Biography: sport Books

Book SynopsisThe Life of O'Reilly is a chronicle of the career of one of the European PGA Tour's most famous caddies-John O'Reilly-and it's full of funny stories as only this Irishman can tell them. Like the one about the time he and some fellow caddies were arrested and jailed in East Germany on their way to the German Open in Berlin. Or the one about the Tour pro who, in a fit of temper after a bad shot, put his foot through the bottom of his golf bag and could not get it out again! The Life of O'Reilly is a rollicking ride around the world-and the world of professional golf-by one of the game's most interesting characters. No golf library would be complete without it. "I hope that you'll find this book as entertaining as I found Johnny to be throughout our three successful years on tour. There was never a dull moment!" --Padraig HarringtonTable of ContentsIntroduction. Chapter One: Reilly the Globetrotter. Chapter Two: Tantrums, Pranks, and High Jinks. Chapter Three: King of the Castle. Chapter Four: The Players. Chapter Five: Hobnobbing with Royalty. Chapter Six: Behind the Iron Curtain. Chapter Seven: Thailand. Chapter Eight: Dubai. Chapter Nine: South Africa. Chapter Ten: “The Boss.” Chapter Eleven: Nanny and Gopher. Chapter Twelve: More Caddie Yarns. Chapter Thirteen: The Holmpatrick Cup. Chapter Fourteen: Kiawah Island.

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Book SynopsisAny discussion of great boxers must include Willie Pep and Sandy Saddler—midcentury featherweight champions whose heroics electrified the fistic world then and reverberate today. This book explores the boxing lives of both pugilists—early years, fighting years, training and conditioning, historical context, life after boxing, and, of course, the lasting controversy over their rivalry and legacy. Pep recorded 229 wins, only 11 losses and one draw over a pro career that spanned three decades. He won the featherweight crown twice. Sandy Saddler’s record of 144-16-2 includes an amazing 103 knockouts. He also won the title twice and retired an undefeated featherweight champion. Their four title bouts are an epic showcase of contrasts. Pep was the exquisite dancer/boxer, a wildly popular Italian American personality who made his opponents miss and scored at will. Saddler was a curious blend of unprepossessing menace—a tall, thin, black American banger who pressed and brutalized with singular leveraged force. Their matchups had it all: contrasting styles, dazzling skills, hard punching, splendid action, ridiculous brawling, heroic victories and crashing defeats. Included in this book are Pep’s plane crash and recovery as well as the legal wrangling with Newsweek over his boxing reputation. Saddler’s ongoing slight in boxing history and secondary status with Pep is examined under fresh light. The text is highlighted with several images of both fighters that bring to life the fierce glory of professional boxing in the 1940s and 50s.Trade Review" Start-Up Sports tackles the hottest sports. Forthright and Simple." -- Library Journal"Pep-Saddler was the ultimate rivalry between two different men and fighters. Doug Werner does a masterful job of covering it in detail and then some." -- Jack Hirsch, President, Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), Chief correspondent, Boxing News"Doug Werner has put together a wonderful compilation of stories, facts, analysis and historical opinion on the epic four-fight rivalry between featherweights Willie Pep and Sandy Saddler. And you get the feeling that [he] has brought everything to his book..." -- T K Stewart, author, "The Fight Racket" & 10-time winner of the Barney Award (Boxing Writers Association of America)

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the story of one of Argentina’s greatest tennis players, the most important of his generation. After winning the 2009 U.S. Open, defeating Roger Federer in a glorious five-set final, del Potro was poised to take over the tennis world. However, wrist problems developed and del Potro endured three surgeries over fifteen months. One of the world's most popular players, del Potro's fan base grew as he made his comeback—watching him win his second Olympic medal in Rio in 2016, where he once lost to Andy Murray, but won the hearts of millions around the world. He followed up by leading Argentina to victory in the Davis Cup. Described as the "Gentle Giant," del Potro has the sensitivity to comfort a ball girl hit during a match, to stop in the middle of the game to gaze at a butterfly, and to accompany a young fan in the last days of his life. However, when he grips the racket, he becomes one of the most destructive strikers of a tennis ball.

