Sports & Recreation

The history of the Philadelphia Eagles spans multiple championships, many more near misses, and a cast of characters both on and off the field.

The passion of the game has flowed through the veins of generations of Philadelphians, and this book details the history of the Eagles from a unique fan perspective. Compiled from more than two dozen sources, The Philadelphia Eagles features rarely seen archival and personal photographs, including ones from Pete Pihos, Vince Papale, Upton Bell, Ed Mahan, and fans across the Delaware Valley.

Brian Michael is a college professor whose love for sports history led him to open Shibe Vintage Sports in Center City Philadelphia. Andrew Palagruto was born and raised in South Philadelphia near the sports complex and is Philly fandom personified. Andrew Weicker operates several digital properties related to Philadelphia sports from his fan cave in Northeast Philadelphia.

All kinds of spurious rumors had swirled around the 1919 World Series.

Allegations about a fixed game between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies on August 31, 1920, began a chain of events that led to a grand jury indicting eight White Sox players for conspiring to throw the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds the year before.Outside the courtroom, Shoeless Joe Jackson, just coming off his best overall offensive season with .382 average, was reportedly confronted by a young fan pleading for a denial from his hero.Jackson would later deny the encounter ever occurred and also deny any guilt in the World Series fix.In the almost 100 years since eight White Sox players were banned for life, there has been little historical closure due to a fleeting consensus on a scandal that almost took down Major League Baseball.

The complete history of the home of Red Sox Nation.

Five days after the sinking of the Titanic, Boston's Fenway Park held its grand opening. Since that day, millions have witnessed the Red Sox play baseball. Their Royal Rooters evolved into the Fenway Faithful and are now commonly referred to as Red Sox Nation. Nine World Series have been staged upon Fenway's turf, along with three Major League All-Star Games. Aside from baseball, Fenway has been host to professional and amateur football games, ice hockey, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, hurling, boxing and wrestling matches, and even a circus. Music from concerts has reverberated across its lawn, religious services have been held, and political rallies staged - all adding patches to the quilt of Fenway's rich, illustrious history. The structure that noted author John Updike referred to many decades ago as a lyric little bandbox has become one of New England's most beloved historical landmarks.

Between 1920 and 1964, the Bronx Bombers dominated the game of baseball. In this striking and nostalgic volume featuring many rarely seen photographs, we meet the heroes that were the New York Yankees.

It was a time when baseball players enjoyed an elevated status as national icons, a time when men wearing baggy, flannel uniforms and sporting pancake gloves played for little more than the love of the game. The Yankees won 29 American League pennants and 20 World Series during this golden era, their diamond exploits thrilling generations of fans and their statistical achievements becoming familiar numbers in the lore of the game: Babe Ruth's 714 home runs; Lou Gehrig's 2,130 consecutive games played; Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak; Casey Stengel's 5 straight world championships; Mickey Mantle's 565-foot home run; and Roger Maris's 61 round-trippers. The tradition of excellence began in the 1920s with the Murderers' Row teams, named for their killer batting lineups, and continued through the early 1960s, by which time the Bronx Bombers had established themselves as the most successful franchise in sports history.

The Philadelphia Phillies, one of the oldest teams in Major League Baseball, have maintained a strong, loyal fan base for over 125 years.

Despite historic set backs, the franchise has proven resilient and evolved into a perennial contender with consistently large attendance figures. In fact, the Phillies claim 37 Hall of Famers, two World Series championships, seven National League pennants, and nine division titles. The Philadelphia Phillies chronicles the greatness of Grover Cleveland Alexander, the remarkable career of Richie Ashburn, the perfection of Jim Bunning, and the teams of success and luster as well as those shining stars of the less successful eras.

Enjoy the walk and let the city of Charleston tell you its story.

Charleston: A Historic Walking Tour will help natives and visitors alike appreciate the history and residents of this beautiful city. With its architecture, palm trees, and cobblestone streets, Charleston is one of the South's great cultural destinations. Its ballrooms and benevolent society halls attest to grand periods of opulence and high living. The theater, libraries, museum, and college show an appreciation for culture and sophistication. But don't let the city's beauty hide its turbulent history. The horrors of bombardment and occupation by conquering armies have left their marks. The city has experienced bleak times and disasters, including fires, a devastating earthquake, and hurricanes, not to mention the challenges of Reconstruction. Yet Charleston has survived its darker days, and now may be the city's finest hour. Neighborhoods from Calhoun Street to the Battery are in better condition today than they have ever been before. This book offers three tours to explore the historic downtown: the Meeting Street loop, the Legare Street loop, and the Ansonborough tour.

