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For anyone considering
setting sail "Eyewitness
Companions offer an
essential reference
library, perfect for
novices or anyone who
just wants to know more
about their favourite
pastime." Heyday
Essential reading ?
whether you're dipping
your toe in the water for
the first time, or a
seasoned sea-dog brushing
up your skills. Find out
how to get started:
explore different boats,
what to wear, and
discover the correct kit
to pack for rivers,
lakes or the high seas.
Learn the essential
techniques, from rigging
and launching your boat
to advanced tacking,
gibing and starting to
race. Plus, get the
low-down on navigating
your vessel and handling
emergencies. Take time to
research before you go:
explore the top sailing
destinations of the
world, whether you fancy
cruising in the
Mediterranean or drifting
through the warm
Caribbean. Make sure you
dip into this before
setting off.
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Christopher Somerville is
one of Britian's
best-loved walking
journalists and
personalities.
"Somerville's 100 Best
British Walks" presents a
personal selection of his
best walks around
Britain. Laid out by
region, with over forty
illustrations and area
maps showing walk
locations and
easy-to-follow
directions, this volume
is a treasury of
anecdote, observation
and description, as well
as a comprehensive guide
to walking your way
through Britain.
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Ken Doherty is one of the
most talented and
successful snooker
players ever to have
picked up a cue, and the
only player ever to win
the Under 21, Amateur
and World Snooker
Championships. In this
honest and emotional
autobiography, Ken tells
how he went from the
World Snooker final at
the Crucible to
qualifying tables of
Prestatyn and back again
- and reveals what it
means to lead a Life in
the Frame. Born in
Ranelagh, a
south-eastern district of
Dublin, Ireland,
Doherty leart his trade
in the legendary
'Jason's' snooker hall,
standing on a biscuit tin
to try and reach the
balls. Coached by former
Irish international Paddy
Miley, the young Doherty
found he had a natural
talent with the cue and
entered in to various
amateur competitions,
including the Irish
Amateur Championships. In
1989 - at the ripe age of
20 - Doherty won the
World Amateur
Championship and was duly
invited to become a
professional of the game.
Four years later, after
losing his first Grand
Prix to Jimmy White, Ken
went on to win his first
ranking title, the Welsh
Open, which was enough
to catapult the 'Darlin
of Dublin' into the top
16 players in the world.
Doherty etched his name
in the record books in
1997 by becoming only the
third player outside the
United Kingdom to win the
World Championship,
beating Stephen Hendry
18-12 in the final at the
Crucible. Returning to
Ireland a hero, Doherty
would go on to play in
two more World
Championship finals and
stay in the top 16 for
over a decade.
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Bob Woolmer on Bowling is
a dynamic, yet
comprehensive, guide to
bowling in cricket.
Combining the knowledge
top cricket coach Bob
Woolmer and an expert
sports scientist, this
scientifically and
technically thorough
manual tackles the
essential techniques
involved in achieving the
perfect combination of
momentum, balance and
timing required in
bowling. "Bob Woolmer on
Bowling" analyses the
components that make up a
smooth and continuous
bowling action,
facilitating teaching and
practice by breaking down
the bowling action into
five distinct phases.
Featuring clear,
explanatory illustrations
throughout, along with
useful summaries and
tips, this is the
definitive guide to
mastering the skills
involved in bowling.
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This title was first
published as a hardback
edition to considerable
commercial and critical
success in 2001 and was
quickly reprinted. This
3rd reprint of the
paperback edition makes
available again a classic
and much respected
account of the history of
the famous motor racing
circuits of England.
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Slipless in Settle is a
sentimental journey
around club cricket in
the north of England, a
world far removed from
the clich?d
lengthening-shadows-on-the-village-green
image of the summer game.
This is hardcore cricket
played in former pit
villages and mill towns.
Winner of the 2011 MCC
Cricket Book of the Year,
it is about the little
clubs that have, down
the years, produced some
of the greatest players
Britain has ever seen,
and at one time spent a
fortune on importing the
biggest names in the
international game to
boost their battle for
local supremacy. Slipless
in Settle is a warm,
affectionate and
outrageously funny
sporting odyssey in which
Andrew Flintoff and
Learie Constantine rub
shoulders with
Asbo-tag-wearing
all-rounders, there's
hot-pot pie and mushy
peas at the tea bar, two
types of mild in the
clubhouse, and a batsman
is banned for a month for
wearing a fireman's
helmet when going out to
face Joel Garner
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After years of watching
Kenyan athletes win the
world's biggest
long-distance races,
Runner's World
contributor Adharanand
Finn set out to discover
what it was that made
them so fast - and to see
if he could keep up.
Packing up his family,
he moved to Iten, Kenya,
the running capital of
the world, and started
investigating. Was it
running barefoot to
school, the food, the
altitude, or something
else? At the end of his
journey he put his
research to the test by
running his first
marathon, across the
Kenyan plains.
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Details: Stradey Park,
Llanelli: the field of
rugby folklore, each
blade of grass with its
historic tale to tell,
each clump of soil the
stuff of legends. It was
home to the Scarlets and
Sosban Fach for over a
century; a home fit for
heroes like Albert
Jenkins, Lewis Jones,
Carwyn James, Phil
Bennett, Ray Gravell and
the Quinnells. But it is
not only the stars of
Stradey that are
celebrated in this
entertaining collection
of portraits, reports
and anecdotes, because
Llanelli has always been
the People's Club, as
proud of its
wise-cracking, one-eyed
supporters as it is of
its players. And between
them, they have some
great memories to share
and secrets to tell! In
the company of the
popular broadcaster and
former first-class
referee Alun Wyn Bevan,
re-live those monumental
moments in Stradey's
history; rub your eyes in
disbelief once again as
the mighty All Blacks are
humbled; wipe your eyes
as Biarritz shatter
another European dream.
