Sports Books

Excellent "bringing back the memories" of some familiar faces in Tar Heel history.Nice to be able to hear from them in past and present tense. A wonderful edition to my library.

As a fan of North Carolina basketball, Scott Fowler's new book is a must for all of us who follow UNC. The information provided on former players is very infomative and well written. It was great to see what these former players had done with their lives and their close ties to the UNC basketball program. This book is a trip down memory lane with additional information that is added to my memories of these players.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book being a lifelong tarheel fan. It was interesting learning more about past heroes and also more recent players. I also thought it was good how Scott Fowler put in the personal tidbits about meeting up with these guys and what Dean and Gut (and Woody) had to say about them.

Being a Tarheel fan I could not put this book down until I finished in a very short period of time.

This is a great book. I can't imagine any true Tar Heel fan who would not want to own this book. Great, easy reading. Very informative. What a pleasure to know what some of these guys, especially the older ones have done with their lives. The only thing wrong with this book is it does not include more of the former players. Here's hoping for a sequel!! Bravo to the author!! If you don't yet own this book what are you waiting for!

I have worked relatively closely with North Carolina basketball for more than a quarter-century and, have gained a great knowledge of the history of the program dating back to the beginning of the Atlantic Coast Conference. As a result, I had a blast reading Scott's book.

It brought back a lot of memories, and got me caught-up with a lot of the biggest names in Tarheel basketball history, as well as with some who may have been forgotten.

It's an easy read, and divided up nicely so that you can read little bits at a time if that's all time permits.

In the late 1970s, when the Mets really hit the skids and the Yankees got good again, it became necessary, if you were a kid in the Tri- State
area, to at least watch the Yankees, perhaps even to grudgingly root for them.  Forced into this spiritually untenable position, I chose to only
root for the scrubs, which made Cliff Johnson my favorite player.  I'll never forget the game where he tagged a pitch and Phil Rizzuto started
screaming that : "That one's outta here", bringing joy to the heart of every Heatchliff fan, only to have his towering popup caught by the
second baseman.  

"The Scooter" was easy to laugh at, with his myriad phobias, his propensity for saying unintentionally offensive things about minorities, his
tendency to leave the ballpark early when the Yankees were home, etc. But then there began appearing in The Village Voice a most
remarkable feature : verbatim text from Scooter's broadcasts rendered as poetry. We were suddenly confronted with the frightening prospect
that Scooter was not only making sense, but serving up literature, even profundity. Consider the wisdom, about baseball and about life [....]

As it turns out, this kind of exercise even has a name, it's called "found poetry." The Rizzuto poems are as good as any I've seen[...].

At any rate, this book is a hoot and once you read it you'll never again think of Rizzuto as just a good glove man, nor listen to a baseball
broadcast without noticing the frequently poetic nature of the announcer's line of patter.

GRADE : A

This literary gem is destined to be handed down from parent to child for generations to come.

Long before there was politics, or correctness, there was Phil Rizzuto. Rizzuto ably scoops up the essense of morality and ethics and fires to first with more deftness than Shakespeare, or that guy from Ireland (I can't remember his name--not Joyce, though; it was somebody else.) The poem we always relate and remember around the old campfire--when we go camping, and we have a fire, is the story Scooter tells in the honored oral tradition of Homer: of live-trapping squirrels in his attic and then letting them loose somewhere over by Yogi's house.

No doubt Rizzuto will forever be linked to the other great American Poets: Frost, Angelou, and Walden.

Some people are good at laying down sacrifice bunts, and some people are good at poetry. But nowadays so few people excel at both. Phil Rizzuto is that rare double-threat, and that's why this book is essential for anyone who likes bunts or poems.

My only complaint is that the editors have left out my all-time favorite Rizzuto moment, which was the time circa 1980 when Rizzuto and Frank Messer spent part of a day game discussing whether or not gorillas can swim. The answer proved elusive, but I have since learned that they can.

Even though it's a short book, a little bit goes a long way with this kind of thing. Use in moderation.

Plus, I miss Bill White's good-natured chuckling.

Still, these "poems" are pretty good at bringing back long-gone hot summer nights.

