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Just when USC football was in the midst of a horrific slump ... Read more

Just when USC football was in the midst of a horrific slump, when skeptics began to say the scholarship limits had conspired to make it impossible to recapture its old glory, Coach Pete Carroll arrived to transform and invigorate the program with his own bristling energy and style. He quickly reestablished the Trojans not only as the dominant college football team in the Pac-10 but as the preeminent program in the country, and the most entertaining team in the sport.In the past seven years, Carroll has captured two National Championships, made an NCAA-record seven BCS bowl appearances, and produced three Heisman Trophy winners as well as more than thirty NFL draft picks, including seven in round number one.For the first time ever, author Steve Bisheff has been given exclusive access to coaches and players, their meetings, practices, and locker room, as well as one-on-one interviews with Coach Carroll himself. Always Compete is both a revealing look at the tactics and personality of one of college football’s best coaches and a thrilling chronicle of the 2008 Trojans quest for another championship, culminating in their victory over Penn State in the Rose Bowl. Minimize

College football is a sport of rivalries—and no two teams w ... Read more

College football is a sport of rivalries—and no two teams were ever more perfectly matched than the Miami Hurricanes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In Perfect Rivals, award-winning sportswriter Jeff Carroll takes us inside the locker rooms and onto the gridiron, as two storied programs with very different cultures battle for national supremacy, school pride, and the soul of the game itself.Beginning with the Hurricanes’ nationally televised 58–7 pasting of the Irish at the Orange Bowl in November 1985, the two teams faced each other five times over a six-year span. The last three of those games had national championship implications, as a resurgent Notre Dame sought to reclaim its historic preeminence against a faster, mouthier, more talented Miami squad notorious for trash-talking opponents, stalking out of pregame buffets, and wearing military fatigues on the team plane. The games were marked by heartbreaking finishes, disputed plays, and nasty onfield brawls. Adding fuel to the fire was a controversial slogan created by a Notre Dame student and picked up by the press—“Catholics vs. Convicts”—which served to heighten the cultural (and, some would say, racial) tension between the opposing schools.Carroll’s fast-paced, up-close-and-personal narrative centers on a handful of colorful characters on both sides of the rivalry: the coaches, from dapper Jimmy Johnson to punctilious Lou Holtz, and the players, including Miami’s Steve Walsh, a quiet Midwesterner and one-time Holtz recruit who defied the freewheeling Miami stereotype, and devout Baptist Tony Rice, only the second black quarterback in Notre Dame history, who defined the rivalry and decided the contests. Filled with you-are-there depictions of game action and insights drawn from Carroll’s unfettered access to many of the major figures involved, Perfect Rivals is a vivid re-creation of one of the most entertaining eras in the history of college football.  Minimize

Updated with a new chapter on Carroll's successful first se ... Read more

Updated with a new chapter on Carroll's successful first season with the Seattle Seahawks Pete Carroll is one of the most successful coaches in football today. As the head coach at USC, he brought the Trojans back to national prominence, amassing a 97-19 record over nine seasons. In this book he shares the championship-winning philosophy that led USC to seven straight Pac-10 titles, and is now shaping his program with the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL.Carroll developed his unique coaching style by trial and error over his career. He reveals how his recruiting strategies, training routines, and game-day rituals preserve a team's culture year after year, during championship seasons and disappointing seasons alike.Win Forever is about more than winning football games; it's about maximizing your potential in every aspect of your life. Carroll has taught business leaders facing tough challenges. He has helped troubled kids on the streets of Los Angeles through his foundation, A Better LA. His words are true in any situation: "If you want to win forever, always compete." Minimize

