Your favorite sports books

Jan 22, 04 1:26

Post #1 of 28 (4156 views)

I'm a jock, always been and there's nothing I like reading more than sports books. I'm always looking for new things to read and with your help I'd like to discover a few "hidden gems" I never thought of.
I'm asking you to come up with your list of favorite books, with author and what it is about.

These are mine, in no particular order:

The Boys of Summer - Roger Khan; Brooklyn Dodgers
The Crunch - Pat Toomay - life in the NFL in the early 70s
Slouching toward Fargo - Neal Karlen - St. Paul Saints minor league baseball and a lot more
Fever Pitch - Nick Hornby - life lived through passion for a soccer team
Loose Balls - Terry Pluto - the history of the ABA
The Curse of Rocky Colavito - Terry Pluto - why the Cleveland Indians will never win again
A Season on the Brink - John Feinstein - a season with Bob Kinght and the Indiana Hoosiers
A Civil War: Army Vs. Navy a Year Inside College Football's Purest Rivalry - John Feinstein
Friday Night Lights - H.G. Bissinger - High school football in Texas
The Junction Boys: How Ten Days in Hell with Bear Bryant Forged a Championship Team - Jim Dent
The Game - Ken Dryden - a year with the most intelligent hockey player of all time
A season with Verona - Tim Parks - a season following Italian soccer team Verona
It's not about the bike - Lance Armstrong
Going Long - Jeff Miller - the history of the AFL
Among the thugs - Bill Buford - the best book about soccer hooligans ever written
Raw Recruits - Alexander Wolff amd Armen Keteyan -scandals in college basketball
Heaven is a playground - Rick Telander - a Summer in a Harlem playground in the 70s
Ball Four - Jim Bouton - a year with a professional pitcher and a lot more

Last edited by: Filippo: Jan 22, 04 1:27

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 2:40

Post #2 of 28 (4151 views)

-Running with the Legends - Michael Sandrock
-Running with the Buffaloes - Chris Lear
-Gold in the Water - P.H. Mullen, Jr.
-Race Across America - Michael Shermer

Read [i]Gold in the Water[/i] and you'll want to do a swim training camp. Read [i]Race Across America[/i] and you'll find yourself looking forward to mega mileage on the bike. Read [i]Running with the Buffaloes[/i] and you'll want to move to Colorado and run all day in the hills.

When I was in elementary school the first sports-related book I ever read was called [i]The Catcher with the Glass Arm[/i]. It was so inspiring to me I probably did three book reports on it in different grade levels.

The deeper you get the sweeter the pain. Don't give up the game until your heart stops beating.
--New Order

Re: Your favorite sports books [itchyghost] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 2:43

Post #3 of 28 (4149 views)

Great! Thanks!

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 4:23

Post #4 of 28 (4141 views)

My fave's are:

Chris Boardman - complete book of cycling.
Ironman world championship 25th.
Performance cycling - various.

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 4:53

Post #5 of 28 (4133 views)

how about "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer.

David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 5:58

Post #6 of 28 (4118 views)

Gold in the water : recommanded by many on this site...I read it last week and...GREAT!

It's not about the bike, Lance Armstrong

Every seconds count, Lance Armstrong

Long Distance : Testing the Limits of Body and Spirit in a Year of Living Strenuouslyby, Bill McKibben Story of a journalist who decides to train like a pro for a year in X-Country skiing...great

A Medal of Honor: An Insider Unveils the Agony and the Ecstasy of the Olympic Dream
by John Morton

Touching the Void : The Harrowing First-Person Account of One Man's Miraculous Survival
by Joe Simpson
a classic climbing (mountaineering) book

Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer

There's more but there not coming to my mind right now. I'll get back if I think of others...

Those are all must read!

Thank's for this good thread and check the one that started like 3 weeks ago on what are u reading right now...got a few good ideas

Richard

Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 6:09

Post #7 of 28 (4111 views)

Assault on Lake Casitas-- Brad Alan Lewis-- how he came to win the last USrowing Olympic Gold with 2x partner Paul Enquist. Total commitment and 'what it takes'. Plain amazing.

Bone Games-- Rob Shultheis-- 'transcendent' experience in sport. Runners high/feeling of invincibility/addiction to motion, movement, effort. Very good.

Cold Oceans-- Jon Turk-- launches and describes three failed expeditions (canoeing across CAN, kayaking the west coast of SouthAmerica, mushing somewhere in Greenland) I dont know why I like it. He doesnt pull any of his epic expeditions off. I think I like him because he just keeps trying.

