The Pawtucket Red Sox
How Rhode Island Lost Its Home Team
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
The Pawtucket Red Sox were one of the country's premier AAA baseball teams, and for forty-five years they called Rhode Island home. In February 2015, a group of investors purchased the team from the widow of beloved owner Ben Mondor and longtime executives Mike Tamburro and Lou Schwechheimer. The group tried to keep the team in Rhode Island and move them to a new ballpark, first in Providence and then in Pawtucket. But building sports stadiums requires vision, political will and leadership. Through a series of political and financial missteps, the various plans collapsed, resulting in the announcement in August 2018 that the team would be moving to Worcester, Massachusetts. Join author James Ricci as he reveals how Rhode Island lost its revered team.
Minnesota Hockey Greats
Homegrown Talent in the NHL
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
A chronicle of Minnesota's hockey excellence in the world's top hockey league--the NHL
The years 1960 to 1982 were a watershed moment for Minnesota hockey, and the Land of 10,000 Lakes has enjoyed hockey success ever since. In that time, pioneering homegrown players like Bill Nyrop, Dave Langevin, Reed Larson, Mike Ramsey, Dave Christian, Neal Broten, Paul Holmgren, and Phil Housley established themselves as bona fide stars at the games' highest and most competitive level. More recently, another remarkable group of native sons--including Zach Parise, Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglein, and T. J. Oshie--left their mark on the league.
Profiling more than seventy players and compiling Minnesota NHL records gathered nowhere else, Jeff Olson celebrates the brilliant achievements of Minnesotans in the National Hockey League.
Tampa Spring Training Tales
Major League Memories
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Since 1913, Tampa has provided the background for some of the Major League Baseball's most iconic spring moments led, of course, by the longest home run of Babe Ruth's career. Tampa was the scene of the Grapefruit League's first no-hitter and the only spring time All-star Game. It was the first gathering place of the Big Red Machine and the Core Four. Well over 125 Hall of Famers honed their craft among the city's three major league ballparks: Plant Field, Al Lopez Field and Steinbrenner Field. All of it resulted from a diverse city's love of the game that began with baseball-crazed cigar factory workers before the turn of the 20th century .
Pittsburgh Sports in the 1970s
Tragedies, Triumphs and Championships
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Sports in the Steel City has never reached the highs and lows that fans in Pittsburgh experienced in the 1970s.
Most remembered may be the multiple championships celebrated in city during the era, including two World Series titles, four Super Bowl victories and a NCAA football championship. Despite those successes, fans still recall major tragedies such as the deaths of Bob Moose, Roberto Clemente and others.
Local authors present essays on the triumphs, tragedies and championships that defined the 1970s for the city of Pittsburgh and Steel City sports.
The Rise of Washington State University Football
The Erickson & Price Years
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
The rise of the crimson and gray.
In 1987, Dennis Erickson arrived in Pullman, Washington to take over the struggling Washington State University football program. Under his leadership, the Cougars ended 1988 with a 9-3 record and a victory in the Aloha Bowl. In just two years, the team had transformed, and Erickson's lifelong friend, Mike Price, took over in 1989 to build on that legacy. By the end of Price's tenure, WSU had appeared in five bowl games including two Rose Bowls, eclipsing the four bowl games in the entire program's history. The coaches also produced a number of high-profile NFL quarterbacks, including Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf.
Join author Ben Donahue as he explores how the Washington State University Cougars went from doormats to perpetual contenders.
Charlotte Motor Speedway History
From Granite To Gold
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Engines roared at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the first time in 1960, and the track has been home to some of NASCAR's greatest races and most honored drivers ever since. Despite early challenges, Bruton Smith and Humpy Wheeler took charge in 1975, and together sculpted one of the most famous race tracks in America as host of the Coca-Cola 600 and the Sprint All-Star Race. In 1992, the track became the first modern speedway to host night racing and thousands of race fans watched their favorite drivers swap paint under the North Carolina night sky. Get in the groove with racing journalist Deb Williams as she traces the history of the Charlotte Motor Speedway, with plenty of pit-stops along the way.
