Product Description
For 50 years, "Sports Illustrated" has set the standard for sports writing and action photography. Now, for the culmination of the magazine's 50th Anniversary celebration, some of the finest writing and most memorable pictures from "Sports Illustrated's" archives have been collected in a lavish coffee-table book that will be treasured by the magazine's devoted readers for years to come. Along with the stunning photography, which includes everyone of the magazine's covers since its launch in 1954, and the great writing that has appeared in "Sports Illustrated's" pages, this 304-page book will also be packed full of facts and figures that will give readers an entertaining view of 50 years of American sports. ... Read more

Product Description
For 50 years, Sports Illustrated has set the standard for sports writing and action photography. Now, for the culmination of the magazine's 50th Anniversary celebration, some of the finest writing and most memorable pictures from Sports Illustrated's archives have been collected in a lavish coffee-table book that will be treasured by the magazine's devoted readers for years to come. Along with the stunning photography, which includes every one of the magazine's covers since its launch in 1954, and the great writing that has appeared in Sports Illustrated's pages, this 288-page book will also be chock full of all-new facts and figures that will give readers an entertaining view of 50 years of American sports.Amazon.com Review
This colorful book celebrating fifty years of America's most prominent sports magazineis certainly more practical than hoarding 2,500 issues. The six-part book plays to the strength of the magazine: "The Stories" and "The Photographs" sections are the largest. The 35 articles are truncated, often just whetting your appetite for more. The companion book Fifty Years of Great Writing offers many of these in their full glory. On the other hand, the pictures are often bigger than they were in the magazine (or could ever have been with the smaller size). Lose minutes staring at Michael Jordan or Walter Payton frozen in midair. Examine the juxtaposition of a close play at the plate with the bizarre styles of a 60s women's track team. Try not to be swept away at a shot of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain defining basketball. If you have picked up the special issues released during SI's anniversary year, you already seen a decent portion of this book. The notable new writing is Richard Hoffer's essay about the world (both sports and at large) when the magazine began in 1954 and senior editor Frank Deford's pitch-perfect introduction about why the magazine is special and how it grew up in the age of television. The section most folks will spend their coffee table moments is "The Covers," a listing of the entire magazine's cover images, both in chronological order and grouped in similar topics (Scandals, Presidents, Deja Vu). Punctuated by the best sport quotes, SI's "Signs of the Apocalypse," fascinating lists of athletes and teams that were on the cover the most times, and other sport tidbits through the ages, this area is sure to launch a thousand sport memories. Yes, all the swimsuit covers are in one place, too. One quibble: why is their "Sports Person of the Year" in the book not the same as their well-known "Sportsman of the Year?" --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great gift for the Sports Fan
I gave the collection to my father for Christmas.Every male relative could not put the book down for the rest of the evening.They were all huddled together thumbing through the books.

Great Gift for the Sports Lover!
I got this as a gift for my boyfriend...he loves it!But it's only for the sports buff.Too much for someone who doesn't love all sports.

Sports Nostalgia
Good coffee table book for the sports afficionado, especially the older one who likes to quietly "remember when".Careful when ordering from an Amazon partner.I got it on the cheap but it obviously had been stored in a damp environment as the pages were "rippled".Since it's not an heirloom or collectible I didn't go through the trouble of contesting it.Maybe the seller will get a hockey puck in the face or a bookcase will fall on him.

Must Have Book!
I'm on Amazon to purchase this book as agreed with my 5th grade son who checked this out of the school library in September and has never returned it.After renewing for months (it's now March!) I agreed to purchase it if he would only return it for another child to enjoy!

It is a beautiful book w/ lots of treasures particularly for the almanac-type sports fans.And besides his football book, it's one of his top 3 books!

Worth Its Weight
This is a glorious celebration of Sports Illustrated's 50 years coverage of the minor and the major in sport. At first, the magazine devoted a disproportionate number of articles to "gentlemenly" pursuits such as troutfishing and yachting.However, the once timid magazine eventually hit its stride, with the help of television, with the talents of new editors and writers, and, arguably, by the visuals of television.

