Search results for ""sports publishing llc""

For the first time, here is the full story of the NFL player protests that rocked a nation and turned our country upside down. This is the players' side, one that has largely been ignored by the media. On September 1, 2016, Colin Kaepernick took a knee before a preseason game. Little did he, nor anyone else, know the ramifications from that decision. Since being exiled from the National Football League, Kaepernick has stood strong against all those who have attacked him. He and others who took a knee against racial inequality and police brutality have been ridiculed, mocked, threatened, and some have even lost their jobs. They have feared for their safety and that of their loved ones. But what made Kaepernick kneel, and the entire country turn a silent protest into a national pandemic? One person: President Donald Trump. For the first time, veteran journalist Mike Freeman sits down with those directly involved in the protests — the players — to find out how things really went down. Readers will learn why they decided to protest, how racism and the murdering of innocent men of colour directly affected them, how the politics of protest affected their professional and personal lives, and if anything has even changed for the better. Including interviews with Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid, Kenny Stills, Michael Bennett, Richard Sherman, and numerous others, see first-hand how the media, President Trump, and the National Football League took a peaceful message for change and turned it on its head. They changed the narrative, accusing these men of being 'anti-America,' 'anti-military,' and 'disrespecting the flag.' In Football's Fearless Activists, Freeman offers an opportunity to understand what these protests meant to the players, and how the hatred from the media, President, NFL owners, and some Americans was not only unwarranted, but anti-American. The players — to find out how things really went down. Readers will learn why they decided to protest, how racism and the murdering of innocent men of colour directly affected them, how the politics of protest affected their professional and personal lives, and if anything has even changed for the better. Including interviews with Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid, Kenny Stills, Michael Bennett, Richard Sherman, and numerous others, see first-hand how the media, President Trump, and the National Football League took a peaceful message for change and turned it on its head. They changed the narrative, accusing these men of being 'anti-America,' 'anti-military,' and 'disrespecting the flag.' In Football's Fearless Activists, Freeman offers an opportunity to understand what these protests meant to the players, and how the hatred from the media, President, NFL owners, and some Americans was not only unwarranted, but anti-American.

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With forewords by Wade Boggs and Lance McCullers, Jr, here is a modern stat book for modern fans. Whether you follow the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Giants, or another Major League team, you fill find something new and fascinating!As America's pastime since the mid-1800s, baseball offers the sights, sounds, and even smells that are deeply entrenched in our culture. But for some, the experience can be less sensory. Some, such as Ryan Spaeder and Kevin Reavy, live for baseball statistics. Stats give the game historical context and measurables for past, present, and predictive analysis.Incredible Baseball Stats, newly updated, helps tell unique baseball stories, showcasing extraordinary stats and facts in baseball history, through the 2018 season.For example, in 2015, the Nationals’ Bryce Harper broke out in a major way. He batted .330/.460/.649 with 42 home runs en route to his first MVP Award. It was his fourth MLB season, but he was still younger than NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant. He became the youngest player to lead the league in both on-base percentage and homers in the same season since Ty Cobb in 1909.The authors have scoured the records for untold tales and looked at familiar ones with new statistical insights, to create Incredible Baseball Stats, a perfect book for baseball fans from coast to coast.

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Charles Albert “The Old Roman” Comiskey was a larger-than-life figure; a man who had precision in his speech and who could work a room with handshakes and smiles. While he has been vilified in film as a rotund cheapskate and the driving force, albeit unknowingly, behind the actions of the 1919 White Sox, who threw the World Series (nicknamed the “Black Sox” scandal), that statement is far from the truth. In his five decades involved in baseball, Comiskey loved the sport through and through. It was his passion, his life blood, and once he was able to combine his love for the game with his managerial skills, it was the complete package for him. There was no other alternative. He brought the White Sox to Chicago in 1900 and was a major influential force in running the American League from its inception. From changing the way the first base position was played, to spreading the concept of “small ball” as a manager, to incorporating the community in his team’s persona while he was an owner, Comiskey’s style and knowledge improved the overall standard for how baseball should be played. Through rigorous research from the National Archives, newspapers, and various other publications, Tim Hornbaker not only tells the full story of Comiskey’s incredible life and the sport at the time, but also debunks the “Black Sox” controversy, showing that Comiskey was not the reason that the Sox threw the 1919 World Series.

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How has today’s society changed because of Sandy Koufax, Tom Brady, or Tiger Woods? How have courtrooms and the law changed because of the tragic loss of a No. 1 NBA Draft Pick and a NASCAR driver? And what effect did Magic Johnson’s announcement regarding his HIV diagnosis have on the NBA and testing across the nation? Dr. Jonathan Gelber has compiled a list of impactful injuries and tragedies in Tiger Woods's Back and Tommy John’s Elbow: Injuries and Tragedies That Transformed Careers, Sports, and Society and the ripple effect they have had on players across several different sports and on society in general. Among the athletes featured in this book are:• Tommy John and how the surgery that bears his name may have led to a youth injury epidemic • Dale Earnhardt and how his devastating crash led to new rules and safety concerns for NASCAR and changes in privacy laws • Lyle Alzado and how the conversation on steroids was driven underground • Len Bias and how his death shaped today's drug laws • And many more!

