Sportsbiografier

Sylveer Maes (Gistel, 1909-1966) a remporte¿ le Tour de France ä deux reprises : en 1936 et en 1939. Il faudra ensuite attendre pas moins de trente ans pour qu'un autre Belge remporte, avec Eddy Merckx, la course par e¿tapes la plus importante du monde. Maes aurait peut-e¿tre pu remporter le Tour encore plus souvent, mais la Seconde Guerre mondiale a e¿clate¿ pre¿cise¿ment dans ses meilleures anne¿es. Et puis, il y a eu cette fameuse e¿dition de 1937, ou¿ le chauvinisme franc¿ais a atteint son point d'e¿bullition et ou¿ les Belges, fatigue¿s, ont quitte¿ le Tour quatre jours avant la fin - et avec Sylveer Maes en jaune ! - ont abandonne¿ le Tour.Sylveer Maes a excelle¿ dans le Tour, mais il e¿tait surtout un coureur polyvalent. Il a remporte¿ Paris-Roubaix, par exemple, et e¿tait e¿galement actif sur la piste et dans les champs. Et pourtant. Malgre¿ ses exploits, le nom de Sylveer Maes semble s'e¿tre un peu efface¿ dans la nuit des temps. Quatre-vingts ans apre¿s sa dernie¿re victoire sur le Tour, Patrick Cornillie le sort de l'oubli avec cette biographie comple¿te et richement illustre¿e.Patrick Cornillie (1961) est poe¿te et e¿crivain, journaliste et auteur de toute une se¿rie de guides et de livres sur le cyclisme. Il a publie¿ des biographies sur Freddy Maertens (2003), Gilbert Desmet (2004) et Marcel Kint (2011), ainsi que, entre autres, "De Zomer van '69. Comment Merckx a gagne¿ face ä Armstrong" (2009) et "Racing in the Great War" (2018).

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “A vivid portrait of America’s greatest stallion, the larger-than-life men who raced and bred him, and the dramatic times in which they lived.”—Geraldine Brooks, author of HorseThe powerful true story of the champion Thoroughbred racehorse who gained international fame in the tumultuous Civil War–era South, and became the most successful sire in American racing historyThe early days of American horse racing were grueling. Four-mile races, run two or three times in succession, were the norm, rewarding horses who brandished the ideal combination of stamina and speed. The stallion Lexington, named after the city in Kentucky where he was born, possessed these winning qualities, which pioneering Americans prized.  Lexington shattered the world speed record for a four-mile race, showing a war-torn nation that the extraordinary was possible even in those perilous times. He would continue his winning career until deteriorating eyesight forced his retirement in 1855. But once his groundbreaking achievements as a racehorse ended, his role as a sire began. Horses from his bloodline won more money than the offspring of any other Thoroughbred—an annual success that led Lexington to be named America’s leading sire an unprecedented sixteen times.  Yet with the Civil War raging, Lexington’s years at a Kentucky stud farm were far from idyllic. Confederate soldiers ran amok, looting freely and kidnapping horses from the top stables. They soon focused on the prized Lexington and his valuable progeny. Kim Wickens, a lawyer and dressage rider, became fascinated by this legendary horse when she learned that twelve of Thoroughbred racing's thirteen Triple Crown winners descended from Lexington. Wickens spent years meticulously researching the horse and his legacy—and with Lexington, she presents an absorbing, exciting account that transports readers back to the raucous beginning of American horse racing and introduces them to the stallion at its heart.

We are living in the Wild West of college sports. Name, Image and Likeness endorsements, the transfer portal, collectives, conference realignment, the powerful influence of media companies have all rendered the notion of amateur athletics a quaint relic of the past, replaced by a Brave New World where money and self-interest rule.

They said it couldn't be done. But Anne Wafula achieved many remarkable things in her life. This is her incredible story.

This is the story of Maurice Hope, a Caribbean immigrant whose fascinating journey took him from abject poverty to boxing world champion and receiving an MBE from the Queen. Hope's story is punctuated by spectacular highs and crushing lows, but amid it all his warmth, humour and resilience shine through.

The comprehensive biography of French basketball phenomenon and NBA player, Victor Wembanyma, with dynamic photography, interviews and reports throughout. June 22, 2023. The face of Victor Wembanyama stretches several dozen metres high on the billboards of Times Square, New York. It's a big day. The day when Victor Wembanyma becomes the first Frenchman to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, at only 19 years old. Nicknamed "alien" for his incredible height (7ft 4in) by none other than LeBron James himself, this story retraces Wemby's ascent. Through immersive interviews, reports, stories, and analysis, complemented by stunning visuals from L'Équipe's photography, long-standing basketball reporter Yann Ohnona showcases a detailed portrait of the player. From his early life in Chesnay, Yvelines to his historic season with Metropolitans 92, with exclusive insight into his arrival into the NBA, this book that draws upon two years of original research, and unrivalled insights from the player's closest circle, including trainers, agents, teammates, family and friends - revealing one of the most fascinating sporting personalities that France has ever seen.