It’s What’s Inside the Lines That Counts brings together ba ... Read more

It’s What’s Inside the Lines That Counts brings together ballplayers, managers, an umpire, and the first head of the players’ union to describe the momentous changes to the game that took place in the 1970s and 1980s. Former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent draws from his ongoing oral history of the game to celebrate the era that spans the Miracle Mets through free agency to Cal Ripken’s historic consecutive-games streak. Willie McCovey remembers meeting the Giants’ other Willie and the powerful impact that Willie Mays had on him. He expresses pride that the Giants chose to honor him at their ballpark with McCovey Cove. Teammate Juan Marichal, one of baseball’s Latino pioneers, recalls encountering racism for the first time in America. He recounts fortuitously overhearing a conversation among Latino ballplayers before a Giants-Pirates game that provided him with crucial information about Roberto Clemente. Managers Dick Williams and Earl Weaver assess their Hall of Fame careers. Williams remembers his contentious relationship with Charlie Finley and explains why he never managed for George Stein-brenner. Earl Weaver says he has changed, that umpires were "fantastic people," and that he shouldn’t have gotten thrown out of so many ballgames. Read it here for yourself. Tom Seaver, one of the dominant pitchers of his era, shares a funny incident from his first All-Star game, when he was young and looked even younger, and discloses the important piece of baseball wisdom that Gil Hodges gave him early in his career that has guided him ever since. Don Baylor recalls playing with a variety of teammates and teams, including the remarkable experience of playing in three consecutive World Series with three different teams, going from the 1986 Red Sox that came so close to winning the Series to the 1987 Minnesota Twins team that actually did it. Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, "the Wizard of Oz," tells the story of how he began his signature back flip and offers insights into how he was able to pull off some of the most spectacular defensive plays in baseball history. Baseball’s Iron Man Cal Ripken remembers the high expectations that came with being the son of a baseball manager and explains why the "Orioles way" was more than just a slogan for him. Bruce Froemming, MLB’s longest-serving umpire, reveals the rules behind the fine art of allowing managers and coaches to have their say and still maintain absolute control over the game. And Marvin Miller, one of the most important figures in the history of the game, explains the origins and intentions of baseball’s players’ union and why he is so proud of what it has achieved.No fan of the game will want to pass up this illustrated, fascinating remembrance of two decades when baseball changed forever. Minimize

It’s What’s Inside the Lines That Counts brings together ba ... Read more

It’s What’s Inside the Lines That Counts brings together ballplayers, managers, an umpire, and the first head of the players’ union to describe the momentous changes to the game that took place in the 1970s and 1980s. Former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent draws from his ongoing oral history of the game to celebrate the era that spans the Miracle Mets through free agency to Cal Ripken’s historic consecutive-games streak. Willie McCovey remembers meeting the Giants’ other Willie and the powerful impact that Willie Mays had on him. He expresses pride that the Giants chose to honor him at their ballpark with McCovey Cove. Teammate Juan Marichal, one of baseball’s Latino pioneers, recalls encountering racism for the first time in America. He recounts fortuitously overhearing a conversation among Latino ballplayers before a Giants-Pirates game that provided him with crucial information about Roberto Clemente. Managers Dick Williams and Earl Weaver assess their Hall of Fame careers. Williams remembers his contentious relationship with Charlie Finley and explains why he never managed for George Stein-brenner. Earl Weaver says he has changed, that umpires were "fantastic people," and that he shouldn’t have gotten thrown out of so many ballgames. Read it here for yourself. Tom Seaver, one of the dominant pitchers of his era, shares a funny incident from his first All-Star game, when he was young and looked even younger, and discloses the important piece of baseball wisdom that Gil Hodges gave him early in his career that has guided him ever since. Don Baylor recalls playing with a variety of teammates and teams, including the remarkable experience of playing in three consecutive World Series with three different teams, going from the 1986 Red Sox that came so close to winning the Series to the 1987 Minnesota Twins team that actually did it. Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, "the Wizard of Oz," tells the story of how he began his signature back flip and offers insights into how he was able to pull off some of the most spectacular defensive plays in baseball history. Baseball’s Iron Man Cal Ripken remembers the high expectations that came with being the son of a baseball manager and explains why the "Orioles way" was more than just a slogan for him. Bruce Froemming, MLB’s longest-serving umpire, reveals the rules behind the fine art of allowing managers and coaches to have their say and still maintain absolute control over the game. And Marvin Miller, one of the most important figures in the history of the game, explains the origins and intentions of baseball’s players’ union and why he is so proud of what it has achieved.No fan of the game will want to pass up this illustrated, fascinating remembrance of two decades when baseball changed forever. Minimize