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The glory years for the Toronto Maple Leafs—four Stanley Cups in the 1960s—may be distant memories, but what the team lacks in recent accomplishments is made up for by their history, which is rich in drama, pathos, and, most of all, humor. Figures connected to the Maple Leafs from the 1950s to the present offer their best stories, including some new takes on the team’s legends. Players, coaches, broadcasters, and team executives come together to share a long list of funny anecdotes about their time with the Leafs. Bobby Baun recalls the unprecedented moment in the 1964 Stanley Cup finals when he slammed a game-winning goal into the net while skating on a broken leg. Bob Haggert, a former Leafs trainer, shares his memories of Conn Smythe, the unyielding military man who founded the team. Also telling tales is Jim McKenny, defenseman-turned-forward-turned broadcaster, whose sense of humor is as deft as his skating. Joe Bowen, long the voice of the Maple Leafs on radio and television, is along for the ride, as are Bob McGill, Glenn Healy, Walter Gretzky, and so many more. Updated to include the Leafs’ centennial 2016-17 season, including the debut of Auston Matthews, this new edition of Tales from the Toronto Maple Leafs Locker Room is a must-have for Leafs fans everywhere.

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The wrestling biography you've been waiting for.

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Fly Eagles Fly! Test and expand your knowledge of The Birds. Rather than merely posing questions and providing answers, you’ll get details behind each—stories that bring to life players and coaches, games and seasons.This book is divided into four parts, with progressively more difficult questions in each new section. The Rookie section contains the most basic questions. Next come the Starter and All-Pro sections, followed by the biggest challenge: the Hall of Fame.Also, you’ll learn more about the great Eagles players and coaches of the past and present, including Norm Van Brocklin, Steve Van Buren, Chuck Bednarik, Pete Retzlaff, Harold Carmichael, Dick Vermeil, Mike Quick, Randall Cunningham, Reggie White, Andy Reid, and Carson Wentz.. Some of the many questions that this book answers include: Who scored the winning touchdown in the 1960 NFL Championship Game? When Donovan McNabb became the starting quarterback during the 1999 season, who did he replace? Who threw the longest touchdown pass in Eagles history? Who are the only three Eagles players to lead the league in scoring? This book makes the perfect gift for any fan of Philadelphia football!

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Peek into the mind of a champion swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time (28 medals, including 23 gold)In this candid memoir, Phelps talks openly about his battle with attention deficit disorder, the trauma of his parents’ divorce, and the challenges that come with being thrust into the limelight.Readers will relive all the heart-stopping glory as Phelps completes his journey from the youngest man to ever set a world swimming record in 2001, to an Olympic powerhouse in 2008, to surpassing the greatest athlete of ancient Greece, Leonidas of Rhodes, with 13 triumphs in 2016. Athletes and fans alike will be fascinated by insights into Phelps’s training, mental preparation, and behind-the-scenes perspective on international athletic competitions.A chronicle of Phelps’s evolution from awkward teenager to record-breaking powerhouse, Beneath the Surface is a must-read for any sports fan.

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Alabama’s football legends recall their greatest moments in this entertaining trip through Crimson Tide History. Roll Tide Roll!From Harry Gilmer and his excellent play in the 1946 Rose Bowl to Antonio Langham’s heroics in the 1992 game against Florida that led the Crimson Tide to the Sugar Bowl, Alabama has had more than its share of great games, great players, and great moments, including its win over Clemson in the 2015 national championship.In Game of My Life Alabama Crimson Tide, Tommy Hicks takes readers behind the scenes and onto the field with some of the greatest Crimson Tide players ever. Fans will discover the simple advice and prediction head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant gave his team before the 1967 Auburn game won by quarterback Ken Stabler’s famous "run in the mud." Ken Stabler, Mike Shula, Brodie Croyle, Lee Roy Jordan, Cornelius Bennett, Billy Neighbors, Woodrow Lowe, Joey Jones, Bobby Humphrey, Greg McElroy, and many others all share their memories of the most defining, poignant, and heart-stopping games they ever played in.Game of My Life Alabama Crimson Tide highlights some of the games and moments that have added to the tradition of Alabama football.

