Other books that might interest you

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  High Drama - The Rise Fall And...

  John Burgman

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  One afternoon in 1987, two renegade climbers in Berkeley, California, hatched an ambitious plan: under the cover of darkness, they would rappel down from a carefully scouted highway on-ramp, gluing artificial handholds onto the load-bearing concrete pillars underneath. Equipped with ingenuity, strong adhesive, and an urban guerilla attitude, Jim Thornburg and Scott Frye created a serviceable climbing wall. But what they were part of was a greater development: the expansion and reimagining of a sport now slated for a highly anticipated Olympic debut in 2020. 
  High Drama explores rock climbing's transformation from a pursuit of select anti-establishment vagabonds to a sport embraced by competitors of all ages, social classes, and backgrounds. Climbing magazine's John Burgman weaves a multi-layered story of traditionalists and opportunists, grassroots organizers and business-minded developers, free-spirited rebels and rigorously coached athletes. Deeply reported and compellingly told, this is a celebration of climbing and the pivotal figures who made its growth possible, from the rock faces of Yosemite to urban bouldering gyms and beyond.

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  Five Strides on the Banked Track...

  Frank Deford

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  Illustrated with photographs by Walter Iooss Jr.: Iconic sportswriter and commentator Frank Deford’s first book brings to life one of America’s most thrilling—and misunderstood—sports entertainments, the Roller Derby, from its birth during the Great Depression to it second ascendancy in the late 1960sIn Five Strides on the Banked Track, distinguished sports journalist Frank Deford opens a fascinating window on this exhilarating entertainment that operates according to its own set of unique rules—both on and off the track.The Derby began as an idea on a tablecloth in 1935 by Leo Seltzer. From its Great Depression roots—when young skaters would run away to join the Roller Derby in the same way one might run away to join the circus—through its prewar heyday, postwar decline, and ultimate rise to superstardom in the 1960s, Deford sweeps us along on an unforgettable journey. He brings together the players, the fans, the promoters, and the celebrities. He shares the exploits of Bay Bomber legend Charlie O’Connell, superstar Joanie Weston, and beloved villain Ann Calvello, with her dyed blue hair, who would ultimately go on to compete in Roller Derby in seven separate decades. Deford vividly captures the excitement of a sport Variety called “cathartic, dramatic, fast-paced, and classic as a John Wayne movie.” From the idolatry of the fans to the loneliness of the open road to the hard-charging frenzy of the arena, this is a rare glimpse into a uniquely American spectator sport that continues to reinvent and resurrect itself today.This definitive new edition includes a foreword by Jerry Seltzer and an introduction by Frank Deford.

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  The Sailor's Bluffing Bible -...

  Tim Davison

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  For a modest man, Tim Davison has done quite well for himself in the sailing world. He has won National and European championships from the 1970s to 2020s, has skippered his yacht from the Baltic to the Mediterranean and has written over 20 books on sailing. Maintaining that sailing is too important to be taken seriously, he has used the bluffing skills described in this book to help propel his racing boats to the front of the fleet and his cruising boats to the warm waters of the Med – and back. In The Sailor's Bluffing Bible, you will learn how to bluff with the best in the sailing club bar and manoeuvre yourself onto sleek yachts and fast dinghies. Once there, our tips on what to do, what to wear and what to say will come in very handy. You may even be asked back! Whether racing or cruising or on a sailing holiday you will be able to hold your own in conversation, staggering your audience with your sailing knowledge. A perfect book – or gift – for the sailor and would-be sailor, illustrated by nautical cartoonist John Quirk.

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  America's Favorite Pastime - The...

  Steven Womack

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  For over two centuries, it's been what Walt Whitman called "our game". It's America's favorite pastime, our national preoccupation. It's more than a game, more than a sport. It's who we are as a people, as a culture. But where did baseball come from?      As baseball entered a new century, it became more poular than ever. All across the country, fans streamed to the ball parks. Along with this new popularity came a new breed of baseball hero. Men like John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, Johnny Evers and Three-Finger Brown.      America enjoyed the wild ride of the Roaring Twenties, but on October 29th, 1929, Wall Street crashed and America slid headlong into the Great Depression. Several teams, including the Boston Braves, The Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds, nearly folded.      After the Miracle Mets took the 1969 World Series in one of the greatest surprises in sports history, you'd think baseball would become more popular than ever. But the seventies were a trying time for the sport. As we take you through the eighties, you'll learn how the Curse of the Bambino was finally broken.

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  Newbon Bloody Hell

  Gary Newbon

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  Over the past fifty years, Gary Newbon has established himself as an icon of sports broadcasting. He interviewed Sir Alex Ferguson after Manchester United clinched a historic treble in 1999. He was in the ring when Gerald McClellan collapsed after suffering life-changing injuries in his fight with Nigel Benn. Nigel Mansell was his neighbour. This is the tale of a man who has spent his life in close proximity to legends; he interviewed them, befriended them and shared their defining moments until he became part of the DNA of Britain's sporting history. Many of his interviews are still used in TV shows today.
  In his highly anticipated memoir, Newbon tells all. Encompassing a plethora of anecdotes that reveal the depth and wit of figures such as Brian Clough, Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King and many others, this book considers how these people felt and thought during the pivotal sporting moments of the past half-century. From the Hand of God goal to the Munich massacre, Gary Newbon was there for it all. This, for the first time, is his story.

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  Up and Down - Victories and...

  Bubba Watson, Don Yaeger

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  Includes an audiobook-exclusive conversation between Bubba Watson and Don Yaeger! 
  He was a small-town boy who burst onto the international golf scene with a dramatic hook shot from deep in the woods to win the Masters— before the game he loved almost killed him. Opening up about the toll that chasing and achieving his dream of being a champion golfer took on his mental health, Bubba Watson shares his powerful story of the breaking point that gave him clarity. 
  Bubba Watson is known as the big-hitting left-handed golfer who plays with the pink driver—the small-town kid who grew up as a child golf prodigy before going on to win two Masters Tournaments, competing in the Olympics, and rising to be the number two golfer in the world. 
  But every dream comes with a price. Feeling that he was never good enough, Bubba began to let the constant criticism from fans and commentators haunt his thoughts. Success in the game he loved was killing him. 
  In Up and Down, Bubba opens up about his debilitating anxiety attacks, the death of his father and namesake, adopting his children, and how reaching a breaking point professionally and personally drew him closer to his family and God. 
  Golf is what Bubba Watson does, but it is not who he is. Through his story, you'll learn how Bubba:Overcame his anxiety and feelings of inadequacyFound his true identity not in the standards of the world, but in the God who already knows he is enoughLearned to trust God with his gifts, family, and biggest dreamsBecame the husband, father, friend, and mentor he was called to be 
  Life, like golf, is filled with ups and downs. Up and Down is the inspiring story of an imperfect man striving to become the best person he can be—wherever the course may take him. 
  Bring the story to life with photos available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

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