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Book SynopsisOne of the world’ s most well-known and respected athletes, Roger Federer has had a career that ranks among the most celebrated and successful in all of tennis history. This entertaining and illuminating chronicle of Federer’ s trophy-laden journey is unique for its day-by-day format: every day of the calendar year is presented with a corresponding bit of fact, trivia, or an anniversary, including hallmark victories, statistics, quirky happenings, and quotations. Fans of a player widely considered the greatest of all time as well as sports fans in general will get to know the 17-time major champion better in a uniquely engaging way with this book

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Book SynopsisPortrays Robinson's career from a new perspective--that of an adoring nine-year-old fan who saw him play up close, at Ebbets Field. Through this boy's eyes, we see how the borough of Brooklyn embraced Jackie Robinson, the man and the player, as their own.

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Book Synopsis"Inoki can use his bare fists. He can use karate. This is serious. There's $10 million involved. I wouldn't pull a fraud on the public. This is real. There's no plan. The blood. The holds. The pain. Everything is going to be real. I'm not here in this time of my life to come out with some phony action. I want you to know this is real." --Muhammad Ali, June 14, 1976, The Tonight Show On June 26, 1976, Muhammad Ali fought in a mixed-rules contest against iconic pro wrestling champion Antonio Inoki for the so-called "martial arts championship of the world." Broadcast from Tokyo to a potential audience of 1.4 billion in 34 countries, the spectacle foreshadowed and, in many ways, led to the rise of mixed martial arts as a major sport. The unique contest was controversial and panned by wrestling and boxing supporters alike, but the real action was behind the scenes. Egos, competing interests, and a general sense of apprehension over what would happen in the ring led to hodgepodge rules thrown together at the last minute. Bizarre plans to "save" Ali if the fight got out of hand were even concocted. In Ali vs. Inoki, author Josh Gross gets inside Ali's head leading up to the match by resurrecting pre-fight interviews. Gross also introduces us to Inoki, the most famous face in Japan who was instrumental in shaping modern mixed martial arts.Trade Review"It's only fitting the Josh Gross--an early MMA adopter and as fine a writer/reporter as the sport has--gives us this dispatch of an original boxer-versus-grappler contest. Our only question: when's the movie coming out?" --L. Jon Wertheim, executive editor, Sports Illustrated "If you're interested in Muhammad Ali, the history of combat sports or pro wrestling, this book is a must-have in your collection." --Denny Burkholder, features writer for CBS Sports

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Book SynopsisWhen it comes to professional team sports in America, the NFL is king. And where there are NFL players there are NFL agents. Sports agents have been labeled as vultures for their willingness to resort to slimy, underhanded tactics to recruit clients and make deals. Enter NFL agent Eugene Lee, whose ethics are beyond reproach.In My Brother’s Keeper, we’ll meet players in various stages of their NFL career—from college, to the pros, to life after the game. Eugene takes us into the homes of potential clients, the locker rooms of current clients, and anywhere else an agent must go to keep the dreams of players alive.Above all, we’ll get insight into why Eugene has chosen to walk a path of righteousness, conducting business with the same integrity and faith by which he lives.Some say he’s a true “Jerry Maguire,” but Eugene Lee is an original, a one-of-a-kind personality whose life is just as exciting as the games played by his clients.