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Clemson: Where the Tigers Play is the most comprehensive book ever written on Clemson University athletics. This book chronicles more than 100 years of Tiger athletics, listing yearly accounts of statistics, records, bowl and tournament appearances, and historical moments. Read about the legends that put the Clemson Tigers on the map, including Banks McFadden, John Heisman, Rupert Fike, Frank Howard, Fred Cone, Bruce Murray, Bill Wilhelm, and I. M. Ibrahim. Also included are vignettes of some of Clemson’s greatest moments—the 1981 national football championship to the most recent national football championship in 2017, the 1984 and 1987 national championship soccer seasons, College World Series appearances, the Frank Howard era, and the inaugural running down the hill in Death Valley. Other vignettes include career sports records; players in the NFL, the major leagues, and the NBA; and Tiger Olympic medalists.This newly revised edition offers the groundbreaking accomplishments and victories that countless teams have had at this university. Clemson: Where the Tigers Play is a must-have for the library of every loyal Clemson fan. This book examines the rich history and tradition of the Clemson Tigers and the coaches and players who made it happen!

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Press Box Revolution is a journey through the evolution of reporting in New York and around the nation by a reporter who has witnessed every second of it in the past three decades. Rich Coutinho, a New York-based reporter who has covered numerous major sporting events, will escort readers into corners of the press box and locker room they have never seen and discusses what the business will look like down the road. Coutinho gives an insider’s view of the evolving technology in the business, the growth of women in sports creating much needed diversity in the reporting landscape, the emergence of sports talk radio and the Internet, as well as the personalities on the New York sports scene that make it so challenging to cover. Press Box Revolution lifts the curtain on all the myths about how sports is reported. It is a must-read for all well-informed fans and aspiring sports journalists.

