The Secret of Hogan's Swing
Praise for The Secret of Hogan's Swing ""The Secret of Hogan's Swing goes beyond pure instruction, offering insightful shot-making and strategy tips passed on to former tour pro John Schlee from Ben Hogan and interpreted wonderfully by Tom Bertrand and Printer Bowler.""--John Andrisani, author of Tiger's New Swing and Heaven Can Wait ""Like finding the Rosetta stone of golf. . . . Tom Bertrand and Printer Bowler's The Secret of Hogan's Swing gives us a pipeline to the Master's wisdom that we thought had been lost forever. Secret is an instruction book like no other. It's the Hogan book Hogan himself never wrote, packed with the insights the great champion passed on to John Schlee (in a fascinating mentor-disciple relationship) and that Schlee, in turn, bequeathed to Tom Bertrand. We'll probably never have anything like this again. Hogan's gone, Schlee's gone, but thank goodness we've got Tom Bertrand to preserve the nuggets of pure golfing gold that the Master dug up 'out of the dirt' of ten thousand practice tees and a thousand tournaments. The Secret of Hogan's Swing demonstrates that the vein of wisdom left by the peerless champion still yields up precious ore, not just in the technical aspects of the golf swing (Hogan's concepts are not only absolutely modern but even quite radical) but in his insights into the psychological and mental aspects of the game. His concept of the 'moving wall' is worth the price of the book alone. A must-read for every serious student of the game.""--Steven Pressfield, author of The Legend of Bagger Vance
Rugby's Great Split
Since it's first publication, Rugby's Great Split has established itself as a classic in the field of sport history. Drawing on an unprecedented range of sources, this deeply researched and highly readable book traces the social, cultural and economic divisions that led, in 1895, to schism in the game of rugby and the creation of rugby league, the sport of England's northern working class. Tony Collins' analysis challenges many of the conventional assumptions about this key event in rugby history - about class conflict, amateurism in sport, the North-South divide, violence on the pitch, the development of mass spectator sport and the rise of football. This new edition is expanded to cover parallel events in Australia and New Zealand, and to address the key question of rugby league's failure to establish itself in Wales. Rugby's Great Split is a benchmark text in the history of rugby, and an absorbing case study of wider issues - issues of class, gender, regional and national identity, and the impact of the commercialization and recent professionalization of rugby league. This insightful text is for anyone interested in Britain's social history or in the emergence of modern sport, it is vital reading.
Coaching Hockey for Dummies
The fun and easy way to coach youth hockey - no experience required! Hockey is growing in leaps and bounds around the world, but the demand for qualified coaches far outstrips availability. Moms and dads are being recruited to step in and assume the role of coach even with nothing more than feigned interest for credentials. Coaching Hockey For Dummies is ideally suited to meet these growing needs: its message is clear, the information thorough and user friendly, and it brings along a great attitude. For anyone new to coaching, Coaching Hockey For Dummies will provide an invaluable reference. Unlike other coaching books, which only cover what happens on the ice, Coaching Hockey For Dummies covers every aspect of hockey coaching, from what equipment a coach needs, to holding player-parent meetings, to the perfect drills to develop individual and team skills.
Steelers Glory
Steelers Glory' is the story of Pittsburgh Steelers football as told by the players, coaches, opponents, fans, and the media. It salutes the great stars, teams, moments, rivalries, venues, fans, and traditions of the Steel City, including a chapter on the Steelers' all-time team. In addition, all five Super Bowl-winning rosters are presented.
The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Basketball
The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Basketball is the most comprehensive and up-to-date basketball-specific training guide in the world today. It contains descriptions and photographs of nearly 100 of the most effective weight training, flexibility, and abdominal exercises used by athletes worldwide. This book features year-round basketball-specific weight-training programs guaranteed to improve your performance and get you results. No other basketball book to date has been so well designed, so easy to use, and so committed to weight training. This book will have players increasing strength, power, agility, and overall quickness on the court, leading to an increase in rebounds, steals, blocked shots, and overall defensive efficiency. You will build the strength and power needed to dominate the post and under the basket and you will build the stamina and endurance needed to go strong until the final whistle. Both beginners and advanced athletes and weight trainers can follow this book and utilize its programs. From recreational to professional, thousands of athletes all over the world are already benefiting from this book and its techniques, and now you can too! About the Author Rob Price is a first class certified personal trainer and a former fitness consultant at the University of Wisconsin. He is a national weight lifting champion and state bench press record holder who has been featured in newspapers and magazines all over the world, including the USA Today and Muscle & Performance magazine, for his sports-training expertise. Rob is a contributing author to Golf Fitness Magazine, Swimmer's World Magazine, US Bowler Magazine, and OnFitness magazine and is the founder and head trainer of SportsWorkout.com's e-Training service. In addition to being an internationally recognized fitness expert, Rob also holds a Juris Doctorate from The Ohio State University where he was honored as one of ten Moritz Scholars.