Rugby folk love a good
story. And Stradey
Stories is full of them!
Ideal for: A fantastic
read for rugby fans. This
paperback book has 216
pages and measures: 24.3
x 16.5 x 1.4cm.
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Sparring is a core
activity in any martial
art, and failing to test
your fighting ability
through controlled
sparring is akin to
learning to drive a car
without ever getting into
the driving seat.
Sparring improves your
physical abilities, but
is so much more than just
punching and kicking a
like-minded opponent,
for it also has amazing
character-building
qualities.It is something
that almost anyone can
enjoy, regardless of
their age, size,
ability or gender, and
with full-contact,
semi-contact,
light-contact,
no-contact,
point-fighting and
continuous sparring, to
name but a few, there is
almost certainly a type
of sparring to suit
everyone.
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There is no more famous
motorcycle than the
Triumph Bonneville, the
Bonnie, the best
motorcycle in the world,
and the Meriden factory
producing this icon was a
personal Mecca to fans of
the marque. Film stars
such as Steve McQueen
visited Meriden for their
Triumphs. But on the
brink of what should have
been its biggest ever
sales season, the BSA
parent company
dramatically collapsed.
The Conservative
government reacted, and
Norton-Villiers-Triumph
was created. The new
owners decided to close
down Meriden...so the
workers locked them out.
There followed protracted
political negotiations,
affected all the while by
national government
changes, ministers
attitudes, national and
international economic
conditions and,
throughout all this, the
world's continuing desire
for the Triumph. As much
a study of changing socio
political attitudes as of
an economically traumatic
time for both Triumph and
the country, socialist
John Rosamond's unique
position within the
workers co-operative
makes this work a
fascinating account of a
story never before told
from the inside. The
reversal of his role from
worker to chairman
brought with it new
responsibilities,
bringing home to him the
passion that employees,
customers and dealers had
for Triumph, and how
that could keep Meriden
from closing and the
Bonneville in production.
During all these
desperate struggles, the
Triumph Bonneville became
the best-selling
motorcycle of its class,
winning the coveted Motor
Cycle News Motorcycle of
The Year award at the end
of the seventies.
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In this fascinating book,
Mike Atherton selects
the best pieces he has
written over the last
decade. Renowned as a
shrewd and resolute
captain of England,
Atherton moved
effortlessly into the
commentary box and Fleet
Street, proving himself
every bit as capable with
the pen as with the bat.
It has been a dramatic
period, seeing the rise
of Twenty20 cricket and
the IPL, as well as the
revival of England's
prospects, breaking a
long era of Australian
dominance in the Ashes.
There has also been
controversy, too, with
terrorist attacks,
Zimbabwe and allegations
of Pakistani spot-fixing
all distracting fans from
the essence of the game.
Through it all, Atherton
comments with the true
insight of one who has
been there, the humane
understanding of someone
who has genuine empathy
for the issues involved
and, above all, his
opinions are based on a
deep love for the game
and sport in general. His
writing has become
essential reading for all
sports fans. This book
shows exactly why that is
the case.
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Days Like These is a
romantic, colourful and
heartfelt book by a
writer whose pulse beats
faster than most to the
intoxicating rhythms of
the racetrack. A personal
and autobiographical
account of one man's
passionate love affair
with horse racing and
betting, it chronicles
the origins and
consequences of his
obsession with the sport
and his addiction to
gambling, through good
times and bad. By
interweaving dramatic
racing moments with key
episodes from his own
experiences, Reid shows
how a love of 'the turf'
can transform and
intensify everyday life.
The book celebrates some
of the great racing
personalities of the last
40 years - from Sir Peter
O'Sullevan and Lester
Piggott to Jonjo O'Neill
and Captain Ryan Price -
and focuses on some of
the most legendary
horses, including Arkle
and Dawn Run. Beginning
with a nail-biting
account of a high-stakes
gamble at the 2002
Cheltenham Festival and
concluding with the
jubilation of a 10-1
ante-post triumph at the
following year's meeting,
Reid evokes the people,
the faces, the reek of
fast food, and the
potent adrenalin-charged
atmosphere of the track.
As well as being a vivid
portrayal of horse-racing
life, this is a book
about fathers and sons,
grandmothers and
grandsons, and the
sometimes painful path
from childhood to
adulthood. There is a
memorable portrait of
Reid's eccentric
gambling-mad grandmother
and a graphic description
of the stifling horrors
of conventional schooling
and small town life in
late '50s and early '60s
England, from which Reid
escaped through horse
racing. At times
humorous, at times
moving, Days Like These
is destined to become a
modern horse-racing
classic in its own right.
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The Fastnet Race is the
world famous yacht race
from the Isle of Wight to
the Fastnet Rock off the
southwest coast of
Ireland and back. The
race of 1979 began in
perfect weather
conditions but within 48
hours, the deadliest
storm in the history of
modern sailing struck off
the south coast of
Ireland. By the time it
had passed, the havoc
caused was immeasurable.
Even more devastating,
it had mercilessly taken
the lives of fifteen
sailors. It had been Nick
Ward's childhood ambition
to sail in the Fastnet
Race, and after being
asked to join the crew
aboard the 30-foot yacht
Grimalkin it was a dream
come true. But then the
storm hit. Grimalkin was
capsized again and again,
the skipper was lost
overboard and after hours
of struggle, three of
the crew decided to
abandon the boat for the
liferaft. Nick and his
fellow crewmember Gerry,
both injured and
unconscious, were left
on the beleaguered yacht
in the middle of the
Irish Sea. Both were
presumed dead, and were
taken off the priority
list for rescue. Gerry
died a few hours later,
and Nick was left to face
the storm alone. Left for
Dead is the tragic and
inspirational story of
Nick Ward's survival
against all the odds. It
is the story of an
ordinary man who survived
an extraordinary event.
