History of sport Books

Book SynopsisDrink, drugs, depression, sex scandals, financial meltdowns and serious health issues are just some of the fights British boxers have faced once they've quit the ring. A Champion's Last Fight examines just why and exactly how some of Britain's greatest boxers have self-destructed in retirement. It tells the stories of former world champions who have struggled in life away from the spotlights and the glare that comes with boxing success; delving into the post-boxing lives and tribulations of Benny Lynch, Randolph Turpin, Freddie Mills, Ken Buchanan, John Conteh, Alan Minter, Charlie Magri, Frank Bruno, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Naseem Hamed, Scott Harrison, Herbie Hide, Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton. With interviews and new revelations, A Champion's Last Fight is an emotional journey through boxing history that examines the struggles many former champions experience after hanging up the gloves - and asks what, if anything, can be done to help the nation's boxing greats adjust to life away from the ring?

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Book SynopsisGlasgow Rangers began the year in the doldrums - and they stayed there for a good few months, struggling to make fifth spot in a ten-team league. That was until the dramatic events of Tuesday, 8 April 1986. From that day forward, Glasgow Rangers changed forever; Graeme Souness saw to that. Fresh from Serie A - which at that time was almost certainly the toughest league in the world - Souness came home to Scotland to become Rangers' player/manager; he took the club by the scruff of the neck and didn't stop shaking until he'd made them the best team in Scotland - and by some distance. He reversed the trend of the best Scottish players heading south to ply their trade in England, and encouraged the English trio of Terry Butcher, Chris Woods and Graham Roberts to head to Ibrox. It was the year Souness gave Rangers supporters back their swagger. With new insightful interviews with the key players, chief protagonists and those who were at the heart of the turnaround, 1986: The Rangers Revolution tells the full story of what happened at Ibrox in 1986, quite a year to be a Ranger!

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Book SynopsisThe 1960s heralded a golden age of players who wore the dark blue of Scotland. Law, Gilzean, Baxter, Greig and Johnstone are just some of the names still familiar to supporters today. Bookended by heavy defeats against the Auld Enemy, the decade witnessed just one other defeat in the annual fixture against England and contained both the most-celebrated and horrific of Wembley encounters. The '60s also included a brief spell with Jock Stein as manager and the only Scotland international to date to be decided in extra time. Valiant but ultimately failed World Cup campaigns included memorable matches against Italy, West Germany and Czechoslovakia; an embarrassing loss to the amateurs of Norway was offset by a six-goal spree in Spain a matter of days later. Set against the backdrop of the Swinging Sixties, Scotland in the 60s looks at each of the 64 matches played by the national side during the period and the consequences of those results. Extensive newspaper and video archive research is complemented by the memories of the players who took part and the reminiscences of supporters and journalists who were there.

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Book SynopsisThe 1990s, what a time to be an Evertonian! After a decade of success in the 1980s which saw cup and league wins, the 1990s brought brushes with relegation, financial ups and downs, a club drifting without purpose; it was a decade that saw Everton fall irrevocably off the pace, abandoning a long-held position as a member of English football's elite. There were still some games which won't fade from the memory, silverware and moments of unadulterated elation. Highs, Lows and Bakayokos explores a period of transformation for one of the game's oldest and grandest clubs; evaluates the causes of Everton's troubles; examines why peers raced away, grasping the opportunities presented by the new Premier League era; and ultimately sets out to rescue and redefine an unfairly maligned decade and its emotional intensity and capacity to thrill that has perhaps been all-too-absent for Evertonians in the recent era of stability.

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Book SynopsisIf Only: An Alternative History of the Beautiful Game is a fiercely original counterfactual history of football. It is often tempting to believe in the grand sweep of history; to conclude that the triumphs of football's greatest teams were simply inevitable. The truth, however, is that history can turn on what appear, at first glance, to be infinitesimally small events. Behind all those triumphs lie the countless disappointments of teams that were denied glory by a cruel bounce, the width of a crossbar or a dubious refereeing decision. Challenging the perception that the outcome of great clashes could never have been any different to what they were, If Only reflects on what our football history could have been, what it might have been and, in some cases, what it probably should have been. Boldly turning football history on its head, If Only imagines a world in which Scotland win the first-ever World Cup, Derby County are champions of Europe and 1966 isn't the only year that England win anything.

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of Burnley Football Club's remarkable recovery from the brink of oblivion, made without the help of ultra-rich benefactors. It concerns the fall and rise of a small-town club, once renowned for its advanced playing style, tactical and coaching innovations and flourishing youth policy. From Orient to the Emirates tells how this former leading club was brought to its knees during the mid-80s by adverse economic circumstances and imprudent management, how it narrowly escaped relegation to the Vauxhall Conference in 1987 - and with it probable liquidation - to once again become a force at the top of English football. The story is largely told in the words of those who took part in this incredible 30-year journey - the directors, managers, players, support staff and supporters. It is an uplifting account of success achieved very much against the odds, founded on indomitable spirit, canny planning and, above all, hard graft. As Burnley's brilliant manager, Sean Dyche, puts it: "Maximum effort is the minimum requirement."

