One of the most popular Cubs of all time—and now an executive advisor for the team—Williams reminisces about his early years, his Hall of Fame career, and his five decades in the game in this inspirational autobiography. In Billy Williams: My Sweet-Swinging Lifetime with the Cubs, he remembers the sturdy values and selfless devotion of the people from Whistler who helped shape his character; people like Lilly Dixon, his grade school principal, and Virgil Rhodes, his high school co...

Four decades ago, Gale Sayers allowed his remarkable running ability on the football field to speak for him. Today, Sayers has a powerful and poignant message to pass along not only to athletes but to everyone, and it's a message straight from his heart. Sayers, who grew up in modest surroundings in Omaha, Neb., is the son of a car polisher and mechanic. After fielding 75 college scholarship offers, he selected Kansas, where he became an All-American halfback before being selected in the f...

Written for every sports fan who follows the Bears, this account goes behind the scenes to peek into the private world of the players, coaches, and decision makers—all while eavesdropping on their personal conversations. From the Chicago locker room to the sidelines and inside the huddle, the book includes stories about Dick Butkus, Red Grange, George Halas, Walter Payton, and Gale Sayers, among others, allowing readers to relive the highlights and the celebrations.

Richard Dent, a cornerstone of the Bears’ overwhelming defense during their Super Bowl run, and a 2011 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was an 8th-round draft pick out of tiny Tennessee State in 1983. The tall and skinny rookie would become a 4-time Pro Bowl selection who also played for the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles. Dent wound up his brilliant 15-year career with 137.5 sacks, eight interceptions, 13 fumble recoveries, and two touchdowns....

When fifteen-year-old Mathew Dale Mitchell sees his first airplane in 1910 in his hometown of Springfield, Illinois, he is hooked. When he is old enough, he joins the US Air Corps and, as a first lieutenant, begins flying as a fighter pilot in World War I. On a mission over German lines, Mitchell doesnt return to base in Cerlot, France. Inexplicably, he lands in Pawtucket, Delaware, in the year 2000. Here, he discovers important information about what happened to his family while he served...

“Only a seasoned journalist like Fred Mitchell could uncover the fascinating stories behind the Ramblers’ glorious journey to the NCAA championship. Mitchell details surprising, ‘behind-the-curtain’ events, which carry the reader on a breath-taking trip to an unexpected, hard-fought victory.”—Robert Jordan, Jr., Ph.D., Loyola University, Retired Anchor/Reporter, WGN TV - ChicagoLoyola has become a national brand, led by a pragmatic, genuine, and unassuming head coach. Porte...

An insider’s look at baseball’s unwritten rules, explained with examples from the game’s most fascinating characters and wildest historical moments.Everyone knows that baseball is a game of intricate regulations, but it turns out to be even more complicated than we realize. All aspects of baseball—hitting, pitching, and baserunning—are affected by the Code, a set of unwritten rules that governs the Major League game. Some of these rules are openly discussed (don’t steal a ...

Professional football in the last half century has been a sport marked by relentless innovation. For fans determined to keep up with the changes that have transformed the game, close examination of the coachingfootage is a must. In The Games That Changed the Game, Ron Jaworski—pro football’s #1 game-tape guru—breaks down the film from seven of the most momentous contests of the last fifty years, giving readers a drive-by-drive, play-by-play guide to the evolutionary leaps that def...

No football fan will want to be without the book that delivers pure, unfiltered Rex Ryan—head coach of the New York Jets and one of the most popular, outspoken, well-liked, and widely respected personalities in the National Football League.Rex Ryan is known for his exuberance . . . and Play Like You Mean It explores every aspect of Ryan’s amazing passion for the game of football, plus the lessons he has learned in leadership and motivation during his years...

“Pearlman’s book develops a stark, unsparing picture of Clemens’s life that surpasses anything that’s come before.” —Boston GlobeNew York Times bestselling author Jeff Pearlman reconstructs pitcher Roger Clemens's life—from his Ohio childhood to the mounds of Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium—to reveal a flawed and troubled man whose rage for baseball immortality took him to superhuman heights before he crashed down to earth.A fearless, hard-nosed Texan with a 98-mph fastball ...

In ships and planes, they crossed the English Channel.On the other side Hitler’s army waited.And the longest day was about to begin....In the spring of 1944, 120,000 Allied soldiers crossed the English Channel in the most ambitious invasion force ever assembled. Rangers, paratroopers, infantry, and armored personnel, these soldiers--some who had just cut their teeth in Africa and Sicily and some who were brand-new to war--joined a force aimed at the h...

A top sportswriter compares NFL players across the years and shares the analytical methods behind his rankings.Who are the best quarterbacks in NFL history? How about running backs? Wide receivers? How can we objectively rate the performance of individual defensive players? And how can we make reasonable judgments about players at different positions and from different eras? Who is the greatest football player of all time? Jerry Rice? Lawrence Taylor? Jim Brown?