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Showing 2041 - 2060 of 4303 items
By Matt Chandler. 2021
Declan Farmer has never let anything hold him back. Despite being born with only partial legs, Farmer has been an…
avid athlete since youth. He fell in love with sled hockey and quickly became a teen sensation. Farmer has led the USA Paralympic Sled Hockey Team to not one, but two, Paralympic gold medals. Learn what it took for him to get to the podium and where he would like to go from there.By Garfield Sobers. 2002
Garry Sobers is a cricketing legend, the greatest all-rounder of all time. In this revealing and honest autobiography, Sobers talks…
about his upbringing and about the tragic accident that inspired him throughout his career. He explains how he helped the West Indies to become the most feared cricketing nation in the world, setting them on a course of success that would run for another 20 years. He also provides authoritative views on the current state of the game and the future of cricket.By Geraint Thomas. 2015
FROM GERAINT THOMAS, WINNER OF THE 2018 TOUR DE FRANCELike no other cycling book, from no other rider - Britain's…
cycling star shares his unique take on the world of cyclingSit back or saddle up as double Olympic gold medallist and multiple world champion Geraint Thomas gives you a warts and all insight into the life of a pro cyclist. Along the way he reveals cycling's clandestine codes and secret stories, tales from the peloton, the key characters like Wiggins, Hoy and Cav, the pivotal races and essential etiquette. Geraint Thomas is treasured for treating his sport just as the rest of us see it: not a job but an escape and an adventure. He's been with Team Sky since its inception, and is one of our most successful and gifted track and road riders, but Geraint reminds us that getting on the bike still puts a smile on your face and fire in the legs like nothing else.Funny, informative, diverting and droll, this is a joyful celebration of the world of cycling.By Guillem Balague. 2016
The definitive biography of Cristiano Ronaldo, named Football Book of the Year at the Cross Sports Book Awards 2016Fully updated…
to include the 2017-18 season and Ronaldo's transfer to JuventusCristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time, a dream he pursued from the age of just twelve when he left his humble origins on Madeira behind.It wasn't long before he had the biggest clubs in Europe knocking on his door, but it was Manchester United who won the race for his signature. Under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo developed into the complete footballer and athlete, winning three league titles and a Champions League along the way.He then became the biggest galáctico of them all when he transferred to Real Madrid for a record-breaking fee. Unprecedented success in the Champions League and a record-equalling five Ballons d'Or followed, before his sensational move to Juventus in the summer of 2018.Guillem Balagué, respected football journalist and expert on the Spanish game, provides the definitive account of a twenty-first-century footballing icon.By Brett Favre, John L. Pendergrass. 2013
Completing a triathlon at any age is a major achievement; finishing an IRONMAN®Triathlon in your sixties is nothing short of…
inspirational. A true account of John Pendergrass' impossible goal of completing six IRONMAN Triathlons on six continents, all while in his sixties, Against the Odds will shatter your preconceptions of what a man in his golden years can accomplish.For most people, their sixties are a time to slow down, take things easy, and reflect on a life well lived. Not for Pendergrass. As his sixtieth birthday loomed, he longed for a challenge that would push him to his limits and drive him to achieve something that few people had ever done before.Pendergrass found his answer in the IRONMAN Triathlon, the world's most difficult endurance event: an intimidating 2.4 mile swim in open water, a grueling 112 mile bike ride, and an exhausting 26.2 mile run--all in the same day. A total of 140.6 miles, nonstop... a monumental task for men half his age.Against the Odds follows Pendergrass through each arduous step as he struggles against time, doubt, and his own physical limitations to arrive tired, but victorious at the finish line. From the deserts of Arizona to the bush of South Africa, from the beaches of Brazil to the coasts of New Zealand, this journey chronicles not only the races themselves, but also the breathtaking countries that host them. Told with modesty and humor, Against the Odds is a story of impressive drive and incredible courage that will inspire you to new heights many could only dream of reaching.By John Charles. 2003