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Book SynopsisA Miscellany of Rugby's World Cup (Facts, History, Statistics and Trivia 1987-2019) will transport you directly into the thrilling history of the greatest event in global rugby union. Here's a treasure trove of insider facts, fantastic feats, firsts and lasts, records and stats - covering every nation and every star player to have made their mark in a tournament now watched by 120 million fans worldwide. John White leads you through all the highs and lows and unforgettable moments from Rugby World Cup's 1995 inception, ushering in the sport's professional era, right through to Japan 2019 and the competition's ninth edition. Relive the greatest games and the finest individual performances. Compile your own Rugby World Cup Fantasy XV. Recall the captains, the record try scorers, the youngest and oldest, the longest drop goals and the strangest conversions. And every time you discover an elusive nugget and say to yourself, 'I never knew that,' rest assured John will soon enlighten you with a follow-up to leave you even more amazed. To the victor go the spoils!

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Book SynopsisAll Crazee Now is the story of English football and its footballers in the 1970s, a decade that saw the start of the move from the 'old-fashioned' game towards the modern Premier League era; a transition that accelerated throughout the decade. Much of what we recognise in today's game is rooted in the seventies - including diverse ethnicity and multi-nationalism in club teams; the rise of commercialism; the cult of the manager; the end of the player-next-door; and the demand for victory ahead of individualism. The beginning of the decade remains the period in English football that supporters felt more connected than anytime previous or since. By the time the Thatcherite 1980s were dawning, the way had been paved for a rapid evolution towards 21st-century football. More than just a chronicle of trophy winners, star players and personalities, it offers a study of the tactical, philosophical, social, cultural, economic and political landscape that shaped football throughout a turbulent period for a nation and its favourite sport.

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Book SynopsisLeeds United's Elland Road home is full of intrigue, character and formidable acoustics, yet it started life as a barren and featureless patch of land surrounded by coalfields. The Only Place For Us is the fascinating history of the stadium and its changing local environment, revealing the background stories behind Elland Road's most famous features and characters, and the astonishing events it has witnessed. Along the way there have been fires and gypsy curses mixed with cherished memories including the diamond floodlights, the West Stand facade and escapee pantomime horses. Using forensic research, insiders' insights, archive photographs and fans' memories, Jon Howe retraces a historical journey full of tragedy, nostalgia and improbable innovation, to show how Elland Road became one of Europe's most feared football grounds. Through triumph and adversity, neglect and redevelopment, Elland Road has emerged as a prominent, modern stadium that's still alive with history. This is its unique story.

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Book SynopsisCrickets oldest, and fiercest, rivalry!No contest in cricket comes close to matching The Ashes for drama, passion and sporting theatre.When England and Australia go head to head, two countries hold their collective breath and prepare for a roller-coaster ride of power, pride, pain and victory at all costs. But it's also about respect – a love of the game and the realisation that two great sporting nations are entwined through one of sport's greatest rivalries.With over 135 years of Ashes history, here's a collection of the best quotes and defining moments – from 'Bodyline' to 'Botham's Ashes', from Lord's to the Gabba, from 'The Don' to 'The Barmy army'.'England have only three major problems. They can't bat, they can't bowl and they can't field.' - Martin Johnson's assessment at the start of the 1986-87 tour. England's recovery to win the Ashes later led Johnson to remark: 'Right quote, wrong team.'

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Book SynopsisBetween defeat by Trevor Berbick in December 1981 and lighting the Olympic flame in Atlanta in July 1996, Muhammad Ali spent the 15 most turbulent years of his life traversing the globe, seeking a higher purpose. Depending on the day, the retired champion could be a diplomat trying to liberate hostages in the Middle East, a salesman flogging cookies and cologne across America, or an amateur magician performing sleights of hand everywhere from prison yards to school halls to Valentino fashion shows. Sometimes hilarious, often terribly poignant, this kaleidoscopic account of the most bizarre episodes in his epic life chronicles Ali preaching Islam, causing havoc and touching lives from Beijing to Birmingham, Detroit to Damascus, Khartoum to the Khyber Pass. One minute hanging with Donald Trump, the next with Nelson Mandela, even as his own body and mind battled the onset of Parkinson's Syndrome, here are so many previously untold stories about 'The Greatest' treating statesmen and strangers, popes and paupers just the same.

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Book SynopsisThe Making of the FIFA World Cup takes us on a fast-paced trip through the history of football's biggest tournament, with a comprehensive collection of the World Cup's defining moments. Filled with unforgettable episodes such as England's 1966 triumph and Maradona's 'Hand of God', the book transports us to the World Cup's most important flashpoints, recounting each moment and the story behind it. It also puts some of the World Cup's quirkiest events under the microscope: whether it's Zaire's bizarre defence of a free kick against Brazil in 1974 or a scruffy collie dog locating the stolen World Cup trophy under a car in London. From the greatest goals to the biggest controversies, from the funniest moments to the most memorable matches, The Making of the FIFA World Cup gives you an in-depth look at why the competition is sport's most-watched event - through the moments that make it so dramatic, popular and irresistibly exciting.

