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Clubbie: A Minor League Baseball Memoir
By Greg Larson. 2021
Greg Larson was a starry-eyed fan when he hurtled headfirst into professional baseball. As the new clubhouse attendant for the…
Aberdeen IronBirds, a Minor League affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, Larson assumed he&’d entered a familiar world. He thought wrong. He quickly discovered the bizarre rituals of life in the Minors: fights between players, teammates quitting in the middle of the games, doomed relationships, and a negligent parent organization. All the while, Larson, fresh out of college, harbored a secret wish. Despite the team&’s struggles and his own lack of baseball talent, he yearned to join the exclusive fraternity of professional ballplayers. Instead, Larson fell deeper into his madcap venture as the scheming clubbie. He moved into the clubhouse equipment closet, his headquarters to swing deals involving memorabilia, booze, and loads of cash. By his second season, Larson had transformed into a deceptive, dip-spitting veteran, now fully part of a system that exploited players he considered friends. Like most Minor Leaguers, the gravitational pull of baseball was still too strong for Larson—even if chasing his private dream might cost him his girlfriend, his future, and, ultimately, his love of the game. That is, until an unlikely shot at a championship gives Larson and the IronBirds one final swing at redemption.Clubbie is a hilarious behind-the-scenes tale of two seasons in the mysterious world of Minor League Baseball. With cinematic detail and a colorful cast of characters, Larson spins an unforgettable true story for baseball fans and nonfans alike. An unflinching look at the harsh experience of professional sports, Clubbie will be a touchstone in baseball literature for years to come.Comeback Pitchers: The Remarkable Careers of Howard Ehmke and Jack Quinn
By Steve Steinberg, Lyle Spatz. 2021
The careers of pitchers Jack Quinn and Howard Ehmke began in the Deadball Era and peaked in the 1920s. They…
were teammates for many years, with both the cellar-dwelling Boston Red Sox and later with the world champion Philadelphia Athletics, managed by Connie Mack. As far back as 1912, when he was just twenty-nine, Quinn was told he was too old to play and on the downward side of his career. Because of his determination, work ethic, outlook on life, and physical conditioning, however, he continued to excel. In his midthirties, then his late thirties, and even into his forties, he overcame the naysayers. At age forty-six he became the oldest pitcher to start a World Series game. When Quinn finally retired in 1933 at fifty, the &“Methuselah of the Mound&” owned numerous longevity records, some of which he holds to this day. Ehmke, meanwhile, battled arm trouble and poor health through much of his career. Like Quinn, he was dismissed by the experts and from many teams, only to return and excel. He overcame his physical problems by developing new pitches and pitching motions and capped his career with a stunning performance in Game One of the 1929 World Series against the Chicago Cubs, which still ranks among baseball&’s most memorable games. Connie Mack described it as his greatest day in baseball.Comeback Pitchers is the inspirational story of these two great pitchers with intertwining careers who were repeatedly considered washed up and too old but kept defying the odds and thrilling fans long after most pitchers would have retired.Tony Lazzeri: Yankees Legend and Baseball Pioneer
By Lawrence Baldassaro. 2021
Before there was Joe DiMaggio, there was Tony Lazzeri. A decade before the &“Yankee Clipper&” began his legendary career in…
1936, Lazzeri paved the way for the man who would become the patron saint of Italian American fans and players. He did so by forging his own Hall of Fame career as a key member of the Yankees&’ legendary Murderers&’ Row lineup between 1926 and 1937, in the process becoming the first major baseball star of Italian descent. An unwitting pioneer who played his entire career while afflicted with epilepsy, Lazzeri was the first player to hit sixty home runs in organized baseball, one of the first middle infielders in the big leagues to hit with power, and the first Italian player with enough star power to attract a whole new generation of fans to the ballpark. As a twenty-two-year-old rookie for the New York Yankees, Lazzeri played alongside such legends as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. He