The book, with an informative but slightly cloying introduction by Frank Deford (he keeps on mentioning the swimsuit issue--about as relevant to the major sports scene as yachting was 50 years ago), organizes the magazine's stories and pictures by the decade.A current sportswriter gives an overview, there arearticles from the magazines, sidebar-like features such as quotes, historic cultural and historical events, and, mostimportantly, the photographs.

SI photography is the best of its kind, setting a standard that will defy any attempt to cater to some notion of the "new" SI reader.It is as dependable and as beautiful as a museum.The full page and two-page spreads here are magnificent records of sports history, character studies, stories of emotion, action, the literal and the figurative.A low angle shot of the then-named Lew ALcindor beating Houston in 1968. an underwater shot of Michael Phelps winning gold at the Australia Olympics, a black and white of Duke Snider climbng the outer field wall at Ebbets Field, an extreme overhead of Ali knocking out Cleveland Williams in 1966, mini-reproductions of cover of every issue, and yes, that includes the swimsuit issues--it's here at an overwhelmingly fan-friendly price.

In a way, then, the book is a direct descendant of the unique magazine of which one British man complained in 1954: "For 25 cents there is too much value."Although the book was produced bt SI and--as expected--celebrates SI, it also teases itself as well, noting that in 1954, "it published only six articles on basketball but 14 on bowling. It published 17 articles on clothing (but oddly, none on bowling clothing)."My only complaints: There's not quite enough of the original text (more of the writing is included in a companion book) and there is no index. A superb gift with more substance and memories than the usual oversized book. ... Read more

Product Description
In the late 1850s organized baseball was a club-based fraternal sport thriving in the cultures of respectable artisans, clerks and shopkeepers, and middle-class sportsmen. Two decades later it had become an entertainment business run by owners and managers, depending on gate receipts and the increasingly disciplined labor of skilled player-employees. Playing for Keeps is an insightful, in-depth account of the game that became America's premier spectator sport for nearly a century. Reconstructing the culture and experience of early baseball through a careful reading of the sporting press, baseball guides, and the correspondence of the player-manager Harry Wright, Warren Goldstein discovers the origins of many modern controversies during the game's earliest decades. The 20th Anniversary Edition of Goldstein's classic includes information about the changes that have occurred in the history of the sport since the 1980s and an account of his experience as a scholarly consultant during the production of Ken Burns's Baseball. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A walk, not a hit
In baseball terms, Warren Goldstein's book is a walk, not a hit.It's good, but you always feel there was a more satisfying way to get to first base.As a fan of baseball and an avid reader of history, this book seemed like a natural fit for me, but while decent, there was also something missing.

Covering the history of baseball up to 1876 (when the National League came into being), The History of Early Baseball follows the development of the sport from an amateur recreation to a professional competition.In the beginning (in the 1850s), the early versions of baseball were played by clubs who would occasionally compete with each other.There wasn't much rhyme or reason to which teams played each other or even the exact rules.The people who played were from all walks of life, and it was strictly a part-time activity.

Eventually, however, the game got refined.Players started playing specific positions and the best players started representing the clubs.Eventually, to guarantee that such players wouldn't defect, money got into the equation.The transition from amateur recreation to professional sport was gradual but inevitable.

The principal flaw with the book is that Goldstein writes as a historian, and this subject may be better covered by a sports writer.Goldstein is interested in the changing economics of the game and the struggle between the management and the players.This is a fine subject, but the result is that we lose some sense of the sport itself.We don't read much about particular players or teams or games; in addition, the different rules of the 19th century game are not discussed in depth (with the exception of the "fly-ball rule").Every baseball era has its stars, from Cap Anson to Ty Cobb to Babe Ruth to Ted Williams to Hank Aaron; certainly the early baseball era should have a couple, too, but Goldstein really doesn't discuss these people.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and many baseball fans will too.The problem I mentioned does not keep the book from being an interesting read, but it does prevent it from getting a five star rating.Nonetheless, this is a recommended read for fans of the game.

Informative
A nicely written book regarding the beginings of base ball from 1857 - 1876.A great book for the baseball historian.

Informative
A nicely written book regarding the beginings of base ball from 1857 - 1876.A great book for the baseball historian.

