derek Hales, Scott Parker, Jimmy Seed, Clive Mendonca, Sam Bartram and Eddie Firmani all loom larger than life in a history capped by a groundbreaking groundshare exile, and a glorious return to The Valley.

THE #5 TIMES BESTSELLER Ever wondered what it's truly like being an England test cricketer? Why not ask England's greatest ever bowler? Jimmy Anderson invites you into his world of cricket and gives you a very personal insight into what it's like playing at the top level. Through stories of his 16-year international career, Jimmy draws back the curtain on test cricket to reveal bizarre superstitions and rituals, strange training camps, the personalities he's encountered, life on tour and what it's like being a bowler in a batsman's world. Bowl. Sleep. Repeat. is a fascinating, entertaining and deeply personal look at the game of cricket and what life's like beyond the boundary rope.

The Sunday Times Bestseller and Number 1 Sport Book of 2016 'A tale that's truly inspirational' The Sun An ordinary lad from Sheffield, Jamie Vardy has become known as an against-the-odds footballing hero the world over. Yet a few years ago, things couldn't have been any more different. Rejected as a teenager by his boyhood club, Jamie thought his chance was gone. But from playing pub football and earning GBP30 a week at Stocksbridge Park Steels, while still working in a factory, his off-the-cuff performances saw him rise. Jamie had a wild and turbulent youth, but football became his saving grace and, once he filled his boots with goals at FC Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town, he moved to Leicester City. After the miracle of surviving relegation, the team of unlikely outsiders bonded together to achieve the unthinkable: Jamie set the record as the first player to score in 11 consecutive Premier League matches and Leicester beat odds of 5000-1 to become champions. Jamie has now been nominated for the Ballon d'Or, firmly establishing himself as one of England's leading goal scoring footballers. Not forgetting his roots, however, he has set up the V9 Academy in a bid to find the next big talent from non-league football. Defying all expectations, this is the story of the boy from nowhere who reached the top in his own unflinching, honest words.

Written by Andrew Hignell, the Archivist of Glamorgan County Cricket Club and the leading authority on the history of cricket in Wales, this book recalls these Golden Years in the history of Blaina Cricket Club as well as tracing the fascinating history of cricket in this Monmouthshire valley. Drawing on the memories, photographs and personnel recollections of those directly involved with the Blaina club from the times when coal was king, through the years of the decline in the iron and tinplate industry to the modern years of mine closure and de-industrialisation, Andrew Hignell has not only produced a cricketing history of Blaina, but also a social history of the town. Cricket began in Blaina in the 1850s as the ironmasters used the game to fly the flag for their works as well as trying to harmonise industrial relations and promoting healthy lifestyles. The playing of cricket subsequently developed into a unifying force within the tight-knit valley communities and, as the first team-game to evolve in industrial Wales, it helped to bond and give immense pleasure to the people whose livelihood was dominated by the state of the iron and coal industries. There were good times and bad, yet throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the Blaina cricket club remained strong and vibrant. It was a founding member of the South Wales and Monmouthshire League and the club regularly attracted large crowds, sometimes of up to 4,000.

On the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of the New York Jets' historic achievement, a nostalgic, inside look from the men who composed the team behind Joe Namath's Super Bowl III win, filled with exclusive insights and stories from the surviving players, coaches, and management of that championship team whose victory changed the landscape of American football. On January 12, 1969, the New York Jets astonished the nation when they beat the favored Baltimore Colts to win Super Bowl III. The key to the Jets' success was quarterback Joe Namath, whose superstar talent, revolutionary personality, cockiness, and charm made him an instant celebrity. But Namath didn't do it alone. In Beyond Broadway Joe, the members of that legendary team share for the first time their often funny, sometimes poignant, and always perceptive personal stories and memorable anecdotes about the Super Bowl team, its players and coaches, and that legendary win. They reminisce about how they became Jets, their success on the gridiron--ten of them were AFC All Stars that magical year of 1968--and reveal for the first time the tactic Namath used to frustrate the Baltimore Colts' defense. They speak about their reactions to Namath's guarantee of a Jets' Super Bowl victory, and how the 39 Forgotten Jets behind him enabled Joe to fulfill that boast. Furthermore, Lederer has interviewed members of the Baltimore team, to provide a 360-degree account of the game that changed it all. Inside, you'll learn: How Joe Namath was able to manipulate the Baltimore Colts defense in Super Bowl III About the player who convinced Joe Namath he was a "hot date" and pranked the playboy quarterback How coach Weeb Ewbank used salaries of players on four other AFL teams to control Jets' player salaries How one Jet, whose play was limited to two games his rookie year, convinced Jets' Coach and General Manager Weeb Ewbank that he would become an all-star Why Jets' star offensive tackle Winston Hill, an eight-time All Pro tackle, was never considered, much less, elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame How Super Bowl III may have saved the existence of several AFL teams scheduled to be part of the AFL-NFL merger And much more! The Jets players reflect on their evolution from a team considered part of a Mickey Mouse league, through the sudden transformation caused by the signing and introduction of Joe Namath on America's sporting scene. The book explains from different angles--including Jets' game plans--why Jets' coaches and players were supremely confident going into Super Bowl III. Written by a lifelong Jets' fan, Beyond Broadway Joe captures memories--and through never-before-seen material--sheds light on what happened from the 1963 launch of the Jets to the Super Bowl season and in Super Bowl III itself. This first complete celebration of the Jets' Super Bowl team is a must for every Jets diehard, for fans of the old American Football League, those who follow the history of professional football, and for all who love the game.