Sir Bobby Charlton reckons that if John Charles were playing today, his transfer value would be £70 million; and in…
a recent poll of Italian football fans, they voted him the greatest foreign player ever to play in their league, ahead of Maradona and Platini. He was equally adept as a centre forward or centre half, and often Juventus would play him up front until he scored, and then move him back into defence to protect the lead.Whether playing for Leeds United, Wales or Juventus, he fully earned his nickname of the 'Gentle Giant', never once being booked or sent off in a 15-year career, and always being the epitome of sportsmanship. KING JOHN recalls not just a vanished era of football, but also highlights what happens to our heroes once they have left the spotlight. It is a warm and moving account from one of football's true legends.By James Dodson. 2012
In this celebration of three legendary champions on the centennial of their births in 1912, one of the most accomplished…
and successful writers about the game explains the circumstances that made each of them so singularly brilliant and how they, in turn, saved not only the professional tour but modern golf itself, thus making possible the subsequent popularity of players from Arnold Palmer to Tiger Woods. During the Depression—after the exploits of Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen and Bobby Jones (winning the Grand Slam as an amateur in 1930) had faded in the public’s imagination—golf’s popularity fell year after year, and as a spectator sport it was on the verge of extinction. This was the unhappy prospect facing two dirt-poor boys from Texas and another from Virginia who had dedicated themselves to the game yet could look forward only to eking out a subsistence living along with millions of other Americans. But then lightning struck, and from the late thirties into the fifties these three men were so thoroughly dominant—each setting a host of records—that they transformed both how the game was played and how society regarded it. Sports fans in general are well aware of Hogan and Nelson and Snead, but even the most devoted golfers will learn a great many new things about them here. Their hundredth birthdays will be commemorated throughout 2012—Nelson born in February, Snead in May, and Hogan in August—but as this comprehensive and compelling account vividly demonstrates, they were, and will always remain, a triumvirate for the ages.By Billy McNeill. 2004
From 1958-75 Billy McNeill was at the heart of everything Celtic did. An uncompromising but fair centre half, he captained…
the club for twelve hugely successful years. Later in his life he returned for two more periods as Celtic manager, winning the undying support of the club's legion of fans for his complete commitment to the cause. In this remarkable autobiography, he recalls the glory days of the Lisbon Lions alongside Bobby Lennox and Jimmy Johnstone; playing for Scotland with Billy Bremner and Denis Law; coming to England as a manager; and reveals just how good a babysitter Kenny Dalglish was. Told with great humour and intelligence, this is a fascinating story from one of Scotland's greatest heroes.By Andrew Flintoff. 2015
Fast bowler, six-hitter, popular hero, one of the lads, king of the jungle - Andrew Flintoff is all of those…
things.Second Innings, is his searingly honest yet uplifting autobiography, Flintoff reveals unseen, surprising sides to his career and personality.The restless need to push and challenge himself that led him to take up professional boxing. The complex and troubled relationship with discipline, alcohol and authority during his exhilarating cricket career. The search for an authentic voice as a player, free from the blandness and conformity of modern professionalism. Is Flintoff the last of his kind, in any sport?Through all his highs and lows, triumphs and reversals, this book reveals a central tension. There is 'Fred' - performer, extrovert, centre of attention. Then there is 'Andrew' - reflective, withdrawn and uncertain. Two people contained in one extraordinary life. And sometimes, inevitably, keeping the two in balance proves too much.We are taken backstage, seeing the mischief and adventure that has defined Andrew Flintoff's story. Above all, we observe the enduring power of fun, friendship and loyalty - the pillars of Flintoff's career. At ease with his faults as well as his gifts, Andrew Flintoff has sought one thing, even more than success: to be himself.If you enjoyed Do You Know What?, you'll enjoy this memoir of Freddie's sporting career.By Roy Macgregor, Al Strachan. 2013
Whether wearing his Edmonton oil-drop, the black and silver colours of L.A., or the famous Rangers sweater from New York,…
