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Mister Donnelley's compendium of tantalising tales brings you a multitude of intriguing and amusing stories - from the midfielder murdered…
by a secret police force to a crazed chairman trying to raze to the ground his club's main stand. Marvel at this fascinating exhibition of Firsts, Lasts and Onlys from the illustrious history of this extraordinary game, and encounter remarkable characters, such as: The first footballer to score for both sides in an FA Cup Final. The only Cabinet Minister to play football for his country. The hapless physio knocked out by his own 'magic sponge'.Delve into the pages of this captivating tome and discover the most amazing football miscellany since records began!You'll Win Nothing With Kids: Fathers, Sons and Football
By Jim White. 2007
On Sunday mornings Jim White has the following choice: visit the supermarket, buy trellising at B'n'Q, or stand on the…
sidelines of a muddy municipal football pitch, his trouser cuffs wetter than a weekend in Llandudno, shoulder-to-shoulder with a motley crew of mums, dads, step-parents and same-sex life partners all screaming at their beleaguered offspring. You'll find Jim in the same place every week, failing to organise a bunch of lads into something resembling a team while on the far side of the park his opposite number, a wannabe Mourinho in brashly monogrammed tracksuit, struts the sidelines, shouting - always shouting. This is the hilarious story of Jim White's time as manager of his son's football team: the highs, the lows, and the dog turd in the centre circle. At this level, winning spirit is not so much about passion, pride and belief as praying that your star centre forward has remembered his boots. Most importantly, it's about the enduring relationship between fathers, sons and football. This is the story no one who has ever watched his or her child play sport will want to miss.The First London Olympics: 1908
By Rebecca Jenkins. 2008
In the summer that saw the first successful flight of the Zeppelin, a 140 acre site of scrubland in West…
London was transformed into the White City, which housed the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition - and a state-of-the-art stadium built to house the first London Olympics. The Olympics were organised by volunteers in just 18 months and at a fraction of the cost of the modern Olympics and yet, just as today, the sport was overshadowed by doping scandals and caused international uproar. The ferocious competitiveness of a US team dominated by New York Irish Americans led to a succession of 'scandals' culminating in the historic marathon when Italian confectioner baker Dorando Pietri's heroic efforts at the limits of exhaustion so entranced on-lookers that track officials helped him across the finish line. Coinciding with the 100th Anniversary of the first London Olympics, this delightful social and sporting history - illustrated with over 70 contemporary images - provides a thought-provoking contrast to the forthcoming 2012 Olympic Games.Get Into Running: Teach Yourself
By Sara Kirkham. 2010
Get into Running will enable you to enjoy a managable training programme that fits into your lifestyle. It will improve…
your technique, focus your mind and inspire a nutritious diet. Packed full of essential advice on everything from kit and route planning to technique and psychology, this invaluable guide will motivate you take up running...and stick with it.NOT GOT MUCH TIME?One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.AUTHOR INSIGHTSLots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the authors' many years of experience.TEST YOURSELFTests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGEExtra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of running.THINGS TO REMEMBERQuick refreshers to help you remember the key facts.Great Americans in Sports: Blake Griffin
By Matt Christopher. 2015
This entry in a brand new line of sports biographies from Matt Christopher takes readers onto the court with an…
all-star who reaches for new heights Blake Griffin is known for being a #1 draft pick, Rookie of the Year, Slam Dunk Contest winner, and one of the best power forwards playing today. But he had to fight to make it onto the NBA court at all after sitting out his first pro season with a devastating knee injury. Learn more about the perennial All-Star in this comprehensive biography, complete with photos and fun infographics.Call of the Wild: My Escape to Alaska
By Guy Grieve. 2006
Guy Grieve's life was going nowhere - trapped in a job he hated, commuting 2,000 miles a month and up…
to his neck in debt. But he dreamed of escaping it all to live alone in one of the wildest, most remote places on earth - Alaska. And just when he'd given up hope, the dream came true. Suddenly Guy was thrown into one of the harshest environments in the world, miles from the nearest human being and armed with only the most basic equipment. And he soon found - whether building a log cabin from scratch, hunting, ice fishing or of course dodging bears in the buff - that life in the wilderness was anything but easy...Part Ray Mears, part Bill Bryson, CALL OF THE WILD is the gripping story of how a mild-mannered commuter struggled with the elements - and himself - and eventually learned the ways of the wild.A Championship Year
