Biographies Titles

About 40 miles east of Pittsburgh is the small town of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the place Arnold Palmer called home. The world knew Palmer as The King. But the Palmer Latrobe knew was funnier, goofier, saltier, and less grandiose than the one justifiably loved around the globe. In Arnold Palmer: Homespun Stories of the King, journalist, Latrobe resident, and accidental Palmer insider Chris Rodell draws upon over 100 interviews with the golf great conducted over 20 years, providing an intimate, charming, and at times irreverent glimpse at the icon outside the spotlight.

Davey Johnson is best known for managing the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, and Baltimore Orioles—and taking all three clubs to their respective league championship series during his time at the helm. When teams needed to improve, they hired Johnson, and he delivered, memorably leading the Mets to the 1986 World Series title. Yet even as he raised the bar of their success, all three clubs parted ways with Johnson, a pattern that puzzles him to this day. A self-termed "army brat," Johnson kept moving, managing the Los Angeles Dodgers then the Washington Nationals before announcing his retirement in 2013. But managing baseball has been just one part of Johnson's fascinating life. A true Renaissance man, Johnson has also found incredible success as a land investor, pilot, scratch golfer, scuba diving teacher, and mathematician, pioneering the use of sabermetrics in the big leagues. Now, Johnson finally takes the time to meditate on his wild and remarkable journey, with reflections on not only his All-Star playing days and years of managerial success in New York, Cincinnati, and Baltimore, but on his entire career.

Rod Laver's memoir is the inspiring story of how a diminutive, left-handed, red-headed country boy from Rockhampton, Australia became one of sports' greatest champions. Rod was a dominant force in world tennis for almost two decades. In 1962, Rod became the second man to win the Grand Slam—that is, winning the Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US titles in a single calendar year. In 1969, he won it again, becoming the only player ever to win the Grand Slam twice. Away from on-court triumphs, Rod also movingly writes about the life-changing stroke he suffered in 1998, and of his beloved wife of more than 40 years, Mary, who died in 2012 after a long illness. Filled with anecdotes about the great players and great matches, set against the backdrop of a changing tennis world, Rod's book is a warm and insightful account of one of tennis's all-time greats.

For 25 years, Chicago sports fans invited Terry Boers into their homes, cars, and offices as one of the premier voices of WSCR radio. Covering the latest championships and trades, Boers was a Windy City constant until his retirement in 2017. In his highly-anticipated memoir, Boers delivers a trove of lively anecdotes and personal reflections from journey through sports media—from raucous banter with Mike Ditka during The Score's early days to the Cubs' World Series celebration in 2016. A must-read for any of the thousands who made Boers part of their daily routine, The Score of a Lifetime is a freewheeling, frank portrait of a man, a career, a station no one thought would survive, and a city that loves its sports.

With 14 All-Star appearances, 13 Gold Gloves, a Most Valuable Player Award, and, of course, a World Series ring, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez has more than earned his spot in Cooperstown as one of the best Major League catchers of all time. In They Call Me Pudge, Rodriguez tells the story of his unforgettable baseball journey, from signing his first professional contract as a 16 year-old in Puerto Rico, to his years in Texas, Detroit, and beyond, to the World Series stage in Miami, and behind the doors of the Texas Rangers front office. Rodriguez's accomplishments, his teammates, and his biggest challenges all receive time in the spotlight in this refreshing memoir of a life and Hall-of-Fame career.

For more than a decade, Tim Raines patrolled left field for the nascent Montreal Expos, igniting the powder keg of what would become one of the most innovative, entertaining, and talented teams of the modern era. Raines, nicknamed "Rock," hit and stole his way into the hearts of baseball fans across North America. The seven-time all-star tore through the Expos record books before moving on to the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, and Florida Marlins, ultimately earning three World Series rings. And now Raines sit on the cusp of entering Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. But it wasn't always easy playing for the upstart Montreal Expos or being Tim Raines. Raines' performance dipped in 1982, and at the end of the season, Raines entered treatment for substance abuse for cocaine addiction. To avoid leaving the drug in his locker, Raines would carry it in his hip pocket, and would slide headfirst when stealing bases. He used cocaine before games, in his car, after games, and on some occasions between innings in the clubhouse. Raines would later testify at the infamous Pittsburgh drug trials, in September 1985, and would ultimately resume his career at a high level and once again become one of baseball's brightest stars, on and off the field. This memoir entails the life and playing career of one of the sport's all-time greatest leaders and personalities, an honest, raw, and compelling tale of triumph and redemption.

