The Soccer Book of Why
The Soccer Book of Why provides a slew of questions and in-depth answers concerning the traditions, rules, records, and history of soccer.
Baseball Research Journal (Brj), Volume 54 #1
The Spring 2025 issue of the Baseball Research Journal looks at baseball in many places, including the American prairie (Lawrence, Kansas), the Mexican border (the "Original Cactus League") and north of the border in Canada. We have a statistical look at what Negro Leaguer Josh Gibson's career might have looked like had he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, an examination of Gus Greenlee's "United States League," and how the Harrisburg Giants avoided the ban on Sunday baseball. We also examine how Walter Alston got the chance to manage the Dodgers--for 23 years, seven pennants, and one world championship--because Charlie Dressen wanted a multi-year contract that the Dodgers refused to grant, and we present profiles of this year's winners of SABR's Chadwick Award: Rob Fitts, Gary Gillette, and the late Richard Malatzky. ON THE COVER: The Harrisburg Giants joined the Eastern Colored League in 1924 with a powerful lineup centered around player-manager Oscar Charleston. With Rap Dixon and Fats Jenkins flanking him, Harrisburg had one of the best outfields in baseball history. Cover art by Gary Cieradkowsi. Ladies of the Night Game: Toronto's Lighted Diamonds and the Women Who Pioneered Playing Under the Stars by Stephen Dame "Despite Hanlan's Point Stadium being home to the Toronto Maple Leafs for 22 seasons, not a single ballgame was ever played at night there, though [temporary] floodlights [were used] whenever a rugby match, football game, or starlit opera required light. In 1930 Sunnyside Stadium... became the first stadium in Toronto to feature purpose-built, permanent floodlights. The 3,000-seat stadium was specifically designed for use by female athletes [and] had been the main women's softball facility in Toronto since 1925. From the day it opened, competitors in three different leagues played in front of huge paying crowds." Scoreboard Numbers vs. Uniform Numbers: The 1931-34 Detroit Tigers and the Letter of the Law by Herm Krabbenhoft "Unlike today, where players are assigned uniform numbers that very rarely change within a season, the ID numbers of players at Navin Field in Detroit could vary from game to game. As was the custom, the ID numbers reflected the batting order, giving the leadoff hitter number 1, the next batter 2, et cetera. A new scorecard had to be bought for each game--or at least for each series, since the scorecards could not be re-used from one series to the next--nor could the numbers be memorized. These constant changes were certainly not fan-friendly." The Impact of Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) on Major League Baseball Batting Performance by M.P. Geiss and David Portney "Some ophthalmology practices advertise LASIK as a means for improved athletic performance, but does LASIK improve performance for MLB players? Professional baseball players have been shown to have incredibly high visual acuity because exceptional visual function is required to succeed in the sport. A significant number of MLB players have publicly acknowledged their history of LASIK, increasing the potential sample size for analysis, and the extraordinary amount of statistical data on MLB player performance allows for direct analyses of consistent performance metrics." And many more articles of interest.
Junior Golfers
"Junior Golfers: The Parents Guide" by Glen Bowen is an indispensable resource for parents looking to cultivate their child's enthusiasm for golf. This all-encompassing guide delves into the essential combination of physical prowess and mental strategy that the sport requires, highlighting the importance of personal development, discipline, and a lifelong love for the game.Expert Guidance from a Certified ProfessionalGlen Bowen, a certified professional golf coach, shares invaluable insights on a wide range of topics, including how to choose the right equipment and navigate tournament regulations.Fostering Key Life SkillsDiscover effective strategies to encourage independence, resilience, and sportsmanship in your junior golfer while creating cherished family moments on the course.Balancing Fun and CompetitionWith practical advice on maintaining a healthy balance between competition and enjoyment, promoting physical fitness, and instilling life skills through golf, this book provides you with the essential tools to support your child's golfing journey both on and off the fairways.An Inspiring Journey TogetherWhether you are an experienced golfer or just starting out in the sport, "Junior Golfers: The Parents Guide" will motivate you to cherish every moment spent together in this fulfilling adventure.
Junior Golfers
"Junior Golfers: The Parents Guide" by Glen Bowen is an indispensable resource for parents looking to cultivate their child's enthusiasm for golf. This all-encompassing guide delves into the essential combination of physical prowess and mental strategy that the sport requires, highlighting the importance of personal development, discipline, and a lifelong love for the game.Expert Guidance from a Certified ProfessionalGlen Bowen, a certified professional golf coach, shares invaluable insights on a wide range of topics, including how to choose the right equipment and navigate tournament regulations.Fostering Key Life SkillsDiscover effective strategies to encourage independence, resilience, and sportsmanship in your junior golfer while creating cherished family moments on the course.Balancing Fun and CompetitionWith practical advice on maintaining a healthy balance between competition and enjoyment, promoting physical fitness, and instilling life skills through golf, this book provides you with the essential tools to support your child's golfing journey both on and off the fairways.An Inspiring Journey TogetherWhether you are an experienced golfer or just starting out in the sport, "Junior Golfers: The Parents Guide" will motivate you to cherish every moment spent together in this fulfilling adventure.
