Sportbiographien

In 1881, a little girl was born in Turkey to an Armenian father and a French mother. Her life's journey would eventually lead her to immigrate to America, marry, and run a training camp in Chatham Township, New Jersey, that would host twelve world heavyweight champions and no fewer than seventy-eight International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees. In a well-researched biography, boxing enthusiast Gene Pantalone shares the story of Madame Bey-a remarkable and fiery pioneer of women in business-who stood tall in a sport of men. Pantalone details the history of boxing and the life of Bey as she demanded exemplary behavior from the toughest of men. He shines a light on her ability to connect with people without preconceived notions, her roots in government and opera, and her friendship with President William McKinley. Included are bios of the notable boxers during Madame Bey's era. Madame Bey's: Home to Boxing Legends shares the fascinating story of an aristocratic woman who managed a training camp for world champion boxers during the early twentieth century.

A Powerful True Story of Triumph, Collapse, and RedemptionJimmy has the kind of story they make movies about. He was born into the type of poverty that nobody ever escapes. But, from an early age, he showed an uncanny ability to defy the odds. Jimmy went to the prestigious Howard University on a baseball scholarship, and seemed on track to leave the legacy of generational poverty behind. But, after five years, he left Howard, without a degree and without much hope for his future.But, Jimmy knew how to work hard. Through a combination of ambition and good fortune, he left the world of menial jobs by discovering his true passion and talent, managing golf courses. Golf would take him all the places he once hoped baseball would. Jimmy became the first African-American president and partner in Golf Course Specialist's history. A recognized community leader, his life was chronicled in the Golf Channel's 2011 special, Golf in America: The Jimmy Garvin Story. He is also is the recipient of Proclamations from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Florida. But, while he steadily climbed to the top of his profession, he made a few ill-advised decisions.After finally achieving everything he had ever hoped for, everything once again came crashing down as he faced a federal indictment for a crime he didn't commit. Would Jimmy be able to get his life back on course after this seemingly complete fall from grace?Legacy of a Common Man is a story of resiliency and ambition in pursuit of the american dream and just how fragile that dream can be. Get inspired by one of America's great-untold stories. "From a broken childhood of poverty to a career torn apart by scandal, the lessons Garvin learned have been captured in this inspiring read. As the title of the book suggests, the journey was uphill for Garvin, but he's still walking in his field of dreams."-Tim Rosaforte Golf analyst, PGA insider, author and award-winning writer

THE ONLY THING BELIEVABLE ABOUT TONY CONIGLIARO'S STORY IS THAT IT HAPPENED. TONY C, by Boston sportswriter David Cataneo, takes readers through the soaring heights and desperate lows of the iconic Red Sox player-from the "Ted Williams confidence" of his early years and heart-throbbing, record-breaking stardom, to the desperation, comebacks, and final ordeal. Conigliaro's wild, off-the field life is also covered in depth - from his playboy adventures and pop star fame, to his confrontations with Carl Yastrzemski and Dick Williams, and failed attempt to make it as a pitcher. The complicated personality of one Boston's greatest baseball icons is revealed-the mix of brashness and insecurity-the intense nature and deep pride that were challenged to levels few are ever forced to endure. How different things could have been for Tony C, for his family, for the Red Sox Nation, had he not been in the box that fateful night in August, 1967, had his cheekbone not been shattered, and with it, his dreams, his career, and ultimately his life. But there he stood, and there he fell, and the story of the devastation from that pitch is one of the most dramatic and tragic in the annals of sport.

In 1970, Chris Bonington and his now-legendary team of mountaineers were the first climbers to tackle a big wall at extreme altitude. Their target was the south face of Nepal's Annapurna: 12,000 feet of steep rock and ice leading to a 26, 454-ft. summit. As serious armchair climbers will tell you, Annapurna South Face is better than all but a handful of equally gripping classics. One could also argue that all that has happened in the big mountains in the past 30 years has come out of this expedition and out of this book. Bonington and his team—most of whom subsequently died in the mountains—represented a kind of "greatest generation" of modern mountaineers. They pioneered a new, bolder approach to high altitude climbing, and this book is about how they hit the big time.