With more than 500 career home runs, an infectious personality, and three World Series championships, David Ortiz has established his position as the greatest Red Sox player of this generation. But Ortiz' story did not start with postseason heroics and towering blasts into the Fenway Park bleachers. Ortiz struggled to find his power stroke in parts of six seasons with the Minnesota Twins, who released him after the 2002 season. Then Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein signed Ortiz in 2003 and the 27 year old soon became known as Big Papi, setting career highs with 31 home runs and 101 RBIs. The next season, the Red Sox won the franchise's first World Series championship in 86 years. Ortiz hit .409 in the postseason, twice driving in the game-winning runs as the Red Sox overcame a 3-0 deficit to top the Yankees in the ALCS. Big Papi hit a franchise-record 54 home runs in 2006 and led the team to a second World Series title in 2007. Ortiz continued his assault on American League pitching into his late-30s. At age 37, he hit .688 in the 2013 World Series to earn MVP honors as the Red Sox topped the Cardinals. Following a 2015 season in which he hit 37 home runs at age 39, Ortiz announced that the 2016 season would be his last. Ortiz' unforgettable career is chronicled in this new, must-have keepsake book from the Boston Globe. Big Papi: The Legend & Legacy of David Ortiz features 128 pages of award-winning reporting, vivid storytelling, dramatic photographs, and statistics capturing the unforgettable moments from Big Papi's arrival in Boston to his farewell tour in 2016. This one of a kind career retrospective is the perfect souvenir for any Red Sox Fan.

An elite pass rusher who was in the prime of his career, Charles Haley was traded from the San Francisco 49ers to an NFC rival, the Dallas Cowboys. Why would they make such a trade? The 49ers did so because Haley had become so difficult for teammates and coaches alike. It turns out that he acted this way because he had bipolar disorder. Haley, a Hall of Famer and the only NFL player who earned five Super Bowl rings, documents what it was like suffering from that condition and how he overcame it. He details what it was like to play for two championship organizations and the fights, transgression, and squabbles that marked his career.

For more than three decades, the New York Giants have been one of the most competitive teams in the National Football League, winning four Super Bowls and eight conference championships in that time. Now, Lawrence Taylor—Hall of Fame player and consummate Giant—teams up with William Wyatt to tell the stories of the Giants' most memorable players and coaches, including Bill Parcells, Rays Perkins, Carl Banks, Harry Carson, and Gary Reasons to name but a few. In My Giant Life, Taylor looks back at the best games, best moments, and behind-the-scenes stories of the men who played and coached for the team.

A former NFL ref and acclaimed rules expert shares his insights and thoughts on the rules of the sport  Only recently in the world of NFL media have "rules experts" become an essential part of a fan's viewing experience. As the league continues to implement rule changes that have more and more of an impact on games and, sometimes, the final outcome, it's become imperative that fans understand the rules and how they're applied. But often, they need help. Mike Pereira, hired by Fox Sports in 2010 as the rules expert for both the NFL and college football, was not only the first to rise to prominence in the role, but he is consistently lauded as being the best by his peers and even rival media networks. Viewers have come to rely on Pereira, the former vice president of NFL officiating, to provide entertaining, informative, and reliable explanations of the league's often baffling and controversial rulings during games. Now, Pereira digs a little deeper and gives NFL fans and casual viewers alike insight into NFL rules, their applications, and some of the most controversial calls in recent memory, in terms both can understand. In this book, Pereira draws on professional experience and his personal life, both his years of work at the pinnacle of the officiating world and his upbringing as the child of longtime official, Al Pereira.