An Unusual Celebrity is the inspiring story of one of English cricket's most popular personalities. Despite not fitting the mould of the typical opening bowler, Bill Bowes was a key part of Yorkshire's dominant 1930s side. After wartime ordeals, he devoted the rest of his life to cricket as a journalist, coach and speaker.

On March 17, 1984, the McLeansboro Foxes completed a dream season by winning the Illinois Class A State Title and finishing 35-0. This book tells the stories about not only the games but also the stories behind the scenes that caused the entire community in Hamilton County and even southern Illinois to follow this team by the thousands.

This bookoffers a nostalgic deep-dive into the legendary period in Matte¿s life when the running back was asked to play quarterback as well as the lasting impact of his playing time on the NFL and the Colts organization as a whole.

Sono considerazioni scaturite nel corso delle mie esperienze da Allenatore: raccontate, ascoltate, condivise, confrontate anche nelle sue accezioni con Anna nella sua veste di Counselor. Alla fine dei nostri confronti abbiamo pensato di raccontare tutto ciò, a quattro mani, in questo breviario e chissà ... forse per chi legge potrà essere d'aiuto a far nascere qualcosa di positivo nell'ambito dello sport. Un nuovo modo di approcciarsi nel mondo dello sport secondo un binomio allenatore-counselor innovativo.

An extraordinary account of the life of unknown club boxer, Frank Steele, who sparred with legendary boxing greats like Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier and Ernie Shavers. Impoverished from birth and poorly educated, Frank did the best he could to parlay his boxing prowess and brute strength into fame and fortune. Hired as Foreman's chief sparring partner to help prepare the champ for the Ali "Rumble in the Jungle" fight in Africa, he was fired after doing his job too well -- beating up Foreman and knocking his headgear into the audience. When Ali heard about the incident, he paid Frank $3,000 for the secret to defeating the unbeaten and seemingly invincible champion. This is the untold story of what lead to the greatest upset in boxing history.Ben Clement's research for this book included nine months of interviews with Frank Steele, researching boxing history, and speaking with one of Frank's promoters and the residents of Gary who remembered "The Man of Steel". Ben believes that Frank represents all of the nobodies out there whose lives lack notoriety or infamy, but still have dignity, value and importance nonetheless. He's inspired most by his parents, Fanny & Thestal Clement, and others in their generation who braved the dangers and indignities of racism and inequality while raising black children to become responsible, productive, successful, influential, and patriotic Americans. Ben grew up, and still lives, in Gary, Indiana.

"A professional baseball prospect given little chance of making the big time, Octavio "Cookie" Rojas proved his evaluators wrong by flourishing at the sport's top level during a 16-year major league career. Never breaking ties with the profession he loved, after leaving the field as a player Rojas continued in the game well into his 70s in the varied roles of coach, scout, manager, and broadcaster. Rojas broke into the big leagues in the early 1960s, a seemingly bygone era when there were only ten teams in each major league and the World Series was exclusively performed under the autumn sun. A native of Cuba, Rojas had to leave behind his country following the Cuban Revolution in order to pursue his ultimate baseball dreams. In this regard, his side story of cultural assimilation, like those of his many ball-playing compatriots of the time, is a unique account of perseverance and dedication and an undeterrable desire to succeed for himself and his family."--

Running has been Iwan Thomas's life. He put everything into becoming and remaining an elite athlete - so much so that it took a brutal toll. In is first book, Thomas reveals not only the highs, but also the hard graft and his battles with the dark side of running - the loneliness, the doubts, the hurt and, ultimately, the serious mental health issues. A deeply reflective, compelling and sensationally open book, Thomas reveals the truth about a sportsman's life. After a youthful stint as a world-class BMX rider, Thomas dedicated himself to running. Between 1996 and 1998, he established himself as one of the world's fastest men, taking gold in both the 400m and the 4x400m at the European Championships, silver at the Olympics and gold at the Worlds. His British 400m record of 44.36s stood for nearly 25 years, yet even in his prime niggling injuries were already beginning to limit his ability to compete with the best. His response to setbacks had always been to train even harder, but increasingly that was no longer an option. Without the structure of training, the motivation of competition and the buzz of race day, Thomas struggled, suffering an extended period of anxiety and depression before eventually coming to terms with his life as a former athlete. Always writing from the heart, Thomas provides an absorbing, sometimes uncomfortable, but totally memorable read.