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The Heisman Trophy covers the full history of the Heisman Trophy, from its first winner, Jay Berwanger, to Notre Dame’s dominating run, and everything in between, up through the 2015 selection of Derrick Henry. It details the rise of the Heisman Hype, Archie Griffin's continued place as its only two-time winner, and much more. The book features coverage of nearly every recipient, including:• Paul Hornung• Roger Staubach• Steve Spurrier• Marcus Allen• Jim Plunkett• Herschel Walker• Doug Flutie• Tim Tebow• Cam Newton• Johnny ManzielSkyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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In 1984, after more than thirty years as the Baltimore Colts, the franchise moved to their present home in Indianapolis, where they began their tenure as one of the most successful NFL teams.In Game of My Life Indianapolis Colts, devoted fans can join their beloved team in the action on the field and behind the scenes in the locker room, as they relive many of the greatest moments in Indianapolis Colts history. Readers will relish tales of Colts’ glory through first-hand interviews with beloved players including Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Adam Vinatieri, Edgerrin James, and Marshall Faulk.Within these pages, Colts expert Mike Chappell will take readers through the early years in Indiana, the major 2007 Super Bowl win under Manning, and their continued success with quarterback Andrew Luck. Over thirty years of Colt experience is represented here, making it a must have for every true fan.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Tales from the Dallas Cowboys Sideline, first published in 2003 and now newly updated, is a fascinating, fun look at the inner workings of one of the most beloved sports teams of all time. A team that is either gloriously loved or hideously hated, there is no denying the passion evoked by the Dallas Cowboys. With tales of Cowboy greats like Roger Staubach and Emmitt Smith, and stories of heart-wrenching games and epic rivalries, Tales from the Dallas Cowboys Sideline will have fans captivated on the edge of their seats.Players and authors Cliff Harris and Charlie Waters have never lost sight of how much fun it was to play in the NFL—especially for the Dallas Cowboys—and they share that fun with readers and fans in Tales from the Dallas Cowboys Sideline. From what really happened during Franco Harris’s touchdown run in Super Bowl XIII to Coach Tom Landry’s suggestions on pregame meals, this book is a hilarious and unique collection of stories.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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In 2005, the National Hockey League adopted the shootout to settle ties in regular season games. The shootout is used if the game remains tied after five minutes of overtime.Ten years later, the shootout is one of the most significant and controversial rule changes in all of sports. Some maintain that the shootout erases a sixty-five-minute emotional rollercoaster between two teams—and that it’s wrong for games to be decided based on a one-on-one battle between a shooter and a goalie. Others argue that shootouts provide edge-of-your seat excitement as two supremely skilled players go head-to-head for all the marbles.Shoot to Thrill blends history, stats, and personal perspectives from players, coaches, officials, and broadcasters. Mark Rosenman and Howie Karpin explore how players and coaches prepare for shootouts, what they think of them, and how shootouts have helped shape hockey history over the past decade—including the shootout in the last game of the 2010 season that sent the Philadelphia Flyers into the playoffs and on to the Stanley Cup Finals.Some rule changes are instituted without anyone’s noticing. Others shake the game to its very foundations. Like the designated-hitter rule in baseball, hockey's shootout has left no fan impartial to it. This is the book for them.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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This book commemorates “The Captain’s” career in pinstripes through words and images. David Fischer traces Derek Jeter’s legendary baseball career, from his early minor-league struggles, through his exhilarating days as a Yankees superstar, to his status as an enduring symbol of the steroid-free athlete. Indeed, Jeter’s intangible ability to play at a high level in the postseason makes him the face of the modern Yankees dynasty—and of America’s national pastime. Fischer makes clear that Jeter walks in the footsteps of other Yankees greats such as Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, and Mantle, and that someday his shadow will loom just as large.The author celebrates Jeter’s career in a fully illustrated, scrapbook-style album with passionate and vivid prose, supreme photographic images and memorabilia, call-out quotes, and dozens of personal anecdotes and recollections about Jeter from prominent members of the Yankees organization and the New York community. Treasures from the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Yankees Museum—rarely seen photographs and artifacts—enhance the nostalgic experience. This unique collection captures the magic of Derek Jeter, making it an essential addition to every Yankee fan’s library and a fitting tribute to one of the game’s greatest players.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Jerry Reynolds was country before country was cool. He also was part of the Sacramento Kings before that was cool. 2015 marks the team’s 30th season in California’s capital, and Jerry has been there from the start. Quietly, he has been instrumental in the team’s growth from a shoestring operation that couldn’t compete to a model NBA franchise that is always on the short list of title contenders. He has been a firsthand witness of the league’s evolution, from Bird and Magic, to Jordan, to LeBron and Yao Ming. Jerry Reynolds has been a human Swiss Army knife, serving the Kings as a scout, assistant coach, head coach, player personnel director, general manager, and television analyst. Because he has held so many positions in the Kings’ front office the last two decades, Jerry has a unique perspective on how the Kings have evolved, and he offers that perspective in Tales from the Sacramento Kings Locker Room.For those who’ve been on the Kings bandwagon only the last decade, it wasn’t always C-Webb, Peja, and Bibby. In this reissue of Reynolds Remembers, Jerry recounts the hollow feeling of putting a CBA-quality lineup on the floor for an exhibition game against the Lakers: set for the tip-off, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and . . . Randy Allen? He remembers being left to explain the Kings’ latest defeat to the media while Bill Russell snuck out the side door. But there were victories, too. He also still has a spark in his eye from trading draft rights to Billy Owens for superstar Mitch Richmond. Whether the Kings were stuck in the mud or winning 50-plus games, Jerry Reynolds remained the same—colorful, outspoken, engaging, and insightful.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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More than 100 years ago, the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville met for the first time on the basketball court. More than 30 years ago, the intrastate rivals faced each other in the original “Dream Game.” Fightin’ Words has the inside stories of these games and others from the rivalry, as well as tales of how Louisville coach Denny Crum out-recruited Joe B. Hall for the athletes in inner-city Louisville; how Rick Pitino had a dominant tenure at UK, then left to become the Cardinals’ coach; how John Calipari brought UK back on top; and much more.The book covers everything from the 12 games between the rivals before the 1983 game, the 24-year buildup (and 61 years since the last regular season matchup) to the 1983 game and how it finally became an annual rivalry, and then individual chapters for the 31 UK/UL games since. Each chapter contains pregame analysis, game coverage, and postgame discussion, with firsthand interviews from players involved. The authors reveal the effects of each game on both teams and on the history of college basketball.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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For almost 50 years, the Cleveland Indians were a joke. They had won the 1948 World Series with one of the greatest teams of all time, but had not been to the playoffs since 1954 (losing to the New York Giants in the World Series). Even the Major League movies poked fun at their inadequacy. That all changed in the 1990s, when the Indians became one of the most dominant teams of the decade.A Tribe Reborn tells the story of a failing franchise, from “The Mistake by the Lake” to “The Curse of Rocky Colavito,” and how a laughingstock team that was on the verge of relocating changed its ways to become a dominant franchise.With the building of the state-of-the-art Jacobs Field (which the Indians sold out a record 455 consecutive games, from 1995–2001) to changes in how their scouting, front office, and locker room were run, the team that nobody cared about became front-page news across the country.With interviews from Jim Thome, Omar Vizquel, Mike Hargrove, John Hart, and many more, A Tribe Reborn is a fantastic look inside how a losing franchise changed its ways to become a perennial powerhouse. While the Indians of the ’90s never won a World Series (appearing twice in 1995 and 1997), they are still remembered for their hard play, amazing talent, and rabid fan base.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Heaven Is a Playground was the first book on the uniquely American phenomenon of urban basketball. Rick Telander, a photojournalist and former high school basketball player, spent part of the summer of 1973 and all of the summer of 1974 in Brooklyn living the playground life with his subjects at Foster Park in Flatbush. He slept on the floor of a park regular’s apartment, observing, questioning, traveling, playing with, and eventually coaching a ragtag group of local teenagers whose hopes of better lives were often fanatically attached to the transcendent game itself. Telander introduces us to Fly Williams, a playground legend with incredible leaping ability and self-destructive tendencies that threatened to keep him earthbound. Another standout was Albert King, a fifteen-year-old phenom whose shy, quiet demeanor masked an otherworldly talent that eventually took him to the NBA. This edition also includes Telander’s perspectives on the arrival of an NBA team in Brooklyn. Heaven Is a Playground is one of a kind—a funny, sad, ultimately inspiring book about Americans and the roots of the sport that they love.

