Drawing from more than 250 interviews to take the first full measure of the Lakers' epic Showtime era, this spectacular account of one of America's greatest sports sagas is jam-packed with colorful characters, vicious rivalries and 1980s-style excess.

"In this definitive biography, veteran sportswriter Tom Callahan shines a spotlight on one of the greatest golfers ever to play the game, Arnold Palmer. The winner of more than ninety championships, including four Masters Tournaments, Arnold Palmer was a legend in twentieth century sports: a supremely gifted competitor beloved for his powerful hitting, his nerve on the greens, and his great rapport with fans. Perhaps above all others, Palmer was the...

"While Hanif Abdurraqib is an acclaimed author, a gifted poet, and one of our culture's most insightful music critics, he is most of all, at heart, an Ohioan. Growing up in Columbus in the '90s, Abdurraqib witnessed a golden era of basketball, one in which legends like LeBron were forged, and countless others weren't. His lifelong love of the game leads Abdurraqib into a lyrical, historical, and emotionally rich exploration of what it means to make...

"Reveals how Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon built, led, and inspired the Chicago Cubs team that broke the longest championship drought in sports, chronicling their epic journey to become World Series champions"-- Provided by publisher. "How did a team of untested young players and carefully selected veterans come together to break the longest championship drought in professional sports? With exclusive interviews with all of the people integral to the...

"Everything you need to know to purchase, maintain, and ride a bike for recreation, commuting, competition, travel, and beyond! From the bike world's most beloved and trusted advocate. Eben Weiss, aka Bike Snob, is the voice of cyclists everywhere. Through his popular blog he has been informing, entertaining, and critiquing the bike-riding community since 2007. With his latest book, The Ultimate Bicycle Owner's Manual, Weiss makes his vast experience...

Readers will learn about some of the most meaningful and fun debates in the world of soccer such as, Messi or Ronaldo? And should video review be added to the sport? This title also features a lightning round of further questions to debate, a glossary, and further resources. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO. Activities for further learning Glossary of...

"A wonderfully informative, exuberant, and entertaining book--part sports history, part personal history--that explores America's romance with baseball through one "perfect game" and the drama of pitching. In Off Speed, Terry McDermott weaves the fascinating story of baseball's 150-year hunt for the perfect pitch. Using the framework of a single game (9 chapters, 9 innings, 9 pitches), he explores the history of every type of pitch, combining the...

"The University of Kansas's men's basketball team is one of the oldest and most successful in the history of college basketball; the very inventor of thesport, Dr. James Naismith, was KU's first coach. Its long and illustrious history began in 1898 and includes some of the biggest names in the game, fromlegends like Wilt Chamberlain to "secret weapons"; like Andrea Hudy, the onlyf emale strength and conditioning coach in the division. Longtime Jayhawk...

"With unparalleled access to Heisman Trophy-winning phenom Johnny Manziel, Bruce Feldman has written a modern-day tale about the making of the next superstars in football's most important position: the quarterback. In the world of modern football, with teams worth a billion dollars or more, no position defines a franchise like quarterback. To tell the story of all that goes on to create the perfect quarterback, bestselling author Bruce Feldman gained...

"A monumental exploration of soccer and society in our time-by its preeminent historian. In the twenty-first century, soccer commands the allegiance, interest, and engagement of more people in more places than any other phenomenon in the world. David Goldblatt-author of the acclaimed, best-selling The Ball Is Round-charts the sport's global cultural ascent, economic transformation, and deep politicization. With breathtaking scope and unparalleled...