It was an experience
which affected him so
deeply that for over 25
years his story has
remained untold - until
now.
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Julian Seaman first went
to Badminton as an
autograph-hunting fan in
the 1960s. He later
decided to become a
competitor. In his first
year, his horse became
lame. Year two, he
completed the dressage in
a rainstorm in a coat
made in his tailoring
class at college. Third
time he fell. Indeed, he
fell off several times on
national TV and achieved
immortality as the 'What
happened next?' feature
on BBC's A Question of
Sport. Meanwhile, Julian
enjoyed the splendour and
history of the event -
watching Mark Phillips
win four times, the
grand daughter of the
Viceroy of India,
Lucinda Prior-Palmer win
six times and has enjoyed
watching both Princess
Anne and daughter Zara
riding the classic
course. And over the
years, he's witnessed
some odd happenings, for
example, in 1973,
one-third of all
constants failed to get
past the third obstacle.
On another occasion,
Gurgle The Greek
clambered, unpenalised,
under a jump, to
officially clear it.On
another, dual Olympic
Gold medallist, Mark
Todd, rode a chance
horse, lost a stirrup
and competed
'one-legged'! Julian is
now Press Officer at this
magnificent event and
cantors us through the
history of Badminton
regailing us with
fascinating facts and
marvellous memories that
brings the event to life.
A beguiling book, this
will be enjoyed by horse
lovers and history lovers
alike. Scriptwriter,
broadcaster and Press
Officer at Badminton,
Julian Seaman was once a
competitor at Badminton
Horse Trials. His
previous book, Sixteen
Hands Between Your Legs
was a best-seller.
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Details: There is
something for every
follower of the turf in
"The Horse Racing
Miscellany". The history
of horse racing dates
back to the eighteenth
century and the major
races remain an integral
part of the British and
Irish sporting calendar.
Within these pages, the
reader will learn
hundreds of fascinating
facts about both flat
racing and
steeple-chasing,
covering a range of
topics from horses,
jockeys, owners and
trainers to racetracks
and betting coups. The
Horse Racing Miscellany
contains biographies of
racing personalities -
both human and equine,
lists of winners,
famous"ations,
racing records and much
more. Ideal for: A great
read that will bring
hours of pleasure to all
lovers of the Sport of
Kings. This hardback book
has 176 pages and
measures: 19 x 12 x
1.8cm.
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This work contains the 50
walking cards that offer
more than 100 routes, in
both classic walking
country and little
walked, 'local' places
and divide into half,
one, two-day and
three-day walks. The
cards are perfect for
recreational walkers who
need routes within a
drive of where they live,
as well as the buoyant
market of people who like
to get away for a walking
weekend.
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When did the Mexican Wave
originate? What is 33 in
Bingo terminology? Who
invented the first ever
'word cross'? Where is
the best place to go
noodling? And just how
the hell do you Bog
Snorkel? In this world of
highly paid professional
sport, 'Fotheringham's
Sporting Pastimes' is a
look at a lighter side of
sporting life and focuses
on those sports and
pastimes which have, and
continue to be enjoyed,
in a Corinthian spirit of
camaraderie, joie de
vivre and eccentricity.
Included are such
delights as extreme
ironing, underwater
hockey, pig sticking,
camel racing and cheese
rolling. Traditional
pursuits like pub and
card games are also
considered. As well as
invaluable statistics and
information,
'Fotheringham's Sporting
Pastimes' is packed with
anecdotes and"es. In
short, everything the
dedicated sportsman
needs.
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Details: Yesterday's
Heroes doesn't pretend to
be a definitive list of
the best horses over
fence and timber,
instead it is an
entertaining and
informative look at some
of the finest and most
fascinating horses jump
racing has ever seen.
Every horse hero featured
in the book has his own
unique, sometimes
heartbreaking, story. Be
it a titanic battle of
champions racing
head-to-head, the
emergence of a new
superstar or the final
hurrah of an aging
favourite you will want
to read again and again.
From the tragic story of
One Man to the brilliance
of Desert Orchid, the
majesty of Silver Buck to
the faltering steps of
Crisp, there is
something here for
everyone to enjoy. More
recent heroes such as
Viking Flagship,
Baracouda and Moscow
Flyer stand alongside old
favourites such as Sea
Pigeon and Comedy of
Errors. The final chapter
takes a dispassionate
look at the age old
question 'who is the
greatest, ' offering
insightful arguments
regarding the main
choices. Yesterday's
Heroes is based on
Graham's columns of the
same name written for
Racing Ahead magazine.
Ideal for: Fans of horse
racing. This hardback
book has 135 pages and
measures: 24 x 16 x 1.7cm
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These days Irish horses
dominate jump racing,
while one of the finest
Derby winners of recent
years was Sea The Stars.
The greatest
steeplechasing horse of
all time, Arkle, was
Irish-bred and trained.
Nijinsky, winner of
Englands great flat
races, was trained in
Ireland. Now, Brian
O?Connor, Racing
Correspondent of the
Irish Times, selects a
dozen truly great Irish
horses of the last
hundred years of racing
history and devotes a
chapter to each,
assessing their calibre
against the horses they
had to beat, and
analysing the particular
source of each
horses greatness.
