Your five favorite sports books

I know SI named its top 100 sports books a few years ago.

The UK Guardian did the same a while later and quite a few books appear in both lists.

Here's the link. The Far Corner (by Harry Pearson) is a jolly good read.


http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/index/0,,1476499,00.html

 

Here is SI Top 100 :

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/features/2002/top_sports_books/1/

Not on any of lists but a pretty good read:

Meat On the Hoof- Gary Shaw

 

That's a damn good list to have around. Thanks, Boom.

I've read 10 of the top 20 on the list.

Anyone read like 15 or 20 of them?

 

I have about 60 of the 100, many of them bought second hand from Amazon. But the Aussie dollar is weak and it costs me a fortune to have books sent out here. I can't believe Al Stump's Cobb biography didn't make it. It's enthralling.

 

I read It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium in three days. The best book I own by far.

I bought Eddie Robinson's autobio a few years back and loved it. Still crack it open every now and then.

Sorry for the thread jack, but if you're into Louisiana history, get the new Kingfish book. Huey was as crooked as a barrel of snakes, but that dude was a freaking genius. And Tyler Bridges' "Bad Bet on the Bayou" will tell you exactly why Edwin is in prison.

And for you non-Louisiana folk, I found a gem at my local library in "Winning Sounds Like This" by Wayne Coffey. He spent a season with women's basketball team at Gallaudet. Interesting reading.

 

Great pull. Loved it, when I read it. Haven't read it, for a long time. Seems like time to revisit.

 

Read 46, own 19 . . . many were/are on subjects simply too esoteric to justify the time investment from me, but whoever compiled that list was going for inclusion of sui generis examples representing specific niches, and they did a good job of that.

 

Sirs, Madames,

Own 64, have read all but a couple through and through. Truth be told, I made it through The Worst Journey in the World's first 100 or so pages as research (looking to crib stuff/getting in the mood) for a piece about a star-crossed adventurer. Would never have guessed it would show up on the list, don't think of it as a sports book.

o-<

 

Haven't read McIlvanney, but had his work highly recommended to me by a guy who's covered a ton of boxing. I need to find a copy of that book over here.

And Boom, he's gone. Please stop.

 

That list has some books that cover topics that I wouldn't really call sports. So it ought to include David McCumber's Playing Off The Rail, about pool-hall hustling. BTW, McCumber is managing editor of the Seattle P-I.

 

You've nailed it, Huggy. The McIvanney piece on Owen stayed with me for weeks after I read it. So, so sad

Frank, I will look up Playing Off the Rail. Sounds intriguing

 

An excerpt from The Hurricane. It's terrific


http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,803087,00.html