Sports Recommended Books and Bestsellers

1Shortstop

By Zane Grey

Zane Grey (Pearl Zane Gray) born in 1872 in Zanesville, Ohio was best known for his western stories, most notably <i>Riders Of The Purple Sage</i> which has been filmed four times, the last in 1996 starring Ed Harris and Amy Madigan. Among his other interests was baseball. He attended the University of Pennsylvania on a baseball scholarship where he earned a degree in dentistry. Grey later played minor league baseball with a team in Wheeling, West Virginia. According to the Internet Movie Data Base he is credited with 110 films made from his stories and books. Grey died from a heart attack in 1939 in Altadena, California.<br></br>In The Shortstop (1909) drawing on his baseball experience Grey follows the adventures of seventeen year-old Chase Alloway on his quest to make his fortune as a baseball player and lift his family out of poverty. Along the way young Chase encounters hardship and set-back. But with perseverance he discovers not only himself but friendship and love. (summary by Rowdy Delaney)

2Game

By Jack London

Jack London wrote at least four stories about boxing; A Piece of Steak (1909), The Mexican (1911), The Abysmal Brute (1911), and The Game (1905). The Game is told, in part, from the point of view of a woman, the fiancée of one of the competitors. This is to be his last fight and they are to be married on the morrow. Against her better judgment, she agrees to watch the bout. (Introduction by Tom Crawford)

3Rival Pitchers of Oakdale

By Morgan Scott

Play Ball!!! It's the start of another baseball season at Oakdale Academy. But there is a rivalry brewing between the pitchers. One wants to be a starting pitcher, but he is inconsistent. Another, a new kid from Texas, has been mentored by last year's starter, and is proving to have talent. And don't forget that starting pitcher from last season, he wants to continue to take the rubber for the team. This should prove to be an exciting season for the boys! (Summary by Ann Boulais)

4Baseball Joe of the Silver Stars

By Lester Chadwick

"Baseball Joe" Matson has recently moved to Riverside with his family, in this opening volume of Baseball Joe series. Joe is a wide-awake country boy who enjoys playing baseball. We follow his career in the series, and his adventures, as he joins Riverside's local nine and makes good, playing the position he most enjoys - that of pitcher, are recounted here. When not on the diamond, Joe is assisting his father against foes who are trying to steal Mr. Matson's machinery patents.<br><br>Lester Chadwick is one of dozens of house pseudonyms created by the Stratemeyer Syndicate in the early to mid 1900's, to "author" children's series. Contract writers (whose identities were to remain unknown under tight secrecy) were hired to write the books in the series under the various names, usually multiple writers contributing volumes to a particular series. <a href="https://librivox.org/author/2025">Howard R. Garis (1873-1962)</a> is thought to have solely ghost-written the 14-volume Baseball Joe series. (Summary by Donald Cummings)

5Right Off The Bat

By William F. Kirk

A Book of Baseball Ballads covering all aspects of our wonderful past-time. The ballads may seem out of date given some reference to drinking, smoking, and gambling. But anyone who knows history knows that these players were working men without million dollar contracts and players unions. This is baseball in its true raw form showing people who were paid next to nothing and loved the game. - Summary by ACBowgus

When the veteran captain of the St. Mary's baseball team is forced to resign at the beginning of the season, the choice for his replacement falls quickly upon the star pitcher. But can the new captain manage to rally the team, cope with detractors, and win the coach's confidence--all while still keeping his pitching arm in shape? And when fresh disasters threaten to wreck the big game, is there anything he can do to save it? - Summary by bookAngel7

7Baseball Joe on the School Nine

By Lester Chadwick

"Baseball Joe" Matson's great ambition is to go to boarding school and play on the school team, in this second volume of the Baseball Joe series. Joe is a wide-awake country boy who enjoys playing baseball. We follow his career in the series, and his adventures, as he and hometown chum Tom Davis enroll in Excelsior Hall and join the school nine, are recounted here. When not on the diamond, Joe is saving lives and assisting his father against foes who are once again trying to steal Mr. Matson's machinery patents. <br><br> Lester Chadwick is one of dozens of house pseudonyms created by the Stratemeyer Syndicate in the early to mid 1900's, to "author" children's series. Contract writers (whose identities were to remain unknown under tight secrecy) were hired to write the books in the series under the various names, usually multiple writers contributing volumes to a particular series. <a href="https://librivox.org/author/2025">Howard R. Garis (1873-1962)</a> is thought to have ghost-written most, if not all, of the 14-volume Baseball Joe series. - Summary by Donald Cummings