Ted Strong Jr. was a two-sport athlete, a major star of the Negro Leagues and one of the original Harlem Globetrotters. This book shares the fascinating story of a man who played in seven Negro League Baseball All-Star games and was a key member of the Harlem Globetrotter team that won the World Professional Basketball Championship.

The Tiger Wore Stripes, first published in 1956, is an insightful, down-to-earth look at the career of baseball great Tyrus "Ty" Cobb (1886-1961), who spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers (the last 6 years as the team's player-manager), followed by several seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics. Written by sports writer John McCallum, the book is based on the author's interviews with Cobb as he reflected back on his long and sometimes controversial career. Included are 41 pages of photographs, an appendix of Ty Cobb's career standings, and a comprehensive index.

Først blev maratonløb et hit hos danskerne. Da det blev allemandseje, begyndte vi at bevæge os ud på længere distancer. Først var det triatlon, hvor flere prøver kræfter med halve og hele ironmen. De senere år har ultraløb vundet indpas. Ultraløb er løb, der er længere end maratondistancen.Men hvorfor løber vi overhovedet så langt? Hvad er det, der motiverer os til at bevæge os helt derud, hvor alt andet er skrællet af, og hvor det kun handler om at sætte den ene fod foran den anden?Dette vil Anne Marie Geisler Andersen, en af Danmarks bedste kvindelige 24-timersløbere gennem tiden, forsøge at svare på. Et spørgsmål, der for alvor blev interessant, da hun, efter at have sat tre Danmarksrekorder i streg, stoppede midt i et løb, fordi hun ikke længere vidste, hvorfor hun løb. Bogen berører også den mentale sundhed, og hvordan Anne Marie har løbet fra sine depressioner.

Record-breaking, trend-setting, and controversial, tennis star Serena Williams often sparks conversation and debate. She's one of the most intriguing figures in sports, and this book offers insight not only into her impact on tennis and popular culture but also into how she has challenged race and gender norms.

Manchester United are one of the biggest teams in the world.However at times - and including in the current era - they have also found themselves in transition, having to build to regain the success the club and its fans expect. Rebuilding Manchester United delivers a timely and compelling study of the club's often illustrious, sometimes underachieving and occasionally calamitous history to reveal the United DNA and how that understanding can help deliver a bright future.Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson are colossal figures in Manchester United's history. They took their respective teams to European glory and serial success in domestic competitions. This book explores how both managers not only successfully rebuilt the teams they inherited but, in time, rebuilt those sides again. It also looks at other United managers who faced similar challenges with varying degrees of success.Through incisive analysis, and interviews with past and present players, this book offers a compelling new perspective on the identity of this famous club that gives United fans both a nostalgic look at the club's momentous story and analysis of the current situation at Old Trafford. It considers the characters, triumphs, disappointments and tragedy that fill the club's history, and provides a fresh take on how a club like Manchester United can not only survive but thrive in the 21st century.

From rookie to final sticker, this unique collection showcases the world's greatest footballers through all their Panini sticker album appearances.Every footballing star has a 'rookie' Panini sticker, the first time they appear as a young, hopeful and triumphant entry, having written their names in the history books. These cards are among the rarest and most expensive around, including the first Lionel Messi appearance in 2004, Cristiano Ronaldo in his debut season at Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and Monaco's 16-year-old Kylian Mbappé from the 2016/17 Panini Foot Ligue 1 set.The much-loved Panini football sticker books have documented the rise of footballing legends from David Beckham to Neymar Jnr. The continuing editions of the book provide a perfect snapshot of the game's heroes, season-by-season and through each international competition. Here each star is featured when they are just breaking into the team, right through to their swansong as an experienced and feted star. Smiling or sullen, permed, mulleted or crop-haired, full of excitement or displaying a 'done it all' expression, we follow their successes and their disappointments.Some are one-club players modelling a succession of styles, others are well-travelled expensive acquisitions in their new colours. We see Gary Lineker going from a Leicester City youth graduate awaiting his debut in 1979 to spells at Everton, Barcelona and Spurs, meanwhile becoming one of England's stars in the 1986 and 1990 World Cup Squads. Similarly, the fortunes of Maradona, Henry, Zidane, Rooney, Ibrahimovic, Iniesta, Messi, Cantona, Buffon, Neymar, Mbappé and others are charted in all their Panini glory with accompanying statistics and the history of each player's career.Panini Legends provides a fascinating celebration of the game's top players as only the famous sticker brand can. It uses the familiar poses and frames of the full colour stickers to indulge the nostalgia of those who collected the originals, to see how their heroes changed with each new season, and to track the rise of each of them to superstardom.