The Greatest Ballpark Ever
With humor and passion, The Greatest Ballpark Ever lets readers relive a day in the raucous ballpark with its quirky angles and its bent right-field wall, with the characters and events that have become part of the nation's folklore.Generations after its demise, Ebbets Field remains the single most colorful and enduring image of a baseball park, with a treasured niche in the game's legacy and the American imagination. In this lively story of sports, politics, and the talented, hilarious, and charming characters associated with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Bob McGee chronicles the ballpark's vibrant history from the drawing board to the wrecking ball, beginning with Charley Ebbets and the heralded opening in 1913, on through the eras that followed. McGee weaves a story about how Ebbets Field's architectural details, notable flaws, and striking facade brought Brooklyn and its team together in ways that allowed each to define the other. Drawing on original interviews and letters, as well as published and archival sources, The Greatest Ballpark Ever explores the struggle of Charley Ebbets to build Ebbets Field, the days of Wilbert Robinson's early pennant winners, the eras of the Daffiness Boys, Larry MacPhail, and Branch Rickey, the tumultuous field leadership of Leo the Lip, the fiery triumph of Jackie Robinson, the golden days of the Boys of Summer, and Walter O'Malley's ignominious departure.
Where Dreams Die Hard
Down Farm Road 308, an hour's drive south of Dallas, amidst sprawling fields of cotton lies a small community--Penelope, Texas (population 211). Here, where the only thriving businesses are the granary and the post office, unless you count the soft-drink machine in front of the fire station, two-time Edgar Award-winning writer Carlton Stowers discovered a special town that came together, not only to support their six-man highschool football team--the Penelope Wolverines--through thick and a lot of thin, but also, and more importantly, each other. Where Dreams Die Hard is a warm and revealing portrait of the American heartland--and of one small town's love affair with the team that unites it. "Through his unforgettable depiction of innocence, goodness, loyalty, and friendship...Carlton Stowers gives us a moving portrait of a community that, in the words of one of the Penelope faithful, is like 'stepping into a Norman Rockwell painting.'" (Billie Letts, author of Where the Heart Is) "High school football in Texas is both sport and religion, and Stowers brilliantly brings this to light in Where Dreams Die Hard." (Jim Dent, author of The Junction Boys)
Jimmy
The fully updated autobiography of football's bling king Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - the outspoken Dutch goalscorer extraordinaire, and former Leeds, Chelsea and Middlesbrough striker, now playing for Charlton. A predator in front of goal, Jerrell, as his mother calls him, had made his name in Portugal with Boavista, before George Graham snapped him up for Leeds in summer 1997. His goalscoring made him an instant hero at Elland Road, a status he lost when he asked to leave the club because they wouldn't pay him enough. In his book, Hasselbaink is forthright about his time at Leeds, and how he felt betrayed by the club and its fans, despite the fact that he was their leading scorer for two seasons. After a 瞿12 million transfer to Atletico Madrid, and despite playing in a relegated side in La Liga, he finished up as the top scorer, and was snapped up by Chelsea as soon as the 1999/2000 season had finished. He immediately proved his worth by winning the Premiership's golden boot award for the 2000/01 season. In the summer of 2004, a new coach at Chelsea in the form of Jose Mourinho meant that Hasselbaink's days at the club were numbered, and a transfer to Middlesbrough opened up a new chapter in his life. In his final season with the club, he reached the final of the UEFA Cup and the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Hasselbaink talks candidly about his fellow professionals in the game: the likes of David O'Leary, Claudio Ranieri, Gianfranco Zola, Roman Abramovich and Steve McClaren, plus his troubled times with the Dutch national team. He is also open about the crimes of his youth, his taste for gambling and the clubbing scene, and his private life, including his parents' divorce and his daughter in Amsterdam.
Jose Mourinho - Made in Portugal
In just a few years, Jos矇 Mourinho has proved himself to be one of the most successful and controversial of football managers. He arrived in London in the summer of 2004, to take on the role of the manager at Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's Chelsea FC. His impact on English football was immediate, with his unmistakeable self-confidence, style, drive and ambition. Now he has moved on to Inter Milan where, once again, he has become the focus of media attention. But how did his career start? What led him to becoming one of the great enigmas of World Football? This fascinating book charts his rise from relatively humble beginnings as assistant coach to Sir Bobby Robson, to become the most sought-after club manager in Europe. Readers will gain an insight into Mourinho's management skills, as well as his whole footballing philosophy, and his approach to motivating his players. Mourinho himself writes of his move to Roman Abramovich's Chelsea FC and of approaches by other clubs; his 'mind games' with Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United are knocked out of Europe; and his fears for his personal safety and that of his family after receiving a death threat on the eve of what should have been the biggest night of his life. Long-term family friend, Portuguese journalist Lu穩s Louren癟o guides us through the formative years in Mourinho's coaching career, as he returns to Portugal from Barcelona at the turn of the millennium and embarks on the remarkable four-year journey which will lead him to Chelsea FC. A journey which includes short-lived yet turbulent spells at Portuguese giants Benfica and minnows Uni瓊o de Leiria, and culminates in a night of unforgettable glory for FC Porto and Jos矇 Mourinho as they are crowned Champions of Europe.
Fighting Irish Madness
Fighting Irish Madness"" is the story of Notre Dame football?the legendary players, the eleven championship teams, the explosive rivalry with Southern Cal, the all-time Notre Dame team, and the rosters from each national championship team. All of it is told by the players themselves, the coaches, opponents, fans, and members of the media.""