Precise and to the point.
Warren Goldstein has written a extensive book on the early beginnings of baseball as a national past-time.He begins with the formation of base ball clubs during the 1850's and takes the history through the formation of the National League in 1876.During this time he highlights the transformation from a game played for fun and recreation to one played as a business.His insight into the history of the post-Civil War Era and the Industrial Revolution add to the social aspect of why baseball emerged into the professional sport which it became.He uses primary sources and footnotes them readily throughout the book.This is a must book for any fan of the game who wants to know the social evolution of the game as well as the famous participants and teams. ... Read more

Product Description
"It's All Part of the Game" dramatically recounts how, against the odds, "Sports Illustrated" grew from a misbegotten enterprise into a cultural institution. From halting editorial beginnings, "Sports Illustrated" has evolved into a journalistically tough and visually spectacular magazine that remains one of the truly influential voices in journalism. photo insert.Amazon.com Review
The Franchise recounts the story of an industry joke that went on to become one of the most successful magazines in publishing history. Under the visionary leadership of managing editor André Laguerre, Sports Illustrated--launched in 1954--continually pushed the envelope, revolutionizing color printing in the process and making the careers of an immensely talented group of writers and photographers. Author Michael MacCambridge analyzes editorial and marketing strategies, including the infamous swimsuit issue, and profiles most of the key players--with an emphasis on the crack team of sportswriters that has included such talents asDan Jenkins, Frank Deford, and Rick Reilly. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

History of SI
While doing a research paper on the history of SI I came across The Franchise. It was just what I was looking for. Being only a college student I had no clue how important SI was to the sporting culture in America. MacCambridge has done his research and this seems to be a very scholarly piece on something that generally is not too scholarly. It was a bit long but isn't it better to do more work than not to have done enough. I can't think of one issue about SI that MacCambridge didn't cover in this book. I am fortunate to have this book because it helps my research for my senior thesis.

Underrated Gem
With SI opening up its back issues online in March 2008, MacCambridge's "The Franchise" is worth another look at the creation and evolution of the magazine. The sections on Dan Jenkins and Andre Laguerre are great reads and would fit well in the traditional "bonus" piece section of SI that Laguerre created as editor and Jenkins often filled.

The major misconception seems to be that this book is about sports. It is about sport journalism. If you know that going in, you should be pleasantly surprised. SI was widely recognized as the best written journal of its kind, actually the prototype of the "New Journalism." The writers in the 1960s and early 70s were kings. But, after Laguerre's sacking, eventually the power turned to the managing editor, particularly the mentally unstable Gilbert Rogin and the talent-challenged Mark Mulvoy. Pictures replaced words, image replaced talent, and SI seized being a must read. Fascinating, fascinating stuff.

Whoa! Easy there, dear readers!
The negative reviews of this book seem unwarranted to me (and, would it be fair to assume, largely from one particularly bitter reader?). MacCambridge can write, he's done his homework, and he has in fact made a number of interesting observations. Even though I disagree with many of them (e.g., his inordinate fuss over Dan Jenkins), I find it hard to discount anyone who recognizes SI for the "wildly profitable, mass-market magazine best known for its swimsuit issue" it's become. If your reaction is "yeah, so what's wrong with that?" don't bother with the book. If, on the other hand, you'd be interested to learn how a magazine which used to commission such engaging prose on everything from elk hunting to college wrestling matches to major league baseball became the narrowly-focused, crass exercise in corporate branding it's today, and how it's coped with ominous developments like the Warner merger, ESPN and the baffling rise of Rick Reilly - don't let the pithy criticism put you off.

Granted, the book does drag in spots, and would almost have benefited from some more energetic editing (and a few more photos of the cast of characters), but it's a welcome change from the obsequious, mass-market stuff which typifies sports-related journalism today.

I would have increased my rating by another star had the publisher bothered to produce a more imaginative (and sympathetic) cover.

Great for some, disappointing for others
This is an engrossing book for readers who want to understand the interplay between the writers, editors, and publishers of SI - in other words the people who created (and in some cases are still creating) SI.

It is NOT for people seeking out behind-the-scenes tidbits concerning the subjects covered in and on the magazine, including the swimsuit models.

