Sportbiographien

Dive into the extraordinary journey of Shaquille O'Neal, a towering figure both on and off the basketball court. In this riveting biography, discover the life and legacy of the 7-foot-1-inch, 325-pound center who transcended the game of basketball to become an iconic sports personality.From his early days as a dominant force in college basketball with the LSU Tigers to being the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic, Shaq's impact was immediate. Winning the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1992-93 and leading the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals showcased his prowess. The narrative unfolds as he transitions through six teams over his illustrious 19-year NBA career, securing four NBA championships and leaving an indelible mark as one of the greatest centers of all time.Uncover the highs and lows, the triumphs and challenges, as O'Neal navigates his career, including the historic three-peat with the Los Angeles Lakers and the championship victory with the Miami Heat in 2006. Delve into the intense dynamics with teammate Kobe Bryant, the mid-career trades, and his eventual retirement with the Boston Celtics in the 2010-11 season.Beyond the court, explore Shaq's diverse ventures - from rap albums to electronic music production, from blockbuster films to reality shows, and from NBA team ownership to his role as general manager in the NBA 2K League. Engaging and inspiring, "Shaq: Larger Than Life" is a comprehensive tribute to an NBA legend and a multifaceted cultural icon.

Embárcate en un viaje apasionante a través de la extraordinaria carrera de Rafael Nadal Parera, el maestro español del tenis cuyos logros sin igual han consolidado su estatus como uno de los mejores jugadores en la historia del deporte. Nacido el 3 de junio de 1986, la carrera ilustre de Nadal se ha destacado por numerosos hitos, incluyendo asombrosas 209 semanas como el número 1 del mundo en individuales, cinco finales de año como número 1, y un impresionante total de 22 títulos de Grand Slam en individuales masculinos.Conocido por su destreza en las canchas de arcilla, Nadal ostenta un récord de 14 títulos en el Abierto de Francia, y sus 81 victorias consecutivas en arcilla son la racha de victorias más larga en una sola superficie en la Era Abierta. Como parte del famoso Big Three junto a Roger Federer y Novak Djokovic, Nadal ha desempeñado un papel central en la configuración del tenis masculino durante más de una década.Esta biografía profundiza en el ascenso de Nadal como uno de los adolescentes más exitosos en la historia del ATP Tour, capturando sus numerosos triunfos, incluyendo la histórica victoria en Wimbledon en 2008 y su medalla de oro olímpica en los Juegos de Beijing. Con un potente revés de zurdo y un impresionante historial en juegos de devolución y puntos de quiebre ganados, el estilo de juego de Nadal ha dejado una marca indeleble en el deporte.Fuera de la cancha, se exploran las iniciativas filantrópicas de Nadal y sus contribuciones al tenis, desde ganar el Premio Stefan Edberg a recibir los honores del Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. Este libro proporciona una exploración en profundidad del legado de Nadal, desde su dominio en la cancha de tenis hasta su impacto como una figura influyente en el mundo del deporte y más allá.

Embark on a compelling journey through the extraordinary career of Rafael Nadal Parera, the Spanish tennis maestro whose unparalleled achievements have solidified his status as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Born on June 3, 1986, Nadal's illustrious career has been marked by numerous milestones, including an astounding 209 weeks as the world No. 1 in singles, five year-end No. 1 finishes, and an unprecedented 22 Grand Slam men's singles titles.Known for his prowess on clay courts, Nadal boasts a record 14 French Open titles, and his 81 consecutive wins on clay stand as the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era. As part of the famed Big Three alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Nadal has played a central role in shaping men's tennis for over a decade.This biography delves into Nadal's rise as one of the most successful teenagers in ATP Tour history, capturing his numerous triumphs, including the historic Wimbledon victory in 2008 and his Olympic singles gold at the Beijing Olympics. With a powerful left-handed forehand and an impressive record in return games and break points won, Nadal's playing style has left an indelible mark on the sport.Off the court, Nadal's philanthropic endeavors and contributions to tennis are explored, from winning the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award to receiving the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year honors.This book provides an in-depth exploration of Nadal's legacy, from his dominance on the tennis court to his impact as an influential figure in the world of sports and beyond.