Hidden History of Twin Cities Sports
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Twin Cities sports fans are well-versed in disappointment, but the last 120 years of Minneapolis and St. Paul sports have also produced forgotten milestones. Most know of the Vikings' Super Bowl woes and the Twins' record-setting postseason losing streak. Few know that the first full-time college basketball coach originated here and that a Babe Ruth home run record supplanted a local player's achievement. Fewer still know about near misses like John Wooden almost becoming the University of Minnesota basketball coach in 1948 and Billie Jean King turning down an offer to join the Twin Cities' World Team Tennis franchise. Longtime Twin Cities journalist Joel Rippel documents these subjects and other forgotten or unheralded stories.
Connecticut's Girls of Summer
the Brakettes and the Falcons
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Connecticut has a long history of producing outstanding sports teams and athletes. Two of the greatest teams to come out of the state are the legendary Brakettes and Falcons women's fast-pitch softball teams. In their seventy-six-year history, the Brakettes are considered the most successful and longest-running organized women's sports franchise of all time. With forty national championships, three world championships and eleven Olympians, their dynasty remains synonymous with softball excellence. Likewise, the Connecticut Falcons were the most dominant team of the Women's Professional Softball League, winning the championship title all four years of the WPS existence. The most famous and iconic product of these two teams has been Waterbury's legendary Joan Joyce, who is considered by many experts to be the greatest female athlete in sports history. Join author Tony Renzoni as he interviews former players and highlights the accomplishments of these two renowned teams and their legendary athletes.
Baseball in the Mahoning Valley
From Pioneers to the Scrappers
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Around the horn in the Mahoning Valley The history of baseball in Ohio's Mahoning Valley has been, to say the least, eventful. Murder, the Civil War, the hot dog, a presidential assassination and one of the deadliest known volcanic eruptions all shaped America's pastime in the Valley. African American baseball pioneer and Hall of Fame inductee Bud Fowler began his professional baseball career in the area, and the first ceremonial celebrity first pitch came from the arm of a prominent local. The area also contributed to Cleveland professional ballclubs like the enigmatic 1883 Blues and the 2016 Believeland Indians, which included numerous players from the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, a minor-league team with its own rich heritage. Digging up little-known facts about Fowler and sundry other colorful stories, local author and creator of Eastwood Field's Days Gone By exhibit PM Kovach celebrates the proud history of baseball in northeast Ohio.
Iowa State Hockey and Al Murdoch
Building a Dream
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
The Making of Iowa State Hockey During five decades, Alan Murdoch played for, coached and managed the Iowa State Cyclone hockey team, making a life's work out of his personal resourcefulness and initiative. Iowa State grew into a premier program in non-scholarship hockey, and as the network of similar teams became increasingly formalized under the auspices of the American Collegiate Hockey Association - an organization to which Murdoch was an essential contributor - the Cyclones played at a national championship-level. The trophy for which they were vying: the Murdoch Cup. By the time he left the bench, Murdoch's teams had won more than 1,000 games against opponents from around the world. Sometimes funny, sometime emotional, Murdoch and author Tim Harwood explore the story of how winning became a way of life for Cyclone Hockey.
Chesapeake Bay Adventures
Tales From The Eastern Shore
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Experience life on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. A shoreman's life revolves around nature's inevitable changes. The tides of the bay parallel the seasonal outdoor opportunities that the Eastern Shore provides. From the chaos of hunting marsh hens over flooded marshes during a hurricane to the solitude felt standing over a fallen trophy buck, gain an insider's look at this unique way of life. Feel the sea's power. Smell the gunpowder. Appreciate the solitude. Local author and outdoorsman C.L. Marshall tells the stories of the constant changes of the islands, the creeks and the bays.
Harness Racing in New York State
A History of Trotters, Tracks and Horsemen
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Since the eager stallion Messenger trotted off a boat from Europe in 1788, harness racing in America has been a popular sport, and nowhere is this truer than New York State. In the nineteenth century, harness racing attracted spectators from all walks of life. An 1823 race was so popular that businesses adjourned for the day to watch it. The sport reached its peak when the spectacular Roosevelt Raceway opened in 1957. Dean Hoffman offers an in-depth history of the sport's evolution in the Empire State, from the drivers and breeding to betting, legislation and accounts of the most exciting races. Join Hoffman as he sheds light on one of New York's most venerable sports traditions.