The Complete Guide to Coaching Girls' Basketball
"Coach Hatchell's book is a must-read for every girls' basketball coach. She is fantastic in every phase of the game, and I love watching her teams play."-Roy Williams, head men's basketball coach, University of North Carolina, and Associated Press Coach of the Year, 2006 What does it take to turn a good coach into a great one? You need to be a teacher, a motivator, a guru of X's and O's. Coach Sylvia Hatchell shows you how she manages all these roles and gives you her winning advice to creating a team of champions. Head coach of the University of North Carolina's women's team, Coach Hathcell combines the Tar Heels' longstanding tradition of basketball greatness with her personal dedication to guiding young women as she teaches you how to: Communicate effectively to get peak performances from 11- to 18-year-old girls Teach all the fundamentals of the game and run a productive, high-energy practice Develop a formidable offense and tenacious defense Master 75 of her favorite drills, ranging in difficulty from beginner to advanced
Broadcast Rites and Sites
Veteran broadcaster Joe Castiglione combines the story of his baseball adventures with the Cleveland Indians; the Milwaukee Brewers; and for twenty years, the Boston Red Sox, with a travelogue of major American cities.
Longhorn Madness
Longhorn Madness"" is the timeless story of University of Texas football. Its star players, teams, bitter rivals, and magical moments are presented in compelling quotations by Longhorn players, coaches, opponents, fans, and members of the media.""
Praying for Gil Hodges
Thomas Oliphant's Praying for Gil Hodges is a brilliant work capturing the majesty of baseball, the issue of race in America, and the love that one young boy, his parents, and the borough of Brooklyn had for their team. On a steamy hot Sunday, the Reverend Herbert Redmond was celebrating Mass at a church in Brooklyn, when he startled his congregation thus: "It's far too hot for a sermon. Keep the Commandments and say a prayer for Gil Hodges." Praying for Gil Hodges is built around a detailed reconstruction of the seventh game of the 1955 World Series, which has always been on the short list of great moments in baseball history. On a sunny, breezy October afternoon, something happened in New York City that had never happened before and never would again: the Brooklyn Dodgers won the world championship of baseball. For one hour and forty-four minutes, behind a gutsy, twenty-three-year-old kid left-hander from the iron-mining region of upstate New York named Johnny Podres, everything that had gone wrong before went gloriously right for a change. Until that afternoon, leaving out the war years, the Dodgers and their legions of fans had endured ten seasons during which they lost the World Series to the New York Yankees five times and lost the National League pennant on the final day of the season three times--facts of history that give the famous cry of "Wait Till Next Year!" its defiant meaning. Pitch by pitch and inning by inning, Thomas Oliphant re-creates a relentless melodrama that shows this final game in its true glory. As we move through the game, he builds a remarkable history of the hapless "Bums," exploring the Dodgers' status as a national team, based on their fabled history of near-triumphs and disasters that made them classic underdogs. He weaves into this brilliant recounting a winning memoir of his own family's story and their time together on that fateful day that the final game was played. This victory thrilled the national African-American community, still mired in the evils of segregation, who had erupted in joy at the arrival of Jackie Robinson eight years earlier and rooted unabashedly for this integrated team at a time when the country was thoroughly segregated. And it also thrilled a nine-year-old boy on the East Side of Manhattan in a loving, struggling family for whom the Dodgers were a rare source of the joys and symbols that bring families together through tough times.
Summer of '49
"Dazzling...A celebration of a vanished heroic age and a 'simpler America' " --New York Times Book Review David Halberstam's classic chronicle of baseball's most magnificent season, as seen through the battle royal between Joe DiMaggio's Yankees and Ted Williams's Red Sox for the hearts of a nation.The year was 1949, and a war-wearied nation turned from the battlefields to the ball fields in search of new heroes. It was a summer that marked the beginning of a sports rivalry unequaled in the annals of athletic competition. The awesome New York Yankees and the indomitable Boston Red Sox were fighting for supremacy of baseball's American League and an aging Joe DiMaggio and a brash, headstrong hitting phenomenon named Ted Williams led their respective teams in a classic pennant duel of almost mythic proportions--one that would be decided in an explosive head-to-head confrontation on the last day of the season. With incredible skill, passion and insight, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Halberstam returns us to that miraculous summer--and to a glorious time when the dreams of a now almost forgotten America rested on the crack of a bat.
How to Master a Great Golf Swing
This comprehensive, fully illustrated guide to the golf swing details fifteen fundamentals that every golfer must master to produce a smooth, repeatable, error-free swing.
The Ultimate Golf Book
In this golfer's ultimate delight, Charles McGrath and David McCormick have compiled a unique combination of golf history and original essays by some of golf's greatest (and best-selling) writers and enthusiasts. Anchoring the book is a colorful, loose-limbed history of the sport by the Sports Illustrated senior writer John Garrity. He travels the globe and the links, covering the key personalities and golfing events, advances in technique and technology, the expanding interest in the sport, and the curious mysteries of this international obsession. Complementing the narrative are wonderfully diverse and entertaining essays on everything from the Age of Tiger to the woes of the lowly club pro, the charms of playing in the dead of winter, and even giving up the game altogether. With its mix of unsurpassed literary writing and superb history, this armchair companion is a must-have for any serious student of the game--truly The Ultimate Golf Book.