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Book SynopsisEngland's Calamity? challenges the standard view that England's famous 6-3 loss to Hungary in 1953 kick-started a revolution. The crushing defeat has long been seen as the watershed moment when England cast off its training methods and tactics of the past to embrace new continental practices. Author Chris Jones takes a different view: that the 6-3 trouncing was not a revolutionary moment but one key part of an evolutionary process. The England side of '53 had a fascinating mix of football archetypes - Alf Ramsey (The General), Billy Wright (The Golden Boy), Harry Johnston (The One-Club Man), Stanley Matthews (The Incomparable), Ernie Taylor (The One-Cap Wonder), Jackie Sewell (The Record-Transfer Holder) and Walter Winterbottom (The Boffin). England's Calamity? examines the different voices, arguments, biases, myths, agendas and responsibilities of that England XI, their coach, their observers and commentators to bring you a fresh perspective on an endlessly discussed moment in the history of the England team.Trade Review"In England's Calamity Chris Jones takes the 1953 England v Hungary match as a centre point in development. He cleverly divides things up between how football was before the match, what happened on the day and its future ramifications. An enjoyable read." * Read the League *

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Book Synopsis1977/78: A Historic Season for Rangers FC and a Treble That Ended an Era tells the story of a historic season for Rangers FC on and off the pitch. Captain John Greig's 17-year playing career at Ibrox ended in treble glory, and he was later voted 'The Greatest Ranger' by the fans. With another great Rangers figure as manager, the late Jock Wallace, the team made a clean sweep of domestic honours, playing entertaining and attacking football. Greig would then make the leap from player to manager, with Wallace leaving the club just days after completing the treble. Season 1977/78 was the last before the modernisation of Ibrox stadium, and saw the start of another wonderful Rangers career with the arrival of mesmerising winger Davie Cooper. It also saw the emergence of a new force in Scottish football, with the challenge from an Aberdeen team that would grow even stronger in years to come. It is a season still fondly remembered by older Rangers fans. It truly marked the end of an era and the start of a new chapter.Trade Review"For top writer, David Herd, blue is the colour... Herd focuses on 1977/78 to review in fine detail, month-by-month, match-by-match; 1977/78 was a historic Treble-winning season for the 'Gers with such (playing) greats in their ranks as Derek Johnstone, Davie Cooper, Derek Parlane, and captain John Greig... An excellent read and matchless research and writing from David Herd. Rating: 10/10." -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *"The 1977/78 campaign was a key one for Rangers. With skipper John Grieg approaching the end of a long and illustrious career and with the mercurial Jock Wallace at the helm, the Glasgow giants swept all before them, capturing the three domestic trophies on offer... A comprehensive look back at a huge season for Rangers that marked the end of an era." * Read the League *

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Book SynopsisDo you know what the oldest horse race in Britain is, where the term ‘gee-gee’ comes from, or who is credited with bringing racing to Ascot? Fact-packed but light-hearted in style, this reliable reference book and quirky guide reveals little-known facts, details of classic races, famous riders, racing records, amusing anecdotes and criminal goings-on. A compendium of the fascinating, strange and entertaining, The Little Book of Horse Racing can be dipped into time and time again to reveal something new about this ancient sport.

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of golf as it's never been told before. A dog-legged compilation of sports reports, spoof correspondence and reminiscences from pros, caddies, playing partners and armchair pundits: Mary Queen of Scots cheers herself up at the links at Leith following the murder of her husband Lord Darnley; Dwight D. Eisenhower's valet shoots the breeze as he clears up the Oval Office following a particularly gruelling Presidential putting practice session; Bob Hope's chauffeur experiments with some one-liners whilst waiting for his boss in the clubhouse car park; and John Daly's local bartender describes the unique skills of his best customer. The albatrosses, the Big Berthas, the yips and the holes-in-one that have provided the perfect excuse to linger at the nineteenth hole are amusingly recalled for the delectation of the Fair Isle sweater brigade.Table of ContentsMary Queen of Scots * James IV of Scotland * Rembrandt * Tarby * President Eisenhower * Bing Crosby * Nick Faldo * Lee Trevino * The R&A * Sun City crocodiles * St Andrews * Anika Sorenstam * Augusta, Georgia * Golf on the Moon * Tony Jacklin * The Pro-Am circuit * Frenchman in the water * Golf buggies * Big Bertha and Mashie Niblick * Knickerbockers * P.G. Wodehouse * Tiger * The Golden Bear * Seve * Arnie's Army * Greg Norman * Nick Faldo * How a Chicago Cop won the Ryder Cup for Europe * Ollie's tears * Rory McIlroy.

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Book SynopsisSheffield Wednesday Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the Owls. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the former player who was wrongly presumed dead for 95 years? How about the time the lads were drawn away from home in the Cup on ten consecutive occasions? Or the ex-Owl whose playing career wound up in Greenland and the Falkland Islands? Do you know which Wednesday winger drove to matches in an ice-cream van? The result of the 'secret' match played under the new Hillsborough floodlights? Or the depth of the floodwater on the pitch in 2007? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any Wednesday fan who holds the riches of the club's history close to their heart.

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Book SynopsisThe story of Scottish international football including contemporary and historic images of legends, key events, and matches. With individual diary entries for every day of the year, the book is full of heroes and villains, and tells the tales of the matches, characters, tournaments, and managers that have helped shape the story of Scottish international football. From the world's first international match against England in 1872 to Home Championship victories to World Cup heartaches and the tale of the Tartan Army, all the major football stories are covered.Scotland On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the nation's footballing past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable dark blue-and-white history - with an entry for every day of the year. From that Partick afternoon in 1872 when Scotland drew with England in the first ever football international, right through to the SPL era, the Tartan Army have witnessed a host of successes in the British Championship, plus famous victories, heart-rending near misses and valiant defeats in World Cup and European Championships matches - as well as a few less defiant losses at Hampden. Timeless greats such as Denis Law, Jimmy McGrory and Ally McCoist, Joe Baxter, Kenny Dalglish and Dave Mackay all loom larger than life alongside the lesser-known heroes, one-cap wonders and managers who have helped shape the story of Scottish football.