Take a historical walking tour and see how the Federal City grew from farmland to world capital.

When it was passed in 1789, the Constitution set out the boundaries not only for a new government but for a new capital city as well. At the time, the new District of Columbia covered 5,000 acres and was dominated by marshland on the south, pastureland on the area that is now the Mall, farms near the White House and Capitol Hill, and undeveloped woods throughout. This engaging photographic history has striking images and detailed captions that tell the fascinating stories behind many of the famous and not-so-famous buildings and monuments that cover the D.C. landscape - from Union Station and the Capitol to the White House and the Watergate Hotel and many important sites in between!

No ballpark in Philadelphia was more revered than the one at Twenty-first Streetand Lehigh Avenue. A must-have for fans of Philadelphia and baseball history!

Originally called Shibe Parkand later Connie Mack Stadium, America's first steel-and concrete stadium opened in 1909. When it closed in 1970, it had earned a special place in the hearts and minds of Philadelphia sports fans. Home of the Athleticsfor 46 years, the Philliesfor 32 and a half seasons, and the Eaglesfor 18 years, it was also the site of many boxing matches, Negro Leaguebaseball games, and college and high school baseball and football games. Over the years, as the area developed, Shibe Parkbecame known for its obstructed views, delicious hot dogs, Sunday curfews, absence of beer, and boobirds. Along with memorable teams and games, the ballpark played host to eight World Seriesand two All-Star Games.

Join Rich Westcott, baseball writer, historian, author and president of the Philadelphia Sports Writers' Association, as he gathers archival photos capturing this legendary stadium's exciting history.

The Brooklyn Dodgers: The story of a baseball franchise that became family with its city.

If there was ever a place in America where a city and its baseball franchise were as close as family, it was Brooklyn. The legacy of this relationship chronicles childhoods spent at Ebbets Field to the stories of Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey, whose courage helped change the face of America. Baseball in Brooklyn goes back to the beginning of the sport, when a young city embraced a new game and, like missionaries, carried it to the nation. Brooklyn Dodgers carries us from the birth of baseball in the streets of Brooklyn through the decades in Flatbush when Ebbets Field was the center of the Brooklyn community during a time when the players lived in the neighborhoods not far from the ballpark, side-by-side with their followers. In additon to Robinson, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, Gil Hodges, and Johnny Podres all make appearances in this exciting selection of photographs - a large part of which is dedicated to those teams of the 1950s and their irrepressible fans. Author Mark Rucker tells the story from that birth and concludes with the heart-wrenching move of the franchise to the West Coast after the 1957 season.

The Hartford Whalers began their existence in Boston as the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association (WHA).

The Whalers played in every season of the WHA's seven-year existence, even becoming the league's first champions. Although their games were well-attended in Boston, the upstart league was never serious competition for the powerhouse Bruins. In 1975, they moved to Hartford, and in 1979, along with Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Quebec, joined the National Hockey League. After a series of successes in the '80s, by the '90s a dissatisfied new owner, unhappy players, and diminishing returns all contributed to the team's move to North Carolina following the 1997 season and won the Stanley Cup as the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.The Hartford Whalersis a pictorial tribute to this beloved and much-missed Hartford institution.

Abalones are marine snails from the family Haliotidae. This family of shellfish is comprised of 56 recognized species worldwide and eight known species in California. The Native Peoples of California fished and dove for abalone for thousands of years. Chinese immigrants first arrived in California around 1850 to work in the goldfields and on the railroads. Some found their way to Monterey and discovered an abundance of large red abalone that nobody was using. By the mid-1890s, Japanese fishermen had also discovered this rich abundance of abalone. Soon, the Japanese introduced helmet diving technology to the fishery. In 1908, a German restaurateur in Monterey began slicing abalone into steaks. Soon, men from the Azores and elsewhere started fishing abalone along the Central Coast of California. By the 1950s, there were hundreds of people and families fishing this delicacy commercially and thousands more fishing for recreation and subsistence. Steven L. Rebuck grew up in the abalone fishery and served as the abalone technical consultant to the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Team from 1993 to 2004. Christopher Rebuck, a software development manager, is a native Californian and Steven’s oldest son. He began surfing and hunting abalone at the age of five. Tim Thomas is the former historian and curator of the Monterey Maritime Museum. He authored The Abalone King of Monterey: “Pop” Ernest Doelter, Pioneering Japanese Fishermen & the Culinary Classic that Saved an Industry with The History Press in 2013.