The Women Coach Internship Programme, launched at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, was a resounding success and created enduring bonds of friendship and support.When the women crowded into a small room in the Athletes Village for their first meeting, no one knew what to expect and there was no hint that something extraordinary was about to happen. But almost immediately, a powerful connection was established.Their diverse backgrounds range from growing up in farming communities to small towns to sophisticated urban centres. All were athletes, all are committed to improving opportunities for girls to succeed in sport and in life, and all have a strong desire to give back to sport, which has given them so much.This book is testimony to these remarkable women and demonstrates that much is possible when talent, determination, discipline, and courage come together.

La première biographie de Philippe Thys, un des grands noms du cyclisme mondial.En ce temps-là, le Tour de France comptait près de 5.400 kilomètres, soit 50% de plus qu'aujourd'hui. C'est dire si l'exploit de l'Anderlechtois Philippe Thys est à inscrire dans la légende de la "grande boucle". Deuxième Belge, après Odile Defraye, à remporter la plus prestigieuse épreuve cycliste au monde, il gagna en 1913 la première de ses trois victoires au Tour à la moyenne respectable de 26,7 km/h (elle tourne à présent autour de 40 km/h).Il fut le premier à signer pareil triplé et figure encore aujourd'hui parmi les plus jeunes vainqueurs de l'épreuve puisqu'il remporta son premier succès à moins de 24 ans. Sans la Première Guerre Mondiale, il aurait sans doute signé d'autres victoires, le conflit ayant interrompu l'épreuve pendant cinq ans alors qu'il était à l'apogée de sa carrière. Après avoir servi dans l'Armée de l'air française pendant la Guerre, Philippe Thys remporta son 3e Tour en 1920. Coureur multi-terrains, il s'illustra à la fois sur la route, dans les labourés et sur piste. La légende veut qu'il soit l'inventeur du maillot jaune, pull qu'il portait pour être mieux reconnu par le public en tant que leader du classement général.

A Winter Way of Life is the true story of our family spending forty-five-plus winters racing and training sled dogs. These are some of the true stories and problems that are part of the sport of running sled dogs. When you stand on a wooden sled, and there are rows of dogs running in unison, where the only sounds are the soft sound of the dogs' feet hitting the snow and of the runner sliding along the snow, you get lost in the world. You are on top of the world, as nothing can bother you as the dogs pull you through this wonderland. The leaders that you put your faith in need no commands to keep you safe on your journey. I need to thank my wife, who put up with me and all the things I put her through, some good and some just bad. To my wife, my family, and all my friends who made this possible, this book is for you.