Updated with a new chapter on Carroll's successful first se ... Read more

Updated with a new chapter on Carroll's successful first season with the Seattle Seahawks Pete Carroll is one of the most successful coaches in football today. As the head coach at USC, he brought the Trojans back to national prominence, amassing a 97-19 record over nine seasons. In this book he shares the championship-winning philosophy that led USC to seven straight Pac-10 titles, and is now shaping his program with the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL.Carroll developed his unique coaching style by trial and error over his career. He reveals how his recruiting strategies, training routines, and game-day rituals preserve a team's culture year after year, during championship seasons and disappointing seasons alike.Win Forever is about more than winning football games; it's about maximizing your potential in every aspect of your life. Carroll has taught business leaders facing tough challenges. He has helped troubled kids on the streets of Los Angeles through his foundation, A Better LA. His words are true in any situation: "If you want to win forever, always compete." Minimize

Historian A.J.P. Taylor once observed that, "History is not ... Read more

Historian A.J.P. Taylor once observed that, "History is not another name for the past. It is the name for stories about the past." And for lovers of pro football, Tom Danyluk's book The Super '70s is full of those stories, first-hand accounts from many of the men who helped shape the 1970s into one of the most exciting and memorable eras in National Football League history. Set in an easy-to-read Q&A format, Danyluk examines the decade across its entire spectrum - from the rise of the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers empire to the Keystone Cop antics of the New Orleans Saints; from the punishing ground attack of Chuck Knox's L.A. Rams to the bombs-away thrusts of Don Coryell's St. Louis Cardinals; from the street gang warfare of the Oakland Raiders to the glory of America's Team, the Dallas Cowboys; from the sideline views of coaches like Chuck Fairbanks and Jack Patera to the broadcast booths of Curt Gowdy and Tom Brookshier. You'll remember the names - Bum Phillips, Bert Jones, Archie Manning, Cliff Harris, Larry Little, Steve Sabol... they're all here in a wonderfully entertaining look back at the game's history, to a special place in time known as The Super '70s. Minimize

Most San Francisco Giants fans have taken in a game or two ... Read more

Most San Francisco Giants fans have taken in a game or two at AT&T Park, have seen highlights of Willie Mays basket catch on YouTube, and were thrilled by the team s World Series triumph in 2010 the franchise s first since moving to California. But only real fans remember which pitcher started the first home game in San Francisco s history, have attended a spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium, or know how many home runs Barry Bonds hit into McCovey Cove during his record-setting career.100 Things Giants Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is the ultimate resource guide for true fans of the San Francisco Giants. Whether you re a die-hard booster from the days of Bobby Thomson or a recent supporter of Bruce Bochy, Tim Lincecum, and Buster Posey, these are the 100 things all fans need to know and do in their lifetime. Longtime sportswriter Bill Chastain has collected every essential piece of Giants knowledge and trivia, as well as must-do activities, and ranks them all from 1 to 100, providing an entertaining and easy-to-follow checklist as you progress on your way to fan superstardom. Minimize