immediately emerged as a star, finishing second to Ruth in RBIs and third in home runs in the American League. In his twelve years as the second baseman for Yankee teams that won five World Series, he was their third-most productive hitter, driving in more runs than all but five American Leaguers, and hitting more home runs than all but six. Yet for all that, today Lazzeri is a largely forgotten figure, his legacy diminished by the passage of time and tarnished by his bases-loaded strikeout to Grover Cleveland Alexander in Game Seven of the 1926 World Series, a strikeout immortalized on Alexander&’s Hall of Fame plaque. Tony Lazzeri reveals that quite to the contrary, he was one of the smartest, most talented, and most respected players of his time, the forgotten Yankee who helped the team win six American League pennants and five World Series titles.Cobra: A Life of Baseball and Brotherhood
By Dave Parker, Dave Jordan. 2021
&“For that period of time, he was the greatest player of my generation.&”—Keith Hernandez Dave Parker was one of the…
biggest and most badass baseball players of the late twentieth century. He stood at six foot five and weighed 235 pounds. He was a seven-time All-Star, a two-time batting champion, a frequent Gold Glove winner, the 1978 National League MVP, and a World Series champion with both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Oakland A&’s. Here the great Dave Parker delivers his wild and long-awaited autobiography—an authoritative account of Black baseball during its heyday as seen through the eyes of none other than the Cobra. From his earliest professional days learning the game from such baseball legends as Pie Traynor and Roberto Clemente to his later years mentoring younger talents like Eric Davis and Barry Larkin, Cobra is the story of a Black athlete making his way through the game during a time of major social and cultural transformation. From the racially integrated playing fields of his high school days to the cookie-cutter cathedrals of his prime alongside all the midseason and late-night theatrics that accompany an athlete&’s life on the road–Parker offers readers a glimpse of all that and everything in between. Everything. Parker recounts the triumphant victories and the heart-breaking defeats, both on and off the field. He shares the lessons and experiences of reaching the absolute pinnacle of professional athletics, the celebrations with his sports siblings who also got a taste of the thrills, as well as his beloved baseball brothers whom the game left behind. Parker recalls the complicated politics of spring training, recounts the early stages of the free agency era, revisits the notorious 1985 drug trials, and pays tribute to the enduring power of relationships between players at the deepest and highest levels of the sport. With comments at the start of each chapter by other baseball legends such as Pete Rose, Dave Winfield, Willie Randolph, and many more, Parker tells an epic tale of friendship, success, indulgence, and redemption, but most of all, family. Cobra is the unforgettable story of a million-dollar athlete just before baseball became a billion-dollar game.The Impossible First: An Explorer's Race Across Antarctica (Young Readers Edition)
By Colin O'Brady. 2020
In this Young Readers Edition of Impossible First—perfect for fans of My Shot by Elena Delle Donne and Shaken by…
Tim Tebow—Colin O&’Brady vividly recounts his fifty-four-day, unsupported, record-shattering solo crossing of Antarctica using every ounce of his strength, years of training, and sheer force of will.Prior to December 2018, no individual had ever crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone, without support, and completely human-powered. But Colin O&’Brady was determined to do just that—even though ten years earlier a tragic accident raised doubts that he&’d ever walk again normally. O&’Brady&’s quest drew him into a head-to-head battle with British SAS Captain Louis Rudd—also striving to be &“the first.&” Enduring Antarctica&’s sub-zero temperatures and pulling a sled that initially weighed 375 pounds in complete isolation and through a succession of whiteouts, storms, and a series of near disasters, O&’Brady journeyed 932 miles to a world first. Honest, deeply moving, filled with moments of vulnerability—and set against the backdrop of some of the most extreme environments on earth, from Mount Everest to Antarctica—The Impossible First reveals how anyone can reject limits, overcome immense obstacles, and discover what matters most.When it comes to professional team sports in America, the NFL is king. And where there are NFL players there…