A miscellany of poetry and short works of fact and fiction on the topic of sports from North America, Great Britain and Australasia. The collection includes pieces on baseball, cricket, lacrosse, cycling, athletics, fishing, polo, fencing, marbles and three kinds of football, by authors including Arnold Bennett, Zane Grey, Banjo Paterson, and P. G. Wodehouse. (Summary by Phil Benson)

9Baseball Joe at Yale

By Lester Chadwick

"Baseball Joe" Matson's great ambition is to become a professional baseball pitcher. The Baseball Joe series follows his career as he seeks to attain his goal. In this volume, Joe follows the wishes of his parents and attends college, and seeks to join the Yale University varsity baseball nine. Much to his disappointment, he finds that he cannot immediately do so, due to a Yale rule barring Freshmen from placement on the varsity. We follow his college adventures through his first and second years, with emphasis on his trials in making the team in year two, including the attempts of a rival pitcher to keep him off the team. <br><br> Lester Chadwick is one of dozens of house pseudonyms created by the Stratemeyer Syndicate in the early to mid 1900's, to "author" children's series. Contract writers (whose identities were to remain unknown under tight secrecy) were hired to write the books in the series under the various names, usually multiple writers contributing volumes to a particular series. <a href="https://librivox.org/author/2025">Howard R. Garis (1873-1962)</a> is thought to have ghost-written most, if not all, of the 14-volume Baseball Joe series. - Summary by Donald Cummings

10Baseball Joe in the Central League

By Lester Chadwick

"Baseball Joe" Matson's great ambition is to become a professional baseball pitcher. The Baseball Joe series follows his career as he seeks to attain his goal. In this fourth volume, Joe accepts a contract to play baseball professionally, and leaves Yale to play on the Pittston team for the Central League, a "bush league" in the professional baseball hierarchy. Joe's career is helped by "Pop" Dutton, a famous pitcher now down on his luck, and hindered by a rival pitcher on the team, while at home, Joe's father is blinded by a chemical accident, and requires an expensive operation, which, if successful, will regain his sight. <br><br> Lester Chadwick is one of dozens of house pseudonyms created by the Stratemeyer Syndicate in the early to mid 1900's, to "author" children's series. Contract writers (whose identities were to remain unknown under tight secrecy) were hired to write the books in the series under the various names, usually multiple writers contributing volumes to a particular series. <a href="https://librivox.org/author/2025">Howard R. Garis (1873-1962)</a> is thought to have ghost-written most, if not all, of the 14-volume Baseball Joe series. - Summary by Donald Cummings

1Football Days: Memories of the Game and of the Men behind the Ball

By William Hanford Edwards

A book reminiscent of the days when football was gaining popularity in America. (summary by Ian Hatley)

These articles, pamphlets, and stories relating to the Girls Scouts of America touch on the history, activities, ideals, and traditions of this remarkable girls' organization. Though some of the articles appear redundant, they were selected to represent a contemporary view spanning five years of the organization's early popularity (1917-1921). Of significance are the detailed descriptions of Girl Scout involvement in war work during what is now known as World War I. Girl Scouts were prepared through their training for merit badges to be independent, resourceful, reliable, and helpful. They were able to make their own clothes, grow and cook their own food, care for the sick, and start a small business--skills that prepared young women for their future roles as homemakers, workers, and citizens.<br /><br /> A version of the story "The Brownies" is still part of the Brownie Girl Scout literature into the 21st century. <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=lZNHAAAAYAAJ">The Encyclopaedia and Dictionary of Education</a> edited by Foster Watson (1921) provides the following explanation under the entry for "Girl Guides": "The 'Brownies' are children under 11, who take two promises only, and whose motto is 'Lend a hand.' The scheme is based on Mrs. Ewing's story of the 'Brownies.'"<br /><br /> Though not an official Girl Scout story, The Tadger Tales have become a tradition with many Girl Scout summer camp programs. The stories are read aloud and acted out with improvisation and much silliness. The event concludes with a secret Tadger club ritual involving a safety pin, some tape, and a bit of string.