For me, nothing better epitomizes my age of baseball innocence than falling in love with the WPIX broadcasts of Phil Rizzuto, Frank Messer and Bill White during the late 1970s. This offbeat collection of the Scooter's unintentional poetry in his broadcasts is a graphic illustration of why Rizzuto was a true joy in the broadcast booth even if he wasn't a professional in the Mel Allen-Red Barber mold. I loved the format so much that I've actually reviewed the hundreds of old Yankee radio and telecast tapes in my collection searching for supplements to the collected verse of the Scooter and have found enough that could fill a sequel volume. Thanks to Seely and Pyer for this wonderful collection that no Yankee fan should be without.

AN EXCELLENT STORY ABOUT AN INCREDIBLE MAN. PETE IS A HERO IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. THIS BOOK MAKES HIM HUMAN WITH FLAWS. I REALLY ADMIRE THIS AMAZING MAN. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WHO NEEDS SOME MOTIVATION TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS IN THEIR LIFE. I AM GLAD TO SEE THIS MAN GET THE ATTENTION HE RICHLY DESERVES FOR AN INCREDIBLE FEAT. HE PLAYED BETTER THAN MEN WITH 2 ARMS. IN ANY LEAGUE HE PLAYED, PETE IS A HALL OF FAMER.

As a boy growing up in the West German State of Hess, I came to admire the great national soccor league players of my time. Since coming to the States, I have learned something of The Great American Past time. While initially dubious of the tradition in this country of professional athletisism I, none the less felt proud to meet Mr. Pete Gray while ravelling on extended vacation through the Pennsylvania Anthracite region, (my family owned and operated mines along the Ruhr prior to the war).

Having overcome the obstacles inherent to anyone, of working with the deficiency of one limb, (most particuarly an athlete), Mr. Grays grim determation served as an inspiration to his generation.

While sad that he is little remembered outside his own home town, Kashatus' book brings to us quite vividly his life and times.

As a boy growing up in the West German State of Hess, I came to admire the great national soccor league players of my time. Since coming to the States, I have learned something of The Great American Past time. While initially dubious of the tradition in this country of professional athletisism I, none the less felt proud to meet Mr. Pete Gray while ravelling on extended vacation through the Pennsylvania Anthracite region, (my family owned and operated mines along the Ruhr prior to the war).

Having overcome the obstacles inherent to anyone, of working with the deficiency of one limb, (most particuarly an athlete), Mr. Grays grim determation served as an inspiration to his generation.

While sad that he is little remembered outside his own home town, Kashatus' book brings to us quite vividly his life and times.

As a boy growing up in the West German State of Hess, I came to admire the great national soccor league players of my time. Since coming to the States, I have learned something of The Great American Past time. While initially dubious of the tradition in this country of professional athletisism I, none the less felt proud to meet Mr. Pete Gray while travelling on extended vacation through the Pennsylvania Anthracite region, (my family owned and operated mines along the Ruhr prior to the war).

Having overcome the obstacles inherent to anyone, of working with the deficiency of one limb, (most particuarly an athlete), Mr. Grays grim determation served as an inspiration to his generation.

While sad that he is little remembered outside his own home town, Kashatus' book brings to us quite vividly his life and times.

When Pete Gray reached the St. Louis Browns in 1945, the team was coming off the only pennant-winning season in its history. This fine biography by veteran baseball historian William C. Kashatus relates the story of Gray before, during, and after his stint with the Browns. Sportswriters dubbed Gray the "one-armed wonder." Born Peter J. Wyshner in the grimy coal-mining town of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, Gray at age six lost his right arm in a farming accident. He showed remarkable perseverance, however, and pursued sports with a zeal born of adversity. He overcame his handicap to play semi-pro and later professional ball. In 1943 and 1944 he stared for the Class A Southern Association's Memphis Chicks. In 1944 he hit .333, drove in sixty runs, stole sixty-three bases, led the league in fielding percentage, and was voted the Southern Association's most valuable player. While his handicap certainly raised questions about his ability to play in the major league, his 1944 performance earned him a serious look and the Browns acquired his contract for $20,000. Manager Luke Sewell viewed Gray as a sparkplug whose bat and speed would stimulate the Browns' pitiful offense. His strong fielding could only help in the outfield. The Browns' owner believed the one-armed outfielder would also be a gate attraction, especially for thousands of soldiers returning from World War II with handicaps just as significant as Gray's.