101 Reasons Why I Love the NBA
Around 800 million people follow hundreds of games played every year by teams in the NBA, making it the fourth most popular sporting competition in the world. It's a truly global league, with legions of fans in Brazil, China, Spain, Australia and South Africa. It's not hard to see what attracts them to the sport. For decades, the NBA has enthralled American sports fans. Bill Russell and other early superstars sealed the NBA's place as a national institution. Icons like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan wrote their names in the record books, and modern-day all-stars like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo have propelled the NBA into an international phenomenon. Now, the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers are among the most watched sports teams in the world, and the NBA leads the way in uniting a country that's fragmented on so many other levels. Discover 101 reasons why the NBA isn't just one of the most popular sports leagues in the world.
Shadow Ball
In the steamy summer of 1919 Chicago, notorious owner Charles Comiskey and Andrew "Rube" Foster, the Father of the Negro Leagues, scheme to rock the baseball world by adding African American star shortstop John Henry "Pop" Lloyd to the White Sox's roster. It is a devil's bargain, as only the men's thirst for fame and fortune allows them to overcome their contempt for each other. Meanwhile, Comiskey's low pay and tawdry treatment of his ballplayers drive them towards the Black Sox scandal, while the clashes between blacks and whites grow hotter than Chicago's oppressive heat, setting the stage for what will explode into Chicago's Great Race Riots of 1919. As Comiskey's greedy tentacles extend further and further, he brings on young Sam Weiss to do his dirty work and be his go-between. Weiss and an aspiring nightclub singer, Kid Douglas, later to known as Memphis Minnie, find themselves tangled up in Comiskey and Foster's scheme, utterly powerless, of course, to alter a thing. Shadow Ball, originally published in 2001, is a work of great imagination, firmly grounded in genuine history. Author Peter Rutkoff takes readers down Chicago's dusty cobblestone streets, into smoke-filled back rooms, and elbow to elbow with two of baseball's true titans of the era.
In The Game
24 heart-warming, mind-boggling, and history-defining short stories of moments and players For generations, basketball has united people through the players' unwavering determination and the thrilling moments that define this sportHowever, there exists a realm of untold stories and experiences beyond the scores displayed on the scoreboard and the excitement of winning or losing that have greatly influenced the sport and the individuals who participate in it.These tales are the pieces to the whole puzzle of what makes basketball one of the greatest sports there are today.It keeps you on the edge of your seat and inspires you to achieve greatness, motivating you to always put your best foot forward.That's precisely why this must-have compilation of basketball short stories came to be!To bring you a collection of the best stories, carefully curated to take you on a journey that transcends the court and the field and into the lives of the greatest players and moments as they left their marks on history and forever changed the course of this sport we love.Inside this must-have inspiring and entertaining read, you will discover: The fascinating story of how basketball was invented and gradually became one of the most popular sports in historyThe rise of women in basketball with inspiring stories of some of the best female athletes that proved everyone wrongA closer look into basketball's greatest players of all time, their lives, and the almost-impossible-to-break records they setThe ugly side of sports at a time when color was used to exclude some of the most talented players and the brightest diamonds in the shadowsInspiring stories of players whose lives were forever changed - from rags to riches, from gangs to glory; basketball has proven to be powerful catalysts for change!Scandals and controversies surrounding this sport to show you the reality of what happens behind the scenesA compilation of this sport's most peculiar superstitions and rituals that players would perform to bring good luck to their team and themselvesAnd much more!
In The Game
24 heart-warming, mind-boggling, and history-defining short stories of moments and playersBaseball is a sport that has captured the hearts of millions of people around the globe.For generations, baseball has united people through the players' unwavering determination and the thrilling moments that define this sportHowever, there exists a realm of untold stories and experiences beyond the scores displayed on the scoreboard and the excitement of winning or losing that have greatly influenced the sport and the individuals who participate in it.These tales are the pieces to the whole puzzle of what makes baseball one of the greatest sports there are today.It keeps you on the edge of your seat and inspires you to achieve greatness, motivating you to always put your best foot forward.That's precisely why this must-have compilation of baseball short stories came to be!To bring you a collection of the best stories, carefully curated to take you on a journey that transcends the court and the field and into the lives of the greatest players and moments as they left their marks on history and forever changed the course of this sport we love.Inside this must-have inspiring and entertaining read, you will discover: The rise of women in baseball, with inspiring stories of some of the best female athletes that proved everyone wrongA closer look into baseball's greatest players of all time, their lives, and the almost-impossible-to-break records they setThe ugly side of sports at a time when color was used to exclude some of the most talented players and the brightest diamonds in the shadowsInspiring stories of players whose lives were forever changed - from rags to riches, from gangs to glory; baseball has proven to be powerful catalysts for change!Scandals and controversies surrounding this sport to show you the reality of what happens behind the scenesA compilation of this sport's most peculiar superstitions and rituals that players would perform to bring good luck to their team and themselvesAnd much more!These stories will take you on a journey through the evolution of this beloved sport, providing insight into the minds of the players, the struggles they faced, and the moments that defined their careers.Through them, you will gain a deeper appreciation for your favorite game and athletes.