Not a very good history of S.I.
This book fails on every count: as a history of the magazine; as a readable story; as a critical overview. The writing is just not very good, and insights and analysis sorely lacking. Who wants to read dull anecdotepiled upon dull anecdote? Not me. ... Read more

Product Description
Only reference book to ever document the history of sports teams and leagues, both current and defunct, through their use of logos. Over 2350 logos, 83 leagues (49 defunct), 1600 different teams and sports trivia. Must have reference book for anyone involve in sports, i.e., sports fans, logo lovers, athletic directors, graphic designers, leagues, attorneys, broadcasters, journalists, libraries, marketing professionals, sporting good manufacturers and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

a lot of effort for garbage
the author put a lot of effort into developing this book but he must have spent a dollar getting it printed the photo quality is horrioble at best and the logos are all black and white don't waste your time

lots of logos but poor quality
try to preview the book before purchasing it. granted there was a lot of time involved in accumulating the logo pics but the quality of printing suffered. the author should use another printer for his next edition.

very poor quality black and white images
I don't understand why anyone would take as much time accumulating the large QUANTITY of logos this book contains, and then produce a book with such poor QUALITY images.I'd advise anyone to try to view the book beforebuying - I know if I had I would not have spent the money.

Sounds like acouple of the 'reviews' here are not by purchasers such as myself, but areactually pitches from someone trying to increase sales volume.

Outstanding source of Interesting sports logos.One of kind
John Fulgaro's SPORTS LOGO GUIDE is the only book of it's kind and is with out a doubt a necesity for any true sports fan.He has gathered together obscure and defunct team and league logos across the US and Canada.Healso shows the evolution of current teams logos and speciality ones foranniversaries and all-star events.The color front and back covers showmany interesting logos. You may recognize the Chicago Cubs, but where didthe Montreal Beavers play?One of my favorites is the Jersey Turnpikes. Very clever nickname and logo for a team that had to travel cheaply andoften.All major sports are covered and any fan should add this book tohis reference collection if doe no other reason then for more history abouthis favorite team and sport.

huge disappointment- black & white logos, low quality print
When I ordered the book, there was only one review which was very positive.I ordered the book with high expectations.When it arrived, I was very disappointed.The logos are not only in black and white ratherthan color, the print quality is about that of a copy machine.

While thebook does contain some logos I've not found elsewhere, many of them areavailable via a web search -- often in color and of better quality. ... Read more

Product Description
Perhaps more than any other two colleges, Harvard and Yale gave form to American intercollegiate athletics--a form that was inspired by the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry overseas, and that was imitated by colleges and universities throughout the United States.Focusing on the influence of these prestigious eastern institutions, this fascinating study traces the origins and development of intercollegiate athletics in America from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Smith begins with an historical overview of intercollegiate athletics and details the evolution of individual sports--crew, baseball, track and field, and especially football.Then, skillfully setting various sports events in their broader social and cultural contexts, Smith goes on to discuss many important issues that are still relevant today: student-faculty competition for institutional athletic control; the impact of the professional coach on big-time athletics; the false concept of amateurism in college athletics; and controversies over eligibility rules.He also reveals how the debates over brutality and ethics created the need for a central organizing body, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which still runs college sports today. Sprinkled throughout with spicy sports anecdotes, from the Thanksgiving Day Princeton-Yale football game that drew record crowds in the 1890s to a meeting with President Theodore Roosevelt on football violence, this lively, in-depth investigation will appeal to serious sports buffs as well as to anyone interested in American social and cultural history. ... Read more

Product Description
Top critics and thinkers write about thepowerful impact that sports have on our ideas about race T alking about race and sports almost always leads to trouble. Rush Limbaugh's stint as an NFL commentator came to an abrupt end when he made some off-handed comments about black quarterback Donovan McNabb. Cincinnati Reds' owner Marge Schott and CBS commentator Jimmy 'The Greek' Snyder also landed in hot water for public remarks that most people construed as racist. Ask a simple question along these lines- 'Why do African Americans dominate the NBA?'-and watch the sparks fly. It is precisely this flashpoint that these essays seekto explore. Sports wield a tremendous amount of cultural power in the United States and around the world, and often influence our ideas about race. In the Game brings together top thinkers on race who survey this treacherous terrain. They engagetopics like boxer Joe Louis's iconic status during theJim Crow era, race and soccer in Argentina, how blacks shaped the NFL in the 1970s, and American Indian sports team mascots. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good stuff
This book has such a great range of stuff, especially the essays by Bass, Dinerstein, Rotella, and Jacobson.They know sports, but they know alot of other stuff too.Very worth reading, even the more obscure stuff.