Though very few teams can accurately be called dynasties, t ... Read more

Though very few teams can accurately be called dynasties, the 1940s Cardinals certainly made a strong case. Detractors argue that World War II made the 40s an asterisk decade, with a huge loss of talent and significant changes to the ball and to the game itself. During that era, though, the Cardinals dominated the National League, winning four pennants and three World Series titles, and their rosters included names like Musial and Slaughter. This is the history of the Cardinals during the 1940s, a decade that saw many of the greatest St. Louis clubs while war and integration significantly altered the game. Chapters follow the Cards year-by-year, covering each season with description, statistics and analysis. Interwoven throughout are the stories of wartime changes, including the loss of general manager Branch Rickey; the death of Judge Landis; the Pacific Coast League's demand for major league status; the first attempt at a players' union; and Mexican League talent raids. An appendix offers complete individual hitting and pitching statistics. Minimize

At the top of his game and his sport, Dallas Cowboys' wide ... Read more

At the top of his game and his sport, Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver Terrell Owens has a phenomenal body: Muscle & Fitness magazine said this when they chose T.O. for the cover, but anyone who's ever seen him play knows he has the best physique in football. Strong, fast, agile, and focused -- when T.O. takes the field, he's in complete control. Such mastery might seem out of reach for an ordinary athlete or someone just starting to think about getting in shape, but T.O. believes that everyone is capable of finding their ideal body. Whether you want to slim down or bulk up, develop explosive speed or increase your endurance, define your abs or fine-tune your form, T.O.'s Finding Fitness will unlock your potential with a diet and exercise plan tailored to your fitness goals. Inside T.O.'s Finding Fitness, Owens shares complete workout routines for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, all of which can be done using his T.O. Super Strong Man Bands, free weights, or his own strength-training stretches. Photographs, easy-to-follow instructions, and helpful tips from Buddy Primm (T.O.'s personal trainer) guarantee results. Along with plans for general fitness and weight loss, there are separate guides designed to enhance your performance in football, baseball, golf, martial arts, tennis, and basketball. And whether you're looking for the winning catch, the lightning-fast serve, or the money shot at the buzzer, or you just want to keep up with the kids and power through an afternoon at the office, you need the right fuel to stay at the top of your game. T.O. helps you make the right eating decisions with meal plans detailing his choices both in and out of season. Finally, as any athlete learns, just knowing what to do isn't always enough. T.O. realizes how hard it can be to stick to a routine, so over the years he has figured out how to motivate himself and make every day count. His approach has given him the crucial mental edge on his competitors and kept him fired up through setbacks and injuries. Get inspired today: take control, make the mind-body-spirit connection, and find your own best body. Minimize

No immortal in the history of baseball retired so young, so ... Read more

No immortal in the history of baseball retired so young, so well, or so completely as Sandy Koufax. After compiling a remarkable record from 1962 to 1966 that saw him lead the National League in ERA all five years, win three Cy Young awards, and pitch four no-hitters including a perfect game, Koufax essentially disappeared. Save for his induction into the Hall of Fame and occasional appearances at the Dodgers training camp, Koufax has remained unavailable, unassailable, and unsullied, in the process becoming much more than just the best pitcher of his generation. He is the Jewish boy from Brooklyn, who refused to pitch the opening game of the 1965 World Series on Yom Kippur, defining himself as a man who placed faith over fame. This act made him the standard to which Jewish parents still hold their children. Except for his autobiography (published in 1966), Koufax has resolutely avoided talking about himself. But through sheer doggedness that even Koufax came to marvel at, Jane Leavy was able to gain his trust to the point where they talked regularly over the three years Leavy reported her book. With Koufax′s blessing, Leavy interviewed nearly every one of his former teammates, opponents, and friends, and emerged with a portrait of the artist that is as thorough and stylish as was his command on the pitching mound. Minimize