Maine's Hunting Past captures the pursuit of wild animals through a century of documentation. Since about 1850, animals have been taken for sport, for food, and for their hides. Hunting has long been not only a sport but also an industry, resulting in the increase and growth of sporting camps and an expanding number of guides. Maine's Hunting Past highlights favorite regions, featuring famous sporting camps and well-known guides. Big game, small game, upland birds, waterfowl, furbearers, and numerous photographs of trophy animals and large bag limits are all included.

The deadrise and cross-planked bottom style of boatbuilding started on Chesapeake Bay in the 1880s, when builders of wooden boats began to shift away from constructing vessels out of logs and into using planks to create hulls with a V-shaped bottom. Marine historian Howard I. Chapelle says that the style started in the North and Deep South (on the Gulf of Mexico)—but was not popular in those areas—before coming to Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay’s choppy, shoal water conditions were ideal for a shoal draft, V-bottom style of boat. The availability of good wood, a dynamic cottage industry that grew, and diverse inshore fisheries that supported a bay-wide fleet all encouraged demand for various sizes of wooden deadrise boats on the bay. Over time, the hull style became so popular that in 1985, the State of Maryland named the deadrise and cross-planked sailing skipjack as Maryland’s state boat, and Virginia’s legislature named the motor-powered classic deadrise style as the state boat of Virginia. 

International Skiing History Association Skade Book Award

Skiing in Colorado evolved from a transportation necessity to a world-class recreational pursuit. The first documented use of skis in Colorado occurred in the winter of 1859. As the popularity of the activity grew, ski resorts opened throughout the state. After World War II, Colorado saw a boom in the industry along with advancements in equipment, lifts, and safety; the development of ski schools; and the opening of new ski areas. This volume includes photographs from the Colorado Snowsports Museum that illustrate and celebrate the history of skiing in Colorado.

Baseball in Baltimore documents the rich and interesting history of this sport's beginnings.

Few cities can boast as rich a baseball history as Baltimore. With longtime entries in the majors, minors, and Negro Leagues, the city's core of faithful fans have seldom lacked a team to root for. They revel in the feats of their stars (Keeler, Ruth, Palmer, Ripken) and just as ardently support the endless line of everyday players who often determine the teams' fates. Minor leaguers such as Merwin Jacobson, Howie Moss, and Jack Ogden had little impact in the major leagues but will be remembered forever for what they did for Baltimore.

During that era, Ben captured many images of the race and race events that surrounded the Indy 500. He was there when Bill Vukovich met his fate in 1955. He photographed the first Indianapolis 500 Parade, which has become an annual event. He captured A.J. Foyt winning his first race at the Brickyard. He was on hand to photograph the breaking of the 150-mph barrier. Then he saw the transition from the front-engined Offenhauser to the rear-engined Lotus-Fords, which ended the Golden Era.

In 1911, the operators of Coney Island's Luna Park premiered a miniature, radically banked racetrack for staged automobile races that seemed to defy gravity.

For a fee, patrons would watch from the perimeter of the 85-foot wooden saucer as daredevil drivers raced on the steep angle of the tiny track. The attraction created a sensation and was quickly copied with a show that featured motorcycle riders performing breathtaking stunts. When portable versions were made available, every traveling carnival owner in the United States rushed to have one. Motordromes with perfectly vertical walls soon followed, which permitted riders on their Indian motorcycles to climb, sometimes to a height of 20 feet, with nothing but centrifugal force between them and a trip to the trauma ward. And when full-grown lions were added to pursue riders in the arena, no one could resist buying a ticket! The Wall of Death, a name these shows received in 1917, remained a staple attraction on American carnival midways until the 1970s.

Baseball in Detroit documents nearly a century of this sport, following the Detroit Tigers closely.

Covering over 80 years of America's favorite pastime, Baseball in Detroit 1886-1968 takes fans back to the glory days of Ty Cobb in the early 20th century and follows the progress of the Detroit Tigers. From the three-time pennant winners of this century's first decade to the last real championship team of 1968, Detroiters have flocked to see their team play, win or lose. The fact that they have played at the same intersection of town for over a century is a tribute to the pride and loyalty that each has shown for the other. It could be said that no other baseball franchise has such a close relationship with its constituency. This relationship is clearly shown in a fascinating photographic collection, and sports fans everywhere will appreciate this candid glimpse into our nation's favorite game. As we approach the next millennium, a new stadium is under construction for this historic team. It, too, will be the place of legends, where great players and fans will create another glorious 100 years of baseball history in Detroit. The American League, to which the Detroit Tigers belong as charter members, is fast approaching its own centennial.