Intelligent and readable
This collection of essays is a good read for interested citizens and sports fans alike.It tackles the serious issues "in the game," and keeps your attention with a wide array of topics and amazing insights.It hits hard right from the beginning, with Bass's insightful and personal essay about the Red Sox, and continues with highlights from Joel Dinerstein, Matthew Jacobson (I'll never call Dick Allen "Ritchie" again!), and Carlo Rotella.A great book, whether you are on the beach or in the classroom, and important for all. ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive and detailed reference guide to Rolex sports model watches is an indispensable asset to watch collectors and dealers. The only work of its kind, it covers the history of the Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Explorer, GMT-Master, Turn-O-Graph, Milgauss, and Cosmograph watches, from 1952 to 1990. The history of more than a hundred and forty vintage models is described in detail, with the watches shown in chronological order. Color photographs illustrate every watch model, with hundreds of diagrams providing clear and useful information about the development of each model. Twenty-two rare Rolex brochures from private collections are shown along with numerous catalog photographs and the associated sale prices of sports models sold at Christie¹s and Sotheby¹s worldwide from 1997 to 2007. Also included is a current price guide for every model shown in the book. Rolex watches continue to dominate the collecting market and this authoritative volume, now in its revised and expanded third edition, is an essential and timely addition to the library of the Rolex collector and dealer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

splendid reference
I would like to see also views and information of the interiors and movements of the shown watches .

A good ref guide to vintage rolex
very informative and loads of nice pix ! good ref guide to vintage rolex !

A review of this book
While an informative reference on the History of Rolex.The book lacked the depth in accuracy that a collector wants to see in regards to the details of the time pieces there were presented in this book

The authors used pictures thay were computer generated and as such this book did not reflect the true time piece.The authors use of AutoCAD drawings to represent the side profile of the case and this provides no gratitude for a Rolex collector, because collectors would like to actually the real time piece.Also, it seems that they superimposed different Rolex dials on the same watch case.As such, I feel that the authors did not throughly conduct a full field research of the topic they were so passionate on and doubt the accuracy of the whole book.

The Rolex History was fantastic, but it's nothing you can't find on the WEB.As a Rolex collector, I would like to see actual pictures of the time pieces presented, as this provides me a sound representation of the time pieces that I am interested in.

Pictorial wise, even though I can't read Japanese, I find the Japanese Rolex books far more informative.

Vintage Rolex Sports Models: A Complete Visual Reference
Good book containing a lot of interesting information.

However it is a pity that all the pictures of the watches are not real, i.e. image recreated by computer, therefore all the watches look the same and the book does not mention the dimension of the watches.

Specific to older models of now rare Rolexes
The book deals with older Rolex models.The number of photos, which are more valuable than words, is quite limited.

The photos are of rare watches and the book has more of a educational aspect since the majority such watches are not sold or traded anymore.

A good book if you are a keen Rolex person. ... Read more

Product Description
Greg Proops uses archive, actuality and music as he travels from coast-to-coast exploring the fascinating sport of football. Episode one charts the early origins of the game from Native Americans to the Washington Redskins. Episode two examines the game's obsession with power, size and strength. Episode three explains the magic of Monday Night Football and how the game is in trouble in high schools. Episode four looks at super stadiums and the game's growing popularity abroad. ... Read more

Product Description

Joe DiMaggio . . . Ted Williams . . . Joe Louis . . . Billy Conn . . . Whirlaway

Against the backdrop of a war that threatened to consume the world, these athletes transformed 1941 into one of the most thrilling years in sports history.