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Book SynopsisLesley Visser is living proof that, no matter where you start, if you are motivated and passionate, your dreams can come true. When Lesley was 11, she told her mother that she wanted to be a sportswriter. The job didn't exist for women in 1964, but her mother—instead of suggesting she become a teacher or a nurse—replied, "Great! Sometimes you have to cross when it says, 'Don't walk.'" That answer changed Lesley's life. Even though no one had done it before, it gave her the strength and self-confidence to try—permission to cross against the light. When Lesley began, the credentials said, "No Women or Children in the Press Box," but she didn't let that stop her. Lesley covered sports for more than 40 years, pioneering women's journalistic presence in men's professional sports, from inside the locker room to out on the field. She's the first and only woman to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and to ever present the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl. And she's the only sportscaster in history to have worked on the network broadcasts of the Final Four, Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Triple Crown, Olympics, U.S. Open, and the World Figure Skating Championship. Lesley currently appears on CBS's "We Need to Talk," the first-ever nationally televised all-female weekly hour-long sports show. Lesley's had her share of hurdles and stumbles. But with passion, perseverance, and dedication, she found a way to achieve her dream, learning valuable lessons along the way. (Hint: Humor goes further than anger, and no, we can't all look like Beyoncé.) In Sometimes You Have to Cross When It Says 'Don't Walk,' Lesley Visser shares her historic journey through the world of sports broadcasting with innate wisdom and good humor. For sports fans who grew up with Lesley, her memoir reads like a walk down memory lane, full of behind-the-camera, VIP-access stories involving John Madden, Jerry Jones, Bill Belichick, Joe Torre, and many more famous sports figures. But even those hearing her story for the first time, no matter what their background, will be inspired to chase their dreams, blaze new trails, and pursue the life they want.Trade Review"Lesley has been part of the CBS family for more than 30 years, and we consider her the trailblazer for women in sports journalism, blessed with both knowledge and heart. Enjoy this romp through her 40 years of covering sports."—Leslie Moonves, Chairman of the Board and CEO of CBS "I have known Lesley for decades and she not only loves football, she really knows the game. I recommend this book to anyone who ever wanted to hear great stories from someone who's been around the game for 40 years." —Dan Marino, NFL Hall of Famer "Every single woman writing sports today owes a debt to Lesley Visser, who proved that women could both out-report and out-write men long before we took that for granted, as we do now." —John Feinstein, columnist for the Washington Post and best-selling author of more than 40 books, including the New York Times #1 bestseller Season on the Brink "Forty years ago, Lesley Visser covered my first professional team, the Boston Lobsters. She earned my trust then and has remained one of my favorite people in sports. Her accomplishments in a male-dominated industry allowed her to break through barriers and blaze a trail that has opened doors for generations of talented women in sports since. Lesley has always been one of the best at getting and telling a story. Now, she tells her story." —Robert Kraft, owner of the five-time world champion New England Patriots and CEO of the Kraft Group "Lesley Visser is a giant in women's sports journalism. I don't mean physically, of course. Physically, she has excellent proportions. What I mean is, she blazed the trail for all the women who followed after her. She also paved the way. That's right: This woman blazed AND paved, as well as forging the path, charting the course, raising the bar, and breaking through the glass ceiling. She covered professional football when the gridiron was literally a grid made out of iron and women reporters were not allowed in the locker room without bustles, yet despite these obstacles, she broke big story after big story, including the discovery of the forward pass. She was also the first journalist of any gender to spell ‘Krzyzewski' correctly. Lesley truly is a pioneer, and all those who followed in her footsteps owe her a debt of gratitude, which they could repay by buying this book. She will also accept cash." —Dave Barry, Pulitzer Prize–winning author and humorist