For his part, Gray understood that he was something of a token acquisition for the team, but he believed he could help the perennial American League doormat. And Gray had some spectacular moments, as Kashatus relates. He beat the Tigers all by himself during their first meeting of the season. A reporter with the "Detroit News" opined in June 1945 that no one could any longer be suspicious of the Browns' owner for "hiring the outfielder for box office purposes. That he helps the gate receipts is inevitable, but that he helped the Browns win games now is evident to all who have watched him play." And he did help at the gate. By July 1945 the Browns had won over many die-hard Cardinals fans because of the sympathy and excitement generated by Gray's presence in a Browns uniform.

Unfortunately for Gray and the Browns, the "one-armed wonder" could not sustain his early season success. Once opposing pitchers found his weakness they were merciless. Since he had only one arm he had to start the bat earlier than most other hitters and had less control over it once he began his swing. He had become a star in the Southern Association by murdering fast balls, and he could hit big league ones as well, but he had trouble with curves and change-ups because of his difficulty in altering the bat during his swing. Appearing in seventy-seven games for the Browns, Gray batted only .218 with fifty-one hits in 234 plate appearances. Sewell finally benched him when his hitting tapered off.

In an irony of the first magnitude, the noble experiment of giving a one-armed ballplayer a major league opportunity may have actually cost the Browns the pennant. While his teammates admired Gray's courage and resolution in overcoming a handicap, several blamed their third-place finish on him. According to third baseman Mark Christman: "Pete did a great job with what he had. But he cost us the pennant in 1945. We finished third, only six games out. There were an awful lot of ground balls hit to center field. When the kids who hit those balls were pretty good runners, they could keep on going and wind up at second base [because Gray could not throw the ball in as fast as a two-armed player]. I know that lost us eight or ten ball games because it took away the double play or somebody would single and the runner on second would score, where if he had been on first it would take two hits to get him to score."

When the Browns' 1945 season ended, so did the major league career of Pete Gray. Thereafter he played with several minor league clubs all over the country but retired to his hometown of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, in 1949. He finally died in 2002, but was still alive when Kashatus wrote this short biography and oral histories provided much of the information contained in this work.

I think that this book was really very good. The characters kept me interested in reading more because they didn't seem fictional at all. I'm not much of a reader, but I read this book so fast because I could relate to almost everything that was going on. Understanding what the characters actions is so easy because you can see exactly what they are going through.

I love this book. The main character, Colton Trammel, is written with wonderful depth. The author shows him with all his faults-- not too bright, sometimes cocky and insensitive-- but he's written as such a real, heartfelt character that I grew to care about him almost as if he were a real person. The female characters are also presented in full dimension-- the horrible Grace who doesn't realize she's horrible; sad Dori; and Corinne, who is more like Colton than either of them realize.

Besides the terrific voice and characterizations, there is great humor and a gripping pace to this novel. I can't wait to read more books by A.M. Jenkins.

Although I own 5 copies of this book, I haven't read it yet. Why? Because the boys in my 9th grade English class keep it checked out of my classroom constantly. As soon as a boy returns a copy, the next young man on the waiting list checks it out. I have never seen teenage boys respond to a book like this. Back in August when school started, I only had one copy, but I have purchased 4 additional copies since then. During SSR time, a boy started reading it because I insisted he read something. He would have preferred to put his head down on his desk - absolutely not allowed. He said, "But, Miss, I HATE to read!" I told him that's OK, just stare at the book until the bell rings. That way if the principal had dropped in to make sure we were doing SSR, I wouldn't get in trouble. When the bell rang 15 minutes later, the young man begged me to let take the book home to finish it. He returned it the next morning and started to recommend it to others. Not one boy has yet to read the first 2 pages and not finish the book. Most of my students have read the book in no more than 2 days. Some said that they stayed up all night to finish it because it was so good. No female students have expressed any interest in the book...maybe because the cover has a picture of a baseball on it. As far as I'm concerned, this book works magic on boys. Every boy who has read it in my classes has gone on to read several more books. What more could a teacher ask for? (FYI - My school is in a low socio-economic area, high poverty rate, almost every student is on free/reduced lunch, gang related crime, urban area, etc.)