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Book SynopsisCoventry City On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's rollercoaster past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable Sky Blues diary - with an entry for every day of the year. From the club's formation on Monday 13th August 1883 through to the Premier League era, the City faithful have witnessed promotions and relegations, hard-fought derby matches, breathtaking Cup runs and triumphs - all featured here. Timeless greats such as Clarrie Bourton, Steve Ogrizovic and George Curtis, Tommy Hutchison, Gary McSheffrey and Dion Dublin all loom larger than life. Revisit 29th November 1961, the beginning of the club's revolution under Jimmy Hill. 3rd October 1970, when Willie Carr's backflick and Ernie Hunt's 'donkey kick' made history. Or Wednesday 13th May 1987, when the Sky Blues' Cup Final squad sang 'Go For It City!' live on Blue Peter.

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Book SynopsisCoventry City Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the Sky Blues. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the substitute who scored on his debut after just 26 seconds? How about the FA Youth Cup winners who were signed by Kenny Dalglish? Or the media pundit who scored in six successive top-flight matches? Do you know what Des Bremner and Gilles de Bilde have in common with Steve Ogrizovic? Which was the last side to win a League game at Highfield Road? And who was the only Irishman who didn't know where Dublin was? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any Coventry City fan who holds the riches of the club's history close to their heart.

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

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Book SynopsisBetween 1967-69 Henry Blofeld was fortunate to witness cricket on three continents. He followed the great West Indies side captained by Garry Sobers through its home series against England - to the 1968-9 Australian tour, and finally their early summer '69 tour of England. Two main themes are explored throughout: The gradual demise of the West Indian side that included the likes of Lance Gibbs, Basil Butcher and Deryck Murray - but which also saw the emergence of future greats such as Clive Lloyd - and the link between a country's topography, style and endemic characteristics with the type of cricket it plays. These threads are skilfully woven together to highlight great cricketing moments and analyse the humour and style of both the Australians and West Indians with thoughtful insight.

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Book SynopsisAs much a cultural appraisal as a history of Gallic athletic endeavour, Sport and the French is well-researched,witty and enlightening in equal measure.

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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 SynopsisThis book presents a kaleidoscopic view of the multidisciplinary field of research developed within Brazilian social sciences to study football as a major cultural and social phenomenon in the country. As a contributed volume, it brings together chapters authored by researchers from different disciplines, such as sociology, anthropology, political science, history, geography, economy, communication studies and physical education, who contributed to make Brazilian football a multifaceted object of study for the human and social sciences. The book is divided in four parts. The first two parts are dedicated to the "classic" areas, in which the best known research lines are concentrated: part one focuses on politics and history, while part two is dedicated to sociology and anthropology. The third part brings together studies from other four different areas: communication studies, geography, economy and physical education. The fourth part is organized not by disciplines, but around transversal themes, such as gender, violence, fans and racism. The varied approaches and different interpretations brought together in this book seek to provide an overview of the fertile academic debate that has stimulated the renewal of scientific research on football in Brazil, which makes Football and Social Sciences in Brazil a useful resource for researchers from different disciplines within the human and social sciences interested in the study of football as major cultural and social phenomenon all over the world. Table of Contents1.Football as a multifaceted object of academic studies in Brazil.- 2.Football and politics.- 3.“My concern was to play football”: relations between football and dictatorship.- 4.The political dimension of futebol-arte.- 5.1982 World Cup: Democratic winds in Spain and Brazil.-6. Brazilian football and history.- 7.Myths, football and national identity (1930-1983).- 8.Order & Progress on the Grandstands: Sports Journalism and the Genesis of uniformed football fans during the political regime of the Estado Novo (1937-1945).- 9.Sport and society in the writings of Roberto DaMatta.- 10.Neymar, football and the formation of a neoliberal culture.- 11.A modernity that is not complete? Ideas and interpretations about Brazilian football.- 12. FIFA, BRICS and the Soft Power discourse: analysis of the World Cup in South Africa, Brazil and Russia.- 13.Football and anthropology in Brazil.- 14.An ethnographic game of fluid categories of analysis.- 15. Garrincha, Pelé and Maradona: The sporting sacred in times of football icon veneration.- 16.When does the World Cup 2014 event start and end?.- 17.Football and communication studies in Brazil: Fences and crossroads of an indisciplinary field .- 18.Sport and the media in Brazil: vices and virtues of a secular marriage.- 19. World Cups’ geography: urban Brazil in 1950.- 20.Stadiums and arenas as privileged lenses to capture changes in urban space.- 21.The football industry in Brazil.- 22.The controversy over the introduction of the VAR in Brazil.- 23.Life projects, women and football.- 24.Brazil is Hexa: Marta’s Sporting Career.- 25.Gender expressions and the multiple practices of football in Brazil.- 26.Football, violence and democratic politics in Brazil.- 27.Narratives about football hooliganism in Brazil: (De)constructing the label "violent supporter".- 28.The experience of cheering in (so-called) “modern football”.- 29.Brazilian racism in Football.- 30."This is a reality": The racism narrated by black characters in Brazilian football.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"An important and superbly written book. What makes The Rumble in the Jungle so convincing is Erenberg's extensive research, lively writing style, and detailed explorations of the biographies of Ali, Foreman, and the musicians, politicians, and business promoters encircling the fight. Although the fight between Ali and Foreman has received considerable commentary, Erenberg allows readers to understand its larger political significance for American and global history."--Lary May, author of The Big Tomorrow: Hollywood and the Politics of the American Way

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Book SynopsisDavid Rapp's engaging history resets the story and brings these men to life again, enabling us to marvel anew at their feats on the diamond. It's a rare look at one of baseball's first dynasties in action.