Montana Baseball History
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
The Wild West had nothing on Montana's first baseball games. Fights, booze, cheating and gambling fueled the state's inaugural professional league in 1892. The turn of the century brought star-studded barnstorming tours and threats of bloodshed. Big Sky Country embraced a distinctly different version of the old ballgame, and Montana players who made their way to big league diamonds helped change the sport on and off the field. From the Lewis and Clark expedition to Dave McNally's historic career, award-winning journalist Skylar Browning and researcher Jeremy Watterson reveal Montana's relationship with America's pastime.
Marietta College Baseball
The Story of the 'Etta Express
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Nestled at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers in the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory resides one of the most dominant college baseball dynasties in the nation. The Marietta College Pioneers--known as the 'Etta Express for the way they've barreled over opponents for half a century--own a record five NCAA Division III National Championships, including 2011. Finally, the best-kept secret in college sports springs to life as author Gary Caruso digs into the personalities behind this incredible success story to reveal the compelling human drama that's made Marietta College baseball a treasure all readers are sure to enjoy.
Grin and Squarely Play the Game Fight
The 1945 Loyola New Orleans Basketball Championship and Legacy
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
In 1945, the Loyola New Orleans Wolf Pack became the city's first basketball team to earn a national championship. The Cinderella season was chronicled in the "Times Picayune," the student newspaper "The Maroon" and letters from students and alums fighting overseas. The 1944-45 run to the championship was an amazing boon to the community during trying times. The group of boyhood friends and rivals beat out previous national champions and exhausted opponents. Take a courtside seat as journalist Ramon A. Vargas chronicles the season, including heartfelt personal narratives to tell the story of the championship and legacy of a team that led Loyola to national prominence.
Pittsburgh Sports Firsts
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Countless groundbreaking moments in the nation's sports history were made on the gridirons, courts, fields, ice rinks and ballparks of Pittsburgh. Duquesne's Chuck Cooper was the first African American player drafted by the NBA. Beloved local radio station KDKA produced the first-ever broadcast of a Major League Baseball game. The Pittsburgh Stars were the first NFL champions in 1902. The first nighttime World Series game was played in the Steel City, and the only game seven World Series walk-off homerun happened there too. The city boasts compelling claims as the birthplace of pro hockey, pro football and college basketball. Some of the most preeminent authors and sports historians of Western Pennsylvania capture the vivid moments that make Pittsburgh a city of historic sports firsts.
Skiing Sun Valley
A History from Union Pacific to the Holdings
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Union Pacific Railroad's Averell Harriman had a bold vision to restore rail passenger traffic decimated by the Great Depression: create ski tourism in Idaho's remote Wood River Valley. A $1.5 million investment opened Sun Valley in December 1936 with a lavish lodge, luxury shopping, Austrian ski instructors and extensive backcountry skiing. Prestigious tournaments featured the world's best skiers. Chairlifts invented by Union Pacific engineers serviced skiers quickly and comfortably. Ski instructor and filmmaker Otto Lang recalled that seemingly overnight, it became "a magnet for the 'beautiful people,' a meeting place for movie stars and moguls, chairmen and captains of industry, Greek shipping tycoons, and peripatetic playboys--and playgirls--of the international social set." After World War II and Harriman's departure, Union Pacific's willingness to pay the $500,000 yearly subsidy waned. Bill Janss purchased it in 1964 and reimagined it as a year-round resort but lacked the capital for growth. Sinclair Oil owners Earl and Carol Holding acquired it in 1977, revitalizing it into a premier resort with international status. Award-winning ski historian John W. Lundin celebrates America's first destination ski resort using unpublished Union Pacific documents, oral histories, contemporaneous accounts and more than 150 historic images.
Hidden History of Clemson Football
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
From its auspicious start in 1896 to being on top of the college football world under Dabo Swinney, Clemson Football is one of the more colorful programs in all of college football. Learn how the program got its start in 1896 with a donation of land. Discover the beginning of the IPTAY program. Find out the origin of the Tiger paw and the tradition of the Clemson two-dollar bill. And, of course, get the backstage look at the "good ol' fashioned hate" that makes the Clemson-Carolina rivalry such a passionate one. Author Will Vandervort provides a behind-the-scenes look at Clemson Football's small beginnings to its current elite status as a three-time national champion and college football power under Swinney.