In the summer of 1941, America paid attention to sports with an intensity that had never been seen before. World War II was raging in Europe and headlines grew worse by the day; even the most optimistic people began to accept the inevitability of the United States being drawn into the conflict. In sports pages and arenas at home, however, an athletic perfect storm provided unexpected—and uplifting—relief. Four phenomenal sporting events were underway, each destined to become legend.
In 1941—The Greatest Year in Sports, acclaimed sportswriter Mike Vaccaro chronicles this astounding moment in history. Fueled by a somber mania for sports—a desire for good news to drown out the bad—Americans by the millions fervently watched, listened, and read as Joe DiMaggio dazzled the country by hitting in a record-setting fifty-six consecutive games; Ted Williams powered through an unprecedented .406 season; Joe Louis and Billy Conn (the heavyweight and light-heavyweight champions) battled in unheard-of fashion for boxing’s ultimate championship; and the phenomenal (some say deranged) thoroughbred, Whirlaway, raced to three heart-stopping victories that won the coveted Triple Crown of horse racing. As Phil Rizzuto perfectly expressed, “You read the sports section a lot because you were afraid of what you’d see in other parts of the paper.”
Gripping and nostalgic, 1941—The Greatest Year in Sports focuses on these four seminal events and brings to life the national excitement and remarkable achievement (many of these records still stand today), as well as the vibrant lives of the athletes who captivated the nation. With vast insight, Vaccaro pulls back the veil on DiMaggio’s anxieties and the building pressure of “The Streak,” and chronicles the brash, young confidence Williams displayed as he hammered his way through the baseball season largely in DiMaggio’s shadow. He takes readers inside the head of Billy Conn, a kid who traded in his light-heavyweight belt for a shot at the very decent and very powerful Joe Louis, and tells the story of the fire-breathing racehorse, Whirlaway, who was known either for setting track records or tearing off in the wrong direction.
Rich in historical detail and edge-of-your-seat reporting, Mike Vaccaro has crafted a lasting, important book that captures a portrait of one of America’s most trying, and extraordinary, eras.

Customer Reviews (9)

BUY THIS BOOK!
I was shopping with my wife & daughter in downtown Boston and managed to sneak away for a latte in one of those chi-chi bookstores. As I walked over to a table to sip my liquid treasure I passed by a table full of display books and this was one of them. I picked it up and started reading. It was about 30 minutes later my wife found me, and I was so involved in this book I didn't see her approaching the table.

This is one of the most facinating books I have read in a long time.

Yes, by all means sports fans will enjoy the four major events convered by "Greatest Year", but what is also convered is a years worth of major events also taking place on the world stage. 1941 was the last year America would know peace until 1945, and everybody knew, at some level, that war was coming and it was going to be ugly. Sports got us off page #1 and something else to think about for a while.

My favorite sporting item from this book was being reminded that while Joe DiMaggio was famously chasing his hitting streak, Ted Williams was quietly performing his own unique feat hitting .406 in an era when there was no such thing as steroids, Nautilus machines, Phd'd sports trainersor a "sacrifice fly". An era when pitchers never hesitated to knock batters down and umpires casually called a "ball" as punishment.

My favorite political item was learning that President Herbert Hoover warned against a rush to war. His concern? Wasting American lives in order to rescue Europe from Nazi enslavement only to see it handed over into Soviet enslavement. I had no idea anyone foresaw the "Iron Curtain", but Hoover did.

This is a great book, and a must read!

One of the Best Sports books on the market
Mike Vaccaro does it again. His New York Post columns are great, but his ability to pull a book together is fantastic. He also just recently wrote the foreword to the SportsByTheNumbers Yankees book: New York Yankees: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports by the Numbers) If you love Mike Vaccaro, the New York Yankees, or baseball, then you need to buy both of these books.

awesome
Every summer I like to read a baseball book about the history of the game.Adding boxing and horse racing gave me an even better perspective about sports in that bygone era

Wonderfully engaging slice of American (sports) history
An eminently readable, enjoyable and enlightening work, one that weaves together not only Joe DiMaggio's and Ted Williams' early spectacular achievements, Vaccaro adds world history to the mix, breathing life into the memorable year, 1941. Throw in Billy Conn versus Joe Louis and mention the leading race horse of the day, and you have a full year of records, successes, and noteworthy competition -- darkened by Lou Gehrig's rapid demise and death and the Japanese and German march across the globe. Using daily highlights of games and events, quotes and personal angles on the stars, interviews with men who were there, and other sporting details, Vaccaro makes 1941 a wonderful year for sports fans.