are NFL agents. Sports agents have been labeled as vultures for their willingness to resort to slimy, underhanded tactics to recruit clients and make deals. Enter NFL agent Eugene Lee, whose ethics are beyond reproach.In My Brother's Keeper, we'll meet players in various stages of their NFL career—from college, to the pros, to life after the game. Eugene takes us into the homes of potential clients, the locker rooms of current clients, and anywhere else an agent must go to keep the dreams of players alive.Above all, we'll get insight into why Eugene has chosen to walk a path of righteousness, conducting business with the same integrity and faith by which he lives.Some say he's a true “Jerry Maguire,” but Eugene Lee is an original, a one-of-a-kind personality whose life is just as exciting as the games played by his clients.Quizás vivir sea esto
By Jorge Egocheaga Rodríguez. 2021
Catorce ochomiles: La experiencia humana por encima del logro deportivo. Cuando tenía catorce años Jorge Egocheaga se escapó de casa…
para subir el Naranjo de Bulnes en medio de una tormenta, solo por satisfacción personal. Años más tarde, su sentido de la superación lo llevó a lanzarse a la conquista de las catorce cimas más altas del planeta. Quizás vivir sea esto es un libro de pasiones y sueños, de valiosas lecciones, donde Jorge desnuda su alma en un relato íntimo que permite sentir el frío, el cansancio, las alegrías, el dolor y la soledad. Y también es el desgarrador relato de la muerte de su mujer, Joëlle, y su mejor amigo, el famoso alpinista Iñaki Ochoa de Olza, cuando perseguían el sueño compartido de escalar los catorce ochomiles. Así que, cuando Jorge hace cumbre en la última de las catorce cimas, le embarga la emoción de ofrecérselo a las personas que realmente lo amaban y ya no están a su lado. «Haceya tiempo que no busco la felicidad. Incluso llego a pensar que está sobrevalorada. Solo pretendo vivir con intensidad, aceptando lo bueno y malo que por ello me toca, dos caras de una misma moneda. Quizás, como en otras ocasiones, cuando menos uno se lo espera, aparezca una pequeña esquina blanca entre tanta oscuridad y escepticismo. Quizás uno de esos pequeños espacios escondidos que de repente se muestran creando un ínfimo haz de luz que ilumina y crea milagrosamente un etéreo instante de fe. Me niego a perder la esperanza a pesar de mi oscura densidad y ofuscación. Pero es que antes ya, cuando todo estaba perdido, ese pequeño mágico rayo de ilusión surgió como una pequeña flor, como aquel ruido de torrente, como el olor de un frutal en otoño, como la sonrisa de una chica anónima a la que he visto un segundo y nunca más volveré a encontrar, como la sonrisa cómplice de aquel niño ante un sincero guiño, como el frescor de la mañana en su amanecer, como el sabor del helado de chocolate tras una calurosa jornada de escalada, como el cantar del pájaro madrugador en la ventana, como la lectura de un libro sorpresa# Quizás vivir sea eso, sea esto.» Reseñas:«El libro está impregnado de una melancolía y un permanente diálogo interior que desembocan en la trágica expedición final. Y, sin embargo, todos los textos, incluido el último, son un canto a la vida.»Pedro Zuazua, El País «Desde la sombra, Jorge ha inspirado a grandes alpinistas: sus ascensos, su estilo pero sobretodo su forma de ser y de explicar estas aventuras hacen que este libro sea imprescindible para los amantes de la montaña.»Kilian JornetKB: a life in football
By Kevin Bartlett, Rhett Bartlett. 2011
Kevin Bartlett played 403 games for the Richmond Football Club and was one of its biggest stars during a golden…
era of five premierships in 13 years, who parted the club amid tremendous acrimony and did not return for more than 15 years.Giannis Antetokounmpo: Basketball Powerhouse (Stars of Sports)
By Matt Chandler. 2020
As the youngest player in the National Basketball Association during his rookie season, Giannis Antetokounmpo looked like a rising star.…
At almost seven feet tall, he would become an All-Star Game starter and winner of the NBA's most improved player award. Giannis went from selling toys and sunglasses to help his family get by to playing in the NBA and turning heads with his power and grace. Get all the facts on Giannis's extraordinary rise in basketball in this exciting biography.Hilary Knight: Hockey Hero (Sports Illustrated Kids Stars of Sports)
By Shane Frederick. 2021