Sports journalist, Patrick Freeman, unravels the intricacies of navigating the grand stage of the Super Bowl and inspires you to harness its potential to the fullest. With almost 30 years of experience in sports broadcasting and having covered 24 Super Bowls, Freeman offers a wealth of knowledge on networking, relationship building, seizing opportunities, and making the most of designated spaces like radio row-a privilege like no other in the world of media.In Maximizing The Big Game, Freeman provides readers with unique insights gleaned from his extensive career, covering not only the NFL but also a variety of other athletic events. From exclusive mixers and private parties to industry panel discussions and corporate-sponsored events, Freeman shares valuable strategies for maximizing networking efforts and fostering long-term collaborations amidst the dynamic environment of the Super Bowl.Throughout this compelling journey, readers will gain unparalleled access to Freeman's experiences and triumphs, coupled with motivational guidance that empowers individuals to develop resilience, thrive in times of change, and attain personal and professional triumph. Whether you're a seasoned journalist or an aspiring broadcaster, "Maximizing The Big Game" is tailored to equip you with the skills and insights needed to navigate the extraordinary opportunities presented by the Super Bowl.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A TIME MUST-READ BOOK OF THE YEAR • From the nine-time women’s basketball icon and two-time Olympic gold medalist—a raw, revelatory account of her unfathomable detainment in Russia and her journey home.“Compelling . . . An intimate, honest recollection of Griner’s time held captive in Russia. Coming Home reads as a deeply personal, publicly powerful documentation of what happened—what is still happening—to her body and mind.” —Slate On February 17, 2022, Brittney Griner arrived in Moscow ready to spend the WNBA offseason playing for the Russian women’s basketball team where she had been the centerpiece of previous championship seasons. Instead, a security checkpoint became her gateway to hell when she was arrested for mistakenly carrying under one gram of medically prescribed hash oil. Brittney’s world was violently upended in a crisis she has never spoken in detail about publicly—until now.In Coming Home, Brittney finally shares the harrowing details of her sudden arrest days before Russia invaded Ukraine; her bewilderment and isolation while navigating a foreign legal system amid her trial and sentencing; her emotional and physical anguish as the first American woman ever to endure a Russian penal colony while the #WeAreBG movement rallied for her release; the chilling prisoner swap with Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout; and her remarkable rise from hostage to global spokesperson on behalf of America’s forgotten. In haunting and vivid detail, Brittney takes readers inside the horrors of a geopolitical nightmare spanning ten months.  And yet Coming Home is more than Brittney’s journey from captivity to freedom. In an account as gripping as it is poignant, she shares how her deep love for Cherelle, her college sweetheart and wife of six years, anchored her during their greatest storm; how her family’s support pulled her back from the brink; and how hundreds of letters from friends and neighbors lent her resolve to keep fighting. Coming Home is both a story of survival and a testament to love—the bonds that brought Brittney home to her family, and at last, to herself.

This little book Basketball Portraits of oil paintings by Thomas Crawford of thirty-one of the greatest basketball players of the twentieth century includes their brief biographies and statistical records.

The exhilarating true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel, and inspire a ?wave of confidence and emancipation? for women in sports (Parade).By age twenty, at the height of the Jazz Age, Trudy Ederle was the most accomplished swimmer in the world. She'd won Olympic gold and set a host of world records. But the greatest challenge remained: the English Channel. Only a few swimmers, none of them women, had ever made the treacherous twenty-one mile crossing. Trudy's failed first attempt seemed to confirm what many naysayers believed: No woman could possibly accomplish such a thing.In 1926, Ederle proved them wrong. As her German immigrant parents cheered her, and her sister and fellow swimmer Meg helped fashion both her scandalous two-piece swimsuit and leak-proof goggles, Trudy was determined to succeed. ?England or drown is my motto,? she said, plunging into the frigid Channel for her second attempt at the crossing. Fourteen hours later, two hours faster than any man, and after weathering a gale and waves that approached six-feet, she stepped onto Kingsdowne Beach as the most famous woman in the world.Based on years of archival research that unearthed Ederle's memory from obscurity, Young Woman and the Sea brings to life the real Trudy Ederle, the challenges that came with her fame, and the historic mark her achievement made for all women athletes who followed.

FIGUREHEAD FOR WOMEN'S EMANCIPATION THE FIRST FEMALE WORLD CHAMPION CYCLING STUNT WOMAN AVIATION PIONEER COMEDY ACTRICE WWI HEROINE AMBASSADRICE JOURNALIST This biography finally reveals the life story of one of the most amazing heroines. Many of the obstacles shehad to overcome are still burning. More than a portrait of Hélène, this book is also the story of a long-running 'battle of the sexes', a story of courage and perseverance, of falling (literally) and getting up, of big and small dreams and of an unquenchable desire for adventure. Born as the daughter of an army officer in Tournai (Belgium), Hélène Dutrieu was destined for a life as a house- wife or a cotton mill worker. Hélène, however, sees more potential in a life as a cyclist. It turned into an adventurous life that made Dutrieu a household name from Paris to New York in the early twentieth century.