Three Nights in August
New York Times BestsellerA Best Book of the Year: Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Rocky Mountain News"The Cubs against the Cardinals in the heat of August and of a pennant race--this is baseball at it's best." --George F. Will, author of Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball A thrilling deep dive into the strategic and emotional complexities of baseball from the acclaimed author of Friday Night LightsThree Nights in August captures baseball in its quintessential form: the three-game series. As the St. Louis Cardinals battle their archrival Chicago Cubs, we see the dugout through the eyes of legendary manager Tony La Russa, considered by many to be the shrewdest mind in the game today. In his twenty-seven years of managing, La Russa has been named Manager of the Year a record-making five times and now stands as the third-winningest baseball manager of all time. A great leader, he's built his success on the conviction that ball games are won not only by the numbers but also by the hearts and minds of those who play. Drawing on unprecedented access to a major league manager and his team, Buzz Bissinger brings a revelatory intimacy to baseball and offers some surprising observations. Bissinger also furthers the debate on major league managerial style and strategy in his provocative afterword.
The Old Ball Game
In The Old Ball Game, Frank Deford, NPR sports commentator and Sports Illustrated journalist retells the story of an unusual friendship between two towering figures in baseball history. At the turn of the twentieth century, Christy Mathewson was one of baseball's first superstars. Over six feet tall, clean cut, and college educated, he didn't pitch on the Sabbath and rarely spoke an ill word about anyone. He also had one of the most devastating arms in all of baseball. New York Giants manager John McGraw, by contrast, was ferocious. The pugnacious tough guy was already a star infielder who, with the Baltimore Orioles, helped develop a new, scrappy style of baseball, with plays like the hit-and-run, the Baltimore chop, and the squeeze play. When McGraw joined the Giants in 1902, the Giants were coming off their worst season ever. Yet within three years, Mathewson clinched New York City's first World Series for McGraw's team by throwing three straight shutouts in only six days, an incredible feat that is invariably called the greatest World Series performance ever. Because of their wonderful odd-couple association, baseball had its first superstar, the Giants ascended into legend, and baseball as a national pastime bloomed.
Ladies And Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning
A passionate and dramatic account of a year in the life of a city, when baseball and crime reigned supreme, and when several remarkable figures emerged to steer New York clear of one of its most harrowing periods. By early 1977, the metropolis was in the grip of hysteria caused by a murderer dubbed "Son of Sam." And on a sweltering night in July, a citywide power outage touched off an orgy of looting and arson that led to the largest mass arrest in New York's history. As the turbulent year wore on, the city became absorbed in two epic battles: the fight between Yankee slugger Reggie Jackson and team manager Billy Martin, and the battle between Ed Koch and Mario Cuomo for the city's mayoralty. Buried beneath these parallel conflicts--one for the soul of baseball, the other for the soul of the city--was the subtext of race. The brash and confident Jackson took every black myth and threw it back in white America's face. Meanwhile, Koch and Cuomo ran bitterly negative campaigns that played upon urbanites' fears of soaring crime and falling municipal budgets. These braided stories tell the history of a year that saw the opening of Studio 54, the evolution of punk rock, and the dawning of modern SoHo. As the pragmatist Koch defeated the visionary Cuomo and as Reggie Jackson finally rescued a team racked with dissension,1977 became a year of survival but also of hope. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning is a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and the basis of the 2007 ESPN miniseries, starring John Turturro as Billy Martin, Oliver Platt as George Steinbrenner, and Daniel Sunjata as Reggie Jackson.
Rough Meditations
In Rough Meditations, Golfweek Architecture Editor Bradley Klein weaves engaging and often hilarious essays as he takes readers on a tour of golf course architecture and explains the difference between good and bad golf course design. He recounts his exploits as a caddy on the PGA and LPGA tours, tells a heartwarming tale about introducing his daughter to the game, and much more. In his charming style, Bradley liberally accents his stories with personal wisdom on the game, including how to look at a green's grass and slope to judge speed, distance, and placement of a putt. system.
The Unforgettable Season
One of Sports Illustrated's top 100 sports books of all-time The 1908 National League pennant race was without question the most exciting and dramatic battle of all time. Three teams, the Giants, the Cubs, and the Pirates, battled from start to finish, concluding the season with just one game separating them in the standings. The story of this race is like a Hall of Fame sprung to life, including John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance, Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, and Honus Wagner. Yet the one name that truly stands out belongs to a young Giant rookie, Fred Merkle. His base-running blunder in a key game between the Giants and the Cubs cost the New Yorkers the pennant through an entirely unforeseeable set of circumstances that set off a near-riot in New York.More than mere history, The Unforgettable Season uses a judicious selection of newspaper stories to recreate the unforgettable season through the eyes and florid language of sportswriters of the day. With no film, TV, or radio accounts of the game to cloud readers' minds with facts, the newspaper writers had free reign to invent and embellish the larger-than-life figures and events of 1908. It is their efforts that make this book often unintentionally hilarious and unforgettable.
Hit Like a Big Leaguer
Youth baseball players learn the secrets of hitting smart and batting big Batting is more than just making contact; it is about the swing, the stance, the follow-through. Majorleague hitting coordinator Jack Maloof--who has fixed the mechanics of such explosive hitters as Tony Gwynn, Roberto Alomar, and Cliff Floyd--shares the same techniques he used with these big leaguers to help players in senior youth leagues and up hone their individual hitting form and make the most of every atbat. Hit Like a Big Leaguer is a compendium of how-to hitting, including preseason drills, on-deck mental game strategies, and the ultimate skills to make every appearance at the plate count.
