Sports & Recreation

A Cubs dynasty founded on fastballs and fisticuffs.  Unlike today's Chicago Cubs, the Cubs of 1906-1910 were not at all lovable, and certainly did not always display traits customarily linked with a winning team. Their manager would brawl with his own players, and the players brawled with each other. Their second baseman and shortstop hated each other and didn't speak for years. Their best pitcher pitched with a mutilated hand. Their star catcher got into a spat with management and left the team for a year to play professional billiards. Their manager over time grew to despise the team owner. Yet, this group of brawlers, bickerers, and battlers dominated the National League and established a baseball dynasty, winning four National League pennants and two world championships in 5 years. Author Gary D. Santella follows the story of a team whose toughness and tenacity was a fitting reflection of early twentieth-century Chicago.

Walk in the footsteps of Virginia’s earliest hikers.

For more than two decades hikers on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia walked through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the southern mountains. Then, in 1952, the Appalachian Trail Conference moved the trail more than 50 miles to the west. Lost in that move were opportunities to scramble over the Pinnacles of Dan, to sit on Fisher’s Peak and gaze out over the North Carolina Piedmont, or to cross the New River on a flat-bottomed boat called Redbud for a nickel.

Historian and lifelong hiker Mills Kelly tells the story of a 300-mile section of the Appalachian Trail that is all but forgotten by hikers, but not by the residents of the Southwestern Virginia counties that the trail used to cross.

Join author Tim Raab as he presents the champions, contenders, heartbreaks and heroics of this thrilling era of Ohio pigskin history.

Few things seem as important to Americans as sports, particularly football. By the middle of the twentieth century, Ohio high school football ranked among the mightiest in the nation. Dynastic programs Massillon and Canton McKinley dominated the 1950s. Not to be outdone, Barberton, Portsmouth, Cleveland Cathedral Latin and Jackson staked their claims to greatness, and championship squads from Benedictine to Marion Harding and Alliance fought their way to the top of the rankings though ever-steady Massillon continued their winning ways in the ’60s. Along the way, determined newcomers like Niles McKinley, Toledo Central Catholic, Wyoming, Sandusky, Bishop Watterson and Marion Catholic snatched their share of gridiron glory. At the decade’s close, the fierce Golden Bears of Upper Arlington forged their own dynasty. These are the stories of hundreds of young men who pushed themselves to their limits, and the coaches who pushed them to victory.

Bounce off the ropes for a high-flying jaunt through the history of Magnolia State professional wrestling.

At its peak, professional wrestling was arguably the most popular sport in Mississippi. The pageantry and colorful personalities appealed to grandparents and grandchildren alike. Author Jeffrey Martin invites readers to step inside the squared circle and revisit everything from the carnival wrestling days of the late 1800s to the chiseled melodrama of modern wrestling. Along the way, readers will learn about Billy Romanoff, the old-school wrestler turned promoter who made wrestling a weekly staple at the Jackson City Auditorium; Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee, who brought down the house on Friday nights at the Tupelo Sports Arena; and George and Gil Culkin, the father-and-son duo who split with Cowboy Bill Watts to create their own Mississippi territory, kickstarting the careers of Kamala, Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes and many other pivotal figures.

It may not be the Kentucky Derby, but Saratoga Springs went to the horses long before Churchill Downs.

Since the inaugural meeting of August 1863, Saratoga Springs is home to one of the oldest sports venues in the country and has been the scene of memorable races, often featuring legends of the sport. Although some of the epic moments are still familiar today, such as Upset's defeat of Man o' War in the 1919 Sanford Memorial, many of the triumphs and defeats that were once famous have been forgotten. Few remember the filly Los Angeles, who thrived at Saratoga, winning sixteen stakes races, or the influential, sometimes suspicious, reasons why the track was closed three times for a total of six years. Authors Allan Carter and Mike Kane take a look back at these and other important but neglected stories and present statistics from the pre-NYRA years and a rundown of the greatest fields assembled at America's oldest track.

Author and local hunting connoisseur Bob Plott takes readers on a quest back through time for a glimpse into the minds and the rifles of the region's most intrepid hunters.

The age-old struggle of man versus beast has ensued within the rugged terrain of the Great Smoky Mountains since humans first encountered the region centuries ago. From the primitive weaponry and prevailing tactics of the Cherokee to the audacious rifle-toting ridge runners, and even a gruesome gang of cannibalistic rogues, these stories are truly a gripping tribute to mountain life and the adventure of the game.