I absolutely loved this book. It was your everyday life as a teenager in your typical high school. It includes all of the negative things that go on in high school too, so that makes the book a little restrictive for kids younger than 8th grade. But I still liked it. It covered everything from relationships to falling into peer pressure to constantly harassing people. Colt, the main character, is very rude, and really sucks at school work. He is really only good at baseball. But that makes him a bully to everyone around him that he considers, "lower than him". But as he starts to get a taste of what he's been dealing out to everyone when a new girl moves to their school and doesn't take any crap from him. She just sends it right back his way. What made the book so good was when he finally realized how mean he really was to everyone, and he matures. It is kind of eye opening though, because I know there are probably people like that in my school, and I realized that the situations in this book really do happen. But I give you this warning... there are many cuss words, and bad conversations. But it makes up for all of that in the end, I think.

Colt Trammel is trying to make sense of his high school world. His classes are like gibberish, his girlfriend Grace freaks after he tells her he loves her, and his lab partner is a new girl with green hair, for Pete's sake. The only time Colt knows what's going on is when he's playing baseball.

A.M. Jenkins is a master at drawing readers right into the characters. Colt is not a simple jock stereotype. His love for Grace makes him vulnerable, and the failures he experiences in his classes make him feel perpetually stupid.

Colt's struggle with the romantic poets from his English class becomes crucial when his grades drop below what is acceptable for playing athletes. He finds a tutor in Chloe, formerly of the green hair. Jenkins writes their tutoring sessions with humor. Anyone who has struggled to understand classic poems will especially enjoy these parts of the books.

It is also nice to see in a book the boy's side of a painful dating relationship. Readers will sympathize with this supposed tough guy as he pines for Grace, who doesn't treat him well.

Jenkins gives us a three-dimensional character in Colt, who is likable despite some bad choices that will have the reader cringing. OUT OF ORDER is a realistic book, and readers will want to see more of what happens to Colt.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

This book is essential if you enjoy paddling the rivers and creeks of Eastern North Carolina. It not only gives you all the access points, but the distance between them as well. It is very handy when exploring a new paddle trail or trying to locate an access.

I love this book! I have not had time to paddle any trails yet, except one that I had already done before buying the book, but it will be an excellent resource I'm sure. Highly recommended for eastern NC paddlers!

This guide throughly reviews almost every possible paddling destination in the Eastern 2/3rds of North Carolina. The entries provide great details on the runs including drops and difficulties to be aware of before attempting the trip. Descriptions of put-in and take-out locations are well done. Each run includes minimum paddling levels where they apply. A well done guide book.

The information and the way its presented are time saving, interesting and very hepful for anyone interested in pretty accurate info on paddling in eastern NC. It would even be a good book for the non paddler that just wanted some interesting reading on waterways in NC.

No doubt about it - You can't afford NOT to have this book!
The descriptions are great, the tips are sometimes life-saving, and the thought and planning that went into this book is spectacular!

This is a coffee table style book that has pictures from the entire Steelers history, 1933 to now. The photos are great, and there is plenty of Steeler folklore to go around. The text about the Super Bowl years is well written. At the end of the book, you will find a nice records section.

Being a Steelers fan, i did find a couple of errors, but this isn't fine literature. Its not supposed to be! Its just a fun book for browsing or reading straight through. You might want it out during the season or perhaps when the long Summer season rolls around until September. If you are a Steelers fan, its a good pick up.

If you are a true Pittsburg Steelers fan then this book is a must have. It goes back in time to the early days. I bought this book for my husband for his birthday and you would of thought I had bought him a cup of gold. Again, great history on the Pittsburg Steelers.

I gave this to my die hard Steeler fan brother for Christmas. He didn't put it down until dinner and even then stopped just long enough to eat!

Big Ben: 27-4 as a starter (2004-2005 seasons)---only losses (3 of which were injury-related): Patriots, 2004 AFC Championship game (if Plax holds on to sure TD pass, we are only down 7 with about 7+ minutes to go in that game; Ben did some good things and was battling thumb and toe injuries) and also in 2005 (if Randle El doesn't get `cute' and lateral that pass to Ward, we probably win; again, Ben did some good things), as well as the Bengals in 2005 (Ben has beaten Carson Palmer's Bengals 3 times: twice in 2004 and big-time in the AFC Wild-Card game in 2005; Ben had 3 TD passes in this lone defeat and was battling a thumb injury) and Indy in 2005 (as we know, he got revenge in the AFC Divisional Playoff game; Ben threw a TD pass to Ward in this Monday night defeat and was coming off an injury-induced layoff).

