Sports & Outdoors (50)

Atlanta Braves third baseman and National Hall of Famer Chipper Jones—one of the greatest switch-hitters in baseball history—shares his remarkable story, while capturing the magic nostalgia that sets baseball apart from every other sport. Before Chipper Jones became an eight-time All-Star who amassed Hall of Fame–worthy statistics during a nineteen-year career with the Atlanta Braves, he was just a country kid from small town Pierson, Florida. A kid who grew up playing baseball in the backyard with his dad dreaming that one day he’d be a major league ballplayer.   With his trademark candor and astonishing recall, Chipper Jones tells the story of his rise to the MLB ranks and what it took to stay with one organization his entire career in an era of booming free agency. His journey begins with learning the art of switch-hitting and takes off after the Braves make him the number one overall pick in the 1990 draft, setting him on course to become the linchpin of their lineup at the height of their fourteen-straight division-title run. Ballplayer takes readers into the clubhouse of the Braves’ extraordinary dynasty, from the climax of the World Series championship in 1995 to the last-gasp division win by the 2005 “Baby Braves”; all the while sharing pitch-by-pitch dissections of clashes at the plate with some of the all-time great starters, such as Clemens and Johnson, as well as closers such as Wagner and Papelbon. He delves into his relationships with Bobby Cox and his famous Braves brothers—Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz, among them—and opponents from Cal Ripken Jr. to Barry Bonds. The National League MVP also opens up about his overnight rise to superstardom and the personal pitfalls that came with fame; his spirited rivalry with the New York Mets; his reflections on baseball in the modern era—outrageous money, steroids, and all—and his special last season in 2012. Ballplayer immerses us in the best of baseball, as if we’re sitting next to Chipper in the dugout on an endless spring day.

Enigmatic American Don Nichols, D-Day paratrooper, Army counter-intelligence officer and controversial entrepreneur, went on to create a racing marque that seems as cloaked as the man himself. Shadow was the only US-based team to win a Can-Am championship, and one of only three to score a victory in Formula 1. Yet history lavishly celebrates his nominal rivals Dan Gurney and Roger Penske, while Nichols has long remained, yes, a shadowy figure — despite staying the difficult international course far longer, for 11 racing seasons, 1970 to 1980. But at last Pete Lyons, who was there in the day, lifts the veil from this secretive man and the innovative, extraordinary, magnificent racing cars and world-class team he created.

BRENDAN LEONARD HATES RUNNING. He hates it so much that he once logged fifty-two marathon-length runs in fifty-two weeks. Now he’s sharing everything he’s learned about the sport so that you can hate it too.Packed with wisdom, humor, attitude, tips, and quotes—and more than sixty illuminating charts—I Hate Running and You Can Too delivers a powerful message of motivation from a truly relatable mentor.Leonard nails the love-hate relationship most runners have with the sport. He knows the difficulty of getting off the couch, teaches us to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, embraces the mix of running with walking. And he shares all that he’s learned—celebrating the mantra of “Easy, light, smooth, and fast,” observing that any body that runs is a runner’s body.Plus Leonard knows all the practical stuff, from training methods to advice for when you hit a setback or get injured. Even the answer to that big question a lot of runners occasionally ask: Why? Easy: Running helps us understand commitment, develop patience, discover self-discipline, find mental toughness, and prove to ourselves that we can do something demanding. And, of course, burn off that extra serving of nachos.

An inspiring memoir of defying the odds from Kareem Rosser, captain of the first all-black squad to win the National Interscholastic Polo championship.Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Kareem thought he and his siblings would always be stuck in “The Bottom”, a community and neighborhood devastated by poverty and violence. Riding their bicycles through Philly’s Fairmount Park, Kareem’s brothers discover a barn full of horses. Noticing the brothers’ fascination with her misfit animals, Lezlie Hiner, founder of The Work to Ride stables, offers them their escape: an after school job in exchange for riding lessons.What starts as an accidental discovery turns into a love for horseback riding that leads the Rossers to discovering their passion for polo. Pursuing the sport with determination and discipline, Kareem earns his place among the typically exclusive players in college, becoming part of the first all-Black national interscholastic polo championship team - all while struggling to keep his family together.Crossing the Line: A Fearless Team of Brothers and the Sport That Changed Their Lives Forever is the story of bonds of brotherhood, family loyalty, the transformative connection between man and horse, and forging a better future that comes from overcoming impossible odds.