A Book Worthy of a Great Sports Year
Mike Vaccaro's 1941 THE GREATEST YEAR IN SPORTS reads with all the excitement that well written sports stories should.Whirlaway's Triple Crown, the Louis-Conn title fight, Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak and Ted Williams' .406 batting average are four of the most significant events in sports history and for them to have occurred in the same year is remarkable.The political events in Europe and America are the backdrop for these events.

Whirlaway a three year old thoroughbred, that many thought was past his prime wins the Triple Crown and ultimately becomes the leading money winner, surpassing Seabiscuit.Eddie Arcaro replaces the regular jockey hours before the Derby, "connects" with him and rides Whirlaway to records that would stand until Secretariat in the 1970's.Vaccaro's writing style captures the drama and excitement of the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes such that it seems you're there, against the rail, shouting "here comes Whirlaway" along with the rest of the crowd.

The second event is the Joe Louis Billy Conn heavyweight fight.Louis was the reigning heavyweight champion while Conn held the light heavyweight crown neither fighter was being challenged by their competition and Conn knows that the only way to get respect and larger purses was to fight Louis and win.Vaccaro describes the pre-game hype and the personal side of each fighter; the description of the fight itself is like being ringside.The fight set records for gate and size of the purse as well as radio listeners.Louis wins in what may have been his toughest fight.

DiMaggio and Williams battled it out during the entire summer; both had significant hitting streaks with DiMaggio's likely never to be broken; while Williams' .406 batting average made him the last major leaguer to reach that milestone which is also destined to last for a long time.The two men had very different personalities, DiMaggio quiet and reserved; Williams cocky and verbose.Both exceptionally talented; DiMaggio assumed the mantle of Lou Gehrig, who died during the 1941 season, and led the team to a World Series win while Williams played for a Red Sox team that was mediocre at best.Both feats required incredible abilities and luck.Changes to baseball make the likelihood of a 56 game hitting streak or hitting over .400 unlikely.

These events served as a distraction to what was becoming the imminent involvement of America in the War and many of the sports figures, including Louis, DiMaggio and Williams would leave sports behind and do their part, even Whirlaway would compete in races that sold war bonds.

For the sports fan and general reader 1941 THE GREATEST YEAR IN SPORTS is an exciting, informative and enjoyable book.

... Read more

Product Description
For more than ten years, the ESPN Sports Almanac has been the go-to reference for answers to nearly every sports question. From all-time record holders to yearly champions, from auto racing to the Iditarod, from the Australian Open to the Super Bowl—the ESPN Sports Almanac 2009 covers all the bases, with hundreds of photographs, thousands of tables, countless facts and figures, plus expert analysis from ESPN’s most respected commentators. Add fan input from ESPN.com’s SportsNation polls, along with ESPN’s unique blend of irreverence, and this new edition remains the reigning champion among sports information resources.

New for 2009:
• Full recaps of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games and Ryder Cup 2008
• Expanded sections of pro-football records
• More in-depth fantasy sports league analysis
• Bigger and better coverage of ballparks and arenas, mixed martial arts, and more ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An excellent reference for sports.
Anyone who loves sports will appreciate this book. Whether you're arguing with your buddies over a particular record or looking for good bathroom material, this is the book to have. The book is loaded with just about every record and statistic and is a great sports reference.

My 13 year-old son loves baseball and reads this book all the time. We have fun quizzing each other on baseball facts and he's getting tougher to beat.

A Book for the Fan in You
I received this book as a present due to my love of sports and my every growing thirst for knowledge. I am an avid sports fan who can get into an hour long conversation on why Eli Manning could out duel Brett Farve and Tony Romo any day, but I am always looking for stats to back up my arguments and here they are. In this book I can find almost anything. Want to know who won the 1954 world series, well that would be the New York Giants in a four game sweep over Cleveland and the winning manager was Leo Durocher and the losing manger was Al Lopez.Bet your buddies didn't know that one. How about the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold? mark McGwire 70th HR ball, 1998 HR Chase purchased by Todd McFarlane and sold for $3,005,000. Now I could go on forever, but the point is that this book is any awesome addition to any collection and allows you to expand your sports knowledge until no other can match your sport smarts.

great gift book
Bought the book for a sport fun
Great cover
many stories inside to enlighten anyone life!!