In 1909, Pittsburgh Pirates president Barney Dreyfuss began construction on a new facility for his team in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.

Dreyfuss decided to call his palace - the first concrete and steel facility built in the National League - Forbes Field, after the British general John Forbes, a hero in the French and Indian War. Opened on June 20, 1909, Forbes Field was a hit from the onset; the venue hosted large crowds that came to watch the Pirates win in their first World Series against the Detroit Tigers that year. As the years went on, Forbes Field became synonymous with the greatest sports memories in the city's history. Patrons saw the trials and tribulations of the Steelers as well as some of the greatest collegiate football teams in the history of the game. The University of Pittsburgh won three collegiate football national championships, and Duquesne University and Carnegie Tech also fielded many winning teams while calling Forbes Field home. Alongside football, boxing was a constant event at the famed facility, hosting some of the most memorable pugilists this city has ever produced. Above all else, it was a baseball mecca. While the field is no longer in use, the wall remains intact, reminding Pittsburghers of the field's rich history.

New Hampshire on Skis follows this development and the rise in popularity of skiing in the state. Such innovations as the Cannon Tram, operating from 1938, marked a high point of state-supported ski promotion. After World War II ended, development of ski areas began in earnest. In the late twentieth century and today, ski areas have combined their ski sport activity with other snow sports-snowboarding in particular. New Hampshire on Skis documents the growth of the ski industry in New Hampshire from its European beginnings to what is now one of the most popular winter destinations on the East Coast.

Discover a time when hydroplane racing captured the heart of the Detroit community in a way that has never been equaled.

Since the start of the 20th century, Detroit has been the hub of the motorized world. It was only natural that the powerful motors built in Detroit's huge factories eventually found their way into high-speed boats and that organized racing soon followed. Starting in 1916, Detroit became the center of powerboat racing. Names like Gar Wood, Chris Smith, and Horace Dodge dominated the sports pages of the 1920s and 1930s. Following World War II, racing in Detroit entered its golden era, led by local businessmen like Jack Schafer, Joe Schoenith and George Simon.

Columbus Motor Speedway: how this track rose to popularity, overcame several obstacles and became a community staple for 70 years.

From 1946-2016, the Columbus Motor Speedway, the tough one-third-mile track led primarily by the Nuckles family, presented numerous motorsport events ranging from motorcycles to coupes and, finally, to stock cars. Author and and racing historian Mike Garrepy takes you through the track's triumph and tragedy, rule changes and escalating costs, while showing how the track and weekly ranchers survived and prospered. During its 70-year run, the track witnessed the transition from home built race cars to sleek custom-built cars constructed on jigs to exacting specifications, with a corresponding increase in speeds. To keep up with a changing fan base, other events were offered in addition to weekly stock car shows, such as school bus races and thrill shows. Nevertheless, the core focus remained on the grassroots racers who supported the track on a weekly basis.

For seven decades, the Boston Garden functioned as both a de facto community center and the indoor entertainment hub of New England.

Known to millions as the home of the Bruins and Celtics, the Garden was also home to a variety of other events. The Boston Garden was truly a ""people's palace,"" serving as a venue for events both grand and humble, monumental and mundane. It was nothing less than the city's playpen, music hall, political clubhouse, tavern, cathedral, and living room. The Boston Garden opened on November 17, 1928, to an overflow audience who witnessed local boxer Dick ""Honeyboy"" Finnegan defeat reigning world featherweight champion Andre Routis in a non-title bout. Three days later, the Bruins greeted a crowd that fire department officials estimated was nearly four thousand above maximum capacity. The Boston Garden captures these moments and the unique relationship that was forged with the city right from the beginning. During the Great Depression, the Garden hosted countless community events, such as free public skating and religious services. It was Boston's main attraction with concerts, wrestling, school sports, and the ever popular Bruins. Later years saw the birth of the Boston Celtics in 1946 and their unsurpassed record of sixteen world championships. Following World War II and through the baby boomer years, performers as diverse as Liberace, Elvis, and the Rolling Stones also packed fans in. The Boston Garden was demolished in 1998 to make room for the Central Artery and private development, but it lives on in the hearts of New Englanders.

The Pawtucket Red Sox examines the history of the PawSox from their origin as a Double-A affiliate of Boston to their ascension to Triple-A status in 1973, right on through the ownership years of Ben Mondor. More than two hundred photographs chronicle the players, managers, and other key figures behind the franchise's success, as well as the defining moments in PawSox history: the 1977 International League championship, the longest game in professional baseball history, the unveiling of the new McCoy Stadium in 1999, and many others.