Ben's FIRST NFL game: 2004 Pre-season at Ford Field vs. the Lions...last game of 2005 season: 2/5/06 at FORD FIELD, SUPER BOWL XL VICTORY!!!


So Ben didn't play a superb game in Super Bowl XL and there was some controversy...

--Super Bowl IX, 1/12/75: Steelers win 16-6 over the Vikings---Future Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw is only 9 for 14 for 96 yards...BEN WAS 9 FOR 21 FOR 123 YARDS...Bradshaw threw a lone TD...BEN RAN FOR A LONE TD... Future Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton's numbers were putrid: 11 for 26 for 102 yards, 3 interceptions, NO TD's! We were only winning 2-0 going into the third quarter (on a safety); a boring game. The Steelers wore their white shirts and Terry had a beard (the other 3 Super Bowls: black-and-gold shirts, Terry clean shaven)...WE WORE OUR WHITE SHIRTS IN XL AND BEN HAD A BEARD...the game turned on a VERY controversial "fumble-that-wasn't" by the Steelers Larry Brown: the Steelers left the field dejected, the Vikings were in prime territory...then the officials ruled Brown was down before the ball came loose (no way!!!!!)...and the rest is history;

--Super Bowl X, 1/18/76: Steelers win 21-17 over the Cowboys---Future Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach almost pulled out another miracle comeback...Swann's great falling-to-the-ground acrobatic catch led to no points (!);

--Super Bowl XIII, 1/21/79: Steelers win 35-31 over the Cowboys---the Cowboys' Jackie Smith drops a SURE TD pass that would have tied the game AND our go-ahead TD was aided by a very controversial tripping penalty that cost Dallas 33 yards: Lynn Swann fell over Benny Barnes's ankles and, as Bradshaw has admitted, it shouldn't have been a flag...we were ahead 35-17 at one point...Staubach almost brought them back (35-31);

--GAME BEFORE SUPERBOWL XIV: AFC Championship game vs. the Oilers, 1/6/80: Steelers win 27-13---late in the third quarter, officials ruled that Oilers receiver Mike Renfro did not have possession of what appeared to be a game-tying TD (WRONG!!!! He was in bounds; bad, bad call)...and the rest is history...

---Super Bowl XIV, 1/20/80: Steelers win 31-19 over the Rams---Bradshaw threw 3 INTERCEPTIONS and we were losing for most of the game...until Lambert saved our butts by intercepting QB Vince Ferragamo's pass...and the rest is history
(Steelers in the 1970's: regular season---99-44-1; playoffs: 14-4)

NON-STEELER SUPER BOWL "LUCK"---
Super Bowl XXV, 1/27/91: Giants defeat Bills BECAUSE SCOTT NORWOOD BARELY MISSES A RELATIVELY EASY FIELD GOAL, one of the biggest blown plays ever!;
All 3 of the Patriots victories were by exactly 3 points...and the Eagles really blew it with poor clock management (sound familiar?)!;
Super Bowl XXXIV, 1/30/00: Rams defeat Titans, 23-16--- The Rams' Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired. Dyson would have tied the game; Super Bowl V, 1/17/71: Colts beat Cowboys, 16-13, via a field goal... Dallas' Chuck Howley, who picked off two passes, became the first defensive player and the first player from a losing team to be named MVP.



The Steelers have been in the Super Bowl in the 1970's. 1980's, 1990's, and in the new millennium (2000's)---
IX (1975), X (1976), XIII (1979), XIV (played in 1980), XXX (played in 1996), XL (2006)

Big Ben---ONLY QB to ever go to Championship game his first two years; youngest to win the Super Bowl (Steelers: first 6th seed to go/ win; only team to beat #1, #2, and #3 seeds on the road and win; three-way tie for most Super Bowl victories: 5, along with Dallas and San Francisco; tied for second with most Super Bowl appearances: 6, along with Denver [who have `only' won 2])...comparison to other Hall-of-Fame and/or outstanding QBs---
Jim Kelly: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Fran Tarkenton: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Dan Marino: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl;
Kenny Anderson: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl
Len Dawson: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Johnny Unitas: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Joe Theismann: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Brett Favre: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Kurt Warner: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Ken Stabler: won one Super Bowl
Joe Namath: won one Super Bowl;
Phil Simms: won one Super Bowl;
Steve Young: won one Super Bowl;
Also: John Elway: after FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE LEAGUE, won two...after losing 3 very badly!