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Book SynopsisThe 1974 fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, staged in the young nation of Zaire and dubbed the Rumble in the Jungle, was arguably the biggest sporting event of the twentieth century. The bout between an ascendant undefeated champ and an outspoken master trying to reclaim the throne was a true multimedia spectacle. A three-day festival of international musicfeaturing James Brown, Miriam Makeba, and many otherspreceded the fight itself, which was viewed by a record-breaking one billion people worldwide. Lewis A. Erenberg's new book provides a global perspective on this singular match, not only detailing the titular fight but also locating it at the center of the cultural dramas of the day. TheRumble in the Jungle orbits around Ali and Foreman, placing them at the convergence of the American Civil Rights movement and the Great Society, the rise of Islamic and African liberation efforts, and the ongoing quest to cast off the shackles of colonialism. With his far-reaching takeTrade Review“Erenberg delivers a remarkably balanced account of both fighters in and out of the ring, before and after the fight. With the advantage of 45 years of perspective on the event and its sociopolitical context, Erenberg brings new insight to the fight’s complex racial dimension, and he deftly handles the fighters’ different takes on the Vietnam War. He effectively captures the overwrought rhetoric surrounding the fight, and his position as something other than a boxing insider (he is a Professor Emeritus in History at Loyola University in Chicago) brings a notably fresh interpretation to Ali’s upset victory. . . . The fight is the thing, and when Erenberg gets back to it, he scores heavily. . . . In a crowded field, this is a strong and surprising entry, right up there with Norman Mailer's The Fight.” * Booklist (starred review) *“What The Rumble in the Jungle best demonstrates is how the advent of satellite technology and closed-circuit ticketed telecasts produced the lucrative global sports market we still live with.” * Times Higher Education (Book of the Week) *“Recommended. . . The strength of this work is its cultural and political commentary.” * Choice *"This incredible contest receives the scholarly attention it deserves. . . . Students of history have much to gain from a nuanced exploration of the event. . . . An engaging, accessible, and welcome work." * Journal of American History *"Very readable and entertaining. . . A much-needed academic treatment of the Ali-Foreman mega fight. Erenberg does a great job of connecting the match to its larger diasporic meaning. . . . A well-rounded examination of one of the most iconic fights in boxing history." * Journal of African American History *“An important and superbly written book. What makes The Rumble in the Jungle so convincing is Erenberg's extensive research, lively writing style, and detailed explorations of the biographies of Ali, Foreman, and the musicians, politicians, and business promoters encircling the fight. Although the fight between Ali and Foreman has received considerable commentary, Erenberg allows readers to understand its larger political significance for American and global history.” -- Lary May, author of The Big Tomorrow: Hollywood and the Politics of the American Way“The Rumble in the Jungle has entered the realm of mythology, an event so fantastic it seems unreal. But in this smart, illuminating book, Erenberg reminds us that the Rumble really happened—and it was even more fantastic than we remembered. He fills in the gaps for boxing fans who know the story and provides essential history for those who do not.” -- Jonathan Eig, author of Ali: A Life"In The Rumble in the Jungle, historian Lewis A. Erenberg provides readers with a remarkably fresh and exciting account of the1974 landmark world heavyweight title fight in Zaire where challenger Muhammad Ali knocked out heavily favored champion George Foreman. Even the most experienced and knowledgeable readers of boxing history and the life and times of Muhammad Ali will learn many new things from this engagingly written and well-researched work." * The Common Reader *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 A Real Freak in Boxing: Muhammad Ali and the Spirit of the 1960s Chapter 2 1968: Fists and Flags Chapter 3 The Roads to Kinshasa Chapter 4 Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud: Zaire 74 Chapter 5 A Stitch in Time Chapter 6 Rope-a-Dope Chapter 7 Violent Coronation in Zaire Chapter 8 On Top and Nowhere Chapter 9 When We Were Kings NotesIndex