By Jenson Button. 2009
From nowhere to the winner's podium: the story of Jenson Button's astonishing domination of the F1 world championship.On 4 December…
2008, just a few months before the new season was due to start, the Honda Racing F1 team, which Jenson Button had been driving for since 2006, pulled the plug on their involvement in Formula One. The media at the time reported that it was likely that the factory would be forced to shut, and it was unlikely that Jenson would be able to secure a drive at a top team at this late stage.Yet incredibly, in October 2009, Jenson Button was crowned World Champion, and the new team that had risen from the ashes of the Honda Racing F1 team - Brawn GP - secured the constructors' championship in their first season, a feat never before achieved. If this were a movie script you wouldn't believe it possible, so how did it happen?A CHAMPIONSHIP YEAR tells Jenson's incredible story of the 2009 season, from being written off pre-season to winning six of the first seven races, and finally securing the championship in brilliant style at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Jenson's personal commentary on the races is combined with notes on strategy, on-board radio exchanges, quotes from the team and even text messages to recreate the atmosphere of each race weekend. With a foreword by Ross Brawn, it is a fascinating account of an extraordinary grand prix year, and shows just what it takes to become world champion.Just for Kicks
By Kenny Logan. 2009
Kenny Logan’s riveting story is one full of surprises. A Scottish rugby star, with 70 caps for his country, and…
a club legend at Wasps, winner of three Premiership titles and a glorious Heineken Cup, Kenny could not read or write until he was in his thirties. Born into a farming community in rural Scotland, Kenny struggled at school and only confronted his dyslexia on meeting his wife, Gabby. Further challenges followed as they suffered the lows and eventual success of IVF treatment. Always entertaining, with a twinkle in his eye, Kenny is not one to wallow in misfortune. The difficulties in his life have been interspersed by many a cheeky grin. Now a national heartthrob, after wowing millions on Strictly Come Dancing, Kenny’s story is one of sporting glory, passion, sincerity, tragedy, and a lot of laughter.King: My Autobiography
By Ledley King, Mat Snow. 2013
Born in Bow in 1980, Ledley King joined Tottenham Hotspur as a trainee at the age of sixteen, and was…
a White Hart Lane talisman from his 1999 debut through to his retirement in 2012. Telling it how it was behind the scenes at Spurs during his years progressing from schoolboy trainee to club captain, King dramatically chronicles the turbulent times and personalities of the modern White Hart Lane. Yet above all, King is the story of one of the most widely admired and respected English footballers of modern times - one of passion and roots, friendship, courage, grit; and of a role model of great strength yet rare humility.Rafa: My Story
By John Carlin, Rafael Nadal. 2011
The Sunday Times bestselling autobiography from the greatest tennis player of his generation'A winner' Independent 'A terrific sporting memoir, full…
of memorable anecdotes' New Statesman 'As exciting as Rafa himself' Woman's OwnNo tennis player since Andre Agassi has captivated the world like Rafael Nadal. He's a rarity in today's sporting arena - a true sportsman who chooses to let his raw talent, dedication and humility define him. With a remarkable 16 grand slam victories under his belt, and with friend and rival Roger Federer's record haul of 20 in his sights, Nadal is an extraordinary competitor whose ferocity on court is made even more remarkable by his grace off it.This book takes us to the heart of Nadal's childhood, his growth as a player, and his incredible career. It includes memorable highs and lows, from victory in the 2008 Wimbledon final - a match that John McEnroe called the 'greatest game of tennis ever played' - to the injury problems that have frequently threatened his dominance of the sport, to becoming the youngest player of the open era to complete a career Grand Slam in 2010. It transports us from Nadal's lifelong home on the island of Majorca to the locker room of Centre Court as he describes in detail the pressures of competing in the greatest tournament in the world. It offers a glimpse behind the racquet to learn what really makes this intensely private person - who has never before talked about his home life - tick. And it provides us with a story that is personal, revealing and every bit as exciting as Nadal himself.Firsts, Lasts & Onlys of Golf: Presenting the most amazing golf facts from the last 500 years
By Paul Donnelley. 2010