all hockey fans agree that Wayne Gretzky was the best hockey player of all time. His point totals, his puck control, and the manner in which he conducted himself both on and off the ice reflected the very best of the game. You can't talk about Gretzky without talking about his records and achievements: 50 goals in just 39 games, 9 Hart Trophies, 10 Art Ross Trophies, 4 Stanley Cups, 215 points in a single season, and, of course, retiring with 2856 points. Each record is a remarkable achievement by the game's most remarkable player, and each will be broken down in this book. Published with Wayne Gretzky's approval and written with his cooperation, this is the Gretzky biography that his fans have so anxiously awaited. Veteran sports journalist Al Strachan has enjoyed an extremely close friendship with Gretzky for well over 25 years, and during this time Strachan has reported on every aspect of his professional career. The two have spent thousands of hours talking about the game and such details as Wayne's move to L.A., managing the 2002 Canadian Olympic team and coaching in Phoenix. Their close friendship has offered each man the opportunity to discuss the game that they both love, and in this book Strachan takes readers on a most remarkable journey and details the life of Wayne Gretzky like it has never been told.By Didier Drogba. 2015
The story of one of the most recognisable and successful players in world football. Didier Drogba is renowned for his…
heading ability, sharp shooting and sheer strength. He has played for his native Ivory Coast and for clubs in France, China and Turkey, but it is as a Chelsea striker that he is best known. His feats with Chelsea have made him a cult hero among supporters. In Didier Drogba's honest and revealing autobiography he will talk about life as an immigrant in Paris, the importance of his education and how finding success later than most professional footballers has kept him grounded.In 2012 Didier was voted Chelsea's greatest ever player. He talks from a privileged behind-the-scenes position about tactics and how he felt mentally and physically as well as anecdotes from the dressing room. Didier provides unique insight into important and controversial matches from the first trophy he won with them in 2005 to the Premier League title a decade later; as well as what persuaded him to stay when he was at his lowest ebb.Away from football Drogba has been widely applauded for his involvement in trying to broker peace in the Ivorian civil war - he is a UN Goodwill Ambassador and does a huge amount of work with the Didier Drogba Foundation - Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. Go behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge and find out about life on and off the field for this humble Chelsea hero.They were the Beatles of basketball, the Mercury Seven in sneakers. In Dream Team, acclaimed sports journalist Jack McCallum delivers…
the untold story of the greatest team ever assembled: the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team that captivated the world, kindled the hoop dreams of countless children around the planet, and remade the NBA into a global sensation. As a senior staff writer for Sports Illustrated, McCallum enjoyed a courtside seat for the most exciting basketball spectacle on earth, covering the Dream Team from its inception to the gold medal ceremony in Barcelona. For the duration of the Olympics, he lived with, golfed with, and--most important--drank with some of the greatest players of the NBA's Golden Age: Magic Johnson, the ebullient showman who shrugged off his recent diagnosis of HIV to become the team's unquestioned captain and leader; Michael Jordan, the transcendent talent at the height of his powers as a player--and a marketing juggernaut; and Charles Barkley, the outspoken iconoclast whose utterances on and off the court threatened to ignite an international incident. Presiding over the entire traveling circus was the Dream Team's beloved coach, Chuck Daly, whose laissez-faire approach proved instrumental in getting the most out of such disparate personalities and superstars such as Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, and Scottie Pippen. Drawing on fresh interviews with the players, McCallum provides the definitive account of the Dream Team phenomenon. He offers a behind-the-scenes look at the controversial selection process. He takes us inside the team's Olympic suites for late-night card games and bull sessions where the players debate both the finer points of basketball and their respective places in the NBA pantheon. And he narrates a riveting possession-by-possession account of the legendary July 1992 intrasquad scrimmage that pitted the Dream Teamers against one another in what may have been the greatest pickup game--and the greatest exhibition of trash talk--in history. In the twenty