The horses O?Connor
selects are wonderfully
different. There is
Arkles almost
unearthly
indestructibility,
utterly trouncing the
opposition whatever
weight he had to carry in
the toughest, most
arduous steeplechases,
and on the other hand
there is Sinndar, the
Aga Khans colt
whose quicksilver speed
saw him become the first
horse ever to win the
treble of Epsom Derby,
Irish Derby and Prix de
l?Arc de Triomphe. There
is Orby, the first
Irish-trained Derby
winner at the start of
the twentieth century,
owned by an Irish-born
New York union hard man
the King refused to meet,
and Moscow Flyer, just
as likely to lose
concentration and fall,
but on his day a
brilliant chaser over two
miles, the toughest
jumping challenge of all.
There is the great
hurdler Istabraq and the
Gold Cup winner Dawn Run,
as well as Alleged, the
?forgotten horse? that
won back-to-back
victories under Lester
Piggott in the Prix de
l?Arc de Triomphe, and
Vintage Crop, who went
all the way to Australia
in 1993 and won the
Melbourne Cup. Witty and
trenchant and formidably
well-informed,
Irelands Greatest
Racehorses is a hugely
enjoyable celebration of
some of the finest
racehorses of all time.
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How many of us ever take
the time to think about
the history of Ireland's
sporting sites? This book
urges us to do just that.
From national stadia to
local pitches, from
exclusive golf courses to
derelict sites of former
sporting glory, it
explores the spaces where
ordinary people have
congregated and community
identities have been
formed; why sporting
sites are located in
particular places and how
they have changed over
time; what kinds of men
and women have gathered
together in these venues
to compete, spectate or
place a bet. Tracing the
history of sport in
modern Ireland, the
authors explain the
impact of railways, the
military, landed wealth,
local tradesmen and
national politics on the
development of the built
sporting landscape. The
story of Ireland's
sporting heritage is told
through the history of
sites ranging from the
familiar to the less well
known; from the fishing
estate in Ballynahinch,
County Galway, developed
by the record-breaking
cricketer Ranji, or the
racecourse at Down Royal
where a winning horse in
1690 went on to serve the
Williamites in the Battle
of the Boyne. From Grand
Prix to lawn tennis,
Places we Play delves
into all aspects of
Ireland's sporting sites.
The site of the first
All-Ireland hurling final
in Offaly is now home to
a supermarket while the
site in Belfast's Ormeau
Park where North of
Ireland Cricket Club
played is now a housing
estate. The heritage of
Ireland is usually
thought of in terms of
landscape, big houses,
battlefields, language
and civic buildings.
However, while Ireland
is often termed 'sports
mad', there has been no
recording or celebration
of the heritage built
around Ireland's sporting
activities. This book
explores how Ireland
developed a sporting
infrastructure,
celebrates significant
sites across the country,
and highlights why such
spaces are important to
the history of Ireland.
From the Aviva stadium to
the smallest GAA club,
from exclusive golf clubs
to derelict sites of
former sporting glory,
Ireland is dotted with
sporting spaces. With the
emergence of teams and
seasons, sports clubs
had to think about where
they would play. Grounds
and tracks were
purchased, stands
erected and facilities
built. These places form
a central part of
Ireland's heritage with
their richness of
history, architecture
and sporting endeavour.
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Ireland is the home of
the greyhound - with the
best breeders, owners
and trainers, the story
of the sport is an
extraordinary one. Ever
since the coursing
triumphs of Master
M'Grath in the nineteenth
century and Mick The
Miller's days as the
first legend of the race
track at the start of the
twentieth, Irish
greyhounds have led the
pack. Illustrated with
over 120 photographs,
many never published
before, Tales of the Dogs
is the most comprehensive
chronicle of greyhounds
in Ireland, and includes
the first ever detailed
look at the
administration of the
sport in Ireland, from
the first race at Celtic
Park in Belfast to the
current time, when the
sport is a multi-million
euro industry. "Tales of
the Dogs" is packed with
information, stories and
memories, from the
earliest days of coursing
in Ireland and the most
famous winners of all the
Classic races, to the
current great dogs, the
new tracks and everything
that makes greyhound
racing one of Ireland's
best-loved and most
popular sports.
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This is the full story of
the horse which many
racing pundits consider
the best racehorse ever
to run on the Flat - the
horse who captured the
hearts of racegoer's all
over the world. His
unflappable temperament,
his apparently effortless
abilities to find another
gear when the chips were
down, and his unruffled
demeanor after each race
made him the most popular
racehorse since the days
of Desert Orchid. This is
the story of Sea The
Stars - one of the
greatest racing stories
ever told. The book
includes a complete
record of all his races
and full statistics of
his phenomenal career.
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How is being a pro skater
different from being,
say, a professional
golfer? Veteran skate
journalist and former pro
skater Sean Mortimer has
interviewed the top
skaters of all time to
answer that question in
different and hilarious
ways. Tony Hawk, Stacey
Peralta, Rodney Mullen,
Daewon Song, and Chris
Haslam are handful of the
skaters who opine on
ollies, demos, mass
riots, near arrests,
and the various ways in
which skating is bad for
your love life. With over
50, 000 words straight
from the skaters
themselves and graphic
black and white
photographs, Stale Fish
functions as a gritty
oral history of
professional skating.
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In the summer of 2013,
cricket's greatest
rivalry will be renewed
as England take on
Australia to see who can
win the Ashes, arguably
sport's smallest trophy,
but one that has cricket
lovers everywhere
transfixed. With almost
140 years of history
behind it, the Ashes
have provided some of the
greatest and funniest
stories in sport - from
touching moments, as
when Andrew Flintoff
consoled a distraught
Brett Lee after England's
narrow Test victory in
2005, to the truth about
who holds the record for
downing the most beers on
the flight between the
two countries. With
characteristic talkSPORT
insight and irreverence,
Portnoi looks back at the
greatest players and
matches in Ashes history,
reveals some of the
extraordinary goings-on
in the changing rooms and
unearths some of the most
bizarre cricketing
trivia. And yes: the
bushiest tache of them
all, Merv Hughes, does
feature!