Charlotte and the Carolina Piedmont has an extensive and legendary tradition of automobile racing. Soon after 1904, when the first car was registered in Charlotte, autos became a part of everyday life.

Car racing was just around the bend: an open-road race was run through Charlotte as early as 1908. Many drivers themselves have hailed from the area, and some are said to have received early training by running moonshine and outrunning authorities. Probably the best-known aspect of Carolina racing is the Queen City's involvement since 1949 with NASCAR, which hosts many of its big names and operations. Auto Racing in Charlotte and the Carolina Piedmont explores the story behind the various forms of the sport, the kinds of people who have raced, and the reasons why they have done so. Historic photographs-many never before published-trace the history of NASCAR and look beyond the professional aspect to include the dragracers, wannabees, kids, and just plain amateurs participating in this cultural phenomenon. The story includes the first formal oval track, constructed entirely of wooden planks and opened in 1925. Other famous Charlotte locations, including professional dirt tracks, drag strips, and even a paved track dedicated to Soap Box Derby, are also revisited. Images of fans, mechanics, and hangers-on round out this singular journey of racing in the Carolinas.

Pittsburgh has long been in the forefront of developing sports facilities, from Forbes Field, one of the first “modern” concrete and steel ballparks, and PNC Park, the best of the new millennium’s retro design movement, to Schenley Casino and Duquesne Garden, the first artificial indoor ice rinks, and the engineering marvel of the Civic Arena’s movable dome. Pittsburgh’s Historic Stadiums and Arenas chronicles Pittsburgh’s professional baseball, football, hockey, and basketball venues. Photographs cover the design and construction phases, the major changes as facilities expanded and aged, and eventually the demolition of some venues. The great players, teams, and moments are not the focus; there are many other books to tell their stories. Instead, the stadiums and arenas take center stage in this unique history of Pittsburgh sports and architecture.

Providence College Basketball: Take a journey with the small school from the country's smallest state that became New England's college hoops powerhouse.

Providence basketball's journey from a realtive unknown to national brand has captured the attention of sports fans in Rhode Island and throughout New England for over 45 years. Friar hoops historian Richard Coren sets the scene of how the small Dominican school on Smith Hill started from humble beginnings and has produced a story reminiscent of David and Goliath. The legend persists: tiny Providence College taking on and beating the big boys of college basketball. Run on a shoestring budget in the 1950s and 1960s, the program rose up out of nowhere to pull upset after upset. The school went on to dominate college basketball in New England, recording more postseason tournament games and victories, more 20-win seasons, more All-Americans, and more players in the pros than any school in the region. Providence College Basketball: The Friar Legacy examines the 75-year history of Friar hoops and celebrates the great players, coaches, games, and moments that have made Providence College basketball so unforgettable. Relive the annual trips to the National Invitation Tournament and the two Final Fours and discover how Rhode Island became hooked on the Friars.

Baseball fans will be captivated with these stories and images of the sport in Delmarva, Maryland between 1922 and 1949.

Between 1922 and 1949, the citizens of Delmarva enjoyed watching baseball the way it was meant to be played. Loyal Eastern Shore baseball enthusiasts were blessed to witness three eras of professional class ""D"" baseball, supporting their favorite teams, including the Parksley Spuds, Salisbury Indians, and Dover Orioles. The local faithful cheered on homegrown legends such as Frank ""Home Run"" Baker and Jimmie Foxx, both destined for enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Visit the Back of the Yards neighborhood and setting for Upton Sinclair's The Jungle.

The Back of the Yards neighborhood, located in back of the Union Stockyards and composed of Packingtown, Town of Lake, and New City, was the setting of Upton Sinclair's classic 1906 novel, The Jungle. Permeated by an unforgettable smell, Back of the Yards was a melting pot of immigrants, many who worked in the stockyards. In 1894, Mary McDowell started the University of Chicago Settlement House in Back of the Yards. She improved living conditions and in 1905 helped create Davis Square Park. The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council was founded in 1939 by Joseph Meegan, Saul Alinsky, and Bishop Bernard Sheil and is America's oldest not for profit community based organization. It consisted of 185 delegate organizations involving residents, business owners, churches, parks, schools, and social clubs that worked to advocate improvements. The council motto continues on as ""We the people will work out our own destiny."" Relive the bustling activity and the lives of the people in the neighborhood through the historic images in Back of the Yards.