years since the Dream Team first captivated the world's attention, its mystique has only grown--and so has its influence. The NBA is now flush with international stars, many of them inspired by the exuberant spirit of '92. Dream Team vividly re-creates the moment when a once-in-a-millennium group of athletes came together, outperformed the hype, and changed the future of sports--one perfectly executed fast break at a time. The Dream Team was . . . Michael Jordan, Guard, Chicago Bulls Magic Johnson, Guard, Los Angeles Lakers Larry Bird, Forward, Boston Celtics Charles Barkley, Forward, Phoenix Suns Chris Mullin, Forward, Golden State Warriors Scottie Pippen, Forward, Chicago Bulls John Stockton, Guard, Utah Jazz Karl Malone, Forward, Utah Jazz David Robinson, Center, San Antonio Spurs Patrick Ewing, Center, New York Knicks Christian Laettner, Forward, Duke University Clyde Drexler, Guard, Portland TrailblazersFrom the Hardcover edition.By Joe Root. 2015
Fully updated to include England's series victory over South Africa and the World T20 Finals. Joe Root is undoubtedly cricket's…
next superstar, adored by fans and the press alike for his incredible talent and his cheeky personality. At just 24 years old he has already scored nearly 3,000 Test runs, taken 12 Test wickets. Joe was the star of England's incredible 2015 Ashes campaign - his knock of 130 at Trent Bridge secured the series victory and saw him named by the ICC as the best batsman in the world.This is Joe's personal account of his speedy climb to stardom, from schoolboy cricket to early days with Yorkshire, culminating with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to an England team at the top of their game.A perfect gift for all England cricket fans, this gives the inside story to an historic Ashes victory from a player who is instrumental to the team.By Dennis Lillee. 2003
Whether bowling bouncers at cowering batsmen or interfering officials, Dennis Lillee has always been a controversial figure, and this autobiography…
is no different. He looks back at the storms he created throughout his career, and after, with his aluminium bats, his near punch-up with Javed Miandad and the whole Packer saga, where he helped transform the lot of cricketers around the world, by finally breaking the amateur ethos that was killing the sport. But Dennis Lillee is also a committed family man, a proud Aussie and a good mate to his many friends. Now a distinguished coach, in huge demand around the world, this book shows just why he remains one of cricket's enduring and most popular legends.By Jimmy Bullard. 2014
Jimmy Bullard may not have had the perfect hair-do, his Granada Ghia may not have been the flashiest of cars,…
and he definitely didn't have a string of Page 3 girls trying to sell kiss and tell stories about him to the tabloids. But what he has in spades is a genuine love for The Beautiful Game that few of his peers can match. One of the last graduates from football's old school, Jimmy actually worked in the real world - including as a painter and decorator - before turning pro. Maybe that's why he played football with a smile on his face, always says what's on his mind, and is no stranger to a spot of mischief.Having played under the likes of Barry Fry, Harry Redknapp and Phil Brown, appeared alongside names as diverse as Neil Ruddock and Paolo di Canio, and as long as Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Jimmy has racked up an amazing collection of tales and pranks both on and off the football front-line. Told with candour, Bend It Like Bullard is the extraordinary story of his journey from cable TV fitter to cult hero. It will make you smile, chuckle and, occasionally, ROFL.By Brian Glanville. 2007
The England national team has had 12 full-time managers and Brian Glanville has known them all. In this fascinating account…
of each man his strengths, weaknesses and impact on the game Brian Glanville provides an in-depth analysis of the team as well as the individuals under scrutiny. Funny, controversial, measured and thought-provoking, Glanvilles assessment of why England has underachieved is required reading for all football fans and for every member of the FA Committee if they are prepared to confront some unpalatable truths.On Revie: He was never cut out for the lonely exposed life of an international manager almost pathologically thin-skinned.On Robson: A mixture of good and bad luck characterised his years. He never seemed fully in control.On Venables: Highly competent but appointed a few years too late.On Hoddle: A curates egg of a regime.'By Ian St John. 2005
This is the life story of the legendary Liverpool and Scotland 1960s footballer known as 'The Saint'. Bought by Bill…