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Cricket is undoubtedly
the elegant game,
occupying a
long-established and
distinguished position in
the annals of sporting
history. Played by
gentlemen the world over,
the word cricket derives
from the Anglo-Saxon word
cric, meaning a staff or
crutch - giving us a game
played with a long wooden
implement - and the first
(reliable) mention dates
back to Guildford in the
16th century. No-Balls
and Googlies uncovers the
origins of this
captivating game, and
explores its traditions,
records, milestones and
memorable moments through
a fascinating array of
facts and figures,
anecdotes and
curiosities. For example,
did you know that the
Hambledon Club of
Hampshire, founded
around 1767, is
generally perceived as
cricket's spiritual home?
Or that British and
Australian troops
conducted their own
Desert Ashes series in
Iraq in 2005? Or perhaps
an England XI's first
overseas tour was to the
United States? From the
leg glance to leg before,
king pair to cover
drive, and from the
no-ball to the googly,
this book is sure to
entertain, inform and
delight.
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The London 2012 Olympic
Games was the biggest
sporting event ever to be
staged in Great Britain.
The Greatest Show on
Earth relives every
important moment from
every day of the London
2012 Olympic Games, from
the Opening Ceremony on
Friday 27 July to the
Closing Ceremony on
Sunday 12 August,
recording the joy and
exultation of the Olympic
gold medallists as well
sympathetically
remembering some of the
hard-luck stories. The
book is structured in
such a way that each
day's activities are
covered, the great
stories, outstanding
achievements and heroic
efforts, and all are
brought to life by
stunning action
photographs. To conclude
each day, there are
potted highlights and,
sport by sport, a list
of all the medals
awarded. For every sports
fan, The Greatest Show
on Earth will be the
perfect keepsake from a
fantastic summer.
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World Adventure Dives is
a luxurious photographic
guide to the most
exhilarating and
fascinating diving
experiences in the world.
Dividing the globe into
the main diving regions,
it presents 35 amazing
diving experiences chosen
to represent the
diversity and beauty of
the marine environment
and conjure up the
excitement of underwater
adventure. Focused on the
activity and visual
impact rather than the
destination or technical
aspects of the dive, the
book includes experiences
such as diving with great
whites and underwater
kelp forests in South
Africa, the worlds
largest coral reef in
Australia, the cool
waters of New Zealands
Milford Sound and the
Jellyfish Lake in Palau.
It opens up a multitude
of diving possibilities
beyond the tropical coral
reef diving featured in
many books, although of
course the best and most
amazing aspects of reef
diving are also included.
Dive sites are
accompanied by an
underwater terrain maps,
and feature spreads by
experts provide
background material on
animal species and other
themes, such as diving
under ice or World War II
aircraft. Boxed practical
details, such as site
location, depth, tour
operators, seasonality
and safety
considerations, make
this the ultimate divers
bible.
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-
Marcus Trower hated WWF.
He hated Hulk Hogan, Big
Daddy and all the other
spandex-clad musclemen
who over the years had
made a mockery of his
beloved sport. For him,
wrestling - real
wrestling - was a means
of expression, both
physical and mental. It
was also, in Britain at
least, a dying art. Then
tragedy struck - chronic
health problems prevented
him doing what he loved
most. Unwilling to let
go, he travelled to such
far-flung reaches as
India, Mongolia,
Nigeria and Brazil in an
attempt to uncover some
deeper, perhaps
spiritual, dimension to
wrestling. Amidst
incredible scenery and a
cast of colourful
characters, Marcus
discovered the true
origins of wrestling
appeared to have little
to do with spirituality
and everything to do with
seduction... The Last
Wrestler is the story of
one man's rebellion
against the office-bound
constraints of the modern
world. Vivid, comic and
often moving, it reveals
a testosterone-fuelled
world you never knew
existed.
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The Ultimate Encyclopedia
of Boxing is the world's
most comprehensive
single-volume illustrated
work of boxing reference,
covering all aspects of
the sport since its rise
from the days of illegal
big-money challenge
matches to the
multi-million-dollar
televised extravaganza it
is today. As well as
details of the careers of
the world's greatest
boxers, and descriptions
of many of their
outstanding fights, it
traces the progress of
the world title from
champion to champion in
all the weight classes,
outlines the status of
boxing around the world,
considers the prominent
men behind the scenes as
promoters, trainers and
managers, recalls some
of the great stadiums
where boxing history was
made, and details the
administrative bodies,
the rules, the culture
and the ambience of the
fight game, including
its occasional tragedies,
along with its scandals.
There is also a new
section for this updated
and revised edition,
celebrating boxing in the
Olympic Games. The book
concludes with a
statistical section,
listing the facts,
figures and oddities of
boxing. No serious
student of boxing can
afford to be without The
Ultimate Encyclopedia of
Boxing on their shelves.
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Details: Following on
from We Are Celtic
Supporters, Richard
Purden tackles a variety
of subjects in his second
book Faithful Through and
Through. Here he takes a
fresh look at the people
who have added to the
wider culture,
reputation and traditions
on and off the park which
have strengthened
Celtic's position as a
much valued institution.
Purden talks to a
selection of supporters,
ex-players, managers and
public figures, while
travelling to a number of
historical locations.
While visiting the club's
ancestral home in Ireland
he discusses Celtic in
the context of faith,
politics and identity.
The author channels the
voices of secret
millionaires, Irish
troubadours, Scottish
politicians and the
club's most popular icons
who take you on a Celtic
odyssey in a continuing
story that underlines why
this team from Glasgow's
East End personify a way
of life that represents
unwavering hope and
positive life-affirming
values around the world.