BEST run in sports history (as confirmed by a Congressional resolution!): won 8 in a row---
Bears (who had an 8-game winning streak), Vikings on the road (who had a 6 game winning streak...and Cowher NEVER won in a dome stadium before!), Browns on the road, and Detroit on 1/1/06 (where, unbeknownst to us at the time, we were headed for 2/5/06!); Bengals on the road (#3 seed, previously beat us), Colts on the road (#1 seed, league's best record, heavily favored, dome stadium, previously beat us; the Fumble, the Tackle, and the Miss), Broncos on the road (#2 seed, favored, 10-0 at home)...and the #1 NFC seeded Seahawks "on the road" in another dome, Detroit's Ford Field (where Big Ben started his NFL career vs. the Lions in the 2004 pre-season!!!)

YOU HAVE TO GET THE TWO-DVD SET "STEELERS: THE COMPLETE HISTORY" (2005; NFL Films), 1933-2004 (too bad they didn't wait a year haha!)---the main feature is 2 hours and 20 minutes long and covers 1933 up to and including Beg Ben's 2004 season; incredible. All the `lean years' (1930's-1960's; 1980's) are covered, NOT just the "glory seasons"---Kordell, Brister, Malone, Stoudt, Hanratty, etc. etc. etc. The bonus feautures are awesome, ESPECIALLY the 45-minute Jerome Bettis special-VERY IRONIC!! You will see Tommy Maddox with the Bus when they were both Rams in 1995...excellent miked-on-the-field comments, often funny, by Bus, Ward, and Cowher...Jan. 2005 AFC lowlights, Hines Ward crying, Jerome's reaction, and the tantalizing hint that Super Bowl XL wil be played in Jerome's hometown of Detroit...which makes what they did in 2005/2006 VERY story book! Also: the Bill Cowher, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Myron Cope, Dick Hoak, and Bill Saul segments/ specials are very entertaining, as is the Super Bowl XIII feature..get this...as well as the SUPER BOWL XL DVD---2005 season highlights included, as well as the 2006 playoffs!

A BOOK FOR NOTJUST STEELER FANS BUT FOR ALL FOOTBALL FANS. THIS BOOK TAKES US THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE TEAM, COVERING THE ROONEY FAMILY, PLAYERS, COACHES, AND SEASON TO SEASON RESULTS. IT ALSO HAS MANY EXCELLENT PICS AND STATS AND A GAME BY GAME SCORE FOR EACH SEASON. THIS IS A MUST READ. A TON FOR THE PRICE. FROM THE EARLY DAYS TO THE TERRIBLE TOWEL (MOSTLY A CRYING TOWEL FOR THE OPPONENTS) THIS BOOK IS MARVELOUSLY FILLED WITH FACTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE MOST DOMINANT TEAM OF ALL TIME.

I've looked everywhere for books or video's that would provide instruction on the proper way to play Straight Pool. There were dozens of players that offered dozens of home-spun versions of the game, but until now, I have been spinning my wheels. This is the best and most comprehensive book that I have ever seen on ANY game of pool. I'm well aquainted with Mr. Capelles previous publications, but none of them even come close to this one. I think the knowledge that a Player gains in Straight Pool is vital to his/her overall growth & skill potential. This book gives more and better information than many Instructors provide. It's worth every penny!

I have skimmed all of the book, have read parts of it carefully, and will continue to consult different chapters from time to time. I seldom play straight pool but practice it quite often. This book showed me some things I didn't know and pointed out some things I knew but hadn't paid enough attention to. It's detailed and thorough. I may not reach my lifetime goal of running 100 balls but this book will put at least a few balls on my occasional high run. It's a good book to read just before going out to hit balls.