Grandmaster Yeon Hwan Park is one of the most critical players in the development and perpetuation of Olympic Taekwondo. This updated Biography, and book of philosophy, takes us from his humble beginnings in an impoverished Korea, the birthplace of Taekwondo, until today, where it is the most practiced martial art in the world.Yeon Hwan Park is an extraordinary man and martial artist. He is a 9th degree Black Belt, a former US Olympic Coach, a Taekwondo Hall of Fame recipient, author, lecturer, and Taekwondo scholar. He is also a philanthropic family man and community leader.This book takes the reader along a journey, as told by a living legend-Grandmaster YH Park."Every master has a personal story to tell and some are presented more compellingly than others. This book covers the life of an esteemed grandmaster and, if you can take inspiration from it you should." -World Champion Taekwondo Master, Erica Linthorst

No player in the history of baseball has left such an indelible mark on the game as San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds. In his twenty-year career, Bonds has amassed an unprecedented seven MVP awards, eight Gold Gloves, and more than seven hundred home runs, an impressive assortment of feats that has earned him consideration as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. Equally deserved, however, is his reputation as an insufferable braggart, whose mythical home runs are rivaled only by his legendary ego. From his staggering ability and fabled pedigree (father Bobby played outfield for the Giants; cousin Reggie Jackson and godfather Willie Mays are both Hall of Famers) to his well-documented run-ins with teammates and the persistent allegations of steroid use, Bonds inspires a like amount of passion from both sides of the fence. For many, Bonds belongs beside Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron in baseball's holy trinity; for others, he embodies all that is wrong with the modern athlete: aloof; arrogant; alienated.In Love Me, Hate Me, author Jeff Pearlman offers a searing and insightful look into one of the most divisive athletes of our time. Drawing on more than five hundred interviews -- with former and current teammates, opponents, managers, trainers, friends, and outspoken critics and unapologetic supporters alike -- Pearlman reveals, for the first time, a wonderfully nuanced portrait of a prodigiously talented and immensely flawed American icon whose controversial run at baseball immortality forever changed the way we look at our sports heroes.

Part sports star, part antihero, part hip-hop icon, Allen Iverson has managed to cross over into the mainstream of American culture -- without compromise. Defiantly tattooed, with his hair in cornrows, the six-foot Philadelphia 76ers point guard is one of the most recognizable and controversial stars of the sports world. His meteoric rise from a troubled childhood in the ghetto to NBA superstardom has been marked by five straight playoff appearances, including a finals berth in 2001 and an MVP award. From his rap sheet to his rap album, fans and journalists alike hound his every move. But never before has a biographer presented a full portrait of this complicated and intensely private star -- a man whose loyalty to his family, the streets, and his friends trumps any other concern. Filled with exclusive interview material and unprecedented access to many of Iverson's inner circle, Only the Strong Survive is the first in-depth look at the truth behind this newly minted legend.

Einmal Uwe Seeler begegnen! Oder Günter Netzer. Oder Rudi Völler. Oder Ottmar Walter aus der Weltmeister-Elf von 1954. Marcel Wedow, der Fußball-Fan aus Bad Tabarz, hat es wahrgemacht und seine Fußball-Helden getroffen. "Wie hast du das nun wieder geschafft", fragten seine Freunde - und in diesem Buch erzählt er uns, wie die Begegnungen mit Gerd Müller, Uli Hoeneß und Jürgen Klinsmann verliefen. Wir erfahren, warum Hans Tilkowski vor einer Schule fotografiert wurde und was ein defektes Navi, stinkender Käse oder rote Ampeln mit Fußball zu tun haben können.Ob in Hamburg, München, Kaiserslautern oder Köln oder ... Marcel Wedow schaffte es, dass sein Fußballtrikot mit wachsender Bewunderung von den Größen des deutschen Fußballs signiert wurde. Nicht wiederholbare Episoden mit Franz Beckenbauer, Horst Eckel oder anderen unvergesslichen Fußballern werden lebendig. Bei manchen im Stadion, bei anderen im Wohnzimmer, als Mitfahrer im Auto und mit VIP-Ticket in der Lounge. Wedows Fußball-Helden sind die, die sich geschunden haben, für die Fußball ein Spiel war, in das man sich mit allen Kräften hineinwarf, das wichtiger war als modische Frisuren, Lifestyle oder lohnendes Geschäft. Und ein Buch für Leute, die noch zögern, Unmögliches wahrzumachen.