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Book Synopsis"In yet another skillful excavation of a dazzling Latino champion, Christian Giudice...follows Hector 'Macho' Camacho from his embattled childhood in Spanish Harlem, to the heights of his electrifying yet too-brief stardom and onto his abject end by hail of gunfire in a carful of cocaine. It is a compelling journey."-Mark Kram Jr., author of Smokin' Joe: The Life of Joe Frazier Raised in 1970s Spanish Harlem, Hector Camacho lived a life as fast as his fists flew in the ring. Handsome, flamboyant, and outspoken, Camacho electrified the boxing scene of the 1980s and, shouting his mantra "Macho Time!", beat some of the greatest fighters of his generation. His fast-lane life caught up with him eventually-and tragically-when he was shot dead outside a nightclub in Puerto Rico at the age of fifty. Macho Time is written by Christian Giudice, author of Hands of Stone, the definitive biography of Roberto Duran, which was made into the motion picture of the same name starring Robert De Niro Macho Time will be the first biography of Hector Camacho Sr., who lived a life as fast as his fists flew in the ring. Camacho's son, Hector Camacho Jr., also a professional boxer, has worked closely with author Christian Giudice to give him unprecedented access and insight into this complex man, who was tragically murdered in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2012 I thought I was cocky. Camacho surpasses me by three or four levels. But when Camacho brags, he's not trying to convince you of anything; he's just telling you what's going to happen."-Sugar Ray Leonard, from the pages of Macho Time "He would give me a hug and a kiss, then he would sit on the couch and make everyone laugh so hard. He had such good energy and spirit. He brought such joy to people whenever he entered a room. It was a gift."-Hector Camacho Jr., from Afterword of Macho TimeTrade Review"Hector 'Macho' Camacho...survived a difficult childhood to become a world champion before his lifelong struggle with addiction led to his murder at the age of 50. Giudice's take on the complicated fighter will move even those who've never tuned into a boxing match."--Publishers Weekly "The first full-length biography of the legendary boxer...with a penchant for flamboyant outfits and behavior that won him both fans and foes. Giudice writes with sensitivity about Camacho's lifelong struggle with drugs and excessive partying that robbed him of a chance at true greatness...Boxing fans who remember the ascendant days of lighter-weight fighters such as Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez, and Oscar De La Hoya will want to read."--Library Journal "In yet another skillful excavation of a dazzling Latino champion, Christian Giudice--the author of acclaimed biographies of Roberto Duran, Alexis Arguello and Wilfredo Gomez--follows Hector 'Macho' Camacho from his embattled childhood in Spanish Harlem, to the heights of his electrifying yet too-brief stardom and onto his abject end by hail of gunfire in a carful of cocaine. It is a compelling journey."--Mark Kram Jr., author of Smokin' Joe: The Life of Joe Frazier "The bullets that eventually found Hector Camacho had shadowed him throughout his tempestuous life. In this penetrating biography, Christian Giudice reveals the showman, the artist, the clown and the assassin--the erratic family man and the pride of Spanish Harlem. The Macho Man was a blazing comet streaking across the sky, bringing brilliance and destruction, then disappearing all too soon."--Mike Stanton, author of Unbeaten: Rocky Marciano's Fight for Perfection in a Crooked World "All of boxing's dark romance is here. The raw material of Hector Camacho's wild, sad yet sometimes stellar life expertly distilled and movingly told."--Jon Hotten, author of The Years of the Locust: A True Story of Murder, Money and Mayhem in the Last Age of Boxing

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Book Synopsis"Just finished Don Stradley's book on Edwin Valero, Berserk. Outstanding. Predictably so because 1) Don is a super writer, and 2) the story is chilling and amazing."—Steve Farhood, Showtime boxing analyst, and International Boxing Hall of Fame member"There’s no telling what went on during the next few hours, or where his paranoia took him, but in that room something terrible happened. At 5:30 a.m. Valero appeared in the lobby. As calmly as one might order something from room service, he told the staff that he had just killed his wife."Within the dark pages of Berserk: The Shocking Life and Death of Edwin Valero, author Don Stradley uncovers the gritty details of the undefeated (27-0, 27 KO), troubled, boxer Edwin Valero.Edwin Valero’s life was like a rocket shot into a wall. With a perfect knockout record in twenty-seven fights, the demonic Venezuelan boxer, known as “El Inca” and “El Dinamita,” seemed destined for a clash with all-time great Manny Pacquiao. But the Fates had other ideas.Fueled by cocaine and booze and paranoia, Valero blazed into a mania that derailed his career in the ring and resulted in the brutal death of his young wife Jennifer–and soon afterward, his own. In chilling detail, Don Stradley captures one of the darkest and most sensational boxing stories in recent memory, which, until now, has never been fully told.Filled with firsthand accounts from the men who trained Valero and the reporters who covered him, as well as insights from psychologists and forensic experts, Berserk is a hell-ride of a book.Berserk is the first in the Hamilcar Noir series, from Hamilcar Publications. Hamilcar Noir is "Hard-Hitting True Crime" that blends boxing and true crime, featuring riveting stories captured in high-quality prose, with cover art inspired by classic pulp novels.Perfect Gift For Boxing and True Crime Fans!Berserk, combined with other books in the Hamilcar Noir series, makes a great gift for fans of stories about the darker side of boxing. Books in the Hamilcar Noir series also make for a great gift idea for true crime fans—whether they are a die-hard boxing fan or not, they will devour these quick reads and ask for more!Trade Review“Stradley [has]…a clipped, hard-hitting narrative style that makes no excuses and offers no apologies. Boxing fans interested in this…tragic figure should be captivated. A gritty, absorbing account of a boxer who couldn’t defeat his own inner demons.”—Kirkus Reviews"Stradley does well to separate fact from fiction and to dismiss conspiracy theories while recognising the limits of what we can really know about Valero and his relationships. It is a short sharp captivating read and one any boxing fan will find interesting. The punchy style of the book neatly matches Valero’s own relentless fighting style."—All Sports Books Reviews"Stradley doesn’t leave out the action in the ring, but he understands where best to turn his focus in an effort to humanize a man who many now see only as a maniac, a brute, a killer."—The Fight CityTable of ContentsPART I Birth of a Nightmare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 PART II Mad Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 PART III Carnage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...49