The Princess of Darkness. Former NFL team executive Amy Trask has held many titles during her career - including chief executive, analyst, and author - but this nickname is what she is first and foremost known by to Raiders fans. Trask joined the Raiders as an intern during law school after the team moved from Oakland to Los Angeles - the position the result of a cold call she made to the team. From there, she worked her way up through the ranks of the organization, to the post she would eventually hold as chief executive. Along the way, Trask worked extremely closely with the late Al Davis, a man who treated her and others on his team without regard to gender, race, and age. Trask may have been the highest-ranking female executive in the NFL during her tenure with the Raiders, but in You Negotiate Like a Girl: Reflections on a Career in the National Football League, she shares how she found success by operating without regard to gender. Replete with insider tales about being part of the Raiders' front office, behind the closed doors of NFL owners meetings, and Davis himself, Trask's book is a must-read not only for football fans, but anyone who wants to succeed in business.

When University of Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill stepped down due to health concerns in October 2015, he said, "I can't do what I love doing anymore." What Kill loved doing, and did remarkably well, was turn around college football programs. In this book Coach Kill shares for the first time his inspirational, thought-provoking, and heartwarming story, from his early years playing for and working under Dennis Franchione to guiding the Gophers to a New Year's Day bowl game and being named Big Ten Coach of the Year. Kill describes his dedication to his players, how he drove them, and made them into disciplined and inspired football players. Readers will also learn about Kill's work to bring awareness to cancer and epilepsy.

Michigan will never forget Gordie Howe's presence on and off the ice — he combined skill, savvy, strength, meanness and longevity like no other hockey player. Known to generations of fans as Mr. Hockey, Howe passed away on June 10, 2016 at the age of 88. The Detroit Red Wings legend's career spanned from 1946 to 1980, including 25 seasons with the Red Wings. A 23-time NHL All-Star, Howe led the Red Wings to four Stanley Cups, won six Hart Trophies as the league's most valuable player and won six Art Ross Trophies as the NHL's top scorer. When he retired in 1980, he held the NHL records for regular-season goals (801), assists (1,049), points (1,850). In this tribute to the legendary Red Wing that features nearly 100 images, the Detroit Free Press reflects on Howe's life in 128 pages of historic photos and defining stories about Mr. Hockey.

Ruth Pointer's story for the first time—and in her own words Still So Excited!: My Life in the Pointer Sisters offers an engaging, funny, heartbreaking, and poignant look at Ruth Pointer's roller-coaster life in and out of the Pointer Sisters. When overnight success came to the Pointer Sisters in 1973, they all thought it was the answer to their long-held prayers. While it may have served as an introduction to the good life, it also was an introduction to the high life of limos, champagne, white glove treatment, and mountains of cocaine that were the norm in the high-flying '70s and '80s. Ruth Pointer's devastating addictions took her to the brink of death in 1984. Ruth Pointer has bounced back to live a drug- and alcohol-free life for the past 30 years and she shares how in her first biography. Readers will learn about the Pointer Sisters' humble beginnings, musical apprenticeship, stratospheric success, miraculous comeback, and the melodic sound that captured the hearts of millions of music fans. They will also come to understand the five most important elements in Ruth's story: faith, family, fortitude, fame, and forgiveness.

The personal account of a promising high school hockey player who survived brain surgery and months of rehabilitation, infections, and temporary paralysis An aspiring hockey star at Minnesota's elite Hill-Murray School, 15-year-old Duke Pieper faced a brain surgery with a five percent survival rate. In I'm Alive: Courage, Hope, and a Miracle, Duke recounts his personal and courageous war against the brain lesion that threatened his life and his fearless battle to restore normalcy to his life. Battling through months of paralysis, multiple surgeries, massive nerve damage, and more, Duke had to relearn how to breathe, swallow, walk, talk, and live again. This inspiring young man shares how his strength and adaptation to his disabilities inspired him to build a platform to assist others who have succumbed to monumental loss. I'm Alive is a heartwarming, wonderful acclaim to a young man who never gave up, and who has become an iconic inspiration to all who know him.