Ideal for: Football fans,
especially Celtic fans.
This hardback book has
326 pages and measures:
24 x 15.8 x 3.3cm
Availability: In Stock
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Details: Britain and
Ireland's Top 100
Racehorses of All Time
author Robin Oakley takes
us on a canter through
the colourful world of
horseracing. Join him as
he shares evocative
personal stories of being
there at racing legends'
key moments, such as
Frankie Dettori riding
seven winners in a day at
Ascot. He debates whether
jockeys are sportsmen or
masochists - jump jockeys
can expect a fall on
average every 13 rides -
and reminisces about
unusual achievements,
including trainer Sirrell
Griffith's Cheltenham
Gold Cup win after
milking his 100 cows that
morning. Tales From the
Turf is an extraordinary
account from the
Spectator's long-running
Turf columnist, and a
man for whom horseracing
is a lifetime's passion.
Ideal for: Horse racing
fans and especially
British racing fans too.
This hardback book has
340 pages and measures:
22.3 x 14 x 3cm
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-
Dive into the
life-affirming journey to
the heart of the worlds
most dangerous race...
the Isle of Man
TT!
Throwing it
back to the maverick era
that existed before PR
platitudes and PC
attitudes, join author
Rick Broadbent as he gets
inside the helmets of
four leading motorcycle
racers as they battle
fear, fire and family
tragedy for a gritty sort
of glory!
Join
the famous pheneomenons
as they tell their
astonishing stories in a
book that provides the
most rounded, intimate,
behind-the-scences
account yet of the last
great race.
Rick Broadbent has
delivered the final word
on the Isle of Man
TT...
One that
really gets to grips with
an event that continually
pulls unsung riders and
fans back year after year
to witness That Near
Death
Thing!
Product
Information:
•
ISBN:
9781409138976
•
Author: Rick
Broadbent
•
Publisher: Orion
Books
• Format:
Paperback
• Pages:
360
• Dimensions:
19.8 x 12.8 x
2.4cm
Availability: In Stock
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-
From beyond Llangollen in
the north to Symonds Yat
near Chepstow in the
south, the Welsh/English
border offers some of the
quietest and most remote
walking in Southern
Britain. There are plenty
of reminders of the often
turbulent history of the
area to beguile the
walker: Offa's Dyke,
castles, abbeys, quiet
villages and small towns
and the relics of
industrial and military
activity. This book
selects 35 of the best
walks, including ascents
of Wenlock Edge and the
Sugar Loaf, and suggests
routes for walkers of all
ages and abilities.
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-
Clare Balding looks back
at the last time that the
Olympic Games came to
London in 1948. Three
years after the end of
the Second World War,
Britain was still gripped
by austerity. Rationing
was still in force,
severe bomb damage was
still much in evidence
and no new sports
facilities could be
built. Visiting athletes
were put up in schools
and RAF camps. Yet the
Games were a resounding
success and actually made
a profit. Clare Balding
meets athletes who
competed in 1948,
including cyclist Tommy
Godwin, who won two
bronze medals, and
Dorothy Manley, who won
silver in the athletics.
She also talks to Roger
Bannister who saved the
day for the British team
in the opening ceremony.
The programme also
includes fascinating
voices from the archives,
including Dutch sprinter
Fanny Blankers-Koen, who
won four gold medals.
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-
Footprint Snowboarding
The World features 100 of
the world's top resorts
in 19 different
countries, taking you
from the most cutting
edge funparks to the best
places to sleep, eat and
drink. Its unique blend
of essential snowboarding
and travel information,
along with recommendation
from the world's best
snowboarders, makes
indispensable reading,
whether it's flat light
or a bluebird powder
day...Great listings on
where to eat, sleep and
drink as well as what to
do on days when the
powder isn't so good The
only guidebook of it's
kind Expert authors,
including British
Snowboarding Champion
Chris Moran Stunning
full-colour photography
throughout, prepare to
be inspired!
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-
Pitbull is back and
angrier than ever, with
another collection of
hilariously well-observed
and rambunctiously argued
grievances about the mad
world of sport and
beyond. Following the
success of The Thoughts
of Chairman Moore,
Volume I, you might have
hoped that sport's powers
that be would have sat up
and taken notice of its
many faults and flaws.
But alas no, lunacy
prevails and so Brian has
taken it upon himself to
put forward another
collection of his unique
insights and
not-so-unique
frustrations.
Uproariously funny and
spot-on in its every
complaint, Volume II is
required reading for
anyone who can't live
without sport but who
also can't help but
wonder at its unbridled
idiocy!
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-
Boxing has a long and
eventful history and its
drama, excitement and
humour are covered in
this fascinating account
of the noble - and
sometimes ignoble - art
all over the world. From
the bare-knuckle days
when the Duke of
Cumberland callously
abandoned his protege
Jack Broughton when the
latter could no longer
fight on because he was
blind, to 1964, when
the charismatic Muhammad
Ali knocked out Sonny
Liston with a 'phantom
punch' that no one in the
audience saw thrown.
Featured here are the new
batch of
twentieth-century
fighters from Amir Khan
and Ricky Hatton at one
end of the scale to the
dreaded 'Beast from the
East', the 7ft tall
Russian Nikolai Valuev,
who powered his
inexorable way to the
world heavyweight title.
This book presents a
vivid picture of the
sport rightly known as
the hardest game. Gallant
stands, spectacular
'dives' audacious cons
and heartbreaking defeats
combine to present boxing
in all its multi-faceted
confusion and glory.