This reference guide for pool will show you every possible shot you may have to take. Your game will greatly improve with the tips in this book.

If you want to improve your game, no matter what you play, this book will
greatly help you. This is the difinitive book on straight pool. It leads you through every possible situation you could run accross and shows you how to deal with it. The book can be used as a reference for
any pool game. This book belongs in any serious pool player's library.

i am a above average pool player, this book covers everything. if your looking to excell at pool get this book better than any video you could watch. excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was searching Amazon for some Joe Simpson books and this one popped up. I thought it was one I missed but then saw that Simpson wrote the introduction to it. It seemed pretty entertaining so I bought a copy.

Greg Child's Postcards from the Ledge is hilarious and touching and informative at the same time. I couldn't stop laughing after reading the essay about him showing his elderly mum just how "safe" mountaineering is. In the end he hobbled away like the hurt little boy his mother knew him to be. I enjoyed learning about the nitty gritty facts of mountaineering, from where and how to use the toilet to stinking to high heaven after being on the mountain for so many weeks.

All joking aside, the mountains can be a dangerous place to be. An example of this is when Childs and his group come across a teenage girl who has fallen to her death into a crevasse. There are also some good essays about Alison Hargreaves' death and the world's reaction to a mother's "selfish" need to climb mountains.

And many things can be learned about other countries and cultures from the small details of his visits to these places.

I'd recommend this book to any mountaineering fans. I'm glad I bought it for my collection.

Postcards From The Ledge has something for everyone. From artful and hilarious descriptions of the most unpleasant of bodily functions and living conditions, to thoughtful reflection on the beauty and thrill of an epic climb, Greg Child gives you an insiders view of the trials, tribulations and triumphs of climbing. A must read even if you are not a climber.

I spent most of last weekend reading this book and loving it. I was late for the bus today cause the first thing I did this morning was catch up where I left off. Funnier than hell, descriptive, intelligent, good stuff...

I just recently discovered Greg Child's books and must confess to now being completely addicted. After being in love with THE ASCENT OF RUM DOODLE, the classic [but ancient - i.e. 1950s] mountain humor classic, I thought there could be no rival. Thank God I was wrong and thanks to Greg's mum for whatever she did to contribute to his comic genes. Last week I took this book on a camping trip and each night by the fire would read aloud a few essays to my companions, who looked forward all day to the next hysterically humorous missives the evening campfire would bring from the funniest climber/writer in the world. It makes a person jealous to know that one person can be this fabulously talented, both as climber and writer. Damn, he's good! You will not be able to put this book down. PS Warning: this book often produces side effects of laughing out loud.

This is a great book of short 'stories' about mountaineering that Child has edited from his articles published in magazines. Each of these stories is a well-written perspective on the art of climbing; they cover a wide range of his experiences ranging from sea-level (island cliffs in the Gulf of Tonkin) to the top of the world in the Himalayas. Each of the stories reflects to Child's own experiences over the last 10-20 years and the philosophy of climbing that he has developed in this time.

Many of these stories are written with a dry sense of humor (eg, the 10 rules of bivouacs) that reflect Child's personal experiences. Of course, this humor leavens the drama and tragedy that are described in several of the pieces. With the variety of stories that are included in this book, it is distinctly different from 'Thin Air' which covers three different Himalayan expeditions in depth. I'd recommend both highly; the difference in voice shows the range of perspective that Child can generate with his passion for this sport.

I have a ton of books on various aspects of coaching basketball, and this is by far the most comprehensive resource I own. I particularly appreciate Coach Wooden's attention to detail and his down-to-earth, methodical approach.

I'd give it 4.5 stars if that were possible, just because this edition looks like it was run off on a photocopy machine, particularly the photos, but in terms of content, it's almost certain to be the most valuable book in a basketball coach's library.

I found this book to be very informative. This was purchased for my grandson who is a basketball fan and player (age 14) and I am sure that he will be delighted with the book (a Christmas present for him)

Great fundamentals for life and basketball. From overviews to extreme detail.