Scrambles Amongst the Alps is one the great classics (some would say the greatest) of early mountaineering literature, and Edward Whymper (1840-1911) one of the leading figures of the early years of Alpine climbing. He is best known, of course, for his many attempts on the Matterhorn, and for the loss of four members of his climbing party after the successful first ascent of the peak in July, 1865. Although the Matterhorn stands in ways in the center of his book, there are descriptions of many other ascents as well, in the Alps of France and Italy, as well as those of Switzerland. His book, incidentally, has many of his drawings in it (he was originally an illustrator by profession), and listeners might wish to call up the .pdf file from which it is read, to have the benefit of the illustrations. (Introduction by Nicholas Clifford)

4Diversions in Sicily

By Henry Festing Jones

Samuel Butler's biographer dedicates his urbane account of the culture and entertainments of rural Sicily to the unborn son of his guide to them. (Summary by R. S. Steinberg)

5Compleat Angler

By Izaak Walton

The Compleat Angler is a celebration of the art and spirit of fishing in prose and verse. Walton did not profess to be an expert with the fly, but in the use of the live worm, the grasshopper and the frog "Piscator" could speak as a master. There were originally only two interlocutors in the opening scene, "Piscator" and "Viator"; but in the second edition, as if in answer to an objection that "Piscator" had it too much in his own way in praise of angling, he introduced the falconer, "Auceps," changed "Viator" into "Venator" and made the new companions each dilate on the joys of his favourite sport. (Summary by Wikipedia)

6Pitching in a Pinch

By Christy Mathewson

In this book Mathewson is telling the reader of the game as it is played in the Big Leagues.... It’s as good as his pitching and some exciting things have happened in the Big Leagues, stories that never found their way into the newspapers. Matty has told them. This is a true tale of Big Leaguers, their habits and their methods of playing the game, written by one of them. (Summary by John N. Wheeler -- from the Introduction)

From the velocipede to the motor cycle in twenty chapters. A short history of the British bicycle industry from its origins in a Coventry sewing machine factory in 1868 to its transformation into one of the countries most important industries. A reminder of the days when bicycles ruled the roads from the Pitman's Common Commodities and Industry Series. - Summary by Phil Benson

This "how-to" book covers everything for the 1800's illusionist, from stage presence & dress, program and stage arrangement, to how to do tricks with cards, coins, watches, rings, handkerchiefs, dominoes and dice, cups and balls, hats, and other apparatus. "I have purposely limited my disclosures to such illusions as have been sufficiently long before the public to be fairly regarded as common property. Within this limit I have endeavored to make my explanations as complete as possible; but to go beyond it would be to infringe a moral copyright, and to deprive gentlemen to whom Modern Magic is especially indebted, of the well-earned fruits of their labor and invention." - Summary by TriciaG<br><br>Proof-Listeners: Joyful in MN, Billl Boerst

An approved Treatise of Hawkes and Hawking. Divided into three Bookes. The first teacheth, How to make a short-winged Hawke good, with good conditions. The second, How to reclaime a Hawke from any ill condition. The third teacheth. Cures for all knowne griefes and diseases. By Edmund Bert, Gentleman. <br><br> The author, who lived at Collier Row, near Romford, Essex, details his method of training the Goshawk, in which he was very successful. He used to ride out of Essex into Sussex to hawk over the downs, where, he says, " I have killed for the most part of a moneth together with an intermewed goshawke eight, nine, or tenne Partridges in a day. The day of my going thither and the day of my returne to London was just five weeks, and it was a fortnight or more in Michaelmas terme when I came backe. I killed in that time with that one hawke foure score and odd Partridges, five Pheasants, seven Rayles, and four Hares against my will."<br /><br /> He had " for a Goshawke and Tarsell a hundred marks both solde to one man within sixteen months ". For another Goshawk he was offered " fortie pounds ", and ultimately sold her for thirty. In 1795, a silver " varvel," engraved with the name "Oxenforde," was found near Headingham Castle, the ancient seat of this family in Essex. It is figured and described in the Archceologia, and may well have belonged to the nobleman to whom this book is dedicated. - Summary by James Edmund Harting, 1891.

George Washington Sears, who many know better by his pen name "Nessmuk", was an outdoor writer during the last half of the 19th century, writing most often for the magazine "Field and Forest", the predecessor of today's "Field and Stream". "Woodcraft" is his book for "outers" with his tips on how to "smooth it" rather than rough it in the woods. Although some of his methods, equipment and mores may be out of date or objectionable to modern readers, his stories of true wilderness travel tinged with his subtle humor still have messages for those venturing out of doors. His small stature and compromised health made him a proponent of lightweight backpacking and canoe travel with only essential gear, a lesson still relevant today. There is a reason why "Woodcraft" and the slightly abridged, "Woodcraft and Camping", have been continuously in print since its original publication. - Summary by Fritz