Why We Run-- Berntd Heinrich-- natural history of running, + his own account of training to set the US ultra record (50mile maybe? not sure...long time since I read it) really good.

Meditations from the Breakdown Lane-- Shapiro-- guy ran solo across the US. His account thereof. Very very good.

Re: Your favorite sports books [Ziva] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 6:43

Post #8 of 28 (4101 views)

Assault on Lake Casitas-- Brad Alan Lewis, I forgot about this one. Very good indeed. check http://www.rowingquotes.com/...0on%20Lake%20Casitas for good quotes of the book.

The Amateurs by David Halberstam
is also really good

Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen

Re: Your favorite sports books [rferron] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 7:02

Post #9 of 28 (4088 views)

Another vote for Touching the Void - Joe Simpson, mountianeering & head game for a guy alone as the shit hits the fan.

To the Edge - Kirk Johnson, an average Joe's introduction to ultra runs.

keep 'em comming, I'm a book freak who loves this stuff.

-christian

Last edited by: cwhitchurch: Jan 22, 04 7:04

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 7:11

Post #10 of 28 (4083 views)

"The Long Walk" by Slavomir Rawicz.
"The Purple Runner" (out of print) author unknown.
"The Tao de Ching" By Lao Tzu, Jane English and Gia fu Feng translation.
"The Art of War" by Sun Tzu.
"Mark Allen's Triathlon Training" By Mark Allen.
"Triathlete's Training Bible" By Joe Friel.
"Going Long" By Gordo.
"Serious Training for Serious Athletes" by Rob Sleamaker.
"Mental Toughness Training for Distance Runners" (unknown).

.....There are so many more......

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Re: Your favorite sports books [Tom Demerly] [ In reply to ]

fiddlesandbikes

Jan 22, 04 7:21

Post #11 of 28 (4076 views)

Once a Runner - John Parker

Wind, Waves, and Sunburn - don't recall the author but it is a history of marathon swimming. It is truly remarkable what these folks were doing in the golden years of swimming.

Re: Your favorite sports books [fiddlesandbikes] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 7:33

Post #12 of 28 (4063 views)

So far so good!

Like Christian said: keep'em coming!

Re: Your favorite sports books [Tom Demerly] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 7:53

Post #13 of 28 (4055 views)

Tom, I have to agree with "The Long Walk" by Slavomir Rawicz, great book...getting across the Gobi like he did, WOW! Running the planet (4 events) seems small compared to what he did for his survival!

I'll check for "The Purple Runner" and see how it looks. The others I have read and also suggest them, there all about sports, in a certain way.

By the way I'm currently reading Warrior Soul, thank's for you're online recommandation, really good.

Richard

Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 8:01

Post #14 of 28 (4052 views)

Another good one :Ultimate High : My Everest Odyssey
by Goran Kropp (Author), David Lagercrantz (Author)

Late Goran Kropp biked from Sweden to Nepal, Climbed Everest without help and oxygen and biked back home. An Odyssey indeed!

Also Letters to Lucilius by Seneque, book on how to live stoically.

Richard

Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen

Last edited by: rferron: Jan 22, 04 8:04

Re: Your favorite sports books [rferron] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 8:05

Post #15 of 28 (4049 views)

Once a Runner is the greatest sports book I have ever read. Arguably the greatest book about running ever written. It's great motivation for workouts.

I'm a runner pretending to be a Triathlete

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 8:48

Post #16 of 28 (4032 views)

Great post!

"Boys of Summer" was also a favorite of mine. If you like baseball, I would also recommend the following:

Any of Thomas Boswell's or Roger Angell's books
These guys are great writers, not just sportswriters

"The Glory of Their Times" by Lawrence Ritter
A fascinating book about turn-of-the-century ballplayers in their own words

"Eight Men Out" by Eliot Asinof
Great account of the Black Sox scandal

As for triathlon, "Running with Lydiard" is a must, as is "Lore of Running" by Tim Noakes, which I am in the middle of right now.

Dave in WI
-----------------------------------------------------
"What you once were isn't what you want to be anymore" - Wilco

Re: Your favorite sports books [baldguy] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 9:49

Post #17 of 28 (4011 views)

I'll second and third the comments on Into Thin Air and Long Distance. Both are very, very good.