From Rabbit Wars waged on St. Andrew's famous Old Course to the rebellion that interrupted a Royal round, this tome…
is packed with facts that will tantalised and enthral. Delve into this extraordinary showcase of Firsts, Lasts and Onlys from the world of golf, and discover a myriad of incredible stories, including: The first golfer to win both the US Open and US Amateur Championship in the same year. The last ill-fated player to have been struck by lightening on Tour. The only instance of a tournament being halted by locusts.With 200 witty anecdotes portraying the undisputed and unexpected legends of the sport, you are sure to lose yourself in the most enthralling golf miscellany since records began!How They Stole the Game
By David Yallop. 2011
What's wrong with Football today? In June 2011, Sepp Blatter was elected - uncontested - as president of Fifa once…
more. Despite attempts to halt the vote amidst allegations and accusations of corruption, the show went on. As How They Stole The Game, David Yallop's classic expose of the dark heart behind the beautiful game showed when it was first published, Football was rotten from the top down. In the book Yallop reveals the story of João Havelenge, Fifa President from 1974 to 1998, the Godfather of football, and how he turned a religion to millions of fans into a multi-billion dollar business, riven with suspicious deals and unexpected payments.Why We Run: Why We Run
By Robin Harvie. 2011
Everyone can run. Whether it is a jog around the park on a Sunday morning, or lining up with 40,000…
other people at the start of the London Marathon, all it requires is a pair of trainers and the open road. But where does that road lead and why do we run at all? Robin Harvie ran his first marathon after a bet, but it wasn’t until he had ventured 6,000 miles into the extreme world of ultra-distance running to the start line of the oldest and toughest footrace on earth, that he found an answer. As a hobby turned into a 120-mile-a-week obsession, so a way out of his daily routine evolved into a journey to discover who he was and what he was really made of. Through the scorching heat of the desert and into the darkest hours of the morning, Why We Run reveals the beating heart of the brutal and profoundly intoxicating experience of running. If you have ever wondered what makes you lace up your trainers, and why you keep coming back for more, this is your story too.Be Your Best at Triathlon will support you through every aspect of the sport, from the beginning of your training…
to race day. Whether you have a few hours a week or want a more intense training programme, you will find a training schedule to meet your needs. Offering advice on developing your technique, improving your performance and how to master the three disciplines, this book will enable you to achieve your goals.NOT GOT MUCH TIME?One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.AUTHOR INSIGHTSLots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the authors' many years of experience.TEST YOURSELFTests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGEExtra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of taking part in a triathlon.FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBERQuick refreshers to help you remember the key facts.TRY THISInnovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.River Monsters
By Jeremy Wade. 2011
A tale of obsession and very big fish from Jeremy Wade, the presenter of ITV's RIVER MONSTERS.Over ten feet long,…
it weighs in at nearly a quarter of a ton. Covering its back are armoured plates made of bone. Five hundred stiletto-sharp teeth line its long crocodilian jaws. It's a prehistoric beast of staggering proportions; a fearsome creature from the time of the dinosaurs.But the Alligator Gar, an air-breathing survivor from the Cretaceous period is still with us today, patrolling inland rivers, hunting in murky waters shared by human communities.And for Jeremy Wade, described as the 'greatest angling explorer of his generation', the Gar and other outlandish freshwater predators have been an obsession for all his adult life. With names like Arapaima, Snakehead, Goonch, Goliath Tigerfish and Electric Eel, many of them have acquired an almost mythical status.In a quest that has taken him from the Amazon to the Congo, and from North America to the mountains of India, Wade has pursued the truth about these little known, often misunderstood animals. Along the way he's survived a plane crash, malaria and a fish-inflicted blow to the chest that, according to a later scan, caused permanent scarring to his heart.In RIVER MONSTERS, Wade delivers a sometimes jaw-dropping blend of adventure, natural history, legend and detective work. It reads like a hunt for the Loch Ness Monster. But it's all true. These are fisherman's tales like you've never heard before. The stories of the ones that didn't get away ...The Grand Slam: Bobby Jones, America and the story of golf
By Mark Frost. 2004
In the wake of the 1929 stock market crash, an amateur golfer began a decade of unparalleled achievement, seeming a…
