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Imperfect: An improbable life
By Jim Abbott. 2012
On an overcast September day in 1993, Jim Abbott took the mound at Yankee Stadium and threw one of the…
most dramatic no-hitters in major-league history. The game was the crowning achievement in an unlikely success story, unseen in the annals of professional sports. In Imperfect, the one-time big league ace retraces his remarkable journey. Born without a right hand, Jim Abbott as a boy dreamed of being a great athlete. Raised in Flint, Michigan, by parents who saw in his condition not a disability but an extraordinary opportunity, Jim became a two-sport standout in high school, then an ace pitcher for the University of Michigan. But his journey was only beginning. As a nineteen-year-old, Jim beat the vaunted Cuban National Team. By twenty-one, he'd won the gold medal game at the 1988 Olympics and--without spending a day in the minor leagues--cracked the starting rotation of the California Angels. In 1991, he would finish third in the voting for the Cy Young Award. Two years later, he would don Yankee pinstripes and deliver a one-of-a-kind no-hitter. It wouldn't always be so good. After a season full of difficult losses--some of them by football scores--Jim was released, cut off from the game he loved. Unable to say good-bye so soon, Jim tried to come back, pushing himself to the limit--and through one of the loneliest experiences an athlete can have. But always, even then, there were children and their parents waiting for him outside the clubhouse doors, many of them with disabilities like his, seeking consolation and advice. These obligations became Jim's greatest honor. In this honest and insightful memoir, Jim Abbott reveals the insecurities of a life spent as the different one, how he habitually hid his disability in his right front pocket, and why he chose an occupation in which the uniform provided no front pockets. With a riveting pitch-by-pitch account of his no-hitter providing the ideal frame for his story, this unique athlete offers readers an extraordinary and unforgettable memoir. From the Hardcover editionFrom Madonna to Deepak Chopra, celebrities have been recording and embracing Rumi's poetry for the past two decades, creating a…
resurgence of interest in this 13th century Sufi mystic. This beautiful collection of 196 of his poems, previously unavailable in English and now translated by native Persian speakers Maryam Mafi and Azima Melita Kolin, will appeal to Rumi lovers everywhere who want a guidebook for their inner journey.The poetry within will accompany those who consciously enter the inner world to explore the gardens within-out of the everyday world of dust-through an ascending hierarchy that restores one's soul to the heart, the heart to the spirit, and, in finding spirit, transcends allOur team: The epic story of four men and the world series that changed baseball
By Luke Epplin. 2021
The riveting story of four men — Larry Doby, Bill Veeck, Bob Feller, and Satchel Paige — whose improbable union…
on the Cleveland Indians in the late 1940s would shape the immediate postwar era of Major League Baseball and beyond. In July 1947, not even three months after Jackie Robinson debuted on the Brooklyn Dodgers, snapping the color line that had segregated Major League Baseball, Larry Doby would follow in his footsteps on the Cleveland Indians. Though Doby, as the second Black player in the majors, would struggle during his first summer in Cleveland, his subsequent turnaround in 1948 from benchwarmer to superstar sparked one of the wildest and most meaningful seasons in baseball history. In intimate, absorbing detail, Luke Epplin's Our Team traces the story of the integration of the Cleveland Indians and their quest for a World Series title through four key participants: Bill Veeck, an eccentric and visionary owner adept at exploding fireworks on and off the field; Larry Doby, a soft-spoken, hard-hitting pioneer whose major-league breakthrough shattered stereotypes that so much of white America held about Black ballplayers; Bob Feller, a pitching prodigy from the Iowa cornfields who set the template for the athlete as businessman; and Satchel Paige, a legendary pitcher from the Negro Leagues whose belated entry into the majors whipped baseball fans across the country into a frenzy. Together, as the backbone of a team that epitomized the postwar American spirit in all its hopes and contradictions, these four men would captivate the nation by storming to the World Series—all the while rewriting the rules of what was possible in sports. A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books "Epplin's epic saga is simultaneously a riveting drama and a searing portrait of the racism that plagued baseball for decades. This sharp and well-documented history will be a hit with baseball lovers and general interest readers alike." — Publishers Weekly, starred reviewJackie robinson: Athletes who made a difference
By Blake Hoena. 2021
In an era of discrimination, Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson broke Major League Baseball's race barrier. Before Robinson took his place…
at first base, the majors discriminated against African-American athletes, denying them a chance to compete. Despite facing harassment from fans and other players, Robinson stayed focused on the game, becoming the MLB Rookie of the Year in 1947 and later a baseball legend. This graphic biography follows Robinson's time on semi-pro teams, his days in the US military, and his history-making experience with the Brooklyn Dodgers42 is not just a number: the odyssey of Jackie Robinson, American hero
By Doreen Rappaport. 2017
Recounts the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson (1919-1972), the man who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball…
and played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was named Rookie of the Year, National League MVP, World Series champ, and became an American hero. For grades 5-8. 2017Uppity: my untold story about the games people play
By Bill White, Gordon Dillow. 2012
Memoir of a former first baseman for teams including the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies, who went on…
to a successful career as a sportscaster and served as the president of the National League from 1989 to 1994. Discusses his early career, experiences with segregation, and later successes. Some strong language. 2011Journey into Europe: Islam, immigration, and identity
By Akbar Ahmed. 2018
Professor of Islamic studies examines the experiences of Muslims in Europe, particularly those in immigrant communities. Discusses the role of…
politics, places Muslim experiences in context with those of Jewish and other communities facing discrimination, and presents lessons learned with policy suggestions for the future. 2018Tinker to Evers to Chance: the Chicago Cubs and the dawn of modern America
By David Rapp. 2018
At the turn of the twentieth century, the Chicago Cubs were the dominant team in baseball. This history focuses on…
the three infield players responsible for much of their success: Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance. 2018The shift: the next evolution in baseball thinking
By Russell A. Carleton. 2018
A baseball writer with a background in psychology examines the shift in baseball brought about by analytics systems such as…
sabermetrics. He explains some of the key statistics that drive the game, alongside the idea that numbers should be balanced by the psychological aspects and rituals of the sport. 2018Why baseball matters (Why X Matters Ser.)