Hidden History of Gamecocks Football
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Since the earliest days of football, the Gamecocks have helped make the sport a favorite in the Palmetto State. In the early 1900s, the team joined many other schools banning college football because of the injuries and deaths nationwide. Martha Williams Brice donated $2.75 million from her estate to help bring about an aggressive and overdue expansion. After executing one dazzling play after another and surviving three down-to-the-wire games in ACC play, the Gamecocks won their first and only conference championship in 1969. Author David Caraviello offers a behind-the-scenes look at Gamecock football history.
The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry
Auburn vs. Georgia
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
The rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Georgia began in 1892 and has largely been a competition more brotherly than bitter. According to one legend, Auburn's "War Eagle" battle cry originated at the first game between the two schools. The first overtime game in SEC history occurred in 1996, when Georgia topped the heavily favored Tigers, 56–49, in four extra periods. Renowned UGA coach Vince Dooley graduated from Auburn, while Auburn coach Pat Dye was an All-American at UGA. Join award-winning journalist Doug Stutsman as he recounts the unforgettable games, moments and personalities on the 125th anniversary of the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.
A History of the Falmouth Road Race
Running Cape Cod
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
The seven-mile Falmouth Road Race catapulted Cape Cod onto the running radar. Frank Shorter winning gold in the 1972 Olympic marathon inspired local barkeep Tommy Leonard to start a race in his own town. That inaugural race in 1973 garnered fewer than one hundred runners. Participation soon swelled to the thousands, thanks to the success of organizers, volunteers, and talented fields, including running legends like Bill Rodgers and Catherine Ndereba, as well as wheelchair champions Bob Hall and Tatyana McFadden. Follow author Paul C. Clerici along every bend and uphill battle of the race's history from the early stages of the running boom to resetting the road-racing calendar.
Kentucky Handicap Horse Racing
A History of the Great Weight Carriers
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
In a handicap, horses are assigned weights based on their past performances as a way to try to create evenly matched fields. The better the horse, the heavier the weight assigned. In the United States, handicaps once accounted for the majority of stakes races and were known to boast large purses attracting the leading horses of the day. Kentucky-bred horses such as Discovery, Equipoise and Kelso won under the heaviest of weights, dominating the handicap division year after year, and were immortalized in the hall of fame. These equine stars brought recognition to the Sport of Kings and became renowned athletes for their courage, fortitude and durability. Join author and turf historian Melanie Greene as she recounts the harrowing tales of these noble steeds.
The Madison Regatta
Hydroplane Racing in Small-Town Indiana
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Each summer, a small miracle occurs in southern Indiana, when the little town of Madison becomes the hydroplane racing capital of the world as 100,000-plus people flock in for the Madison Regatta. The townsfolk, not merely content to host, also own the Miss Madison, one of the most successful hydroplanes on the circuit. In recent years, Miss Madison has emerged as the top hydroplane in the world, winning both the driver and hydroplane points standing multiple times. Roar down the Ohio with Fred Farley and Ron Harsin and revisit the long history of racing in this town and the sixty-plus years of the Madison Regatta.
More University of Kansas Basketball Legends
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
KU alumnus and Jayhawk enthusiast Kenn Johnson is back with even more legends and firsts. Notable coaches like Danny Manning, who won the national championship as a player in 1988 and again as part of the coaching staff in 2008, have shaped and molded the team throughout the decades. Players like Raef LaFrentz, who became the first Jayhawks player in twenty-seven years to average a double-double over an entire season, keep the fans coming back for more. From the history of the famous Allen Fieldhouse to current coach Bill Self, Johnson offers a closer look at the team's unique contribution to the sport of basketball.
Deer Isle's Undefeated America's Cup Crews
Humble Heroes from a Downeast Island
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
In 1895, emissaries from the New York Yacht Club traveled to Deer Isle, Maine, to recruit the nation's best sailors, an "All American" crew. This remote island in Penobscot Bay sent nearly thirty of its fishing men to sail "Defender," and under skipper Hank Haff, they beat their opponents in a difficult and controversial series. To the delight of the American public, the charismatic Sir Thomas Lipton sent a surprise challenge in 1899. The New York Yacht Club knew where to turn and again recruited Deer Isle's fisherman sailors. Undefeated in two defense campaigns, they are still considered one of the best American sail-racing teams ever assembled. Read their fascinating story and relive their adventure.