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The Sixers won 65 games and an NBA championship in 1982–83, still one of the finest seasons in NBA history. It was Moses Malone who, in the days before the playoffs, gave the team its battle cry. Asked by coach Billy Cunningham how he thought things would go in the playoffs, Moses said, "Fo’, fo’, fo’,”— meaning, in Moses's shorthand, that he expected the Sixers to sweep each of the three series they would need to play in order to win a championship. In this newly revised edition of Tales from the Philadelphia '76ers Locker Room, sports maverick Pat Williams teams up with writer Gordon Jones to capture a behind-the-scenes look at this legendary season. With wit and candor, Williams and Jones relive the unforgettable victories as well as the wrenching disappointments and painstaking efforts to rebuild that preceded that season. Readers are reintroduced to Julius “Dr. J” Erving, the beloved but unfulfilled superstar; Billy Cunningham, the hard-driven coach; Harold Katz, the relentless owner; and Moses Malone, the final piece of the title puzzle. Joined by a star-studded cast of players, they rampaged through the league, leaving a trail of devastated teams in their wake. With a thirty-year legacy that has yet to be surpassed by any '76ers team, Tales from the Philadelphia '76ers Locker Room is both a celebration of past glory and a promise of future victory to the loyal fans of the '76ers nation.

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Fans will finally get the chance to walk onto the field with their favorite Nittany Lions in Game of My Life Penn State Nittany Lions.In this updated edition, Penn State alum Jordan Hyman asks over twenty of the school’s greatest football legends to share their favorite memories and most poignant moments while wearing the white and blue. This isn't a book that dwells solely on happy memories of great games of years past.When author Jordan Hyman, a Penn State graduate, went looking for 20 game recollections from some of Penn State's football legends, he discovered in his interviews feelings of joy, respect, and pride, but also locked-away emotions dealing with anger, racism, and regret. Chapters include: Rosey Grier Joe Paterno Lydell Mitchell John Cappelletti Todd Blackledge Gregg Garrity Shane Conlan And more! Wally Triplett raves about the famous 1948 Cotton Bowl, Penn State versus Doak Walker-led Southern Methodist, but he'll also relay his experiences as a black football player in State College in the 1940s. Rosie Grier will recall upsetting Illinois in 1954, but he'll also reminisce about his roots on a Georgia farm and how he came to arrive in University Park in the first place.There are shining moments paired with wonderful anecdotes: Gregg Garrity cannot forget the catch that would help win the 1983 national title game for the Lions. A must-read for any Nittany Lions fan.

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Founded in 1887 and celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2012, the Boston Athletic Association is one of the oldest sports organizations in America. It’s best known today for its signature annual event, the Boston Marathon, which is the third-largest marathon and attracts tens of thousands of participants and worldwide media coverage. But the B.A.A. has also been amazingly prescient in anticipating what would become one of the major social trends of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries: the modern fitness movement. Consider some of the B.A.A.’s firsts: Nine out of the fourteen members of the US team participating in the modern Olympic Games in Athens (1896) were B.A.A. athletes. The B.A.A. launched the first US marathon, the Boston Marathon, in 1897. The B.A.A. pioneered and actively promoted many of today’s popular sports, including football and water polo. The original B.A.A. club house, in the historic Back Bay section of Boston, is the precursor of today’s health club. Still, the B.A.A. story is not simply one of athletic achievements and firsts. It’s also the dramatic story of people and the times in which they lived—a social history that unfolds in nineteenth-century Boston but takes readers around the world, up to the present, and includes a large and international cast of characters. A wonderfully illustrated history,The B.A.A. at 125 highlights the Boston Athletic Association’s important role in American sports history.

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Since the beginning of A & M football in 1894, the Aggies have produced some of the greatest athletes to ever come out of Texas. Legendary players have plowed their way to greatness while carving their names into the heart of Texas fans under the Aggies banner. But what happened to these juggernauts after the final score was tallied and the game was over? The answer can only be found in this newly updated edition of Texas A & M Where Have You Gone?

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On April 20, 1912, The Boston Red Sox played their first official game at Fenway Park. 27,000 fans were on hand to witness the Red Sox defeat the rival New York Highlanders—later known as the Yankees—7–6 in 11 innings. It was an event that may have made front page news in Boston had it not been for the sinking of the Titanic five days earlier.Since that day, the oddly-shaped stadium at 4 Yawkey Way has played host to nearly 8,000 Red Sox games, including fifty-five in the postseason, launching the legends of Tris Speaker, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, Wade Boggs, and Pedro Martinez, and making the ballpark a worldwide destination for legions of baseball fans in the process.From the Green Monster to Pesky’s Pole, The Triangle to the lone red seat marking the longest home run ever hit in the stadium (a 502-foot blast off the bat of Ted Williams in 1946), Fenway Park’s unique charms have captivated generations of sports fans.100 Years of Fenway Park tells through vivid, full-color photographs and illuminating prose, the story of the most cherished American stadium, creating an endearing portrait of a building whose rich history resonates in the hearts and minds of the Red Sox vast fanbase. With a special foreword by Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski, this is a book that no Red Sox fan should be without.