By Susan Jacoby. 2018
An historian and fan discusses the sport of baseball and examines whether it is in a state of decline. She…
puts the sport into the context of the modern era of digital distractions, citing its aging fanbase and lower attendance at games and TV viewership. 2018A sportswriter talks with the radio and TV broadcasters who help bring baseball to life. Includes a chapter on each…
major league ballpark, providing background on the teams and oral histories from famous local broadcasters who detail one noteworthy game. 2015Accretion
By Irfan Ali. 2020
An extraordinary debut set in Toronto, unfurling against the backdrop of an ancient Persian love story. The story of Layla…
and Majnun, made immortal by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in the 12th century, has been retold thousands of times, in thousands of different ways, throughout literature. Against the backdrop of this story, to the sound-track of modern hip-hop, and amid the struggle of an immigrant family to instill an old faith under new conditions, Irfan Ali's Accretion hurtles towards an unsustainable, "greater madness." Majnun, one of the foundational literary characters who haunt Accretion, is also an Arabic epithet for "possessed." In this tradition, Ali has written a book from the places where the self is no longer the self; places where, in order not to shut down forever, the debris must be cleared, and the soul must inch towards love and hope, "on memory's dusty beams." Accretion is written in a contemporary lyricism that honours ancient poetic traditions. It is a familiar story, imbued with a particularity and honesty that only Irfan Ali could bring to the table. "Irfan Ali delves fearlessly into the beauty and cruelty of a utilitarian city and the chasms between people. The struggle between head and heart binds these poems. In fact, Accretion might be considered a roadmap for finding love in everything--ourselves, family, soul mates, urban life, and faith." --Emily Pohl-Weary, author of Ghost SickMuhammad: prophet of peace amid the clash of empires
By Juan Cole, Juan Ricardo Cole. 2018
Historian presents an analysis of the Middle East in the seventh century, when the prophet Muhammad developed the religion of…
Islam. Discusses the region's warring empires and the emphasis of peace in Muhammad's teachings. 2018Yogi: the life, loves, and language of baseball legend Yogi Berra
By Terry Widener, Barb Rosenstock. 2019
Profiles baseball Hall of Fame catcher and New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra. Describes how Yogi's physical differences challenged his…
baseball prospects and helped motivate him to prove his abilities as a player, coach, and manager. For grades K-3. 2019Inside the empire: the true power behind the New York Yankees
By Paul Solotaroff, Bob Klapisch. 2019
A behind-the-scenes look at the New York Yankees baseball organization, focusing on the 2018 season. Using interviews from players and…
executives, two journalists examine what went into building the team that ended their season by facing off with long-time rivals from the Boston Red Sox. Some strong language. 2019Sufism: a new history of Islamic mysticism
By Alexander D. Knysh. 2019
History of the Islamic sect that was defined in its early days by ascetic mysticism. Topics covered include why Sufism…
diverged from the main branch of Islam, divisions over definitions, discourses between major thought leaders, influences from other cultures, Sufism's practices, and its history in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. 2017A former pitcher with teams including the New York Mets who went on to a long career in broadcasting and…
writing about baseball shares stories from the game. Includes vignettes about some of the hundreds of players he encountered on and off the field. Some strong language. 2019Investigates the history of the sport and recounts stories about former major league players. Includes activities such as calculating the…
Earned Run Average (ERA) and throwing a palmball. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2016Oscar Charleston: the life and legend of baseball's greatest forgotten player
By Jeremy Beer. 2019
Biography of the man considered by many to be the best player in the history of the Negro Baseball League.…
Chronicles his long career, from 1915 to 1954, including his time as a player, a manager, and a scout for Major League Baseball. Some strong language. 2019I'm fascinated by sacrifice flies: inside the game we all love
By Tim Kurkjian. 2016
ESPN baseball commentator discusses some of his favorite aspects of the national pastime. He shares quirky statistics, player superstitions, what…
it's like to be hit by a pitch, and various anecdotes from his years following the sport. Some strong language. 2016