Hilary Knight started skating when she was five. Fifteen years later, she was the youngest member on Team USA at…
the 2010 Olympics. The next 10 years of her career have only gotten more impressive. Discover more about Knight's highlights on and off the ice in this thrilling biography in the Stars of Sports series.Chloe Kim: Gold-Medal Snowboarder (Stars of Sports)
By Matt Chandler. 2020
At 17 years old, Chloe Kim became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding medal. She was the first…
snowboarder to win halfpipe gold at the Olympics, the World Championships, and the X Games. Kim's hard work and determination make for an exciting story in this winning biography.Michael B. Jordan (Influential People)
By Celina McManus. 2020
Megan Rapinoe: World Cup Champion (Sports Illustrated Kids Stars of Sports)
By Matt Chandler. 2021
As a child, Megan Rapinoe watched her brother play soccer. It wasn't long before she was kicking the ball around.…
Her playing career has gained much success, and the left winger is now known as a leader on and off the field. In 2019, she played for the U.S team that won the World Cup. Discover Rapinoe's journey to becoming a world star in this thrilling biography in the Stars of Sports series.Stephen Curry (Influential People)
By Matt Lilley. 2020
Stephen Curry is one of the top players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Now he uses his fame to…
give back to others. Learn more about how Curry became an NBA star!Adam Thielen: Football's Underdog Star (Sports Illustrated Kids Stars of Sports)
By Matt Chandler. 2021
Adam Thielen always knew he wanted to play in the NFL. From growing up watching Randy Moss and the Vikings…
to playing at a small Division II college, his path to the NFL hasn't always been a straight line. After initially making the Vikings roster in 2013, he was cut to the practice squad. Now, he's Minnesota's top wide receiver. Learn more about Thielen's path to football fame in this exciting biography in the Stars of Sports series.Auston Matthews: Hockey Dynamo (Stars of Sports)
By Shane Frederick. 2020
Auston Matthews felt at home on the ice as soon as he stepped onto a rink as a kid. Soon…
hockey scouts watched him closely as he broke records in the youth hockey. After signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he made an immediate impact by being the first player in the modern era to score four goals in his National Hockey League debut. Learn about the rise of a three-time NHL All-Star in this exciting, fast-paced biography.Kevin Durant: Basketball Champion (Stars of Sports)
By Matt Chandler. 2020
Standing over 6 feet tall while in middle school, Kevin Durant seemed destined for basketball greatness. He was heavily recruited…
after high school and never folded to the pressure. From NBA rookie of the year to the NBA finals MVP, Durant has proven himself time and time again. This fresh biography from the Stars of Sports series breaks down his extraordinary list of accomplishments.Mamie on the Mound: A Woman in Baseball's Negro Leagues
By Leah Henderson. 2020
Mamie "Peanut" Johnson had one dream: to play professional baseball. She was a talented player, but she wasn't welcome in…
the segregated All-American Girls Pro Baseball League due to the color of her skin. However, a greater opportunity came her way in 1953 when Johnson signed to play ball for the Negro Leagues' Indianapolis Clowns, becoming the first female pitcher to play on a men's professional team. During the three years she pitched for the Clowns, her record was an impressive 33-8. But more importantly, she broke ground for other female athletes and for women everywhere.Kawhi Leonard: Pro Basketball Champion (Sports Illustrated Kids Stars of Sports)
By Shane Frederick. 2021
Kawhi 'the Klaw' Leonard is a well-known name in basketball. At a towering height of 6 feet, 7 inches, Leonard…
is one of the most dominant defenders in the NBA. Leonard was just 20 years old when he was first drafted in the NBA. Since then he has had many triumphs and has helped lead his teams to greatness. Discover more about Leonard's career highlights in this exciting biography in the Stars of Sports series.Aly Raisman: Gold-Medal Gymnast (Sports Illustrated Kids Stars of Sports)
By Matt Chandler. 2021
Aly Raisman started gymnastics when she was just 2 years old. In 2011, she helped the U.S. gymnastics team win…
the World Championships. The next year she participated in her first Olympic Games in London. Discover more about Raisman's highlights in gymnastics in this exciting biography in the Stars of Sports series.