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-
The spirit of the game
was first nurtured on the
playing fields of the
English public school,
and in the pages of "Tom
Brown's Schooldays" -
this Corinthian spirit
was then exported around
the world. The
competitive spirit, the
importance of fairness,
the nobility of the
gifted amateur seemed to
sum up everything that
was good about
Britishness and the games
they played. Today,
sport is dominated by
corruption, money,
celebrity and players who
are willing to dive in
the box if it wins them a
penalty. Yet, we still
believe and talk about
the game as if it had a
higher moral purpose.
Since the age of Thomas
Arnold, Sport has been
used to glorify
dictatorships and was at
the heart of cold war
diplomacy. Prime
Ministers, princes and
presidents will do
whatever they can to
ensure that their country
holds a major sporting
tournament. Nelson
Mandela saw the victory
of the Rugby World Cup as
essential to his hopes
for the Rainbow Nation.
Mihir Bose has lived his
life around sport and in
this book he tells the
story of how Sport has
lost its original spirit
and how it has emerged in
the 20th century to
become the most powerful
political tool in the
world. It is presented
with examples and stories
from around the world
including how the
sport-hating Thomas
Arnold become an icon;
how a German manufacturer
gave Jessie Owens a pair
of shoes at the Berlin
games of 1936 and went on
to dominate the world of
sport; how India stole
cricket from the ICC; how
an Essex car dealer
become the most powerful
man in Formula 1; and,
who really sold football
out.
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-
Renowned children's
writer Vincent McDonnell
puts his trademark spin
on the story of the GAA,
turning the facts into a
fascinating story for
younger readers. The GAA,
the Gaelic Athletic
Association, is the most
important sporting
organisation in Ireland
today. It was started by
just a few people with
vision and now has more
than 800, 000 members.
Every year, teams
compete to win trophies,
cheered on by fans
dressed from head to toe
in county colours. In
Dublin city a small piece
of green space, 144
metres by 86 metres, is
possibly the most famous
place in Ireland. Hardly
a single Irish boy or
girl hasn't dreamed of
one day running onto the
pitch at Croke Park to
the roar of 80, 000
people. This is the story
of the GAA, a story of
sport and of the men and
women who play the games.
Ideal as a reference tool
for projects in primary
schools, it will appeal
to both boys and girls.
Starting with the
founding of the GAA it
describes the origins of
hurling and football and
their popularity and it
celebrates great players
like Christy Ring and Pat
Spillane and talented GAA
families like the A" Ses
of Kerry and the Larkins
of Kilkenny. Find out
about famous GAA trophies
and grounds, major
competitions and the
results down though the
years. Learn more about
Ladies Football, Camogie
and Handball, and
discover how the GAA -
celebrating its 125th
anniversary in 2009 - has
grown to be Ireland's
largest and most renowned
sporting organisation.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Details: Racing in
Doncaster contains a
fascinating selection of
photographs, charting
the ups and downs of this
historic course. Famous
races, horses, jockeys
and trainers can all be
found here, along with
much detail about the St
Leger, Doncasters
most celebrated and
lucrative race of all.
Peter Tuffrey has
gathered together well
over 200 images, many
unpublished, to present
a comprehensive
photographic history of
the course, the
meetings, and the
runners and rider who
have graced
Doncasters turf.
Ideal for: This is
must-have for all racing
enthusiasts. This
paperback book has 127
pages and measures: 23.4
x 16.5 x 0.8cm
Availability: In Stock
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-
Meet Les Green - Head of
the most potent pigeon
racing team in the UK -
known in pigeon racing
circles as 'The Mafia'. A
sharp-tongued,
quick-witted ex-gang
member from Salford who
now devotes his life to
breeding and racing
pigeons that are as swift
and consistent as the
expletives that fly from
his own foul mouth. The
RPRA (Royal Pigeon Racing
Association) - an
organization filled with
ex brigadiers - sees Les
and his lads as a bunch
of Northern upstarts out
to make trouble. Given
the chance, and if they
weren't so damn good,
the RPRA would ban them
from competing. This
conflict forms the
backdrop as we follow Les
from his legendary coop
in North Manchester to
the National Pigeon
Racing convention in
Blackpool; on to the
$250, 000 Las Vegas
classic; and finally to
take part in the ultimate
pigeon race - the $1
million bonanza in Sun
City, South Africa. A
Very British Coop is the
story of Les and his team
trying to defy the odds
and drag pigeon racing
into the 21st century,
meanwhile pursuing the
ultimate feathered flying
prize. It is also the
first insight into a
global pursuit which
blurs hobby and sport,
sees pigeons flown
first-class round the
world before changing
hands for over $100, 000,
and where grown men will
stop at nothing to see
their bird flying into
sight first.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Now firmly established in
its ninth year of
publication, The Official
MotoGP Season Review 2012
is an essential gift for
every fan of top-level
motorcycle racing. Edited
by TV commentator Julian
Ryder, this book
includes expert
contributions on the
technical side from Neil
Spalding and stunning
photography by Andrew
Northcott. All 18 races
of the season are covered
in detail, the
supporting categories are
also included, and
clearly presented
statistics provide a
comprehensive reference
source for the future.
Availability: In Stock
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Details: Road racers are
no ordinary mortals.
Riding at extraordinary
speeds and desperate to
win, they are locked in
a life-and-death battle
every time they race.
This book is a tribute to
these icons and their
incredible skill, and to
the energy and excitement
of one of the world's
most thrilling sports.
From Ireland to the Isle
of Man and from the Czech
Republic to Spain,
leading photographer and
writer Stephen Davison
follows the riders as
they take on some of the
most challenging races in
national and
international road
racing. But Road Racers
also looks to something
deeper - to the fear that
every rider has to face
down; to the steely
strength that it takes to
win; and to the extremes
of exhilaration and
despair that define the
sport. With the kind of
access to the riders that
most of us only dream of,
Davison's photographs
and writing give an
unparalleled insight into
what it means to be a
road racer. Intimate
portraits, unguarded
moments, family, fans
and friendships, life
and death - this is the
ultimate road racing
book. Ideal for: A must
for all road racing fans!