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Book Synopsis“A gritty, engrossing, and concise account of a boxer’s meteoric career and tortured personal life.”—Kirkus Reviews "If I wake up, I know I'm a success. The day I don't wake up, I know I'll be home. I have one foot on this earth and one foot has crossed over. I didn’t just die, I lived.”—Johnny Tapia ...the ghost of Johnny Tapia lives on “Mi Vida Loca” (My Crazy Life) was Johnny Tapia’s nickname and his reason for being. Haunted by the brutal murder of his beloved mother when he was a child, fighting and drugs gave him the escape he craved—and he did both with gusto. In The Ghost Of Johnny Tapia, Paul Zanon, with the help of Tapia’s widow Teresa, tells the harrowing and unforgettable story of a boxing genius who couldn’t, in the end, defeat his demons. From the Foreword: "Johnny had incredible heart, was such a sweet man, but was also tormented. He had two sides to him. The sweetest, nicest guy, but then the other side which could probably kill you. He was tortured with his addictions, but Johnny was always pure emotion in that ring."—Sammy ‘The Red Rocker’ Hagar, Musician The Ghost of Johnny Tapia is the second in the Hamilcar Noir series. Hamilcar Noir is "Hard-Hitting True Crime" that blends boxing and true crime, featuring riveting stories captured in high-quality prose, with cover art inspired by classic pulp novels. Perfect Gift For Boxing and True Crime Fans! The Ghost of Johnny Tapia, combined with other books in the Hamilcar Noir series, makes a great gift for fans of stories about the darker side of boxing. Books in the Hamilcar Noir series also make for a great gift idea for true crime fans—whether they are a die-hard boxing fan or not, they will devour these quick reads and ask for more!Table of ContentsForeword Sammy Hagar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix Prelude: D.O.A. Teresa Tapia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 CHAPTER 1 Baptism of Hell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 CHAPTER 2 Meeting His Match . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 CHAPTER 3 Escape to Victory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 CHAPTER 4 Resurrection Boulevard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 CHAPTER 5 Cheating Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 CHAPTER 6 Guilt Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 CHAPTER 7 Hanging Up the Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 CHAPTER 8 Final Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 CHAPTER 9 Adios Johnny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