At the top of his game and his sport, Dallas Cowboys' wide ... Read more

At the top of his game and his sport, Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver Terrell Owens has a phenomenal body: Muscle & Fitness magazine said this when they chose T.O. for the cover, but anyone who's ever seen him play knows he has the best physique in football. Strong, fast, agile, and focused -- when T.O. takes the field, he's in complete control. Such mastery might seem out of reach for an ordinary athlete or someone just starting to think about getting in shape, but T.O. believes that everyone is capable of finding their ideal body. Whether you want to slim down or bulk up, develop explosive speed or increase your endurance, define your abs or fine-tune your form, T.O.'s Finding Fitness will unlock your potential with a diet and exercise plan tailored to your fitness goals.Inside T.O.'s Finding Fitness, Owens shares complete workout routines for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, all of which can be done using his T.O. Super Strong Man Bands, free weights, or his own strength-training stretches. Photographs, easy-to-follow instructions, and helpful tips from Buddy Primm (T.O.'s personal trainer) guarantee results. Along with plans for general fitness and weight loss, there are separate guides designed to enhance your performance in football, baseball, golf, martial arts, tennis, and basketball. And whether you're looking for the winning catch, the lightning-fast serve, or the money shot at the buzzer, or you just want to keep up with the kids and power through an afternoon at the office, you need the right fuel to stay at the top of your game. T.O. helps you make the right eating decisions with meal plans detailing his choices both in and out of season.Finally, as any athlete learns, just knowing what to do isn't always enough. T.O. realizes how hard it can be to stick to a routine, so over the years he has figured out how to motivate himself and make every day count. His approach has given him the crucial mental edge on his competitors and kept him fired up through setbacks and injuries. Get inspired today: take control, make the mind-body-spirit connection, and find your own best body. Minimize

Extreme performance and comfort fins. Model: fin and closed ... Read more

Extreme performance and comfort fins. Model: fin and closed shoe in dual-material. Shoe material: in thermoplastic elastomer. Blade material: blade in high elastic thermoplastic technopolymer module. Made in Italy is once again the trademark of Seac fins. The result of careful studies and tests both in the laboratory and in the field, Seac fins are born of the creativity of Italian designers, engineered after three decades of experience and produced in cutting-edge automated production facilities. The innovative materials are selected following in-depth research and empirical testing to identify the mixture that guarantees each model maximum performance, comfort, and durability. Minimize

The University of North Carolina won its fifth NCAA basketb ... Read more

The University of North Carolina won its fifth NCAA basketball championship in 2009. To mark that accomplishment, Adam Lucas, Steve Kirschner, and Matt Bowers provide the only official history that chronicles the players and coaches involved in the championship season. This is more than just a season-in-the-life book. This is a project that serves as the capstone for a senior class that has represented the quintessential Carolina Basketball experience, not only in their success on the court but their approach to life off it.In the summer of 2005, five freshmen came to Chapel Hill. Little was expected of them at first; four years later, they will leave Carolina as the most decorated senior class in UNC history. One Fantastic Ride will be published in an oversized format, with eye-catching illustrations and insightful text. Photos include never-seen-before, behind-the-scenes shots. The book also includes sidebars by key figures in the history of the program, including Dean Smith, Michael Jordan, Phil Ford, and Woody Durham. Each chapter includes a “Thought for the Day” that is taken directly from a Carolina Basketball practice plan, which are normally distributed only to Tar Heel coaches and players. Minimize

Extreme performance and comfort fins. Model: fin and closed ... Read more

Extreme performance and comfort fins. Model: fin and closed shoe in dual-material. Shoe material: in thermoplastic elastomer. Blade material: blade in high elastic thermoplastic technopolymer module. Made in Italy is once again the trademark of Seac fins. The result of careful studies and tests both in the laboratory and in the field, Seac fins are born of the creativity of Italian designers, engineered after three decades of experience and produced in cutting-edge automated production facilities. The innovative materials are selected following in-depth research and empirical testing to identify the mixture that guarantees each model maximum performance, comfort, and durability. Minimize