ray of light in an otherwise depressed America. Bobby Jones won the British Amateur Championship, the British Open, the US Open and the US Amateur Championship. A new phrase was born: The Grand Slam. A modest, sensitive man, a lawyer from a middle-class Atlanta family, Bobby Jones had barely survived a sickly childhood, and took up golf at the age of five for health reasons. Jones made his debut at the US Amateur Championship in 1916 and his genius was recognised by his inspiration, Francis Ouimet. However, his health was never good, and the strain of completing the Slam exacted a ferocious toll; the US Open, played in July in blazing heat, nearly killed him. Jones fought to keep his fragile condition a secret from a country suffering from the Depression, but at the age of twenty-eight, after winning the US Amateur, he retired. His abrupt disappearance at the height of his renown inspired an impenetrable myth, to this day still fiercely protected by family and friends.The Match
By Mark Frost. 2007
The year: 1956. Eddie Lowery, once caddie to Francis Ouimet, now a wealthy car dealer and avid supporter of amateur…
golf, boasts to fellow millionaire George Coleman that two of his salesmen - US amateur champion Harvie Ward and up-and-coming star Ken Venturi - could beat any golfers in the world in a best ball match. Coleman asks Lowery how he plans to prove it. 'Bring any two golfers of your choice to the course tomorrow morning,' Lowery tells him, 'and we'll settle the issue.' Coleman shows up all right - with Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, the game's greatest living professionals. In Mark Frost's peerless hands, complete with the recollections of all the participants, the story of this foursome and the greatest private match ever played comes vividly to life.Tip-Off: How the 1984 NBA Draft Changed Basketball Forever
By Filip Bondy. 2007
The 1984 NBA draft is most remembered as the one where Michael Jordan slipped to third behind number-one pick Hakeem…
Olajuwon...and the immortal Sam Bowie. You could understand the Houston Rockets choosing Olajuwon, but how on earth could the Portland Trailblazers pass up Jordan for the injury-prone Bowie? For the first time, Filip Bondy pieces together the entire backstory of the draft: from Michael Jordan's indecision over whether he should declare himself eligible for the NBA draft after his junior year...to Charles Barkley's calculated attempt to avoid being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers and to improve his position at the Olympic trials...to the trades that were considered but fatefully never made.A Skating Life: My Story
By Dorothy Hamill. 2007
The dazzling smile, the signature haircut, the staple spin. "America's Sweetheart" Dorothy Hamill grew up on the ice, working toward…
the dream she was to accomplish by age nineteen: winning Olympic gold in figure skating. But life was not the picture of perfection it appeared to be. Dorothy faced a painful inner struggle from the time she was a young girl that followed her into adulthood--though she would not know about the depression that ran in her family until much later in life. Weeks and months away from home to train and compete took a difficult toll, yet little reprieve could be found in the tumultuous and fragile relationship she had with her parents.Dorothy went on to marry the man of her dreams, only to have the partnership end in heartache and a tragedy that almost pushed her to her breaking point. Then, just when a light at the end of the tunnel finally began to appear, a second failed marriage tried and tested Dorothy's trust and strength yet again--a travesty that could have led her to give up. But, she found a remarkable strength in what she did have--her greatest love, her daughter Alexandra."Thank goodness, I had my skating. There was certainly a pattern to my life. When times were tough, I went skating. It was only while I was out on the ice, enjoying the freedom of movement and my love of music, that I was able to escape from my bottomless heartache."In her deeply moving and honest memoir, Dorothy opens up for the first time about love, family, courage, and what it means to truly win both on and off the ice.The Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four
By John Feinstein. 2006
There is no event in sports quite like the Final Four. John Feinstein explores what it means to a school,…
a coach, and a player to be in the Final Four or even at The Final. There are the moving stories of players and coaches who thought they'd never make it to college basketballs final weekend, the spectacular triumphs of the winning teams, and the heartbreaking defeats for those who missed the cut. Feinstein also brings us inspiring and dramatic stories from the people behind the scenes: from the officials and referees to the scouts and ticket-scalpers. With the unflinching eye of a seasoned reporter and the remarkable skill of a true storyteller, Feinstein exposes the driving forces behind one of the most revered events in American sports.