Historic Hoosier Gyms
Discovering Bygone Basketball Landmarks
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Kick snow from your shoes and step into the warmth of the old Hoosier high school basketball gym, where farmers in overalls line the court and students heckle referees from planks above the bleachers. Revisit a unique era when nearly every town had a high school and its own basketball team. The gyms featured here no longer host high school games, but once they were home to the Ladoga Canners, the Mecca Arabs, the Roll Red Rollers, the Arlington Purple Breezes, the Warren Lightning Five and dozens more. Now they are elementary schools, community centers, fire stations, churches. Some are homes. Sadly, others are wasting away. But once again, the ball thuds in these gyms. The screams reverberate. The whistles blow. Join the Indianapolis Star's Kyle Neddenriep on this tour of one hundred former Hoosier high school basketball gyms.
Gamecock 2
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
The Gamecocks baseball team's surprising, heart-pounding run to the 2010 College World Series title seemed to many as if it could not be paralleled, in its excitement or its overall meaning to the school and the state of South Carolina. In 2011, though, they topped what they had already done, returning home champions and parading in style to the State House steps. In 2010, they honored the life of 7-year-old Bayler Teal, a cancer victim who died during the College World Series. In 2011, they celebrated the life of Omaha native Charlie Peters, a 13-year-old cancer survivor who served as a batboy for the team. The Gamecocks celebrated with a traditional dogpile near the pitcher's mound, Peters jumped on top of the mass of players and coaches.
A History of Mount Saint Charles Hockey
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
For twenty-six straight seasons--from 1978 to 2003--Mount Saint Charles Academy captured the hearts of its fans and the state's high school hockey championship. Attributing the streak to a near-mystical force called "Mount Pride," beloved coach Bill Belisle and his team have built the most successful hockey program in Rhode Island. In the thrilling 2013 season, they recaptured the Mount glory as state champions. Yet the high school hockey team is much more than its wins and losses--it's a culture and a family. Beginning with the earliest days when Rhode Island's four-team league took to the frozen ponds with tree branches serving as rudimentary hockey sticks, author Bryan Ethier chronicles the history of the MSC "Flying Frenchmen." Join Ethier as he takes to the ice with the great games, the star players and the unforgettable moments to tell the remarkable story of Mount Saint Charles Hockey.
Surfing Newport Beach
The Glory Days of Corona Del Mar
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Corona del Mar was once California's premier surfing spot, holding the sport's first Pacific Coast competition in 1928. Attempts to tame Corona and to make the Newport Beach harbor mouth safe for watercraft drastically altered board riding, destroying the great "wave-making machine" of Corona and creating the surf giant of today known as the "Wedge." Read about Newport before World War II: experience the Great Rescue of 1925 by Duke Kahanamoku and others, the rum runners of Balboa and the evolution of Newport Bay. Pioneering surfers such as George Freeth, Tom Blake, the Vultee brothers and Pete Peterson helped make a name for the city in surf culture. Authors Claudine Burnett and her surfer husband, Paul, have delved deeply into the past, sharing stories that will give readers never-before-revealed facts not only about surfing but Newport Beach and Corona del Mar history as well.
Orzel
Scottsdale's Legendary Arabian Stallion
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
In 1967, Scottsdale's longtime Arabian horse breeder Ed Tweed embarked on a mission to race the horses he bred. He imported a chestnut stallion from Poland named Orzel, or 'Eagle' in English, that flew past competitors to become the first U.S. National Racing Champion. Among other wins in halter and performance, Orzel was the victor in the debut of the U.S. National Championship Ladies' Sidesaddle category, partnered with Tweed's granddaughter Shelley Groom Trevor. Thousands of fans visited the legendary performer in retirement at Brusally Ranch. Decades after Orzel's death, horses he sired continue his winning legacy. Author Tobi Lopez Taylor chronicles this triumphant story.
The Iroquois Hunt
A Bluegrass Foxhunting Tradition
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Founded near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1880--and refounded in 1926--the Iroquois Hunt Club is a small club at the heart of the Bluegrass. Its history, however, is populated by vivid characters with strong links to some of America's most influential figures and most important movements of the last 120 years. Members participated in the Black Hills Gold Rush of the 1870s, the fight for women's right to vote in the early 1900s, Theodore Roosevelt's creation of national parks and the building of the Grand Coulee Dam. At home in the Bluegrass, they also contributed mightily to the development of modern Lexington and were key figures in founding the iconic Keeneland Racecourse and in a number of historic Thoroughbred nurseries, including Calumet and the Whitney farm. Authors Christopher and Glenye Oakford retrace the storied past of an influential group.