Fight On! An Inside Look At The 2005 USC Trojans is a sidel ... Read more

Fight On! An Inside Look At The 2005 USC Trojans is a sideline pass to the Trojans’ 2005 season featuring an inside look at their 12 regular season games, the 2005 Heisman Trophy ceremony and the 2006 BCS Championship Rose Bowl game. The Trojans boasted not one, but two Heisman Trophy winners on the field in 2005. Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush led their team and set an example of leadership, excellence and teamwork along the way. Fight On! is an exclusive, in-depth look at the players and their remarkable season, including interviews with Leinart and Bush as well as coach Pete Carroll and other star players like LenDale White. With field-level camera angles and exclusive game footage Fight On! is an intense, dramatic review of the year, combining on-the-field action with sideline footage not shown during the live telecasts. A rare look at Trojan pre-game rituals further takes viewers behind the scenes. Showcasing such feats as the 34-31 victory over Notre Dame, the November 19 battle with Fresno State and the dismantling of cross-town rival UCLA — Fight On! presents the story of a team that fought hard every step of the way, winning 34 straight games as it assaulted the offensive record books. SEASON HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE USC vs. Hawaii USC vs. Arkansas USC vs. Oregon USC vs. ASU USC vs. Arizona USC vs. Notre Dame USC vs. Washington USC vs. Washington State USC vs. Stanford USC vs. Cal USC vs. Fresno State USC vs. UCLA Heisman Trophy Award BCS Championship Game USC vs. Texas BONUS FEATURES Reggie Bush: His Place in Trojan Tailback History "Matt Leinart - Under the Lights" (childhood) "Matt Leinart - Under the Lights" (high school years) Trojan Football 2006 Recruiting Class The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: USC’s Home Field Advantage Senior Speeches After UCLA Game Minimize

Extreme performance and comfort fins. Model: fin and closed ... Read more

Extreme performance and comfort fins. Model: fin and closed shoe in dual-material. Shoe material: in thermoplastic elastomer. Blade material: blade in high elastic thermoplastic technopolymer module. Made in Italy is once again the trademark of Seac fins. The result of careful studies and tests both in the laboratory and in the field, Seac fins are born of the creativity of Italian designers, engineered after three decades of experience and produced in cutting-edge automated production facilities. The innovative materials are selected following in-depth research and empirical testing to identify the mixture that guarantees each model maximum performance, comfort, and durability. Minimize

Extreme performance and comfort fins. Model: fin and closed ... Read more

Extreme performance and comfort fins. Model: fin and closed shoe in dual-material. Shoe material: in thermoplastic elastomer. Blade material: blade in high elastic thermoplastic technopolymer module. Made in Italy is once again the trademark of Seac fins. The result of careful studies and tests both in the laboratory and in the field, Seac fins are born of the creativity of Italian designers, engineered after three decades of experience and produced in cutting-edge automated production facilities. The innovative materials are selected following in-depth research and empirical testing to identify the mixture that guarantees each model maximum performance, comfort, and durability. Minimize

ANGEL S/KL Evolution Made in Italy.Born as a spin-off of Ir ... Read more

ANGEL S/KL Evolution Made in Italy.Born as a spin-off of Iride, the Angel mask stands out for its own characteristics, like the buckles on the skirt with the patented Pulsar System that make it particularly useful as a backup mask and the mix of soft and rigid inserts on the frame that give it a unique and extremely i nnovative look. It can be used as either a diving mask or for spearfishing Minimize