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Start Your Engines contains thirty-four chapters describing different inaugural accomplishments that have taken place throughout NASCAR history. This book answers the following questions: • When was NASCAR officially founded? • Where was the first Strictly Stock race held? • What was the first flag-to-flag race ever broadcast on TV? • When was the first night race? • When and where was the first international NASCAR race held? • Who was the first woman to win the Daytona 500 pole position? • And many more! In Start Your Engines, seasoned writer Jay W. Pennell outlines some of the most iconic and unknown firsts in NASCAR history. From Red Byron to Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt to Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson to Danica Patrick, Pennell also covers some of the biggest names of the sport and their landmark contributions. Providing in-depth explanations of each milestone, Pennell takes readers through the peaks and valleys of NASCAR history and details the impact each first had on the legacy of the sport. From the earliest days of NASCAR’s foundation, to the high banks of Daytona and famed Brickyard at Indianapolis, Pennell looks at monumental dates and races that changed the sport and helped it grow from a small gathering of race car drivers and promoters into the multibillion-dollar sports industry it is today. This book is a unique look at racing for new and experienced NASCAR fans alike. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Now in paperback!Heaven Is a Playground was the first book on the uniquely American phenomenon of urban basketball. Rick Telander, a photojournalist and former high school basketball player, spent part of the summer of 1973 and all of the summer of 1974 in Brooklyn living the playground life with his subjects at Foster Park in Flatbush. He slept on the floor of a park regular’s apartment, observing, questioning, traveling, playing with, and eventually coaching a ragtag group of local teenagers whose hopes of better lives were often fanatically attached to the transcendent game itself. Telander introduces us to Fly Williams, a playground legend with incredible leaping ability and self-destructive tendencies that threatened to keep him earthbound. Another standout was Albert King, a fifteen-year-old phenom whose shy, quiet demeanor masked an otherworldly talent that eventually took him to the NBA. This edition also includes Telander’s perspectives on the arrival of an NBA team in Brooklyn. Heaven Is a Playground is one of a kind—a funny, sad, ultimately inspiring book about Americans and the roots of the sport that they love.

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Bob Backlund began life as a poor farm boy in the little village of Princeton, Minnesota, with a population of just over 2,000 people. He was a below-average student with a lackluster work ethic and a bad attitude, who hung with the wrong crowd and made a lot of bad choices. He was a kid whose life was headed for disaster—until a local coach took interest in him, suggested that he take up amateur wrestling, and offered to work with him if he promised to stay out of trouble. It was in North Dakota that Bob Backlund had the first of several chance encounters that would shape his destiny. While working out at the YMCA gymnasium in Fargo, North Dakota, where he wrestled for North Dakota State, Backlund met a well-known professional wrestler, “Superstar” Billy Graham. The men talked, and at Graham’s suggestion, Backlund was inspired to pursue a career in professional wrestling. Less than five years from that day, on February 20, 1978, Backlund would find himself halfway across the country, standing in the middle of the ring at Madison Square Garden with his hand raised in victory as the newly crowned World Wide Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion. The man Backlund pinned for the championship that night was none other than Superstar Billy Graham. Featuring contributions from Bruno Sammartino, Harley Race, Terry Funk, Pat Patterson, Ken Patera, Sergeant Slaughter, The Magnificent Muraco, George “The Animal” Steele, “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas, The Iron Sheik, and many others, this book tells the incredible story of the life and nearly forty-year career of one of the most famous men to ever grace the squared circle. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Several prominent players who have worn the legendary Commanders (previously known as the Redskins) helmet share their fondest single-game experience and memories. Sam Huff, Billy Kilmer, Larry Brown, Pat Fischer, Len Hauss, Mike Bass, Roy Jefferson, Ron McDole, Ken Houston, Diron Talbert, Don Bosseler, “Bullet” Bill Dudley, Joe Jacoby, Rick Walker, Joe Washington, Jeff Bostic, Joe Theismann, Ken Harvey, Mike Nelms, Doug Williams, and Dexter Manley are among the former players profiled in this unique book. It provides an in-depth look into the men and games that helped shape and build the legendary Washington football team's seventy-five-year franchise.