A History of Golf in Georgia
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Golf first came to Georgia in the late eighteenth century when a group of avid golfers banded together to form a club in Savannah. By the end of the nineteenth century, when the game had become popular, the state developed courses from border to border. More than four hundred courses now dot the landscape of the Peach State. Georgia native and golfing icon Bobby Jones won four of golf's most coveted titles in 1930: the British Amateur, British Open, U.S. Open, and U.S. Amateur. For one hundred years, the state has produced champion golfers at every level, hosted amateur and professional championships, and provided support for the global sport. Author John Companiotte offers the compelling story of golf's rise and prosperity in Georgia.
Early Skiing on Snoqualmie Pass
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Relive the exciting early days of skiing when Snoqualmie Pass was the epicenter of the sport. Ski jumping tournaments attracted world-class competitors to Cle Elum, Beaver Lake on the Summit and the Milwaukee Ski Bowl. The Mountaineers' twenty-mile race from Snoqualmie to Stampede Pass, dubbed the worlds longest and hardest race, was a pinnacle of cross-country skiing. Alpine skiing began in private ski clubs and expanded in 1934 with the country's first municipal ski area, known as the Seattle Municipal Ski Park. And the sport peaked when the Milwaukee Ski Bowl at Hyak opened in 1938. With train access, a modern ski lodge, an overhead cable lift and free ski lessons from the Seattle Times, the Ski Bowl revolutionized local skiing. Lawyer and local ski historian John W. Lundin follows the historic tracks through the genesis of American skiing.
Chicago Rink Rats
The Roller Capital in Its Heyday
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
By 1950, roller skating had emerged as the number-one participatory sport in America. Ironically, the war years launched the Golden Age of Roller Skating. Soldiers serving overseas pleaded for skates along with their usual requests for cigarettes and letters from home. Stateside, skating uplifted morale and kept war factory workers exercising. By the end of the decade, five thousand rinks operated across the country. Its epicenter: Chicago! And no one was left behind! The Blink Bats, a group of Braille Center skaters, held their own at the huge Broadway Armory rink. Meanwhile, the Swank drew South Side crowds to its knee-action floor and stocked jukebox. Eighteen celebrated rinks are now gone, but rinks that remain honor the traditions of the sport's glory years. Author Tom Russo scoured newspaper archives and interviewed skaters of the roller capital's heyday to reveal the enduring legacy of Chicago's rink rats.
Basketball in Long Beach
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Long Beach has produced some of California's best teams and players, from the NCAA success of Long Beach State to the CIF dominance of Long Beach Poly. Starting with the early hoop dreams of the 1900s, lace up your kicks, step in the gym and prepare for an unforgettable lesson in California basketball history. Explore the city's most celebrated athletes and teams, including local pioneers of women's basketball, who found an early home on the city's hardcourts. Complete with exclusive photos and interviews, authors Mike Guardabascio and Chris Trevino give a play-by-play of the sport's illustrious past in the city of Long Beach.
Nasrullah
Forgotten Patriarch of the American Thoroughbred
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Nasrullah arrived in Kentucky in 1950 and forever changed the modern American thoroughbred. Bred in royalty by the Aga Kahn, Nasrullah's journey from Europe to America was one of glorious victories and grand potential. He was the first horse to lead both the American and English sire lists, which led to a legendary line of descendants that includes nine U.S. champions, three Hall of Famers and ninety-eight stake winners like Bold Ruler, Noor and Nashua. Nasrullah is even grandsire of the famed Secretariat. Ride along with author Melanie Greene as she recounts the compelling history of a truly remarkable horse that is sure to take any equestrian fan beyond the bluegrass.