This is the Motor Control Board for the Proform Treadmills ... Read more

This is the Motor Control Board for the Proform Treadmills in the 700's. For model 785 Pftl78570, 78571, 78572, 78573, 787574, 785i - pftl79190, 79191, 79192 Model 725TL - DRTL43060, 43061, 43062, 43063, 297760, 297761, 297762, 297763, Model 725FP - PFTL69100, 69101, Model 725 - PFTL72570, 72571, 72572, 72573, 297780, 297781, 297782, 297783, Model 725ex - 72580, 72581, 72583, Model 725xt Pftl20560 Proform 760ekg - 291670, 291671, model 765ekg - 291770. 291771. MODEL 770EKG - 291660, 291661, MODEL - 775 EKG 291760, 291761, Model 730 PFTL 17041, 17042, 17043, 17044, PFTL17040, MODEL 730CS - 299270, 299271, 299272 Model 735 cs - 299260, 299261, 299262, 299263, Model 740cs/745cs - pftl 10310, 299460, 299461, 299462, 299463, 299464, Model 745cs - 299470, 299472, 299473, 299474 Model , 750cs - 299560, 299561. Model 755cs 299570, PLtl42080, 299572, Model Proform 770ekg - pctl 99010, 99011, model 785ss, pftl79100, 79101model GXL760/795SL - pftl69210, 69211, 69212, 69213, Model 795 - 297440, 297441, 297442 Minimize

Former Major League Baseball commissioner Fay Vincent bring ... Read more

Former Major League Baseball commissioner Fay Vincent brings together a stellar roster of ballplayers from the 1950s and 1960s in this wonderful new history of the game. These were the decades when baseball expanded across the country and truly became the national pastime. The era opened, though, with the domination of the New York teams: the Yankees, Dodgers, or Giants were in every World Series of the 1950s -- but by the end of the decade the two National League teams had moved to California. Representing those great teams in this volume are Whitey Ford, Ralph Branca, Carl Erskine, Duke Snider, and Bill Rigney. They recall the great 1951 Dodgers-Giants playoff that ended with Bobby Thomson's famous home run (served up by Branca). They remember the mighty Yankees, defeated at last in 1955 by the Dodgers, only to recover the World Series crown from their Brooklyn rivals a year later. They talk about their most feared opponents and most valued teammates, from Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle to Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella to Willie Mays. But there were great teams and great ballplayers elsewhere in the 1950s and 1960s. Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts recalls the famous Whiz Kids Phillies of 1950 and his epic duels with Don Newcombe and other leading National League pitchers. Lew Burdette remembers his years as one-half of the dominating pitching duo (with Warren Spahn) that propelled the Braves to the World Series in 1957 and 1958. Harmon Killebrew recalls belting home runs for the hapless Washington Senators, then discovering a new world of enthusiastic fans in Minnesota when the Senators joined the westward migration and became the Twins. Brooks Robinson, on the other hand, played his entire twenty-three-year career for the Baltimore Orioles, never moving anywhere except all around third base, where he earned a record sixteen consecutive Gold Gloves. When Frank Robinson left Cincinnati to join Brooks on the Orioles in 1966, that team became a powerhouse. Frank Robinson won the MVP award that year, the first player to do so in each league. He remembers taking the momentous step to become the first African-American manager in the big leagues, the final step that Jackie Robinson had wanted to take. Like Frank Robinson, Billy Williams was one of the first African-American stars not to come out of the old Negro Leagues. He spent his greatest years with the Chicago Cubs, playing alongside Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, and later Ron Santo, but here he recalls how he nearly gave up on the game in the minor leagues. We Would Have Played for Nothing is full of fascinating stories about how these great ballplayers broke into baseball, about the inevitable frustrations of trying to negotiate a contract with owners who always had the upper hand, and about great games and great stars-teammates and opponents-whose influence shaped these ballplayers' lives forever. Illustrated throughout, this book is a wonderful reminiscence of two great decades in the history of baseball. Minimize

A mesmerizing look at the year when American athletics went ... Read more

A mesmerizing look at the year when American athletics went corporate, villains replaced heroes, and sports stars became superstars. Greed and excess defined the 1980s, and the sports world was no exception. Shifting from the love of the game to the love of money, athletes made the transition from representing honor and humility to becoming brash and branded. Capturing the stories of headliners who capitalized on this trend, Bigger Than the Game charts the rise (and sometimes spectacular fall) of four athletes over the span of one of the most dramatic eras in sports. Meticulously researched, with stirring, you-are-there reporting, Bigger Than the Game assembles a cast that includes Jim McMahon, who took the Chicago Bears to Super Bowl glory despite his penchant for partying and his aversion to following the game plan; Brian Boswoth, the university of Oklahoma linebacker who mugged for the cameras while calling the NCAA a communist organization; Bo Jackson, who pursued promising careers in both pro football and baseball; and Len Bias, poised to ensure the Boston Celtics' dominance but died of a cocaine overdose just one day after the draft. Also packed with portraits of folk heroes such as "Refrigerator" Perry and Michael Jordan, Bigger Than the Game offers a riveting ride for every sports fan. Minimize