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With 363 victories, Warren Spahn is the winningest lefty in baseball history. Over 21 years, he won 20 or more games 13 times, was a 17-time All Star, won a Cy Young–award, then, of course, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Spahn was also a war hero, serving in World War II and awarded the Purple Heart. To say Spahn lived a storied life is an understatement. In Warren Spahn, author Lew Freedman tells the story of this incredible lefty. Known for his supremely high leg kick, Spahn became one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. However, the road wasn’t as easy as it would seem. Struggling in his major-league debut at age twenty, manager Casey Stengel demoted the young left. It would be four years before Spahn would return to the diamond, as he received a calling of a different kind—one from his country. Enlisting in the Army, Spahn would serve with distinction, seeing action in the Battle of the Bulge and the Ludendorff Bridge, and was awarded a battlefield commission, along with a Purple Heart. Upon his return to the game, he would take the league by storm. Spahn dominated for over two decades, spending twenty years with the Braves (both Boston and Milwaukee), as well as a season with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. Pitching into his mid-forties, he would throw two no-hitters at the advanced ages of thirty-nine and forty. From his early days in Buffalo and young career, through his time and the military and all the way to the 1948 Braves and “Spahn and Sain and Pray for Rain,” author Lew Freedman leaves no stone unturned in sharing the incredible life of this pitching icon, who is still considered the greatest left-handed pitcher to ever play the game.

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Collected together for the first time, The Twenty Greatest Moments in New York Sports History chronicles the most memorable sporting events to be held in New York, ranking them based on importance and effect on the sport (and city).

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In The Science of Football, sportswriter and injury expert Will Carroll teams up with writer and podcast host Tyler Brooke to show how understanding the science behind American football helps fans appreciate the sport even more. The authors cover topics like injuries, equipment, and analytics from all sides of the game, including offense, defense, and special teams. After reading this fascinating addition to the successful Science of series, football enthusiasts at the professional, college, and high school levels and science geeks alike will better appreciate the game--no matter which teams are playing!

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Baseball, our national pastime. All fans have great memories of their teams. We also remember those things that we wish we could forget: the errors, the mental mistakes . . . and the ugly uniformsIn an ode to those eyesores, Todd Radom has collected and chronicled some of the swing-and-misses we've seen on the baseball diamond. Remember when the Chicago White Sox thought wearing shorts in 1977 was a good idea? How about when the Baltimore Orioles wore their all-orange jerseys in 1971? Do you remember the 1999 'Turn Ahead the Clock' campaign? Or the most recent all-camo jerseys of the San Diego Padres? Yes, there is much to talk about when it comes to the odd uniform decisions teams have made over the years. But just like there's love out there for French bulldogs or Christmas sweaters, ugly uniforms hold a warm place in the heart of all baseball fans, and Winning Ugly is just that: an ode to our favourites from today and yesterday that bring smiles and sighs to all baseball fans. Sure they didn't affect wins and losses (unless you mention Chris Sale), but a fan's love and ire goes well beyond the current standings. So whether your team appears in Winning Ugly or not, fans of the sport will enjoy reliving the moments most teams would like to forget.

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Long before "The Decision," four MVP awards, and back-to-back NBA championships with the Miami Heat, LeBron James opened the 2003–04 season as an untested rookie with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In Tales from the Cleveland Cavaliers Locker Room: The Rookie Season of LeBron James, first published in 2004, readers will find anecdotes about this extraordinary rookie who grew up a stone's throw away in Akron. Fans will read about the rest of the Cavaliers, from celebrations on the day lottery luck shone upon the team and the anticipation of LeBron's debut to disappointments like the season-opening five-game losing streak and 6–19 start; from the excitement of a young team maturing under the guidance of head coach Paul Silas to the shrewd moves of general manager Jim Paxson. There were also the moments bordering on the absurd, like the near-riot on LeBron James Bobblehead Night. And there was the heartbreaking late-season injury to a key player that likely cost the Cavs a playoff berth.Through the eyes and ears of the media, coaches, players, fans, and more, this book is a must-read for any Cavs or NBA fan. It is a whimsical reflection on the rebirth of a forlorn franchise that was quite possibly a Ping-Pong ball away from relocating to another state. It is a look back at how a team led by a teenage kid with remarkable skills, awesome strength, and incredible poise went from being the laughingstock of the NBA to becoming a true playoff contender.In 2014, LeBron James decided to come home, where he remained through 2018. In this newly updated edition, Tales from the Cleveland Cavaliers Locker Room will make Cavs fans feel as if he never left.

