Biography & Autobiography : Sports

More than a star pitcher and accomplished coach, Mel Stottlemyre has a history that serves as a behind-the-scenes tour of four decades of baseball. From Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford to Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry to Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, Stottlemyre connected generations of stars during a remarkable career. The fact that he had a complicated, sometimes bitter relationship with George Steinbrenner for thirty years adds a layer of melodrama to the story of one of the classiest men ever to wear pinstripes—for both the Yankees and the Mets. In his long-awaited autobiography, Stottlemyre tells his story in colorful detail, from his days as a rookie sensation on the last of the great Mantle teams to those as trusted pitching coach during the Joe Torre administration. Along the way he takes readers inside the clubhouse of championship ball clubs, describing the defiance of the '86 Mets, from manager Davey Johnson on down, that defined them as champions but then destroyed them prematurely. Stottlemyre also recalls the true grit and selflessness that helped make Torre's Yankees a dynasty from 1996 to 2000. Finally, there are the ups and downs with Steinbrenner, from standing up to the Boss during some hilarious staff meetings to getting caught in the line of fire of Steinbrenner's constant second-guessing. Three times a twenty-game winner before a shoulder injury abruptly ended what could have been a Hall of Fame career, Stottlemyre had the misfortune of pitching during one of the longest championship droughts in Yankees history, but then won five championship rings as pitching coach with the Mets and the Yankees. All told, in coaching the likes of Gooden, David Cone, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, and many others, Stottlemyre has perhaps worked with more great pitchers than anyone in baseball history. And he has stories to tell about each of them. Off the field, Stottlemyre lost a young son to leukemia, and speaks openly abou more...

Price: $19.95

The definitive biography of the powerful commissioner who masterminded theSuper Bowl and changed professional sports forever. Pete Rozelle built a sports empire. He invented the Super Bowl, tripled the size of the NFL, and turned football into a billion-dollar business. Before he came along, Monday was just anotherweeknight. Rozelle was the archetype of the modern sports commissioner and one of Time magazine’s100 most important people of the 20th century. In Rozelle , critically acclaimed biographer Jeff Davis goes deep into the extraordinary life of thislegendary figure. Showcasing exclusive interviews with more than a hundred of Rozelle’s familymembers, colleagues, admirers, and detractors, Davis weaves a compelling narrative fabric that masterfullyspans Rozelle’s life from childhood through his days as an executive with the L. A. Rams, to his triumphs as commissioner of the NFL and his everlasting impact on the American way of sport. more...

Price: $27.95

Motivational life lessons and observations from one of Australia's most respected cricketers. more...

Price: $17.45

Some Day takes you deep inside the 2007 World Surfing Tour for the real story on how Australian Mick Fanning took down the greatest surfer in history, Kelly Slater, for his first world title. more...

Price: $20.95

When Heather Byer moved to New York from the Midwest in the early 1990s, she was like thousands of newcomers before her: wholesome, overeducated, ready to jump head-first into the ruthless, exciting world of literature or film. She eventually built a successful career as a movie executive, only to realize that something was missing from her life. She was stuck -- stuck in a lifestyle of fancy lunches and high-powered temper tantrums, of working too hard for too little personal fulfillment. But instead of turning to therapy or yoga to relieve her angst, Heather found herself drawn to the dark and seductive world of pool. In Sweet, Byer recounts her first fumbling attempts to learn a game that beckoned to her for years. She describes the hypnotic pull that surrounds the sport of pool: the netherworld of bars that serve as dens for substance abuse; the troubled players who lose themselves in the game; the constant quest for the win. As her game improves, she finds her persona changing, becoming less verbal and analytical and more intuitive and physical as she meets a series of people who leave lasting impressions -- a lanky, country-boy pool instructor; a good-hearted lawyer with a drinking problem; a strange South American bank-shot specialist; a hot-tempered woman with a nose-ring and an endless supply of sex appeal; mentors and hustlers; friends and lovers. As she moves through this beguiling, sometimes treacherous subculture, Byer vividly describes her progress and mishaps on the tables. Ultimately, the humiliating losses and exhilarating wins -- both in the pool bars and her personal life -- alter how she thinks of the game and herself. Sweet is both an unexpected memoir and a fascinating glimpse into a world few people know and even fewer understand. more...

Price: $15.00