This hardback book has
144 pages and measures:
29 x 23.5 x 1.3cm.
Availability: In Stock
£7.99
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-
Clare Balding presents
the landmark BBC Radio 4
series which charts how
sport has shaped the
British and how Britain
has shaped sport. Apart
from the English language
itself, the invention of
modern sport has been our
major cultural legacy to
the rest of the world. In
this 30-part narrative
history series, with the
help of the academic team
from the International
Centre for Sports History
and Culture at De
Montfort University,
Clare looks at the unique
and vital role sport has
played, and continues to
play, in our national
life. From the birth of
broadcasting, to the way
television has changed
our relationship with
sport, this is a
historic series about our
national passion and how
the British took sport to
the world. (Due to
copyright reasons, this
contains edited versions
of the episodes that were
originally broadcast.).
Availability: In Stock
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Practical in its focus,
this guide offers
detailed information and
advice on getting the
most out of camping light
- on foot or by bike,
canoe or car. It explores
the many varieties of
lightweight tent life and
travel including all the
skills required and the
essential equipment.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Sue MacGregor talks to
members of the 1980
British Olympic team who
defied their Government
to attend the Moscow
games. In 1979, the
British team was in
training for the
following year's Olympic
Games when Russia invaded
Afghanistan. President
Carter, backed by
Margaret Thatcher, urged
athletes to boycott the
event, and the worlds of
politics and sport seemed
caught in a headlock.
This fascinating
programme sees Sue
MacGregor reuniting
members of the British
Olympic team as they
recall that controversial
year. Swimmer Duncan
Goodhew, athlete Joslyn
Hoyte-Smith, and rowing
cox Colin Moynihan faced
their own personal
dilemmas about competing
for their country in the
face of political
opposition. Team leader
Dick Palmer carried the
flag alone into the
Olympic stadium, and as
the hate mail stacked up,
coach Frank Dick did his
best to shield the
athletes from the
pressures. Together,
they reminisce about the
difficult decisions they
made, the trials of
participating without
Government support, and
ultimately the triumph of
a record-breaking British
medals haul.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Details: Who won gold in
Olympic hot-air
ballooning? Which sport
has produced the most
elected politicians?
Which sports team has had
the world's longest
losing streak? Here's
where you can find out.
Sportographica blends
sporting statistics from
around the world with
stylish and memorable
infographics - including
the youngest-ever Formula
One winners, the world's
richest sports teams,
the oldest sporting
rivalries and the worst
footballers' hairstyles.
Smart, quirky and
endlessly fascinating,
Sportographica is packed
with information, facts
and figures - Ideal for:
perfect read for fans of
all sport. This hardback
book has 208 pages and
measures: 21.5 x 15 x 2cm
Availability: In Stock
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-
Running is my drug. To be
honest, drugs (and
alcohol) used to be my
drug, but now I've got
the healthiest addiction
going. Running is what
has helped me fight my
demons, win five world
snooker championships,
and cope with all the
crap life's thrown at me.
They say what doesn't
kill you makes you
stronger, and in this
book I look at everything
that hasn't killed me,
but has had a good go -
my addictive personality,
depression, my dad's
murder conviction, the
painful break-up with the
mother of my children,
the difficulty of
balancing family life
with that of a sportsman.
Those are the downers.
But it's also about the
great things in my life -
my kids, snooker, my
dad's release from
prison, great mates who
have helped me, and the
psychiatrist Dr Steve
Peters who has taught me
how not to run away from
life when it gets tricky.
For the first time, I
explain some of my madder
moments - why I walked
out in the middle of a
match against Stephen
Hendry, why I sat with a
wet cloth over my face in
a match against Mark
King. This is a book
about what it takes to be
a champion - the
sacrifices you have to
make, the obsessive
practice, the
selfishness. Finally,
it's a book about what
it's like to get the
buzz. and I hope anybody
who's ever got the
running buzz will relate
to this.
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-
Actor and passionate
fisherman Robson Green is
on a mission to discover
the weird, the wonderful
and the way-off-limits
that the angling world
has to offer. Working
alongside some of the
finest in their field,
his exhilarating
adventure series Extreme
Fishing with Robson Green
takes him to the greatest
fishing destinations ever
seen; chasing the most
elusive and terrifying
creatures on the planet,
learning new tricks,
hearing old stories and
eating pretty much
everything he catches.
From ice fishing in
Siberia, mining eggs on
the side of an active
volcano in Papua New
Guinea and struggling
with the Mekong Giant
Catfish in Thailand, to
surviving a Force 10
hurricane on a Canadian
trawler, catching a
thirty-pound King Salmon
in Patagonia and dancing
the Salsa in Havana,
this is an extraordinary
modern-day fishing
odyssey with tales of
victory, defeat,
struggle and joy.
Complete with exclusive
off-camera capers, top
locations and best and
worst catches, this
laugh-out-loud adventure
is jam-packed full of
facts, fishing tips and,
most importantly, fun.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Whether you're roaming
the desert, the forest,
or the mountains-or
roughing it at a football
game on a chilly day--The
Labrador Outdoor Hand
Warmer and Survival
Manual will help you
brave the nip in any
outdoor situation.
Includes a
battery-operated hand
warmer, along with a
32-page usage manual
packed with practical
Labrador Outdoor tips for
adventure enthusiasts of
all levels of expertise.
Availability: In Stock
£1.99
Denmark