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Book SynopsisPicturing the Game showcases the gifted, forward-thinking graphic journalists throughout hockey’s history whose bold aesthetic and deft draughtsmanship could always make the butt of their satire look perfectly asinine. Their work embodied a truly acerbic spirit that was nothing short of groundbreaking, and the game is better for it.Trade Review“Inside these pages is not just an illustrated chronicling of hockey in Canada by historically renowned illustrators. It’s also a raw view of the game’s most iconic and evolutionary moments as seen through the art of some of the crankiest, most wretched trolls in journalism: editorial cartoonists. What’s not to like?” Bruce MacKinnon, cartoonist, The Chronicle Herald“Picturing the Game takes readers on a wonderful journey that tells the history, the histrionics, and the hilarity of our storied game. It’s a treasure.” Roy MacGregor, author of The Home Team: Fathers, Sons & Hockey and Wayne Gretzky’s Ghost: And Other Tales from a Lifetime in Hockey“What an insightful and mischievous romp through Canada’s national sport! Loaded with stories and details and animated with painfully smart drawings of unflinching irreverence. After all, hockey players and cartoonists strive for the same goal, that perfect shot!” Susan Dewar, cartoonist, Postmedia“Don Weekes has caught a truly rare glimpse of game play. Rigorously sourced, the narrative is punctuated with illustrations and editorial cartoons that are both entertaining and thought-provoking, some dating to Lord Stanley’s time. Bravo, Don! I loved this book!” Kevin Shea, author of The Hall: Celebrating Hockey’s Heritage, Heroes and Home and Barilko: Without a Trace“Cartoons are a handy shortcut that helps us understand history. Don Weekes has put together a brilliant collection of drawings and other graphic material on hockey. In the process he has helped increase our populist knowledge of the game.” Terry Mosher (Aislin), cartoonist, The Montreal Gazette“A fascinating look at our shared history through a unique lens. Undoubtedly this will bring back countless memories for hockey fans.” Ryan Kennedy, editor-in-chief, *The Hockey News *“There are books which are just wonderful to hold in your hands and flip through the pages. Picturing the Game: An Illustrated Story of Hockey by Don Weekes is one of those books.” Yorkton This Week“Please read this overdue look at editorial cartooning in hockey from the irreverent artists’ viewpoint, vividly reproduced from a century of newspapers, magazine covers, adverts and game programs.” Lance Hornby, The National Post“An ideal gift for your favourite hockey fan.” The Winnipeg Free Press“This book is a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Toronto Reference Library all without having to leave the comfort of your couch on a snowy winter morning. It’s a significant piece of scholarship worthy of a Ph.D, yet it’s highly entertaining and very readable.” Policy Magazine“Picturing the Game is an incisive, comprehensive, sometimes hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking retelling of the history of the game as seen not through the camera lens but through pens and pencils. There are so many gorgeous illustrations that it’s easy to forget there is a narrative here and a powerful one. Weekes has always been able to put together a solid hockey book, but he has outdone himself. The writing is up to the quality of the work of cartoonists like Aislin and Michael de Adder and that’s a high compliment.” Jack Todd, The Montreal Gazette

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Book Synopsis The Cold War era spawned a host of anxieties in American society, and in response, Americans sought cultural institutions that reinforced their sense of national identity and held at bay their nagging insecurities. They saw football as a broad, though varied, embodiment of national values. College teams in particular were thought to exemplify the essence of America: strong men committed to hard work, teamwork, and overcoming pain. Toughness and defiance were primary virtues, and many found in the game an idealized American identity. In this book, Kurt Kemper charts the steadily increasing investment of American national ideals in the presentation and interpretation of college football, beginning with a survey of the college game during World War II. From the Army-Navy game immediately before Pearl Harbor, through the gradual expansion of bowl games and television coverage, to the public debates over racially integrated teams, college football became ever more a playing fiTrade Review"A significant book in understanding how college football, the dominating college sport, was impacted by both the Cold War and racial relations in the turbulent period around the 1960s."--The International Journal of the History of Sport"A provocative, richly detailed, and deeply researched study of college football's role as an embodiment of defiantly 'American' values during the Cold War. An important contribution to sports history and a model of exemplary research."--Michael Oriard, author of The End of Autumn: Reflections on My Life in Football"This wonderful work examines an extremely interesting and revealing episode in the history of college football that exposes the significance of race as a force in the society of the late 50s and early 60s. It demonstrates the power of Cold War rhetoric as a political device for the defenders of the status quo."--Richard C. Crepeau, past president of the North American Society for Sport History and author of Baseball: America's Diamond MindTable of ContentsAcknowledgments / ix Introduction / 1 Prologue: The Game the War Made / 7 1. Pasadena: The Terms of Postwar Football / 17 2. Columbus: Struggling for the Soul of the Cold War University / 47 3. Baton Rouge: Postwar Football and a Fate Worse Than Integration / 80 4. Tuscaloosa: The Pariah of Postwar Football / 116 5. Westwood: College Football and Cold War Dissent / 155 Conclusion / 195 Notes / 203 Bibliography / 245 Index / 259

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Book SynopsisRelives a lost moment in American postwar history, when boxing ruled as one of the nation's most widely televised sports.Trade Review"Troy Rondinone's history of television's first go-round with boxing is outstanding in every respect. Twinning it with the riveting life story of the popular veteran of 200 or so pro fights was inspired."--Cyber Boxing Zone"A superior piece of sports history. . . . Friday Night Fighter is not only a lively historical analysis of boxing, it is consistently perceptive, avoids sentimentality, and yet is reassuringly sympathetic. . . . A treasure trove."--Journal of Sport History“Rondinone unearths two important histories. . . . He writes with a nostalgic eye, using sparkling prose,and he culls from diverse sources.”--The Journal of American History "A fascinating biography. . . . Rondinone links televised boxing's success to television's need for prime-time programming, the role of a blood sport, changing attitudes toward race, Cold War masculinity and the impact of organized crime. Highly recommended."--Choice"El Indio Gaspar Ortega will always be our first champion. We love him, we cherish him, and we respect him."--Carlos Santana"Troy Rondinone masterfully and nostalgically captures the romance of boxing on television in the 1950s. It was a sport on the air, in your living room, and at its crossroads. The Friday Night Fighters may be gone--but they will never be forgotten."--Russell Sullivan, author of Rocky Marciano: The Rock of His Times"This excellent history makes a truly significant contribution to sports scholarship and American studies. With colorful detail, Rondinone uncovers the world of the Latino fighter in the 1950s and discusses important cultural aspects of boxing in this era."--Gerald L. Early, author of A Level Playing Field: African American Athletes and the Republic of Sports