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Experience the thrill of Packers football — newly updated through the 2019-2020 season! Since their dominance of professional football in the 1960s, the Green Bay Packers have reemerged as one of the elite teams in the NFL, with Super Bowl championships in 1996 and 2010. The victory and legend of Green Bay Packers continues in Chuck Carlson's Tales from the Green Bay Packers Sideline, now updated through the 2019 season. In this behind-the-scenes look at the NFL's second oldest franchise, Carlson captures the determination, aggression, and vision that have constantly spurred the Packers to greatness. Through interviews and extensive research, Carlson brings to life stories from Packers legends such as Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Brett Favre, and the stars of today's Packers like Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, and Aaron Jones. Tales from the Green Bay Packers Sideline opens a window into the greatest Packers moments both on and off the field. Why was Vince Lombardi against the idea of rededicating the Packers stadium and naming it Lambeau Field? How was Monday Night Football changed forever during a Packers game on October 17, 1983? How did Aaron Rodgers respond to the pressure of Super Bowl XLV? Readers will relive the greatest moments and quirkiest anecdotes from throughout Packers history. This newly updated collection is a must-have for any Green Bay fan.

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An in-depth look into the origins of how each NHL team was named, received their logo and design, with interviews by those responsible. Written by those most knowledgeable, you'll learn why every hockey team to every play in the National Hockey League looks the way it does. Nothing unites or divides a random assortment of strangers quite like the hockey team for which they cheer. The passion they hold within them for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Boston Bruins allows them to look past any differences which would have otherwise disrupted a perfectly fine Thanksgiving dinner and channels it into a powerful, shared admiration for their team. We decorate our lives with their logos, stock our wardrobe with their jerseys, and, in some cases, even tattoo our bodies with their iconography and colors. They’re so ingrained in our lives we don’t even think to ask ourselves why Los Angeles celebrates royalty; why Buffalo cheers for not one, but two massive cavalry swords; or why the Broadway Blueshirts named themselves for a law enforcement agency in Texas (or why they even wear blue shirts, for that matter). All that and more is explored in Fabric of the Game, authored by two of the sports world’s leading experts in team branding and design: Chris Creamer and Todd Radom. Tapping into their vast knowledge of the whys and hows, Creamer and Radom explore and share the origin stories behind these and more, talking directly to those involved in the decision processes and designs of the National Hockey League’s team names, logos, and uniforms, pouring through historical accounts to find and deliver the answers to these questions. Learn more about the historied Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, as well as the lost but not forgotten Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques, all the way to the lesser-known Kansas City Scouts and Philadelphia Quakers. Whichever team you pledge allegiance, Fabric of the Game covers them in-depth with research and knowledge for any hockey fan to enjoy.

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Why does a curveball curve? What is a “can of corn”? Why was Joe DiMaggio called the “Yankee Clipper”? Who wrote “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”? How many times did Ty Cobb steal home? In this edition of Baseball Miscellany, the fascinating history and lore of our national pastime is finally revealed! For example, the reason a curveball curves is that its spin drags a layer of air across one surface of the ball faster than it does across the opposite surface. A “can of corn” is slang for an easy-to-catch fly ball, the term originating from a general store clerk reaching up and dropping a can from a high shelf. Sportswriters dubbed Joe DiMaggio the “Yankee Clipper” because he glided about the outfield with beauty and grace, like a clipper ship on the ocean. The lyrics to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” were written in 1908 by vaudeville star Jack Norworth, who, while riding the subway, was inspired by a sign that said “Baseball Today—Polo Grounds.” And the great Ty Cobb stole home a whopping fifty-four times—fifty more than the career leader in total stolen bases, Rickey Henderson. Packed with all manner of delightful surprises, beautiful illustrations and photographs, and delicious nuggets of information, Baseball Miscellany demystifies the origins and customs of America’s most celebrated game. From spring training through the World Series, you’ll be entertained with fun, little-known facts. Why do baseball players wear stirrup socks? Who invented the catcher’s mask? What major-league team passed up on signing eighteen-year-old Willie Mays in 1949?

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Since they burst onto the scene in 1969, the San Diego Padres have taken fans on a roller-coaster ride of ups, downs, and unforgettable moments. In this newly revised edition of Bob Chandler's Tales from the San Diego Padres Dugout, longtime Padres announcer Bob Chandler shares his memories of the team with Bill Swank in an easy-to-read recap of th

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The 1968 World Series recalls one of baseball's most celebrated championship series from the voices of the players who still remain--a collected narrative from a bygone era of major-league baseball as they reflect fifty years later. Modeled after Lawrence S. Ritter's celebrated book, The Glory of Their Times--for which the author traversed the country to record stories of baseball's deadball era--The 1968 World Series will likewise preserve the days of baseball past, gathering the memories of the remaining players of the great Tigers and Cardinals teams to assemble their accounts into a vibrant baseball collection. The 1968 World Series came at a time of great cultural change--the fading days of fans dressing up for ballgames, the first years of widespread color TV--and was an historic matchup of two legendary teams, pitting star power head-to-head and going the distance of seven hard-fought games. From the voices of the players themselves, The 1968 World Series illustrates in detail what it was like to be a 1968 Tiger, a 1968 Cardinal: what it was like to win it all and to lose it all: what it was like to face Bob Gibson peering in from the mound, Al Kaline digging in at the plate; what it was like, in the player's own words, to remember the days of that most special period in the history of America's national pastime.

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