Strong and Lean--Mark Lauren's follow-up to his bestselling book--You Are Your Own Gym--uses two decades of unparalleled experience to accomplish what most people thought impossible: The ability to immediately begin your workout wherever you are--from living rooms to hotel rooms to yards--and finish 9 minutes later.In the age of isolation, a great workout plan that doesn't require any gym equipment is invaluable. Lauren provides a regimen that will help you achieve a stronger, leaner body in only a few weeks. Strong and Lean features a philosophy backed by Lauren's intense personal experiences--ones that speak to every man and woman--along with his military experience.With Mark Lauren's workout, you can now achieve your most muscular and lean body with an incredibly small sacrifice of time.

Publisher's note: The Nature Instinct was published in the UK under the title Wild Signs and Star Paths.Master outdoorsman Tristan Gooley was just about to make camp when he sensed danger - but couldn’t say why. After sheltering elsewhere, Gooley returned to investigate: What had set off his subconscious alarm?Suddenly, he understood: All of the tree trunks were slightly bent. The ground had already shifted once and could easily become treacherous in a storm.The Nature Instinct shows how we, too, can unlock this intuitive understanding of our surroundings. Learn to sense the forest’s edge from deep in the woods, or whether a wild animal might pose danger - before you even know how you know.

The Lost Art of Running is an opportunity to join running technique analyst coach and movement guru Shane Benzie on his journey across five continents as he trains with and analyses the running style of some of the most gifted athletes on the planet.Part narrative, part practical, this adventure takes you to the foothills of Ethiopia and the 'town of runners'; to the training grounds of world record holding marathon runners in Kenya; racing across the Arctic Circle and the mountains of Europe, through the sweltering sands of the Sahara and the hostility of a winter traverse of the Pennine Way, to witness the incredible natural movement of runners in these environments.Along the way, you will learn how to incorporate natural movement techniques into your own running and hear from some of the top athletes that Shane has coached over the years. Whether experienced or just tackling your first few miles, this ground-breaking book will help you discover the lost art of running.

A personal account of the Mount Everest disaster.

Shut Out is a hockey love story. But it was a love that was unrequitedBernie Saunders always had a passion for hockey. His prodigious talent was on display at all levels for everyone to see. But because he was Black, he was stymied at every turn and experienced nothing but taunting from opponents, spectators, coaches and even his own teammates. Despite this malevolence, Saunders continued to play, adopting a style akin to that of the historic house slave: serve but remain invisible. Signed by the Quebec Nordiques, he played with them for two years but spent most of his career playing collegiate hockey at Western Michigan University and in the minor leagues in Canada and the US. Eventually, the strain became too much for him. Dogged and overwhelmed by racism, he left hockey to work in the corporate sector.This is a memoir about professional hockey by a player who had the potential to become a star but was blocked at almost every opportunity because of his race. In spite of this, Shut Out is a hopeful and uplifting book about facing adversity, overcoming it and moving ahead. Woven throughout the pages is Saunders’s love of his family, especially his brother, John, who died at sixty-one. Now retired, Bernie Saunders is still sought out by the hockey community for his sage observations and invaluable advice.

It's race day and you have your quick-closure running shoes, sleek suits, bikes, goggles, and watches, but if you haven't been training with the proper nutrition, you'll be left in the dust in the third mile. Enter Swim, Bike, Run--Eat to guide you from day one of training to the finish line and help your body perform at it's peak of fitness. In this book, author Tom Holland joins up with sports dietitian Amy Goodson to cover race-day essentials, food choices to complement your training regimen, as well as recovery nutrition. Learn how to determine what to eat; what to drink; how many calories to consume each day; whether or not to carry snacks while training; the difference between taking in calories from solid foods, semi-solids, and liquids; and whether or not to take electrolyte or salt tablets.