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Book SynopsisTells the story of the most significant college basketball program at a pivotal period in American cultural history.Trade ReviewA Choice Outstanding Academic Title, 2014. "This volume uncovers the indelible link between sports and society in the US. While he focuses on Wooden and UCLA men's basketball, Smith remains mindful of the larger forces molding the young men who played for the 'Wizard of Westwood.' Highly recommended."--Choice"The Sons of Westwood is an excellent, wide-ranging history, not only of UCLA basketball and the Wizard of Westwood, but of the great social movements which characterized the era of the Wooden Dynasty. I recommend it to any who love basketball or are interested in one of the more interesting periods of recent American life. John Matthew Smith is a historian on which we should all keep our eye."--Charles E. Young, Chancellor Emeritus, UCLA"This is the John Wooden book I've been waiting to read--a well-written, meticulously researched, and astute portrait of one of the sporting world's most interesting and influential characters. John Matthew Smith's book is at once a pleasure to read and a solid work of history."--Jonathan Eig, New York Times bestselling author of Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season“A highly readable cultural study of one of the greatest teams in sports history.”--Kirkus Reviews"John Matthew Smith may be the first author to fully and fairly assess the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) basketball program during its miraculous run of ten championships from 1964 to 1975. . . . revealing and insightful."--Journal of Sport History"A thoroughly engrossing account. . . . The Sons of Westwood makes a complex story during a turbulent time in U.S. history a little easier to understand. It is a well-researched account that would be attractive to scholars and a popular audience. . . . John Matthew Smith connects the events occurring in collegiate athletics to events in the larger American society."--The Journal of African American History"In this carefully-researched study, John Matthew Smith has provided an entertaining and insightful look at college basketball's most successful coach and team dynasty. Mixing sport history with social history, Smith reveals the complex reality behind iconic coach John Wooden and his UCLA Bruin teams, as well as the not-so-innocent days of college athletics. Fans and scholars of college sports should not miss this important book."--Charles H. Martin, author of Benching Jim Crow: The Rise and Fall of the Color Line in Southern College Sports, 1890–1980"A fascinating account of the greatest dynasty in the history of college athletics and its legendary architect, John Wooden. Giving full attention to UCLA basketball's unprecedented success and the careers of its star players, John Matthew Smith provides a thoughtful analysis of societal concerns and issues surrounding the program in the 1960s and early '70s. A first-rate work."--J. Samuel Walker, author of ACC Basketball: The Story of the Rivalries, Traditions, and Scandals of the First Two Decades of the Atlantic Coast Conference "The Sons of Westwood is the history of an institution (UCLA), the chronicle of a sport (basketball), and the biography of its greatest coach (John Wooden), in a time of cultural and political upheaval (the 1960s and 1970s). It succeeds richly on all four fronts."--Susan Ware, author of Game, Set, Match: Billie Jean King and the Revolution in Women's Sports "John Matthew Smith tells, in a very balanced and forthright manner, the inside story of John Wooden's famed UCLA basketball program and how it fit into the larger narratives of the civil rights movement, the anti-Vietnam War movement, and the athletic revolution. He shows how Wooden and his extraordinarily talented and gifted integrated teams helped transform college basketball from a regional pastime to a national phenomenon."--David K. Wiggins, coauthor of The Unlevel Playing Field: A Documentary History of the African American Experience in Sport

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Book SynopsisFrom statistical databases to story archives, from fan sites to the real-time reactions of Twitter-empowered athletes, the digital communication revolution has changed the way sports fans relate to their favorite teams. In this volume, contributors from Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States analyze the parallel transformation in the field of sport history, showing the ways powerful digital tools raise vital philosophical, epistemological, ontological, methodological, and ethical questions for scholars and students alike. Chapters consider how the philosophical and theoretical understanding of the meaning of history influence a willingness to engage with digital history, and conceptualize the relationship between history making and the digital era. As the writers show, digital media''s mostly untapped potential for studying the recent past via blogs, chat rooms, gambling sites, and the like forge a symbiosis between sports and the internet, and ofTrade Review"Each essay is thought-provoking and grounded with examples or connections to sport history that challenge us to consider the utility of digital technologies—and our relationship to them—moving forward. . . . Osmond and Phillips show a keen awareness of the major developments, debates, and conversations in the digital humanities and offer an important book that will serve as an accessible conversation starter for historians of sport."--Sport in American History "Those who are interested in sport history will appreciate this resource on using the Internet in their work. Highly recommended."--Choice"This book should interest anyone who does research into sports history or who teaches a graduate-level class on doing research, especially archival work."--Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly "This book sets out to make history safe for the Internet age that has been thrust upon us ready or not in this century. . . . Sport historians, sports studies and sociology of sport scholars, and digital humanities scholars will all find useful ideas for their research and their efforts in the classroom in the volume's ten chapters."--ARETE"Sport History in the Digital Era offers a well-timed overview of the ways that sport historians can work in this milieu."--Sport History Review"Provides a thoughtful exploration of the strengths and weaknesses of online sport history, which is especially valuable for those reluctant to embrace the digital age."--New Media & Society"The stimulating ideas presented make this essential reading for all those interested in how sports history will fare in the digital age. The contributors, some cautious, others more polemic, discuss the limits and possibilities of digitized knowledge and assess the challenges and opportunities offered by digital technology."--Wray Vamplew, co-author of Mud, Sweat and Beers: A Cultural History of Sport and Alcohol"A digital revolution has already altered much of what sport historians do, from archival research to classroom pedagogy and options for publication, to attaining the rewards of professional advancement. But is it creating different tools for doing the same old work, or is the work itself being transformed? The question is unavoidable—avoiding it is its own response—but the answers aren't obvious. These instructive and provocative essays offer a timely guide to issues that will shape the future of the discipline."--Michael Oriard, author of Bowled Over: Big-Time College Football from the Sixties to the BCS Era "Reading the essays in this book opened me up to an unexpectedly broad array of ways to use internet tools and resources for both scholarship and teaching. It is a timely--indeed prescient--addition to the scholarship in the field and will likely be the standard text in this area for many years."--Susan Birrell, co-editor of Reading Sport: Critical Essays on Power and Representation "Taking a very balanced approach and careful not to pass judgment without adequate evidence, the editors make clear that there are advantages and disadvantages to using digital tools and that the engagement with digital history ultimately raises important methodological questions and concerns. A truly significant contribution to the field. The first volume of its kind."--David K. Wiggins, author of Out of the Shadows: A Biographical History of African American Athletes