A mesmerizing look at sports in the 1980s - when athletes b ... Read more

A mesmerizing look at sports in the 1980s - when athletes became superstars, mavericks replaced heroes, and sports moved to the forefront of American culture. In the 1980s America sent to the White House an actor and ex-jock who fervently believed in the power of personal mythology, and Americans turned to sports to find their heroes. There was Bo Jackson, the man so strong he could break a baseball bat over his knee, the man whose athletic talents ran so deep that he starred in two sports while becoming a marketing pioneer. There was Jim McMahon, the Punky QB leading his Chicago Bears to Super Bowl glory while tending to his shades, his faux-hawk, and his can of beer. There was Brian Bosworth, terrorizing quarterbacks and averring that the NCAA stood for National Communists Against Athletes. And there was Len Bias, the best college basketball player in America and future of America's best pro team, off to celebrate his selection as the number two pick in the NBA Draft and the power and money that would soon be his. In Bigger Than the Game, award-winning author Michael Weinreb explores the era when athletes evolved from humble and honest to brash and branded. Weinreb explains how these players lived their lives in America's living room, thanks to a new outfit called ESPN and the 24- hour news cycle that came of age in the (apostrophe?) 80s. They starred in music videos and in ad campaigns that promised they could do anything. They spurned their coaches, defied expectations, and were loved for it. In an era of "Just Say No," they said yes to just about everything. An enthralling portrait of a fascinating period and its larger-than- life personalities, Bigger Than the Game recounts how excess, media, and the lust for fame changed American sports forever. Minimize

In a city known as home to some of the sporting world s big ... Read more

In a city known as home to some of the sporting world s biggest stars, few have ever shined as brightly as the Chicago Blackhawks Bobby Hull. Born in Point Anne, Ontario, the Golden Jet burst onto the NHL scene as an 18-year-old rookie in 1957 and never looked back. One of the most charismatic and electrifying athletes of his or any era, Hull thrilled fans with his unique combination of speed, skill, and grace. During his 15 years in the Windy City, Hull amassed a team-record 604 career goals, collected three Art Ross trophies as the league s leading scorer, and earned hockey s ultimate prize in 1961: Lord Stanley s Cup and a championship ring.But Hull s on-the-ice exploits only tell part of his amazing story. One of the greatest ambassadors of the sport then and to this day, the man generally regarded as the finest left wing in history has been a tireless promoter of the game and has fostered a deep and personal connection with his fans like few other players. Only a handful of former athletes can merit a standing ovation from a crowd of 22,000 fans merely by showing their faces; Bobby Hull is one of those men.In The Golden Jet, Hull traces his life and career from his days as a youngster learning to skate on the Bay of Quinte to his current role as a Blackhawks ambassador. Featuring hundreds of rare, full-color photos from his personal archive and accompanying text from legendary Chicago sports columnist and Blackhawks team historian Bob Verdi, The Golden Jet gives Hull s millions of fans a never-before-seen glimpse into the life of this hockey icon. Bringing the pictures to life is an exclusive commemorative DVD, which includes highlights, interviews, and behind-the-scenes clips from the Blackhawks video library.A must-have keepsake for Blackhawks fans of all ages, The Golden Jet is a rare opportunity to celebrate the life of the greatest hockey player in Chicago s history. There is only one Bobby Hull. Minimize