Into Thin Air was one of my favorite books of all time... Can anyone recommend some other books that share the same drama and quality of writing?

If you want a book that about modern day baseball management, Moneyball is fantastic.

If you want to read about the good side of college athletics, The Last Amateurs by John Feinstein is pretty good. I wasn't particularly impressed with his prose, but it is a nice story. He follows a season of Patriot League basketball, which is/was one of the last academic/non-scholarship leagues in Division I basketball. If you graduated from one of the schools it is even better (Go Colgate!).

I've heard that Feinstein's behind-the-scenes book about the PGA is very good, though I haven't read it. It was written before Tiger Woods, though.

-Dave

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 9:57

Post #18 of 28 (4009 views)

How about:
Look whose playing first base
Catcher with the glass arm
Kid who only hit homers.....I grew up on Matt Christopher stories.

Instant Replay- Jerry Kramer's account of playing and winning under Coach Lombardi

And to digress a bit, Vision Quest (movie): my motivation for HS sports

Re: Your favorite sports books [tucker] [ In reply to ]

Jan 22, 04 13:22

Post #19 of 28 (3962 views)

Has anyone read the Team Hoyt book?

I saw it on their web site. Very tempting....

-christian

Last edited by: cwhitchurch: Jan 22, 04 13:26

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 25, 04 11:48

Post #20 of 28 (3907 views)

Hi All,

Just a quick note of thanks: THANKS for reading my book, "Gold in the Water"!!!

And...of course a bigger thanks for mentioning it on Slow Twitch. All comments/reviews are much appreciated.

In the past month, I've had a half dozen athletes/friends from California to Florida send me links to these discussion boards. You guys rock. Keep chasing greatness.

Cheers, P.H. Mullen, Author of "Gold in the Water"

phmullen@goldinthewater.com

-------------
P.H. Mullen

Re: Your favorite sports books [phmullen] [ In reply to ]

Jan 25, 04 11:57

Post #21 of 28 (3905 views)

I loved Gold in the Water. I heard about it on this forum (as well as in Gordo's world), and it had lots of great reviews. Great job. I'll be rooting for Wilkens in Athens.

Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 25, 04 12:08

Post #22 of 28 (3901 views)

The Rider by Tim Krabbe, hands down the best novel ever written about cycling (and finally tranlated into English). The guy is a bit off the wall though, so it may not be your style. It's his account of a big amateur race in France he is participating in interspliced with strange, comical, weird or historic tales about cycling and sports. Hard to describe, but it's a cheap paperback so you don't have much to lose.

Gerard Vroomen
3T.bike
OPEN cycle

Re: Your favorite sports books [phmullen] [ In reply to ]

Jan 25, 04 12:38

Post #23 of 28 (3887 views)

I just ordered it (Gold in the Water) along with "Run with the Best", "Breakthrough Swimming" and "Running with the Buffaloes(sp)"

Can't wait.

I read the first few pages of GITW on Amazon and it seemed really really good, but the quickest Amazon can ship it is Feb 11. Right for my birthday too :)

Re: Your favorite sports books [Tom Demerly] [ In reply to ]

Jan 25, 04 13:04

Post #24 of 28 (3883 views)

"The Long Walk" by Slavomir Rawicz. Great book, I read it 30 years ago. Now considered by some to be a work of fiction.

Caught Inside - Daniel Duane. A surfers year on the California coast.

Escape Artist - Mathew Seaton. Story of a beginners transformation to a CAT1 rider in London, and partly his wife's battle with cancer.

Enduring Patagonia - Gregory Crouch. This guy is a brilliant writer, great insight into the climbing mind. Bone chilling(quite literally) accounts of climbing in Patagonia.

Worst Journey in the World - Apsley Cherry Garrad. Just when you think you're tough, riding in winter in S. California, ask yourself this question. Have you ever slept in a tent in a temperature of -77F? The author and 2 others did in 1911 !

Re: Your favorite sports books [Filippo] [ In reply to ]

Jan 25, 04 15:28

Post #25 of 28 (3860 views)

Like others I also liked Gold in the water....but....

the best book of any genre I read all year was Seabiscuit. funny thing was I thought it would suck (I was never interested in horse racing). the only reason I started reading it was I finished another book on a plane and had nothing else to read so out of boredom started reading a friend's copy. brilliant book! could not put it down.

Another good one is My Losing Season by Pat Conroy (of The Great Santini fame)

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