Sports Legends

Mark Noble joined the West Ham Youth Academy in 2000 and immediately made an impression. Tenacious, aggressive, brave and full of character, he was the perfect embodiment of West Ham’s values and was seen as having a bright future in the Hammers first team. But nobody could have dreamt of Mark’s career at the club: the most appearances in the Premier League for West Ham United and, by the time of his retirement in 2022, the longest-serving one-club player in Europe – his achievements cemented him as one of the club’s modern legends and earned him the nickname ‘Mr West Ham’.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997, Don Shula remains the winningest coach of all time with 347 career victories and the only undefeated season in NFL history. But before he became the architect of the Dolphins dynasty, Shula was a hardworking kid selling fish on the banks of Lake Erie. As acclaimed sports biographer Mark Ribowsky shows, Shula met serious resistance at home when he asked to play high school football, but when his parents finally relented, they discovered that their son had an unmatched mind for the game's strategy and a stomach for its brutality.

Joe Grudeck is a living legend - a first-ballot Hall of Famer beloved by Boston Red Sox fans who once played for millions under the bright Fenway lights. Now, he finds himself haunted by his own history. Horace Mueller is a different type altogether - working in darkness at a museum blacksmith shop and living in a rundown farmhouse. He clings to an anachronistic lifestyle, fueled by nostalgia for simpler times and a rebellion against the sport-celebrity lifestyle of Cooperstown, struggling to bring his baseball prodigy son to his side. Gods of Wood and Stone is the story of these two men.

A New York Times bestselling sportswriter tells the inside story of how three star players joined together to form the most dominant team in basketball and lead the Boston Celtics to their first championship in more than two decades. The first of "The Big Three" was Paul Pierce. As Boston...

In Serena Williams: The Inspiring Story of One of Tennis' Greatest Legends, you will learn the inspirational story of one of tennis' premier legends, Serena Williams. Williams is arguably the greatest women's tennis player of all-time. At the time of this writing, she holds the most Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era with 23. Fans from across the world adore Williams and with good reason: she serves as an exemplary role model for how to behave on and off the tennis court. She is not only elite in skill, but also in her sportsmanship. In this unauthorized biography, we'll explore Williams' journey to becoming one of the greatest, and learn what it has taken her to reach where she is today.

Fifty years after he coined the iconic phrase "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee", Drew "Bundini" Brown remains one of boxing's most mysterious and misunderstood figures. His impact on the sport and the culture at large is undeniable. Cornerman and confidant to two of the greatest fighters ever - Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali - Brown lived an extraordinary American life.

It’s a reality that athletes take more turns than most at public speaking and therefore provide both exemplary and cautionary examples to the rest of us. In Jock Talk, Beth Levine points out, in a pithy and poignant way, what executives can learn from these examples. Jock Talk candidly examines the public comments of athletes, coaches, and team owners. Their stories serve to illustrate five foundational communication principles that will help you find your best voice and communicate in a way that will build support, reputation, and business.

Inspire kids to be their best selves and get involved in social change with this stunning anthology about thirty-five amazing women in sports around the world and throughout history. Do you play sports? Maybe you dream about scoring a goal on the soccer field or hitting a home run in baseball...

THE FASCINATING INSIDE STORY OF THE QUEST TO BUILD THE WORLD'S MOST AMBITIOUS PROFESSIONAL GAMING LEAGUE--AND THE RACE TO WIN ITS $1,000,000 PRIZE. Welcome to the high-stakes world of esports where shit-talking teenage gamers, billionaire sports franchise owners, and celebrity entrepreneurs are...

From the New York Times bestselling author of Charlie Hustle and Fly Girls comes one of America’s greatest sports stories: the improbable rise of Larry Bird and the Indiana State Sycamores. In the fall 1974, Larry Bird—one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball—was lost, and...