Coaching Through Superiorities
What if tactical success in soccer isn't about finding the "right" system but seeing the game differently?In Coaching Through Superiorities, leading coach educator Ray Power unlocks a fresh framework for modern coaching, built around five key pillars: Numerical, Qualitative, Positional, Cooperative, and Dynamic Superiority. Rather than prescribing formations or rigid playbooks, this book invites you to explore football as a fluid, problem-solving game - one driven by players, shaped by context, and always in motion.Inside, you'll discover how to: Spot and create overloads in every area of the pitchDesign tactics that adapt to your players, not the other way aroundCoach with clarity in moments of chaos, transition, and momentumBlend principles like La Pausa, Positional Play, and Relationism into your own game modelDevelop your tactical eye through reflective "lightbulb" tasks and scenario planningWhether you're a grassroots coach or chasing elite standards, Coaching Through Superiorities arms you with the mindset, models, and questions that lead to smarter decisions, and draws on examples from innovative modern coaches like Pep Guardiola, Roberto De Zerbi, Fernando Diniz, and Thiago Motta. It's not about knowing all the answers - it's about asking the right questions before the whistle blows.About Ray Power: With almost two decades of experience working in soccer and education, coaching players from non-league to Premier League levels, and internationally, he is the author of Making The Ball Roll, Coaching Youth Football, and the five-book Deliberate Soccer Practice series. As a coach developer and educator, Ray has worked for, and consulted with, numerous national FAs, as well as governing bodies from other sports, including the NBA. He also works as a consultant - mentor - educator on a freelance basis, working with grassroots coaches all the way to professional teams.
From St. Louis to Cooperstown: Legends Born and Made in the Gateway City
The Big Book of Football Stories
Rich in history and detail, The Big Book of Football Stories will entertain, enlighten, and amuse. These are enduring stories that have passed the test of time and attracted generations of readers. They are custom-made for the imaginative reader who seeks fantastic tales from the gridiron.
Upset at Oakmont
In 1919, at Oakmont Country Club, seventeen-year-old Bobby Jones fought his way to the finals for a chance to make history as the youngest winner of the U.S. Amateur Championship. Standing in his way was twenty-one-year-old Dave Herron, a Pittsburgh native and former Oakmont caddie. Despite his relatively unknown status and to the shock of many, Dave beat Bobby with the most spectacular golf--under par at Oakmont--in U.S. Amateur history. Upset at Oakmont is a dual biography of two gifted child athletes in early twentieth-century America. One, in the 1920s, would become as famous as Babe Ruth; the other would be quickly forgotten and his victory forever tarnished. Although both golfers were children of affluence, their pathways to the 1919 U.S. Amateur were starkly different because of their differing dispositions, their parents, the impact of place ("New South" Atlanta vs. Steel-City Pittsburgh), and the timing of World War I in shaping their adolescence. Rigorously researched, Upset at Oakmont adds new dimension to understanding the revolution in American golf that started with Francis Ouimet's victory at Brookline in 1913. Employing new statistical data to challenge previous narratives, this book re-creates the epic clash between Jones and Herron in exciting detail, while employing novel empirical methods to advance scholarship on the "Golden Era" of American amateur golf.
Ponytails To The Basket
You've just been "volunteered" to coach your child's grade school basketball team...what now? Coach Joel's book lays out a teaching curriculum for how to develop your players through their formative grade school years and prepare them for the next levels of basketball. What skills should be taught in 3rd grade, and what should wait until 6th? How should you plan your practices? How can you (and CAN'T you) be helpful to them during the middle of a game? Coach Joel walks you through practices, games, film, communication strategies, how to teach team offense and defense, and even how to handle parents and referees! This book is a must-have for any parent-turned-coach who wants to do right by their kids at the grade school level.
Ponytails To The Basket
You've just been "volunteered" to coach your child's grade school basketball team...what now? Coach Joel's book lays out a teaching curriculum for how to develop your players through their formative grade school years and prepare them for the next levels of basketball. What skills should be taught in 3rd grade, and what should wait until 6th? How should you plan your practices? How can you (and CAN'T you) be helpful to them during the middle of a game? Coach Joel walks you through practices, games, film, communication strategies, how to teach team offense and defense, and even how to handle parents and referees! This book is a must-have for any parent-turned-coach who wants to do right by their kids at the grade school level.
