So in light of reading this it made me begin thinking about the greatest sports books that I personally have ever read. First I must say that I am not an avid reader, nor have I read that many books. However I do enjoy a good sports read and I have developed my Top 10 list of favorite sports books. Trust me I won't go into great detail and ruin the book for you if you ever decide to read it.
10. "Papa Jack" (1983) by Randy Roberts
Jack Johnson was the first great African-American boxer in an era where boxing and really all sports for that matter were for white athletes only. In the early 1900's as America was racially divided by segregation and Jim Crow laws, black athletes were not allowed to compete against their white counterparts in most cases. Johnson had a tremendous record through his early years and soon began wishing for a chance at the heavyweight title, held by white fighters who refused to fight him. The book finally climaxes when he gets his shot at the world title by fighting James Jeffries in 1910. Jeffries was undefeated and deemed the "Great White Hope" by promoters. I won't spoil the outcome for you, but this book not only gives a good history of early boxing in America but also provides a glimpse into the segregated south through the eyes of sports.
9. "3 Nights in August" (2005) by Buzz Bissinger
I first read an excerpt of this book in Sports Illustrated and I thought it was so good that I had to go read the entire book. The book is based on a 3 game series between bitter rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, who are also in the middle of a tight pennant race. The rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox usually gets attention as the greatest baseball rivalry, but if that's true then the Cardinals and Cubs are a close second. Bissinger provides an unprecedented behind the scenes look at the locker room and the intricacies of being a baseball manager. If you enjoy baseball strategy and the decisions behind when to pull a pitcher, hit and run, double steal, suicide squeeze, and retaliate a hit by pitch then this is a must read. It is a fascinating look into the great baseball mind of Tony LaRussa, manager of the Cardinals.
8. "Eight Men Out" (1963) by Eliot Asinof
The 1919 Chicago White Sox are considered one of the greatest baseball teams of all time. However they did not win the World Series that year, losing the best of 9 series 5 games to 3 to the Cincinnati Reds. No big deal you say, the best team doesn't always win. That is most definitely true, however when the team favored throws the series then that turns it into one of the greatest sports scandals of all time. The White Sox owner Charles Cominskey was notoriously stingy in paying his players, even for bonuses after winning the Series. Knowing this a prominent gambler, approached several of the star players on the White Sox offering them a large sum of money if they threw the series. The players agreed, and has since been referred to as "The Black Sox Scandal". As the series went on people began to question if there was a fix. However the gamblers didn't have the money to actually pay the players and so they began to try and win the series, but it was too late. They lost the series, many players never got paid, and those involved were banned from baseball for life. This is a very interesting read on a scandal that had a major impact on the game of baseball, most notably the installation of the first commissioner of baseball. There was a movie made, of the same name, which I haven't seen but I say read the book.
7. "Alive" (1974) by Piers Paul Read
In 1972 the Uruguay rugby team was headed to Chile for a match. Little did they know their flight over the Andes would be devastating. The plane crashed in the mountains and many of the passengers died immediately, those who did survive the crash soon faced the fight of their lives as they attempted to survive on what few clothes and supplies they had on the plane in the snow capped mountains. The conditions were harsh and they very soon ran out of food. This led to a decision that many regretted and all had to deal with for the rest of their lives, as they decided to eat the flesh of their deceased teammates. 16 members survived for over 70 days, living in the wreckage of the plane and eating the flesh. The book is kind of a slow read for the first half but the story of how a couple of men walked out of the mountains to rescue and the attitude of hope that several parents of the players had is amazing. It is unbelievable story of survival!
6. "The Natural" (1952) by Bernard Malamud
I read this book in high school and actually remember very little about it. However it is an incredible fictional narrative of the immortal Roy Hobbs. Hobbs is on his way to a tryout when his career suddenly gets side-tracked by a strange course of events. Many years later he recovers and makes his comeback. Using his bad "Wonderboy" made from a tree that was struck by lightning, he literally knocks the cover off of the ball in one at bat and suddenly becomes a hero. Part of the story is a bit unrealistic but a great baseball novel nonetheless.