Hot Potato
"The players today are much better than we were.... But there is one thing that we could do better. We could pass the ball better than they can now. Man, we used to pass that basketball around like it was a hot potato."--Sam "Buck" Covington, former member of the Washington Bruinsn a nation distinguished by a great black athletic heritage, there is perhaps no sport that has felt the impact of African American culture more than basketball. Most people assume that the rise of black basketball was a fortuitous accident of the inner-city playgrounds. In Hot Potato, Bob Kuska shows that it was in fact a consciously organized movement with very specific goals.When Edwin Henderson introduced the game to Washington, D.C., in 1907, he envisioned basketball not as an end in itself but as a public-health and civil-rights tool. Henderson believed that, by organizing black athletics, including basketball, it would be possible to send more outstanding black student athletes to excel at northern white colleges and debunk negative stereotypes of the race. He reasoned that in sports, unlike politics and business, the black race would get a fair chance to succeed. Henderson chose basketball as his marquee sport, and he soon found that the game was a big hit on Washington's segregated U Street. Almost simultaneously, black basketball was catching on quickly in New York, and the book establishes that these two cities served as the birthplace of the black game.Hot Potato chronicles the many successes and failures of the early years of black amateur basketball. It also recounts the emergence of black college basketball in America, documenting the origins of the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association, or CIAA, which would become the Big Ten of black collegiate sports.The book also details for the first time the rise of black professional basketball in America, with a particular emphasis on the New York Renaissance, a team considered by experts to be as important in the development of black basketball as the Harlem Globetrotters. Kuska recounts the Renaissance's first victory over the white world champion Original Celtics in 1925, and he evaluates the significance of this win in advancing equality in American sports. By the late 1920s, the Renaissance became one of the sport's top draws in white and black America alike, setting the stage for the team's undisputed world championship in 1939. As Edwin Henderson had hoped--and as any fan of the modern-day game can tell you--the triumphs certainly did not end there.
Hidden Secrets of Karate-do
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Twins Pride
Twins Pride"" recounts the players, teams, magical moments, riveting rivalries, and memorable venues, plus a special tribute to ""Mr. Twin""?Harmon Killebrew. Other features include the all-time Minnesota Twins team, the rosters of all three world championship teams, Twins humor, and more, as told by players, manager, coaches, opponents, fan, and the media.""
German Football
This is a topical new book critically analyzing the significance of football in German sporting and cultural life. It examines football's place in post-war and post-reunification Germany up to the successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup Finals.
Baseball Hacks
Baseball Hacks isn't your typical baseball book--it's a book about how to watch, research, and understand baseball. It's an instruction manual for the free baseball databases. It's a cookbook for baseball research. Every part of this book is designed to teach baseball fans how to do something. In short, it's a how-to book--one that will increase your enjoyment and knowledge of the game. So much of the way baseball is played today hinges upon interpreting statistical data. Players are acquired based on their performance in statistical categories that ownership deems most important. Managers make in-game decisions based not on instincts, but on probability - how a particular batter might fare against left-handed pitching, for instance. The goal of this unique book is to show fans all the baseball-related stuff that they can do for free (or close to free). Just as open source projects have made great software freely available, collaborative projects such as Retrosheet and Baseball DataBank have made great data freely available. You can use these data sources to research your favorite players, win your fantasy league, or appreciate the game of baseball even more than you do now. Baseball Hacks shows how easy it is to get data, process it, and use it to truly understand baseball. The book lists a number of sources for current and historical baseball data, and explains how to load it into a database for analysis. It then introduces several powerful statistical tools for understanding data and forecasting results. For the uninitiated baseball fan, author Joseph Adler walks readers through the core statistical categories for hitters (batting average, on-base percentage, etc.), pitchers (earned run average, strikeout-to-walk ratio, etc.), and fielders (putouts, errors, etc.). He then extrapolates upon these numbers to examine more advanced data groups like career averages, team stats, season-by-season comparisons, and more. Whether you're a mathematician, scientist, or season-ticket holder to your favorite team, Baseball Hacks is sure to have something for you. Advance praise for Baseball Hacks: "Baseball Hacks is the best book ever written for understanding and practicing baseball analytics. A must-read for baseball professionals and enthusiasts alike." -- Ari Kaplan, database consultant to the Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, and Baltimore Orioles "The game was born in the 19th century, but the passion for its analysis continues to grow into the 21st. In Baseball Hacks, Joe Adler not only demonstrates that the latest data-mining technologies have useful application to the study of baseball statistics, he also teaches the reader how to do the analysis himself, arming the dedicated baseball fan with tools to take his understanding of the game to a higher level." -- Mark E. Johnson, Ph.D., Founder, SportMetrika, Inc. and Baseball Analyst for the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals
Blacks at the Net
While much has been written about black triumphs in boxing, baseball, and other sports, little has been said of similar accomplishments in tennis. In this book, the first is the first volume dedicated to that subject, Sundiata Djata more than cites facts and figures, he explores obstacles to such performance such as the discrimination that kept blacks out of pro tennis for decades. He examines the role that this white sport traditionally played in the black community. And he provides keen insights into the politics of professional sports and the challenges faced by today's black players. Drawing on original and published interviews, life writings, and newspaper articles, the author offers an in-depth look at black participation in tennis: from the first courts in Tuskegee in 1880, to players Reginald Weir and Gerald Norman, Jr., who challenged racism in the U. S. Lawn Tennis Association in the 1920s; from Harlem teen Bob Ryland's historic match with two white women in 1944 to the achievements of acclaimed later stars like Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe, Yannick Noah, and Venus and Serena Williams. Thoroughly researched and comprehensive in scope, the work's eventual two volumes will cover identity and black tennis in aboriginal Australia, North and South Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas. it is an ideal read for tennis players, sports historians, readers of black history and/or black sports figures, and all who are interested in the sport.
