By the 1980s you would have needed to go into Europe to find one in operation until a resurgence of interest in running them took place in the UK. One man who was a part of that renaissance, Allan Ford, a past rider of the 'wall,' helped resurrect not only the walls themselves, but general interest in them. This book chronicles the whole history of this fascinating branch of motorcycling. It manages to convey why the 'wall' has always attracted audiences that still keep coming back to watch riders at 90 degrees to the wooden sides that sway and shake as the bikes cross the individual timbers that make up the cylindrical track. It also mentions the variants such as the Globe of Death and the Cycle Whirl, and is as much a history of entertainment as of motorcycling. If you have ever stood at the top and had the riders pass inches below you, apparently defying the laws of physics, and wondered why and how then this is a must-read book for you.

This comprehensive new guide to Essex CCC provides all the facts and information a supporter could wish for. In an easy-to-use format, it comprises a concise written history, season-by-season account, player records, details of the different grounds and much more besides. Perfect for dipping into at leisure, as well as for settling arguments at the drop of a hat, no visitor to Chelmsford should be without a copy of this book.

Chelsea FC, as someone once observed, has always done what other clubs have done, but not necessary in the same order. A stone's throw from the King's Road, draped with showbiz connections, and not even based in the borough from which it takes its name, Chelsea is an enigma. Run by the entrepreneurial Mears dynasty, Ken 'electric fence' Bates and now the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, the club has enough entertaining quirks and anecdotes to keep you entertained for ages. It is also a club whose history is filled with glorious games, unique facts, bizarre statistics, larger-than-life players and a special brand of supporter. And, as this book proves, far from being the imposters Kipling suggested, triumph and disaster make for a fantastically entertaining read.

The history of the Baltimore Orioles is filled with amazing achievements, inspiring efforts, hilarious antics, and some bitter disappointments. "The Orioles Encyclopedia" traces the history, triumphs, and follies of the team from 1954 to the present.

Think you know everything about the Orioles? Test your knowledge with this exhaustive guide. The "Encyclopedia" includes nearly 400 player profiles from Bobo to Zupo, the results of every game since 1954, and short features on managers and coaches. Browse through the seasons chronologically or by the players alphabetically. This comprehensive information is brought to life with more than 350 rarely seen photographs--including 26 color plates--from the Baseball Hall of Fame and the old "Baltimore News-American," along with classic photos from the pages of "Sport "magazine " "and Sports Illustrated.

"The Orioles Encyclopedia" recounts the colorful history of this storied and beleaguered program. Perhaps some of the tales and memories found in these pages will inspire a conversation between a father and son, grandfather and granddaughter, boyfriend and girlfriend, old fan and new. With a foreword by Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, "The Orioles Encyclopedia" is the ultimate companion for any baseball fan who wears orange and black.

One of the best-known teams in the old Negro Leagues, the Elite Giants of Baltimore featured some of the outstanding African American players of the day. Sociologist and baseball writer Bob Luke narrates the untold story of the team and its interaction with the city and its people during the long years of segregation.

To convey a sense of the action on the field and the major events in the team's history, Luke highlights important games, relives the standout performances of individual players, and discusses key decisions made by management. He introduces the team's eventual major league stars: Roy Campanella, who went on to a ten-year Hall of Fame career with the Brooklyn Dodgers; Joe Black, the first African American pitcher to win a World Series game; and James "Junior" Gilliam, a player and coach with the Dodgers for twenty-five years. Luke also describes the often contentious relationship between the team and major league baseball before, during, and after the major leagues were integrated.

The Elite Giants did more than provide entertainment for Baltimore's black residents; the team and its star players broke the color barrier in the major leagues, giving hope to an African American community still oppressed by Jim Crow. In recounting the history of the Elite Giants, Luke reveals how the team, its personalities, and its fans raised public awareness of the larger issues faced by blacks in segregation-era Baltimore.

Based on interviews with former players and Baltimore residents, articles from the black press of the time, and archival documents, and illustrated with previously unpublished photographs, "The Baltimore Elite Giants" recounts a barrier-breaking team's successes, failures, and eventual demise.