Lake Placid Figure Skating
A History
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Figure skating has always had an important home in Lake Placid. Early on, the Sno Birds popularized this summer retreat, and Melville and Godfrey Dewey won the campaign for the 1932 Winter Olympics. The Skating Club of Lake Placid was formed, and after 1932, famous skaters trained here with legendary coach Gus Lussi. When Lake Placid again hosted the Olympics in 1980, skating dominated, with state-of-the-art facilities that have continued to be used by stars like Dorothy Hamill and Sarah Hughes, and helped give rise to Scott Hamilton's Stars on Ice. For more than one hundred years, the Lake Placid community has worked together to support figure skating and skaters in this quiet Adirondack village. Local expert Christie Sausa tells this exciting story.
Golf in Oregon
Historic Tales from the Fairway
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
In his lengthy career as an Oregon sportswriter (thirty seven years with The Oregonian), Bob Robinson covered a variety of regional and national golf events. In this collection, he takes a look back at some of the significant stories from his career, including coverage of Tiger's US Amateur win in Portland, Casey Martin's legal battle with the PGA, and Peter Jacobsen's top five finish in the 1983 PGA Championship. The book consists of twenty three essays relating memorable golf moments that occurred in Oregon or featured Oregon golfers. In each essay, Robinson seasons his initial coverage as a sports writer with follow up interviews, updated information, and his reflections on past events.
Ohio's Troy vs. Piqua Football Rivalry: The Battle on the Miami
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Every year, Troy and Piqua line up on the gridiron to determine supremacy within Miami County. Stretching back well over a century, it is one of the most-respected rivalries in the state and nation. Even after 130 meetings between the two schools, neither team has been able to gain a decisive edge in the series: the rivalry is tied at 62-62-6. The two teams have battled for league championships, for playoff titles and-most importantly-for bragging rights and pride. This is a story of the most prolific rivalry in the rich history of Ohio high school football, from its nerve-wracking moments to its beloved coaches and players.
United in Rivalry
Richmond's Armstrong-Maggie Walker Classic
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Around Richmond, it's simply known as "The Classic." From 1938 to 1979, Armstrong High and Maggie Walker High, the only two all-black high schools within the city limits, converged on the gridiron each Thanksgiving weekend as spirited rivals. Each year more and more people packed the old City Stadium, sometimes as many as thirty thousand, sometimes too many to count. They cheered as the players fought for field position, pride, and bragging rights, and when the game was over, they fought for equality in the face of segregation, prejudice, and Jim Crow justice. Enjoy a view from the press box as Richmond sports historian Michael Whitt offers a summary of every Armstrong-Maggie Walker Classic and the often volatile social and political context in which they were played. The two schools may have produced one of Virginia's greatest prep rivalries, but they also helped shape its greatest achievement in unity.
Kiawah Golf
The Game's Elegant Island
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
On the sun-drenched South Carolina coast, just forty-five minutes from the enchanting city of Charleston, lies one of the nation's most beloved barrier islands--a dazzling, miles-long beach; deep green foliage; massive, centuries-old hardwoods; sparkling marshland leading to the horizon; a dizzying array of birdlife amidst all manner of flora and fauna. And then there's the golf. Kiawah first came to the public's consciousness back in 1991, when its bellwether Ocean Course served as host venue for the Ryder Cup Matches, still remembered as among the most thrilling golf competitions ever played. Now, a generation later, Kiawah and the Ocean Course return to the spotlight as the host of the 2012 PGA Championship, the first Major Championship to ever be contested in the golf-mad, golf-rich state of South Carolina. Veteran golf and travel writer Joel Zuckerman shines the spotlight not only on the incredible Ocean Course but also on the remaining quartet of wonderful courses at the Kiawah Resort and the pair of aces at the Kiawah Island Club, among others. Beginning with the history of the island itself through the centuries, Zuckerman provides the whole story of golf on Kiawah, from the groundbreaking Ryder Cup that first raised Kiawah's profile among golf fans the world over to the 2012 PGA Championship. The history of the club and the courses is further bolstered with profiles of some of Kiawah's most significant individuals, among the most celebrated names in golf. Kiawah Golf is a must-read for anyone who loves Kiawah or loves golf--and truly, don t the two go hand in hand?
Baseball in Pensacola
America's Pastime & the City of Five Flags
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
The Western Gate to the Sunshine State boasts an epic history of hardball, dating back nearly to the beginning of the sport. Sunshine, loyal fans and pristine beaches have attracted baseball's best athletes to Pensacola--from stars like Babe Ruth and Ted Williams to the Blue Wahoos, modern-day affiliate for the Cincinnati Reds. The city is home to major-league teams during spring training, minor-league teams during the season and baseball fanatics year-round. Whether it's following big-league icons or cheering high school future stars, Pensacola's love affair with baseball runs deep. Team up with local author Scott Brown as he details the area's greatest moments in America's oldest pastime.
Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Champions
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Since the 1940's, forty racing champions have traveled the hallowed grounds at the historic Aiken Training Track. Thoroughbred icons such as Kelso, Tom Fool, Swale, Pleasant Colony, Conquistador Cielo and Shuvee trained at this world-renowned track. Numerous members of the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame won the biggest races in the sport. These champions combined for a total of 546 wins in 1,395 starts, including wins in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. Race along with author Lisa J. Hall as she pays homage to these equine champions and an Aiken legacy.
Here We Go
Dawn Staley's Gamecocks and the Road to the National Championship
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
She stood at the podium on May 10, 2008, and promised to bring national prominence to South Carolina. Most thought it would take a miracle to get to that point, but Dawn Staley has always beaten the odds. Staley's vision for the Gamecocks' women's basketball team came true over the next nine years, culminating in the 2017 national championship. Her willingness to keep striving-to deliver on her promise-was met with early resistance. It paid off with several winning seasons, then terrific recruits. And, finally, the only prize Staley had not obtained in a lifetime of championship basketball. David Cloninger takes you on the team's journey to the national title.
Babe & the Kid
The Legendary Story of Babe Ruth and Johnny Sylvester
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
On the eve of game four of the 1926 World Series, Babe Ruth heard that a young New Jersey boy, Johnny Sylvester, was laid up with a deadly illness. Ruth autographed a ball for Johnny, inscribing it, "I'll knock a homer for you in Wednesday's game-Babe Ruth." The rest was history. Ruth delivered on his promise, and Johnny made a miraculous recovery. In Babe & the Kid, author Charlie Poekel traces the story behind the sensational headlines, and follows Johnny's remarkable life in the aftermath of Ruth's incredible feat. Includes photos!
Dabo's Dynasty
Clemson's Rise to College Football Supremacy
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
From the beginning of the season, Dabo Swinney's rallying cry was "joy." Each week for opponents, though, was another joyless occasion against a big orange machine that found its high gear midseason. The results shook the foundation of college football. In 2015 and 2016, the Tigers needed to bring their own guts to achieve great things. In Swinney's tenth season, they brought their own sledgehammers. Larry Williams, who has covered Clemson and Swinney since 2004, unearths revealing anecdotes from Dabo's tenure and shares how a season dominated by Alabama hype ended up overwhelmed by a Clemson tide.
Pittsburgh's Greatest Athletes
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
Greatness in sport is both undefinable and immediately recognizable. Though it is rare, Western Pennsylvania has been graced with a long history of athletes who embody the essence of greatness. They have proudly represented the region in sports such as boxing, golf and track; carried their collegiate teams to victory; and worn the black and gold of the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins. Pittsburghers still recall how Mario Lemieux glided effortlessly through an opposing defense before befuddling the goalie or Arnie Palmer's unique swing that made the everyday duffer feel like he was one of them. Fans debate whether Bradshaw or Roethlisberger is the better quarterback and what the legacy of Barry Bonds is, while keeping Roberto Clemente among their most cherished icons. Author David Finoli covers the greatest fifty men and women athletes in Pittsburgh history.
Powerhouses of Ohio High School Football
The 50s and 60s
Part of the Sports (Arcadia Publishing) series
By the middle of the twentieth century, Ohio high school football ranked among the mightiest in the nation. Dynastic programs Massillon and Canton McKinley dominated the 1950s. Not to be outdone, Barberton, Portsmouth, Cleveland Cathedral Latin and Jackson staked their claims to greatness, and championship squads from Benedictine to Marion Harding and Alliance fought their way to the top of the rankings. Ever-steady Massillon continued their winning ways in the '60s. Along the way, determined newcomers like Niles McKinley, Toledo Central Catholic, Wyoming, Sandusky, Bishop Watterson and Marion Catholic snatched their share of gridiron glory. At the decade's close, the fierce Golden Bears of Upper Arlington forged their own dynasty. Join author Tim Raab as he presents the champions, contenders, heartbreaks and heroics of this thrilling era of Ohio pigskin history.