The Show
The first definitive oral history of the ever popular L.A. Lakers The L.A. Lakers have long been one of the NBA's most exciting teams. In The Show, critically acclaimed sportswriter Roland Lazenby brings the story of this charismatic team to life in an unprecedented oral history, featuring such legendary players as Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, and Magic Johnson, along with current stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Through in-depth interviews with players, coaches, and many other key figures, Lazenby follows the Lakers from their birthplace in 1946 Minneapolis to their eventual successes and failures in Los Angeles, using his flair for storytelling and eye for detail to show you exactly why the 14-time NBA champion Lakers are a celebrated favorite for sports fans all over America.
The Baffled Parent’s Guide to Coaching Girls’ Basketball
"If you're serious about coaching girls' basketball, Coach Hatchell's book is a must-read."--Dean Smith, the winningest coach in NCAA men's basketball history"Coach Hatchell covers everything you need to know about coaching girls' basketball."--Betty Jaynes, CEO Emeritus, Women's Basketball Coaches AssociationOK, you've got the clipboard and the whistle, you've entered the gym, and twelve eager young faces turn to you. Now what? Even if you know little or nothing about the sport and even less about coaching, Coaching Girls' Basketball will lead you step by step through a successful season, from meeting your players and organizing your team, through teaching fundamentals, to making crucial game decisions. Women's Basketball Hall of Fame coach Sylvia Hatchell helps you master the skills, drills, plays, and game-day tactics that will make you a great coach. She also helps you cope with important issues like treating players equally regardless of ability, unhappy parents, helping all your players experience growth and success, and recognizing the crucial differences between coaching girls and boys. Coach Hatchell shows you how to: Prepare for your first practice and first gameMatch drills to abilityPromote good habits, concentration, and teamworkLearn what's unique about coaching girls from age 6 to 14Make practices fun, effective, and rewardingImprove your players and your teamReach all your playersBe the coach your players will remember"Learn from the best. Coach Hatchell knows basketball."--Charlotte Smith-Taylor, forward, Washington Mystics; 1995 ESPN National Player of the Year
When Nothing Else Matters
As one of the greatest, most celebrated athletes in history, Michael Jordan conquered professional basketball as no one had before. As one of the greatest, most celebrated athletes in history, Michael Jordan conquered professional basketball as no one had before. Powered by a potent mix of charisma, nearly superhuman abilities, and a ferocious need to dominate the game, he won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and captured every basketball award and accolade conceivable before retiring and taking a top executive post with the Washington Wizards. But retirement didn't suit the man who was once king, and at the advanced age of thirty-eight Michael Jordan set out to reclaim the court that had been his dominion. When Nothing Else Matters is the definitive account of Jordan's equally spectacular and disastrous return to basketball. Washington Post writer Michael Leahy reveals the striking contrast between the public Jordan and the man whose personal style alienated teammates and the Washington owner who ousted him.
Every Shot Must Have a Purpose
Two legendary coaches give golfers a powerful new approach to the game... and to life. As coaches to some of golf's top players, Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott have designed and refined a revolutionary way of teaching the game, with phenomenal results. They don't believe in prescribing the same stance, grip, and swing to everyone, followed by hours of purposeless drilling. They don't even believe in beginning with physical technique. Their success has proven to them that a great game begins with a great vision. Unlike any other golf book, Every Shot Must Have a Purpose offers cutting-edge techniques for integrating the physical, technical, mental, emotional, and social parts of a player's game. The book's revolutionary pre-shot routine will improve your focus, leading to a golf swing that is not only successful but can be repeated under extreme pressure. Emphasizing the individual golfer rather than a rigid set of mechanics, their VISION54 method takes the frustration out of the game. Why 54? Because they believe it's possible to shoot a 54 (making a birdie on every hole of a par-72 course) if you have the right mind-set and well-honed intuitive power. An engaging read for the beginner or the seasoned golfer, Every Shot Must Have a Purpose is inspiration for life, not just the links.
Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die
A stunning, in-depth guide to fifty of the world's greatest golf courses, selected by people deeply connected to the sport. There's an incredible similarity between the mechanics of a fly cast and the swing of a golf club. Perhaps that's why Chris Santella, author of Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die, can be found on the links when he's not on the stream. With Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die, Santella gives voice to his other sporting passion, interviewing 50 people intimately connected to the sport about some of their favorite courses around the world. For both passionate golfers and armchair travelers, this gorgeous full-color book presents the world's greatest golf venues, the personal favorites of renowned players, course architects, and other experts in the sport. From Ballyliffin, Ireland's northernmost course, whose rumpled fairways wander along the North Sea in the shadows of Glashedy Rock, to New Zealand's Cape Kidnappers, perched atop dramatic cliffs some 500 feet above the ocean, the book's beautiful photographs capture the architecture, noteworthy holes, location, and ambiance that make these courses standouts for ardent golfers. A brief history of each course, an experiential account-filled with local color from the person recommending the venue, and trip-planning advice provide adventurous readers with all the information they need to chip and putt their way around the globe. Interviews with golfing experts such as Nick Faldo and Christie Kerr (pro golfers), Pete Dye and Tom Doak (course architects), and Brian McCallen (editor and author), as well as beautiful, vibrant photography, bring each location to life. Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die makes golfing accessible with easy-to-follow advice, enthralling anecdotes, and inspiration for your next trip.
The Old Man And the Tee
The Old Man and the Tee presents one man's hilarious and heartwarming quest to drop 10 strokes from his golf game in a year, using the top teachers, pros, and equipment money can buy.As a kid caddying for his father on the sunburned links of West Texas, Turk Pipkin had dreamed of great achievements in golf. Unfortunately, life got in the way. A lack of talent didn't help much either. It was not until his father passed away that Turk realized he'd forgotten his childhood dream and had lost the simple joy he'd once found in the game. Deciding that the time for all his pitiful golf excuses was past, Turk embarked upon the golf quest of a lifetime. For twelve months, he'd ignore work and other distractions, and dedicate himself to the game. He'd seek instruction from golf's greatest teachers, put the best equipment in his bag, and play the world's finest courses. His seemingly impossible goal was to take ten strokes off his 16-handicap. With lessons from David Leadbetter, Dave Pelz, and Ben Crenshaw, and with spiritual guidance from great old men like Willie Nelson, George Plimpton, and Byron Nelson, Turk's epic journey carries him from Pebble Beach to Scotland and back again, where he risks everything on one final round for his father. Follow Turk on the journey of a lifetime, and learn to love golf-and life- all over again.
Buckeye Madness
Columbus, Ohio, may be the closest thing to college football's epicenter, situated as it is in the sport's "cradle." And Ohio State football fans have been rocking that cradle for 114 years, exhorting their mighty Buckeyes in the bruising wars of the Big Ten Conference since 1890. From the school's stable of Heisman Trophy winners to fabled coaches Paul Brown and Woody Hayes to the 2002 national championship team, football rules autumn in famed Ohio Stadium. Buckeye Madness is the story of Ohio State football. Here are the legendary Chic Harley, Les Horvath, Hopalong Cassady, Archie Griffin, Eddie George, and a host of other stars; five national championship teams; the explosive rivalry with archrival Michigan; the all-time Ohio State team; and the rosters from each national championship team. All of this is presented in the words of the players themselves, the coaches, opponents, fans, and members of the media. It's the ultimate three yards and a cloud of dust!
Gridiron Glory
A rivalry like no other, Army versus Navy receives due recognition in this colorful, thorough history.
Faithful
"Faithful isn't just about the Red Sox. It's also about family, friendship, and what it truly means to be a baseball fan and to be--well, faithful, come hell or high water" (The Boston Globe). "Of all the books that will examine the Boston Red Sox's stunning come-from-behind 2004 ALCS win over the Yankees and subsequent World Series victory, none will have this book's warmth, personality, or depth" (Publishers Weekly).Early in 2004, two writers and Red Sox fans, Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King, decided to chronicle the upcoming season, one of the most hotly anticipated in baseball history. They would sit together at Fenway. They would exchange emails. They would write about the games. And, as it happened, they would witness the greatest comeback ever in sports, and the first Red Sox championship in eighty-six years. What began as a Sox-filled summer like any other is now a fan's notes for the ages.
Browns Glory
Ross tells the story of Cleveland Browns football as told by Browns players, coaches, opponents, fans, and the media. Includes the rosters to all eight championship teams.
The New Coach's Guide to Youth Football Skills and Drills
One of the NFL's leading coaches helps you improve your players' techniques and your team's performanceBuilding on the phenomenal success of the Baffled Parent's series, this comprehensive resource helps you expand your teaching skills and improve your players' performance and enjoyment. It's equally indispensable for parents thrust into coaching, former players taking on their first coaching assignments, and veteran coaches.This great guide features: Tackling and catching drills for the entire team Group and team drills for offensive, defensive, and special team situations A unique system of paired drills and instruction for wide receivers and defensive backs; linemen and tight ends; and running backs and linebackers Photographs and diagrams that simplify the coaching process
Bulldog Madness
A new series for college football fans containing all the stats and information on their favorite teams.