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Book Synopsis“Mr. Snyder writes lyrically, and his research appears to be impeccable: It’s hard to imagine that anyone has slipped through his interview net… When Bundini died, Ali was abroad and unable to attend the funeral, but he sent flowers with a card that read: ‘You made me the greatest.’ Many members of the boxing fraternity, George Foreman and Larry Holmes included, think that Ali wasn’t exaggerating. Mr. Snyder’s affecting portrait will convince the rest of us as well.” —Gordon Marino, Wall Street Journal“I think Bundini was the source of Muhammad Ali’s spirit. I wouldn’t even call him a trainer or cornerman, he was more important than a trainer. Ali had an unmeasurable determination and he got it from Bundini.” —George Foreman“When you talk about Bundini, you are talking about the mouthpiece of Muhammad Ali, an extension of Muhammad Ali’s spirit. There would never have been a Muhammad Ali without Drew Bundini Brown.” —Khalilah Camacho-Ali (Muhammad Ali’s second wife)“Bundini gave Ali his entire heart. Bundini played a very important part in Ali’s career. He was Ali’s right hand man. He knew exactly how to motivate him. He was the one guy who could really get him up to train and get him ready to fight.” —Larry HolmesFifty years after he coined the iconic phrase Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Drew “Bundini” Brown remains one of boxing’s most mysterious and misunderstood figures. His impact on the sport and the culture at large is undeniable. Cornerman and confidant to two of the greatest fighters ever—Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali—Brown lived an extraordinary American life.After a poverty-stricken childhood in Jim Crow Florida, Brown came of age traveling the world as a naval steward. On being discharged, he settled in New York City and spent wild nights in the jazz joints of Harlem, making a name for himself as the charismatic street philosopher and poet some called “Fast Black.” He married a white woman from a family of Orthodox Jewish immigrants, in dramatic defiance of 1950s cultural norms, and later appeared in films such as the blaxploitation classic, Shaft.In Bundini, Todd Snyder digs deep into Brown’s expansive story, revealing not only how he became Muhammad Ali’s “hype man,” but also, as boxing’s greatest motivator, how he became a model for others who seek to inspire, in any endeavor.

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Book Synopsis“The story of Ike Ibeabuchi is one of the strangest in modern boxing history and Luke G. Williams has told it with great clarity, sensitivity, and skill. President of Pandemonium is crammed with raw and revealing details as Williams draws us into the unsettling world of a man as vulnerable as he was destructive. It is a gripping read.”—Donald McRae, The Guardian Ike “The President” Ibeabuchi had the boxing world at his feet in 1997 after vanquishing David Tua in a battle for the ages in Sacramento. The Nigerian heavyweight’s subsequent descent into a vortex of mental illness and crime and punishment was as shocking as it was tragic. Was Ibeabuchi a vulnerable man exploited by a ruthless sport and a dysfunctional criminal justice system, or was he guilty-as-charged for his deeds and rightly punished? Somewhere amid a colorful cast of characters including Republican politicians, crooked promoters, and demons hiding in air-conditioning units, lies the uncomfortable truth. In President of Pandemonium, Luke G. Williams vividly recreates Ibeabuchi’s life in and out of the ring. Combining exclusive interviews with those who guided his career and observed him closely, as well as firsthand testimony from “The President” himself, this is a story of brilliance destroyed by dark forces, both real and imagined.

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Book SynopsisIn When in Doubt, Stop the Bout, renowned boxing historian Mike Silver presents a shocking exposé of the sordid underbelly of professional boxing, and uncovers the sport’s criminally flawed infrastructure and those responsible for it. From compromised referees to poorly trained ringside physicians to an insidious cartel of “sanctioning organizations” approving dangerous mismatches, Silver lays bare the corruption, the negligence, and the incompetence that has made a dangerous sport even more dangerous. But aside from unmasking the chaotic mess that afflicts boxing, this book for the first time proposes groundbreaking practical solutions that will mitigate the danger and save lives. Penetrating and persuasive, When in Doubt, Stop the Bout will change forever how you see the sport of boxing.

