Presents the inspiring stories of baseball players who overcame obstacles in the course of their careers due to race, religion, ethnicity, or gender, including Jackie Robinson, Hank Greenburg, Fernando Valenzuela, and Ila Borders.

"A thrilling Jazz Age chronicle of America's first gangster couple, Margaret and Richard Whittemore"--

Stories of bravery and self-sacrifice from well-known athletes who have served in the military. -Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox outfielder, whose career was interrupted by service as a pilot during both World War II and Korea, where he saw combat and survived a crash landing. -Rocky Bleier, Pittsburgh Steelers running back: Drafted in 1968, nearly lost a foot on a land mine during Vietnam War. -Carlos May, Chicago White Sox outfielder, an emerging star...

Many of the baseball greats overcame huge challenges to be sports heroes-here are five inspiring stories of men who did just that. Baseball is considered America's pastime, but not all players grew up living the American dream. Babe Ruth, Jim Peirsall, Torii Hunter, Ron LeFlore, and Joe Torre sure didn't. Poverty, abuse, and addiction are a few of the issues they had to deal with as kids, but they turned their lives around to play the game they loved....

Profiles athletes and teams that either fell far, far behind or made a terrible mistake, but refused to give up or quit.

A must-read collection featuring the best in sports journalism Glenn Stout, founding editor of the Best American Sports Writing, has curated an essential anthology showcasing incredible feats and diverse perspectives across the world of sports. Selected from a wide range of newspapers, magazines, and digital publications during the previous year, these stories capture enduring moments while celebrating the craft of writing at its most sublime. ...

For more than twenty-five years, The Best American Sports Writing has curated the year's finest sports journalism. Continuing the tradition in a long line of notable guest editors is Rick Telander, acclaimed journalist, author, and champion of the written word. His choices are defined by one shared thread: effort, on the part of athletes and writers alike. The physical strength it takes to play professional hockey and football, or for a forty-two-year-old...

For more than twenty-five years, The Best American Sports Writing has built a solid reputation by showcasing the greatest sports journalism of the previous year, culled from hundreds of national, regional, and specialty print and digital publications. Each year, the series editor and guest editor curate a truly exceptional collection. The only shared traits among all these diverse styles, voices, and stories are the extraordinarily high caliber of...

The Best American Series® First, Best, and Best-Selling The Best American series is the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. Each volume's series editor selects notable works from hundreds of magazines, journals, and websites. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected...

A must-read collection featuring the best in sports journalism J.A. Adande, ESPN personality and Director of Sports Journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, has curated an essential anthology showcasing incredible feats and diverse perspectives across the world of sports. Selected from a wide range of newspapers, magazines, and digital publications during the previous year, these stories capture enduring moments while...