Er war ein Fußballidol, ein Künstler am Ball, Weltmeistertrainer und Sportfunktionär - kaum ein anderer Fußballer war weltweit so bekannt und beliebt wie Franz Beckenbauer, der Fußball-Kaiser aus dem Münchener Stadtteil Giesing. Und über kaum einen kursieren so viele Geschichte, Anekdoten und Erzählungen. Franz Beckenbauer revolutionierte als unvergleichlich eleganter Defensivspieler den Fußball auf und - als einer der ersten Sport-Medienstars der Bundesrepublik - auch neben dem Rasen. Er verhalf der deutschen Fußball-Nationalmannschaft zu zwei großen Titeln und etablierte den FC Bayern München als einen der ganz großen Clubs des Weltfußballs. Die erfahrenen Journalisten und Fußballfreunde Heinrich Lingner und Wolfgang Gomoll sammelten 100 Fakten, 100 Storys, kleine und große Geschichten, die Franz Beckenbauer als Fußballer, Familienmenschen, Jetsetter, Golfer, Autoliebhaber, Werbestar, Trainer oder als das prägende Gesicht des deutschen Sommermärchens 2006 zeigen. 100 Storys von den Anfängen seiner Karriere in den 1960er Jahren bis zum bewegenden Abschied im Januar 2024.

Most of us have dreamed of sitting in the dugout with our favorite baseball team, and at sixteen Matt McGough was no different. A few months after sending a blind application letter to George Steinbrenner, on Opening Day 1992 Matt found himself walking into the legendary Yankee clubhouse. There, amid the chaos and excitement, he was greeted by none other than his idol Don Mattingly — who promptly played a prank on him.Thus began two years of adventures and misadventures, from being set up on a date by the bullpen to playing blackjack on the team plane to studying for an exam at 3 am in Yankee Stadium. Through these often hilarious experiences, and especially through his friendships with the ballplayers, Matt learned priceless lessons about honor, responsibility, and the importance of believing in oneself. A magical tale of what happens to a young man when his fondest dream comes true, Bat Boy wonderfully evokes that twilight time just before adulthood, ripe with possibility, foolishness, and hard-won knowledge.

Sylveer Maes (Gistel, 1909-1966) won twee keer de Ronde van Frankrijk: in 1936 en 1939. Daarna zou het liefst dertig jaar duren vooraleer er, met Eddy Merckx, weer een Belg 's werelds belangrijkste rittenkoers op zijn naam schreef. Allicht had Maes nog vaker de Tour kunnen winnen, maar uitgerekend in zijn beste jaren brak de Tweede Wereldoorlog uit. En dan was er, niet te vergeten, ook nog die beruchte editie van 1937, toen het Franse chauvinisme het kookpunt bereikte en de moegetergde Belgen vier dagen voor het einde - en met Sylveer Maes in het geel! - uit de Tour stapten. Sylveer Maes blonk uit in de Tour, maar was vooral ook een veelzijdig renner. Hij won bijvoorbeeld Parijs-Roubaix en was daarnaast zowel op de piste als in het veld actief. En toch. Ondanks zijn grootse prestaties lijkt de naam van Sylveer Maes zo'n beetje weggedeemsterd in de nevelen van de tijd. Tachtig jaar na zijn laatste Tourzege haalt Patrick Cornillie hem met deze uitgebreide en rijkelijk geïllustreerde biografie terug uit de vergetelheid.360 pagina's fascinerende lectuur, opgefleurd met een schat aan uniek beeldmateriaal (300 foto's).