The number one selling sports writer for children reviews the life of the best women's soccer player in the world in the thirteenth biography in his popular series

This book chronicles Randy Gordon's 40-plus years in professional boxing as a broadcaster, ring announcer, NY State Athletic Commissioner, editor of Ring Magazine, and host of SiriusXM's "At the Fights." It includes stories featuring Muhammad Ali, Alexis Arguello, and Mike Tyson, and provides a behind-the-scenes look at the politics of the sport.

Glen Sharp's boxing career was a rise-and-fall story without so much rise in it. A sparring partner for heavyweight Hall of Famer Yaqui Lopez, he ""retired"" with a record of one victory and two defeats. Told with heart and wit, his memoir is a treatise on boxing as both profession and purpose.

In September 1972, Rodney Milburn won the Olympic gold medal in the men's 110 metre hurdles. Raised amidst segregation and poverty in the 1950s and 60s, Milburn honed his skills on a grass track over wooden hurdles. This biography chronicles his rise from poverty to international athletic stardom.

This first biography of W. Glenn Killinger highlights his tenure as a nine-time varsity letterman at Penn State, where he emerged as one of the best football, basketball and baseball players in the United States. Situating Killinger in his time and place, the author explores the ways in which home-front culture during World War I--focused on heroism, masculinity and sporting culture--created the demand for sports and sports icons and drove the ascent of college athletics in the first quarter of the 20th century.

Our captain and leader has not left us, today, tomorrow, this year, next ... Our endeavors will reflect our love and admiration for him.”—Honorary plaque to Munson in Yankee StadiumThurman Munson is remembered by fans as the fiercely competitive, tough, and—most of all—inspiring Yankee captain and champion from the wild Bronx Zoo years. He is also remembered for his tragic death, at age thirty-two, when the private plane he was piloting crashed in Canton, Ohio, on August 2, 1979.Munson is the intimate biography of a complex and larger-than-life legend. Written by former Yankees public relations director Marty Appel, who worked closely with Thurman throughout his career, Munson captures the little-known details of the young man from Canton and his meteoric rise to stardom in baseball's most storied franchise. Appel examines the tumultuous childhood that led Thurman to work feverishly to escape Canton—and also the marriage and cultural roots that continually drew him back.Appel also opens a fascinating door on the famed Yankees of the 1970s, recounting moments and stories that have never been told before. From the clubhouse and the dugout to the front office and the owner's box, this thoughtful baseball biography delves into the affectionately gruff captain's relationships with friends, fans, and teammates such as Lou Piniella, Bobby Murcer, Graig Nettles, and Reggie Jackson, as well as his colorful dealings with manager Billy Martin and his surprisingly close bond with owner George Steinbrenner. Munson paints a revealing portrait of a private Yankee superstar, as well as a nostalgic and revelatory look at the culture—and amazing highs and lows—of the 1970s New York Yankees teams. More than a biography, Munson is the definitive account of a champion who has not been forgotten and of the era he helped define—written with the intimate detail available only to a true insider.www.doubleday.com

Readers searching for an authentic American success story will appreciate this biography about Leo F. Houck, a premier middleweight boxer of the early 1900s, Penn State boxing coach, and devoted family man from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Roberto "Bobby" Maduro (1916-1986) was a visionary baseball team owner and executive. His dedication to promoting the game internationally from the 1950s to the 1970s remains unrivalled. This book tells his story.

In baseball, one record shines as the most coveted for batters: four home runs in a single game. Only eighteen players have accomplished this feat, making it rarer than the perfect game. This book profiles these batsmen, detailing their lives, the game that launched them into the four-home-run club, and their careers after that triumphant moment.

Coach Les Steckel understands that life is difficult. It''s marked by disappointments and defeats. But what''s important is what you do with those defeats. One Yard Short is the amazing story of Les Steckel. A coach for 32 years, with 23 of those seasons coaching in the NFL, Steckel has been through his shares of ups and downs, having experienced the pain and disappointment of job loss time and time again in a way that only professional sports coaches know. A lesser man would have given up and become bitter, but in the midst of each disappointment, each "failure," God was there, picking him up, dusting him off, telling Coach Steckel that He believed in him and that there was a special plan for his life. In One Yard Short, Coach Steckel teaches readers through his own life lessons and football experiences how to hear God''s voice in the midst of disappointments and failures.

Shishapangma follows the 1982 expedition in which Doug Scott, Alex MacIntyre and Roger Baxter-Jones made one of the most audacious Himalayan ascents - Shishapangma's unclimbed South-West Face.