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Book SynopsisWith his trademark insider acuity, unsentimental compassion, and faultless eye and ear, Charles Farrell gives us an indelible portrait of one of boxing's great characters and a definitive account of what happens when talent runs afoul of the way things work in the world.Carlo Rotella, contributor to The New York Times Magazine and author ofCut Time: An Education at the FightsMitch Blood' Green hadmore things going for him to make big money in boxing than nearly any fighterin history. A six-foot-six, 225-pound heavyweight with a chiseled physique anda traffic-stopping look, Green had street credibility for dayshe was the gang leaderof the Black Spadesand four New York Golden Gloves heavyweight titles. But his penchant formayhem, drugs, and chaos, while keeping him in the news, torpedoed his pro boxingcareer. He lost a high-profile decision to Mike Tyson at Madison Square Garden,got into a tabloid-grabbing late-night street fight with Tyson at anafter-hours boutique in Harlem, and then disappeared. Until Charles Farrellfound him. In The Legend of Mitch Blood Green and Other Boxing Essays, Farrell captures life in the boxingbusiness from its deepest interior, and offers additional portraits of charactersas wide-ranging as Donald Trump, Floyd Patterson, Bert Cooper, Charley Burley, PeterMcNeeley, and Muhammad Ali. Trenchant, fearless, and often flat-out funny, there has neverbeen a boxing book like this, and there will never be another.

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Book SynopsisWhen the Detroit Red Wings were rebooting their franchise after more than two decades of relative futility, they knew the best place to find world-class players who could help turn things around more quickly were conscripted servants behind the Iron Curtain. All they had to do then was make history by drafting them, then figure out how to get them out. That’s when the Wings turned to Keith Gave, the newsman whose clandestine mission to Helsinki, Finland, was the first phase of a of a years-long series of secret meetings from posh hotel rooms to remote forests around Europe to orchestrate their unlawful departures from the Soviet Union. One defection created an international incident and made global headlines. Another player faked cancer, thanks to the Wings’ extravagant bribes to Russian doctors, including a big American car. Another player who wasn’t quite ready to leave yet felt like he was being kidnapped by an unscrupulous agent. Two others were outcast when they stood up publicly against the Soviet regime, winning their freedom to play in the NHL only after years of struggle. They are the Russian Five: Sergei Fedorov, Viacheslav Fetisov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Vyacheslav Kozlov and Igor Larionov. Their individual stories read like pulse-pounding spy novels. The story that unfolded after they were brought together in Detroit by the masterful coach Scotty Bowman is unforgettable. This story includes details never before revealed, and by the man who was there every step of the way – from the day Detroit drafted its first two Soviets in 1989 until they raised the Stanley Cup in 1997, then took it to Moscow for a victory lap around Red Square and the Kremlin. The Russian Five did more to bridge Russian and American relations than decades of diplomacy and dÉtente between the White House and the Kremlin. This is their story.

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Book SynopsisLongtime sports photographer Brad Mangin teams up with Buster Posey himself in this visual celebration of the star catcher’s twelve seasons with the San Francisco Giants. Packed with over 150 photographs, 28: A Photographic Tribute to Buster Posey captures Buster’s entire career, from the first time he stepped foot onto the field for the Giants back in 2009 all the way to his final at-bat in 2021. One of the most beloved players in Giants history, the rookie catcher helped carry the franchise to its first World Series championship in San Francisco in 2010, and from there, the rising star carried the Giants to win two more World Series in 2012 and 2014—all brilliantly documented by Mangin.With an introduction from veteran sportswriter and San Francisco radio host Brian Murphy, along with essays from Buster and his teammates, managers, and other sports luminaries—including Mike Krukow & Duane Kuiper, Bruce Bochy, Matt Cain, Brandon Crawford, Gabe Kapler, Hunter Pence, Sergio Romo, Logan Webb, and Barry Zito—28 tells the story of Buster’s illustrious career from the heartfelt perspective of those who know him best.Off the field, Buster used his platform to help children, and now his legacy continues to transform lives. He and his wife, Kristen, created and nurtured BP28, a charity that has raised over $4 million since 2016 in its endeavor to improve outcomes and raise awareness of pediatric cancer. Kristen also shares that story here, and a portion of the proceeds from this book will benefit their foundation.