Great resource on sports trivia
I love books like this.Jam-packed with facts, including sometimes little known facts. Sports trivia catches my attention. . . .

The ESPN Sports Almanac exemplifies the genre.

It begins with a look at the past year in sports. My favorite section in this part of the book is "Extra Points," weird things that happened. For example, John McEnroe, playing in a kind of "old-timers" match got thrown out of his match for going ballistic over a line call. I thought he'd mellowed?

Following are sections organized largely by sport: baseball, college football, pro football, college basketball, pro basketball, hockey, and a host of other topics (such as Halls of Fame, Olympic games, motor sports, and miscellaneous sports (such as bowling, chess, Westminster Kennel Club competition, Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champs, and so on).

Take baseball as an illustration. You have team hitting and pitching statistics (Among Chicago White Sox hitters, Jermaine Dye had the highest average among those with 125 or more at bats [.292], while Bobby Jencks had the lowest ERA among Sox pitchers [2.63]). I could spend an entire evening porting over such figures. There are also box scores of the 2008 post-season games; World Series winners from 1903 onward; home run champions each year; batting champ each year; Cy Young Award winner; and so on and on and on.

Another feature is a listing of Halls of Fame. For instance, looking at the Hockey Hall of Fame, I see some of the players whom I watched on TV and listened to on radio in the 1960s (Stan Mikita, Jean Beliveau, Gump Worsley) as well as recalled some classic officials (Andy van Hellemond and Ray Scapinello). The Boxing Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, Bowling Halls of Fame, and so on.

Anyhow, if you like sports statistics and trivia, this book will be a treasure for you.
... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Sport in America: From Colonial Leisure to Celebrity Figures and Globalization, Volume II, presents 18 thought-provoking essays focusing on the changes and patterns in American sport during six distinct eras over the past 400 years. The selections are entirely different from those in the first volume, discussing diverse topics such as views of sport in the Puritan society of colonial New England, gender roles and the croquet craze of the 1800s, and the Super Bowl's place in contemporary sport. Each of the six parts includes an introduction to the essays, allowing readers to relate them to the cultural changes and influences of the period. Readers will find essays on well-known topics written by established scholars as well as new approaches and views from recent studies.

Product Description
Selected sports writings from newspapers and magazines include David Halberstam on Michael Jordan, the story of a former Mr. Universe's steroid addiction, and Dave Barry on why the NBA is less offensive than people think.45,000 first printing. ... Read more

Product Description
A Social History of Indian Football covers the period 1850-2004. It considers soccer as a derivative sport, creatively and imaginatively adapted to suit modern Indian socio-cultural needs - designed to fulfil political imperatives and satisfy economic aspirations. The book is concerned with the appropriation, assimilation and subversion of sporting ideals in colonial and post-colonial India for nationalist needs.

The book assesses the role of soccer in colonial Indian life, to delineate the inter-relationship between those who patronised, promoted, played and viewed the game, to analyse the impact of the colonial context on the games evolution and development and shed light on the diverse nature of trysts with the sport across the country. Throughout this book, soccer is the lens that illuminates India's colonial and post-colonial encounter.

This volume was previously published as a special issue of the journal Soccer and Society. ... Read more

Product Description
Want to know what really happened? Stan Isaacs knows. He was there!

"The Shot Heard Round the World," in 1951. "The Fight of the Century," in 1971. The horror of the 1972 Munich Olympics. Secretariat's legendary win at the 1973 Belmont Stakes. Stan Isaacs saw them all live. Isaacs covered thousands of sports stories in his more than fifty years as a journalist. But ten moments stand out in his memory. Ten Moments That Shook the Sports World offers Isaacs' eyewitness accounts of the events that changed sports history. This collection offers those old enough to remember these events a chance to relive them, and younger sports lovers will get to hear this history from someone who was there. Isaacs makes sports history live again. ... Read more