Shankly from Motherwell in 1961, Ian St John was widely thought of as one of the most significant signings ever made by Liverpool FC, and was a key component in Shankly's first successful team. In his autobiography, he reveals how it felt to play for one of the most successful clubs in Britain, and to be part of one of the greatest moments in the club's history; winning the FA Cup in 1965 after 70 years of trying. In the final against Leeds, Ian was to score the winning goal in extra time.However, after the glory would come pain and frustration, as after serving ten years with Liverpool, he was dropped from the team without warning. Here he describes his anger at the betrayal he felt from Bill Shankly, the legendary master of Anfield, and provides an insight into the character of one of Britain's greatest managers. He reveals how his life after Liverpool has been no less uneventful; his playing days in South Africa, career in management and television days with Jimmy Greaves are also explored at length. From this rich mix of football and life, Ian St John tells the compelling story of his journey through a game which has changed, he says, almost beyond belief.By Roland Lazenby. 2009
When in 1969 the NBA sought an emblem for the league, one man was chosen above all as the icon…
of his sport: Jerry West. Silhouetted in white against a red-and-blue backdrop, West’s signature gait and left-handed dribble are still the NBA logo, seen on merchandise around the world. In this marvelous book—the first biography of the basketball legend—award-winning reporter and author Roland Lazenby traces Jerry West’s brilliant career from the coalfields near Cabin Creek, West Virginia, to the bare-knuckled pre-expansion era of the NBA, from the Lakers’ Riley-Magic-Kareem Showtime era to Jackson–Kobe–Shaq teams of the early twenty-first century, and beyond. But fame was not all glory. Called “Mr. Clutch,” West was an incomparable talent—flawless on defense, possessing unmatched court vision, and the perfect jumper, unstoppable when the game was on the line. Beloved and respected by fans and fellow players alike, West was the centerpiece of Lakers teams that starred such players as Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, and he went on to nine NBA Finals. Yet in losing eight of those series, including six in a row to the detested Boston Celtics, West became as famous for his failures as for his triumphs. And that notoriety cast long shadows over West’s life on and off the court.By Phil Taylor. 2014
Phil 'The Power' Taylor is the uncontested king of darts, his sixteen world championship titles between 1990 and 2013 far…
outclassing anything else the game has seen.He started out as a protégé of Eric Bristow, the Crafty Cockney, having wandered into his Burslem pub with a set of darts his wife had given him for his birthday. At that time Taylor was earning £52 a week working in a ceramics factory and hardly played. But jaws dropped and pint mugs tipped over as this newcomer suddenly unleashed a gift for flight that had soon eclipsed even the Crafty Cockney himself, and amassed Phil a haul of over 200 professional tournament victories.Staying Power is a year in the life of a legend, twice nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year, a man who made darts look a doddle to British pub-goers everywhere and set his seal on the game as the bloke to beat. A year of triumph and disaster, in which Taylor crashed out of the world championship in the second round to young outsider Michael Smith and fell asleep at home on Christmas day, exhausted from the strain of constant winning. A year when he played arguably the greatest ever game of darts, in the Grand Slam semi-final against recent world champion Adrian Lewis the two slugging it out to the wire. A year in which Taylor rocked Australia, fêted like royalty. A year of spats and hecklers, clashes on stage and off, of head-to-heads with the Dutch superstar Michael van Gerwen.But most of all this is a year in which Phil Taylor, one of sport's greatest champions, has looked hard at his life in his determination to stay in power.By Charley Rosen. 2001
Rosen brings us for the first time the full life story of Jack Molinas, one of the greatest basketball players…
of his era, a man whose gambling addiction and hubris caused his ultimate demise. Drawing on numerous, previously unavailable first-person accounts, including Jack Molinas's own journal and trial transcripts, Rosen presents the true saga of a man who perhaps better than anyone around him understood the weaknesses of the system in which he lived--so much so that he convinced himself that he could manipulate that system to his advantage with total impunity, in a life's journey that took him from NBA play to the Mafia and the pornographic film industry, and to an ultimate tragic destiny.