"Was in Las Vegas passiert, bleibt in Las Vegas", heißt es. Für die, die hier leben, bleibt dieses ungeschriebene Gesetz allerdings nicht selten eine Illusion. Denn Geheimnisse kommen schneller ans Licht der "Sin City", als man denkt. Nach einem heißen One-Night-Stand glaubt Cleo Vanderbroek nicht daran, ihrem leidenschaftlichen Liebhaber jemals wiederzubegegnen. Doch das Schicksal hat andere Pläne. Als sie im Auftrag ihres Vaters die Konditionen des Sponsorenvertrags mit den Las Vegas Legends neu verhandeln soll, steht sie dem attraktiven Fremden unerwartet erneut gegenüber.

"The Remarkable Journey: From Adversity to Legend" is an inspiring tale that explores the indomitable human spirit's capacity to triumph over life's most challenging obstacles. This powerful narrative, while fictional, draws inspiration from the author's own experiences, weaving a story of resilience, determination, and the enduring pursuit of greatness. At its heart, this book is a celebration of the unwavering belief that one can overcome any challenge, no matter how insurmountable, with grit and determination.

In August 1939, Alice Marble graced the cover of Life magazine, photographed by Alfred Eisenstaedt. She was a glamorous worldwide celebrity, having that year won singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles tennis titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open, then an unprecedented feat. Yet today one of America's greatest female athletes and most charismatic characters is largely forgotten. Queen of the Court places her back on center stage.

Louis "Pete" Rogers Browning was one of the greatest baseball players of the nineteenth century. His skills with the bat made the difficult art of hitting a baseball appear easy. Over his thirteen-year career, he won three batting titles, finished in the top three nine times, and was one of the premodern era's greatest hitters. Browning is recognized as not only the namesake but also the genesis for the famed Louisville Slugger, as the Hillerich & Bradsby Company shaped the first ever custom-made bat based on his instructions.

Geburtstagswunsch mit Folgen. Reece Cooper ist der Mann, in den ich seit Jahren unsterblich verliebt bin. Früher war er ein bekannter Footballstar, doch ein schwerer Unfall sorgte für sein Karriereende. Mittlerweile ist er Mannschaftsarzt bei den Las Vegas Legends und der Nachbar meines großen Bruders, seines besten Freundes, bei dem ich noch heute lebe, weil er bis zu meiner Volljährigkeit mein gesetzlicher Vormund war. Insofern bin ich für Reece, der auch noch dreizehn Jahre älter ist als ich, ein absolutes Tabu.

Experience the ultimate in baseball storytelling with "The Ultimate Baseball Series: 4-in-1 Collection on Legends, Dynasties, and Cards." This anthology brings together the beloved "Inspirational Stories for Kids" series, guiding young listeners through the heart and soul of America's favorite pastime.

Was bleibt, wenn die Dunkelheit das Licht verschlingt? Slayer Riggs war der gefeierte Star-Quarterback der NFL. Der Held, der sämtliche Rekorde scheinbar mühelos brach und alle Herzen im Sturm eroberte, bis ein tragischer Helikopterabsturz sein Leben über Nacht für immer veränderte. Auch wenn die körperlichen Narben mit der Zeit verblasst sind, bleiben die seelischen Qualen, die Slayer wie dunkle Dämonen verfolgen und dafür sorgen, dass seine legendäre Karriere als Footballprofi vor dem Aus steht.

Triumphant, relatable, and totally true biographies tell the childhood stories of a diverse group of international athletes who have captured the world’s attention at the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, including Johnny Weir, Chloe Kim, Alex and Maia Shibutani, Surya Bonaly, and 12 other inspiring Olympians.

In Steven Pressfield's richly imagined, vividly detailed story, golf legends Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen are joined by a local unsung opponent, the troubled war hero Rannulph Junah. Their match is thrilling competition, but the key to the outcome lies with caddie Bagger Vance, who carries the secret of the Authentic Swing.

Major League Baseball (MLB) is a diverse sport played by athletes from around the world. But in the late 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, MLB was mostly segregated. Black players and coaches were not welcome. The Negro Leagues gave these players and coaches other options to play pro baseball. Meet unsung Negro Leagues stars such as Moses Fleetwood Walker and Toni Stone, and learn about the activists and heroes who helped integrate America's Pastime.