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Book SynopsisPicking up where the international best-selling book The Russian Five left off, Vlad the Impaler will have readers alternately laughing—and in tears—with dozens more memorable, untold stories and anecdotes from the Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup championship season in 1997, 25 years ago. The book includes a foreword by Hall of Fame defenseman Slava Fetisov, along with lengthy excerpts from interviews of several members of that team, from captain Steve Yzerman, teammates Brendan Shanahan, Nicklas Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Slava Kozlov, and coach Scotty Bowman, among many others. A portion of the proceeds from the book will be earmarked for the Vladimir Konstantinov Special Needs Trust to help ensure the care he needs after suffering catastrophic injuries just a week after he helped the Wings win their first Stanley Cup title in 42 years. #Believe

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Book SynopsisBefore Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders, there were only nineteen men, throughout history, who played in the Major Leagues of baseball and in the National Football League, in the same season. Only one man from that group, Walter French, can lay claim to having played for a World Series winner and an NFL Championship team. In 1925, he starred for the Pottsville (PA) Maroons in their win over the Chicago Cardinals, in what was believed to be the NFL championship game, only to see the title stripped by a league office decision, a controversial move still being argued about today. Then in 1929, he was on the Philadelphia Athletics when they beat the Chicago Cubs in five games to win the World Series. Walter E. French was born in Moorestown, New Jersey in 1899 and he just might have been the best, but least known, all-around athlete to emerge from the decade of the 1920s, commonly referred to as the Golden Age of Sports. One analyst ranked him as the fastest man in football at the time, even pl

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisA riveting, revealing portrait of tennis champion and global icon Serena Williams that combines biography, cultural criticism, and sports writing to offer “a deep, satisfying meditation” (The New York Times) on the most consequential athlete of her time.There has never been an athlete like Serena Williams. She has dominated women’s tennis for two decades, changed the way the game is played, and—by inspiring Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and others—changed, too, the racial makeup of the pro game. But Williams’s influence has not been confined to the tennis court. As a powerful Black woman who struggled to achieve and sustain success, she has emerged as a cultural icon, figuring in conversations about body image, working mothers, and more. Seeing Serena chronicles Williams’s return to tennis after giving birth to her daughter—from her controversial 2018 US Open final against Naomi Osaka through a 2020 season that unfolded against a backdrop of a pandemic and protests over the killing of Black men and women by the police. Gerald Marzorati, who writes about tennis for The New Yorker, travels to Wimbledon and to Compton, California, where Serena and her sister Venus learned to play. He talks with former women’s tennis greats, sports and cultural commentators—and Serena herself. He observes Williams from courtside, on the red carpet, in fashion magazines, on social media. He sees her and writes about her prismatically—reflecting on her many, many facets. The result is an “enlightening…keen analysis” (The Washington Post) and energetic narrative that illuminates Serena’s singular status as the greatest women’s tennis player of all time and a Black woman with a global presence like no other.Trade Review“Thoughtful. . . . Marzorati has written a deep, satisfying meditation on Serena’s path.” —The New York Times “What would a year spent watch­ing every Serena Williams tennis match yield? A portrait both on and off the court of one of the greatest ath­letes of all time. New Yorker tennis writer Gerald Marzorati’s Seeing Serena captures Williams’ return to tennis follow­ing the birth of her daughter and her influence and presence as a cultural icon.” —Parade, “Books We Love” column "With just enough backstory and supportive interviews, [Marzorati] effectively incorporates relevant history of Williams' previous Grand Slam tournaments while also examining her roles in challenging cultural norms and fighting for gender equality. Marzorati has an easy-to-read style and reveals the complexity of Williams' life, not just as an athlete, but also as a celebrity." —Booklist “Readers who know more about Williams than her tennis career will learn about the game's intricacies while those already familiar with the game will benefit from subtler details.” —Kirkus Reviews "The level of this analysis is quite impressive.” —Library Journal "Well written. . . . This is a solidly reported book." —Publishers Weekly“Seeing Serena is a masterful, multifocal portrait of an icon at the height of her power. But it is more than that. It illuminates, and complicates, not only Williams, but also those who watch her.” —Louisa Thomas, author of Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams

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