I HIT THE LOTTERY WHEN I ORDERED THIS BOOK. IT COVERS EVERYTHING ANY COACH NEEDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. YOU WILL NEVER USE EVERYTHING CONTAINED IN THIS BOOK BUT USE THIS BOOK AS AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHAMPIONSHIP BASKETBALL. THIS BOOK COULD BE USED AS THE TEXT FOR A COLLEGE COURSE. IT COVERS ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING

This book is helpful for a coach trying to start a program. There are many things that a new coach could use. The ideas worked well for Wooden 30+ years ago, so some of it could be outdated. But most of it is pretty good. The diagrams are confusing. You need a magnifying glass to follow the cuts of the players. More time could have been spent on the stall section.

I thoughouly enjoyed this book. It is very excellent material about a teenage boy that not only handled wrestling like a business but also had fun doing it. This is a must read for young wrestling fans. I can think of no better example for our youth to follow

If there is a lesson to be taught at the heart of Shawn "Crusher" Crossen's first book, Pro Wrestling Kid's Style, it's that you can accomplish practically anything, even if you are only fourteen years old, if you set your mind to it.

Crossen's narrative recounts how in the mid 1980s, at the tender age of fourteen and showing great maturity, he was successful in setting up, managing and promoting a kid's wrestling league, the National Wrestling Federation, whose matches were shown on cable television . The participants were from Minnesota, and the bouts were staged in a similar manner as viewers would be accustomed to when watching professional wrestlers. There were tag team matches, multiples wrestlers in the ring at the same time, and some familiar comical shenanigans exhibited by the pros.
The wrestlers even adopted colorful stage names and characters as Rough Ryan, Bruiser Bradhoft, Luxury Lane, Man Man Nash, Merciless Mike, and many others.

All of the matches were creatively planned and rehearsed in advance, with the exception of those involving championship titles. Eventually, the latter events were likewise pre-determined.
There was in addition a ring announcer, who contributed to the drama we often associate with professional wrestling.
The popularity of these staged matches even came to the attention of the local media, resulting in several newspaper articles and write-ups.

As the author recounts, the success of the league culminated with the staging of block buster events at the local Armory that attracted sizeable audiences.
Quite amazing were the television camera skills, as well as the marketing and advertising skills Crossen and his participants displayed. They even were able to attract sponsors-something that is quite amazing for young teenagers with no business experience, yet displaying a great deal of maturity.

Although the author's writing is in need of editing, the book is nonetheless an enjoyable read and learning experience, as its moral successfully captures many important lessons on life.

Norm Goldman, Editor of Bookpleasures

Pro Wrestling Kids' Style is the remarkable story of Shawn "Crusher" Crossen, who managed and promoted "The Kids Pro Wrestling Show" which started in 1984 as fun and games but soon spread to thousands of living rooms across the country via cable television and began the National Wrestling Federation, or NWF. For five years, Crossen kept the NWF going with professional poise, and achieved high popularity among kids and adults alike. Yet all good things must come to an end; Pro Wrestling Kids' Style tells of the hard lessons that led to the final NWF bell, and reflects on where the movers and shakers of the NWF are today. A fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse of the inner workings of the 80's wrestling world, which reads briskly and is especially recommended for sports fans.

This is a phenomenal book that should be required reading for all middle school students. Shawn is an inspiration to us all. If you ever have the opportunity to sit and talk with Shawn, I encourage to keep your ears open and soak up every minute. He is not only a remarkable writer but an amazing human being. We need more people like Shawn Crossen in this world and I hope he has the opportunity to share his unique wisdom and talent with the youth of today. They can only benefit.

Follow Shawn "Crusher" Crossen through the journey of his life from a normal teen to a wrestling promoter. Shawn created, started, and promoted the National Wrestling Federation (NWF), a kids wrestling organization, while just a teenager. For five years the NWF was under the control of Shawn Crossen and it was the start of not only the Federation but of what is known today as backyard wrestling except, they actually had venues, they actually had fans, they were on T.V., they were actually wrestling, these teens who stopped at nothing to live their dreams. You not only hear from Crossen in the book, but you see the events through pictures, these young boys living the lives of wrestling superstars. Walking the walk, and talking the talk, Crossen recreates his struggle, his adversities, and his successes in this easy to follow book that all can enjoy. Before this I'd never heard of this league where kids wrestle, but I wish to now see it, and watch the story unfold as I have read it in the book. To see history, to see the performance, to see the life of author Shawn Crossen. Good Job, Shawn, on a great book and a great success.