She’s Got Next
When Melissa King, a transplanted southerner in search of connection, finds herself on the lean, mean streets of Chicago, she turns to her childhood passion for basketball. In her late twenties, King is at a crossroads in her life, and the randomness of the game as it is played on the streets suits her mood. The rules are unwritten, the teams a haphazard collection of players, and unlike anything else around her, the courts feel like home. So wherever there is a game, she gets her ball and goes. From the rough, male-dominated inner-city courts of Chicago, she travels to lazy oceanside pickup games in sunny California and dilapidated gyms in her Bible Belt home state.In a street-smart voice full of understated humor and palpable hope, King chronicles her journey, using the rhythms of the court to riff on the issues of race, class, gender, religion, sexual politics, and love. Ultimately, through the jubilant swish of the net, the brunt of an egregious foul, and the knowing glance of a stranger who says yes, you can be on my team, King discovers in those rare moments on the court the countless things she wants in life but cannot name.
The Caddie
Named "master of fiction" by USA Today, and Travel + Leisure Golf Magazine calls him "The John Grisham of Golf." Now, J. Michael Veron returns with his most intriguing work yet.... The caddie occupies the most unique position in all of sports. He is a coach who doesn't have to stay on the sidelines, a waterboy who doesn't have to wait for time-outs, a psychologist who doesn't have a couch, and a fan who doesn't have to buy a ticket. In Bobby Reeves's case, he's also a bail bondsman, not to mention a savior who will attempt to help him resurrect his game---and his life---in most unexpected ways. From a jail cell in Baton Rouge to the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, the gifted but troubled golfer and his mysterious caddie travel a remarkable path to great courses and to redemption. With his trademark style and golf expertise, J. Michael Veron has once again crafted a remarkable golf story.
Pitching the Dream
A GREAT MAN On June 21, 1954, Brooks Lawrence, a minor league baseball player, got word that he was to play in the major leagues. Though elated, he still recalled his lifelong quest to reach that goal and capture his dream. His story, of his family and his youth, college years, and service during World War II, features his ongoing love of the game of baseball. The difficulties and adversities he confronted as an African-American in both the minor and major leagues and how he overcame them make his ultimate triumph as a Hall of Famer an inspiring story. Brooks was a remarkable man with a remarkable story.
Golf & Life
Golf & Life presents a whole tournament of lessons for on the greens--and off--from legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus.How did Jack Nicklaus become a legend? Nicklaus's life is one of extraordinary achievement: Not only did Jack Nicklaus win eighteen PGA Tour Majors, and eight Senior PGA Tour Majors during his one hundred victories worldwide, but he also gained fame as a golf course designer and goodwill ambassador. Internationally acclaimed speaker and specialist medical practitioner Dr. John Tickell was one of millions in awe of the achievements of Jack Nicklaus. He wanted to know the secrets of the great man's enormous success in golf and life. When Dr. Tickell met Jack Nicklaus, he was given many insights into both the physical and mental demands of Nickalus's accomplishments. In this book Dr. Tickell interviews Jack Nicklaus about his remarkable success and illustrates the how and the why of that success. Dr. Tickell asked Jack Nicklaus to help him design a golf course. They combined their talents to build a championship course at the Heritage Golf and Country Club in Melbourne, Australia. During their time together, Nicklaus shared with Dr. Tickell the Four Principles of Greatness and other pointers to success. They spent many hours together discussing life and golf, golf and life, and now share with you those lessons on how to become a better golfer and, more important, a better human being. This book presents seventy-two lessons on golf and life from a man who has consistently reached the top of the mountain in all aspects of life. It will motivate and uplift you--and quite possibly shave a few strokes off your game as well.
Q School Confidential
In 1999, the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament--known to many as Q School--found itself sitting on 35 years of unique history. Q School Confidential chronicles this tournament's deep, dense story of heartbreak, black humor, backroom politics and magnificent golf under dire circumstances.Using the 1998 PGA TOUR Qualifying School finals as his backdrop, golf writer David Gould recounts for the first time ever the history of the pro tour's annual qualifier, with revealing anecdotes about raw rookies, aging veterans and every dreamer in between. The vintage stories in the Q School's near and distant past tell of emotional and physical breakdown---and courage, as well---under pressure: Jim Carter's self-confessed "choke stories" of 1990 and 1992; Mark McCumber's recurring lost-scorecard nightmare; Peter Jacobsen's ordeal with a cheater on the Mexican border; Jim McLean's bizarre arrest on the qualifier's eve; and Mac O'Grady's violent celebration of his long-awaited Q School success. The players captured in these pages turn white with panic, vomit their breakfast, sleep in their cars, practice on interstate ranges, lose golf shoes, forget contact lenses and make fateful decisions based on faulty information. Sifting back through several eras, Gould explains the innocent aims of the first Q Schools and uncovers the tournament's pivotal role in the momentous split-up of the PGA and the PGA TOUR. He examines the difficult question of how professional golf should go about bringing in new players and letting former players regain their privileges. In the voices of forgotten or never-known tour pros from the 1970s, he narrates the frustrating "rabbit era" that Q School helped create, and revisits the infamous "breakaway Q School" of 1968. In notes that accompany this book's exclusive year-by-year scoring records, the author picks out hidden turning points, bits of trivia and strange coincidences in the lives of tour players past and present. These profiles and snapshots of the earliest Q School survivors and the most recent graduates, as well, are woven together in a warm, engaging and insightful narrative. Q School Confidential, sometimes bleak, sometimes triumphant, provides the first and only inside look at a cruel and unusual tournament that many consider golf's toughest test of all.
Cardinals Glory
Stats, team lists, and all the info a fan would need to follow the Cardinals from their start to their current World Series season.