'Isn't it lovely to have moments in your life where you think, oh, nothing can beat that. Nothing.' George Graham Anfield, May 26th 1989. The final day of the Division One season. An iconic underdog story. Set against the backdrop of Hillsborough disaster, and during an emotional era in football long before the Premier League as we now know it, 89 is an oral history of a sporting moment so unusual it felt instantly historic. Drawing on years of research, writer Amy Lawrence brings together fascinating and never-before seen testimony from the voices who were there, on the pitch, off it, and beyond. 89 creates a definitive and kaleidoscopic portrait of a match that changed English football forever. 'Once it hits the net I'm just thinking ecstasy really. It's incredible. I've done what I wanted to do. That's that feeling. I've done it.' Michael Thomas

Stunning officially endorsed coffee table book commemorating the 50th anniversary of Tottenham Hotspur's famous League and Cup Double in 1961 - the first 'Double' achieved in the modern era of football. Beautifully presented within its' own real-cloth slipcase adorned in silver with the book's title and the iconic badge worn by the team during this historic season, this lavish collector's item showcases previously unseen behind-the-scenes photographs and memorabilia and tells the story of the season through original newspaper cuttings, tickets and match programmes. Put together by the editorial team who put together the Spurs Opus, with the full co-operation of the surviving players and Tottenham Hotspur FC (and with full access to the historical archives at White Hart Lane), this sensational publication will be the focal point of the club's 1960/61 celebrations which will begin at the start of the 2010 season.

At the start of the 2019 Guinness Six Nations Wales were 9/2 against to win the tournament. Six weeks later they had gone one better and won a historic Grand Slam! On To Glory! tells how Warren Gatland's men defied the odds and expectations to rouse a country behind them and defeat all-comers across an action-packed campaign. Packed with wonderful photographs and exclusive interviews with stars of the tournament such as Alun Wyn Jones, George North, Gareth Anscombe and Warren Gatland, the book takes readers inside the Wales camp and provides a wonderful souvenir of a very special achievement. From the remarkable comeback in Paris, to the training camp in Nice, getting the job done in Italy and then the euphoria of beating England in Cardiff, the book follows the team as they strive to make history. As momentum builds the reader is taken to Murrayfield for the brutal match against a proud Scotland team and then to the Welsh capital for the dramatic decider against the world's second-best team.

What can possibly account for the strange state of affairs in professional sports today? There are billionaire owners and millionaire players, but both groups are constantly squabbling over money. Many pro teams appear to be virtual "cash machines," generating astronomical annual revenues, but their owners seem willing to uproot them and move to any city willing to promise increased profits. At the same time, mayors continue to cook up "sweetheart deals" that lavish benefits on wealthy teams while imposing crushing financial hardships on cities that are already strapped with debt. To fans today, professional sports teams often look more like professional extortionists.

In "Hard Ball, " James Quirk and Rodney Fort take on a daunting challenge: explaining exactly how things have gotten to this point and proposing a way out. Both authors are professional economists who specialize in the economics of sports. Their previous book, "Pay Dirt: The Business of Professional Team Sports, " is widely acknowledged as the Bible of sports economics. Here, however, they are writing for sports fans who are trying to make sense out of the perplexing world of pro team sports. It is not money, in itself, that is the cause of today's problems, they assert. In fact, the real problem stems from one simple fact: pro sports are monopolies that are fully sanctioned by the U.S. government. Eliminate the monopolies, say Quirk and Fort, and all problems can be solved. If the monopolies are allowed to persist, so will today's woes.

The authors discuss all four major pro team sports: baseball, football, basketball, and hockey. "Hard Ball" is filled with anecdotes, case studies, and factual information that are brought together here for the first time. Quirk and Fort devote chapters to the main protagonists in the pro sports saga--media, unions, players, owners, politicians, and leagues--before they offer their own prescription for correcting the ills that afflict sports today. The result is an engaging and persuasive book that is sure to be widely read, cited, and debated. It is essential reading for every fan.