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed since its original publication, Coming on Strong has become a much-cited touchstone in scholarship on women and sports. In this new edition, Susan K. Cahn updates her detailed history of women's sport and the struggles over gender, sexuality, race, class, and policy that have often defined it. A new chapter explores the impact of Title IX and how the opportunities and interest in sports it helped create reshaped women's lives even as the legislation itself came under sustained attack.Trade Review"Coming on Strong has long been the go-to book for the history of women in sport. Now it moves boldly into the twenty-first century. Assessing the enormous changes that have reshaped the sports landscape since the 1970s, it reminds us that the playing field is still far from level and challenges us to make the ongoing quest for gender equity in sport part of the larger struggle for social change." --Susan Ware, author of Game, Set, Match: Billie Jean King and the Revolution in Women's Sports

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Vogan's research provides him with ample fodder to engross readers with stories and insights into the world behind their notable shows. . . . Sports fans will enjoy this well-researched and fascinating look at how ESPN has impacted both television and the viewing habits of millions of watchers."--Library Journal"Represents a genuinely original and overdue assessment of perhaps the most significant entity in sports media since the penny press. An exceptional trove of interviews, archival information, and industrial and aesthetic analysis." --Victoria E. Johnson, author of Heartland TV: Prime Time Television and the Struggle for U.S. Identity"This smart, lively examination of ESPN's place in American culture and how it continues to consciously work its way in is a trove of research, insight, and fascinating stories."--Robert Lipsyte, New York Times columnist and author of An Accidental Sportswriter"This is to date the most thoroughly researched and well-argued analysis of ESPN."--Aaron Baker, author of Contesting Identities: Sports in American Film"This well-researched book is a gold mine of information about the origin and philosophy of ESPN. Highly recommended."--Choice"In this fascinating history, journalism professor Vogan imbues the network's nascent struggles with a sense of adventure. . . . Sports fans, especially those of the couch-potato variety, will find this account of the life of a TV network as enjoyable as most star biographies."--Booklist

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Book SynopsisIn 2007, the Mitchell Report shocked traditionalists who were appalled that drugs had corrupted the pure game of baseball. Nathan Corzine rescues the story of baseball''s relationship with drugs from the sepia-toned tyranny of such myths. In Team Chemistry , he reveals a game splashed with spilled whiskey and tobacco stains from the day the first pitch was thrown. Indeed, throughout the game''s history, stars and scrubs alike partook of a pharmacopeia that helped them stay on the field and cope off of it: In 1889, Pud Galvin tried a testosterone-derived elixir to help him pile up some of his 646 complete games. Sandy Koufax needed Codeine and an anti-inflammatory used on horses to pitch through his late-career elbow woes. Players returning from World War II mainstreamed the use of the amphetamines they had used as servicemen. Vida Blue invited teammates to cocaine parties, Tim Raines used it to stay awake on the bench, and Will McEnaney snorted it bTrade Review"Stimulating. Clearly the most comprehensive 'baseball and drugs' book that I've read or am aware of. There are other books that cover specific scandals, such as BALCO, but none that dig as deeply into the history of the relationship between baseball and drugs."--Mitchell Nathanson, author of A People's History of Baseball"Nathan Michael Corzine goes past the mythology and digs deep to reveal a game splashed with spilled whiskey and tobacco stains from its origins, where substances of various stripes were valued for the supposed ability to help athletes play better."--Alternet"Corzine presents a more nuanced meaning of professional baseball's post steroid era. . . . Books like this one can help guide both scholars and fans toward appreciation, understanding, and perhaps even reconciliation with the game's past."--Journal of Sport History "A succinct, thoughtful, readable review of alcohol and drug abuse in baseball from 1870 to the present. Recommended." --Choice"Corzine's well-crafted chronology of the history of drug and alcohol use in Major League Baseball is a good read for fans and scholars alike. Team Chemistry offers new insights and analytic modes to address both of baseball's substance problems--its problem with both legal and illegal drugs and its problem of relying on the romanticized memory of the sport, rather than the reality of its clubs and players."--Sport in American History"Team Chemistry is a fascinating and compelling story of drugs in Major League baseball. Utilizing a vast array of sources and with great insight, Corzine traces the use of both legal and illicit drugs in a sport always thought of as our National Pastime. In the process, we gain a more nuanced and far deeper understanding of the mythology surrounding baseball and American culture."--David K. Wiggins, author of The Unlevel Playing Field: A Documentary History of the African American Experience in Sport

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