5. "Blue Blood" (2005) by Art Chansky
This account gives you the history behind the UNC vs. Duke basketball rivalry and what makes it the greatest in all of college sports. It looks at many different aspects of the rivalry including the proximity of the schools (9 miles apart), the legendary coaches, the recruiting battles over the same players, the great games the teams have played through the years, and the hatred that has developed between fans of both Universities. Granted if you're not a UNC or Duke fan then you might not enjoy the book as much as I did, however I think any college basketball fan will enjoy reading about many details of the rivalry that are not as publicly known.
4. "A Walk in the Woods" (1999) by Bill Bryson
I know some of you might not consider hiking as worthy of being in the sports book genre, but I disagree, and this is a hilarious account of hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT). Bryson has been in England for the past 20 years, and upon returning to America he decides to reacquaint himself with the US by hiking the AT. The trip is full of poor planning, odd circumstances, and most importantly highlighted by Bryson's companion, Katz, who is an overweight, ill-prepared, and complaining friend that accompanies Bryson on his endeavors. A must read for anyone who enjoys hiking or for anyone wanting a good laugh. One of the best books I've ever read.
3. "The Last Best League" (2004) by Jim Collins
The Cape Cod Baseball League attracts the best college baseball players from around the country each year. The opportunity to play in this league is a tremendous honor and for many provides them the needed exposure to be signed by Major League Baseball, as numerous scouts attend each game played throughout the league. The league is unique in many ways as the players use wooden bats, unlike the aluminum used in college, they stay with host families provided to them by their team, and they work local jobs during the day. The teams are located in small New England towns and going to the games is truly a family affair. This book not only provides insight into the recruitment of college baseball players but it describes a baseball league that is as it was intended to be, America's Pastime!
2. "Friday Night Lights" (1990) by H.G. Bissinger
Forget the TV show and the movie with Tim McGraw and Billy Bob Thorton all of the same name. This book is what started it all and it is one of the greatest sports books of all time. Bissinger follows Permian High's football team in Texas for an entire season and looks at the importance of high school football in Texas. The book gives a detailed account of the season, which doesn't end the way you would expect a typical sports book to, but most riveting is the impact football has on both the school and the community. Football is certainly king, and Permian's games would draw as many fans as some college teams would. The entire community would shut down on game days and signs and posters of good luck would appear all over town. However this passion for football led to issues. There was alleged changing of grades within the school to keep star players academically eligible, or even making exceptions for them in class so they would remain eligible. The book also deals with divisions due to racism within the community, that led to conflict over playing time. Were the best players truly playing or were some players benched due to race. There is also a subplot of injury to one of the star players, who never quite recovers and ends up quitting the team. All of these things make this a terrific read. In fact the town of Odessa thought it displayed them in such a poor light that Bissinger was banned from the town for almost 15 years after the book was published. Also in my opinion the movie is terrible and not at all a good representation of the book, so don't base your opinion on the movie alone!
1. "Into Thin Air" (1996) by Jon Krakauer
The #1 book on my list is a true account chronicling the 1996 season on Mount Everest, which turned out to be the deadliest season ever on the mountain. If you've ever had a desire to mountain climb or even just for adventure then this book is for you. It is a riveting account of a summit attempt that succeeds but quickly turns to disaster due to competition and untrained climbers that pay big bucks to climb to the top of the world. The book gives fantastic detail on the intricacies of the climb itself as well as describing the dangers and pitfalls that can quickly lead to death while on the mountain. Krakauer actually does make the summit but the experience contains events that he will never forget. A riveting account that makes for the best sports book I've ever read!
So that's my top 10. I would highly recommend each book on this list and could even loan most of them to any of you that are interested in reading them. Also as with most top 10 lists you may not agree, so if there's a book I've left off the list (first off know it's probably because I haven't read it) then let me know and I will most definitely check it out at some point.
Happy Reading!
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