Explore the hidden gems of Cleveland sports

Cleveland sports history goes well beyond The Shot, The Fumble, The Drive and so many other ignoble moments. Many of the city's most illustrious sports tales are long-forgotten chapters of tribulations and tragedy, of fleeting fame and enduring milestones. There are forgotten firsts, such as football's first pass and the invention of baseball's slider having ties to Cleveland. There are overshadowed tragedies like a fatal crash involving an Indians pitcher occurring the same year two of the team's hurlers were killed in a high-profile boating accident. And then there are the near misses--like George Steinbrenner coming within seconds of owning the Indians and a famous musician who almost became a Cleveland Brown.

From basketball to boxing, hockey to Heisman, journalist Marc Bona chronicles more than a century of unremembered tales.

The Epicenter of Steel City Sports

From Forbes Field to Pitt Stadium, Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood has been home to some of the most iconic moments in sports history. Including the Fitzgerald Field House and the Duquesne Gardens, Oakland has drawn in both professional and college sports fans alike.

Local authors and sports historians David Finoli, Tom Rooney, Robert Healy III, Douglas Cavanaugh and Chris Fletcher celebrate the glorious victories and heartbreaking losses throughout the history of Pittsburgh's Oakland section, the epicenter of Steel City Sports.

Carroll's Island is one of many places along the Chesapeake Bay where vibrant stories of dogs, decoys, guns and waterfowl resonate up from the shoreline.

The stories from Carroll's Island Ducking Club, which was founded in the mid-nineteenth century, offer special insights about the Chesapeake Bay's waterfowling heritage. In this warm, informative book, C. John Sullivan Jr., one of the nation's

Northeast Ohio high school football has always been known for its drama, intensity and rivalries. For more than a century, McKinley and Massillon have met on the gridiron every fall in one of the state’s most evenly matched contests. Since 1971, the St. Ignatius Wildcats yearly clash with the St. Edwards Eagles in the Cleveland Holy War. More recently, Avon and Avon Lake have kicked off a border war for bragging rights and hardware in the Silver Rail Rivalry, and Olmsted Falls and Berea-Midpark face each other in the heated Battle of Bagley Road.

Join author and founder of McKee on Sports Vince McKee for a thrilling look under the Friday night lights in the Buckeye State.

Building the Tradition/

Most University of Michigan basketball fans know about the school's success during the Cazzie Russell era, and how the Wolverines built on that foundation, rising ever higher until they reached the pinnacle with their 1989 NCAA championship. But few know the stories behind the headlines. For example, how did Michigan coach Dave Strack, who admitted that U-M basketball was 'bad' when he became the coach, land a player of Russell's caliber? And how did Michigan find Russell's perfect complement, a future All-American who was virtually unknown?

Using fresh interviews with dozens of coaches and players – including Russell, Rudy Tomjanovich, Johnny Orr, Bill Frieder, Glen Rice and many others – author Mike Rosenbaum digs behind the scenes to reveal the fascinating stories behind Michigan's basketball successes from 1960 to 1989.

Baseball’s Mr. Sunshine/

A beloved son of Western Pennsylvania, Chuck Tanner spent a career in baseball both as a player and manager. He lead the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1977 to 1985 and helped capture the 1979 World Series. Tanner was key in developing the relief pitcher through his work with Goose Gossage and he played a role in the careers of numerous players such as Willie Stargell, Dave Parker and more.  Through extensive research and interviews, author Dale Perelman presents the life and career of Chuck Tanner.

Mayhem on the Mat in Memphis

For most of the twentieth century, professional wrestling was the most popular sport in Memphis. It not only had great entertainment value but also reflected the city’s culture of cruelty, kindness and violence. The vibrant professional wrestling culture that developed in Memphis—with its emphasis on elaborate promotions, strong characters and wild performances—transformed the sport and made the Bluff City one of the most significant wrestling centers in the United States. Join author G. Wayne Dowdy as he chronicles Sputnik Monroe’s successful battle against segregation and the Jerry Lawler/Andy Kaufman feud and introduces wrestling legends like Jackie Fargo, Tojo Yamamoto, Bill Dundee, Handsome Jimmy Valiant, Kamala the Ugandan Giant and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

The rise of the crimson and gray.

In 1987, Dennis Erickson arrived in Pullman, Washington to take over the struggling Washington State University football program. Under his leadership, the Cougars ended 1988 with a 9-3 record and a victory in the Aloha Bowl. In just two years, the team had transformed, and Erickson’s lifelong friend, Mike Price, took over in 1989 to build on that legacy. By the end of Price’s tenure, WSU had appeared in five bowl games including two Rose Bowls, eclipsing the four bowl games in the entire program’s history. The coaches also produced a number of high-profile NFL quarterbacks, including Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf.

Join author Ben Donahue as he explores how the Washington State University Cougars went from doormats to perpetual contenders.

Step onto the field and bear witness to baseball’s outsized impact on Florida’s Sunshine City.

One Hundred stories from the last century that salute the legacy of Wrigley Field and its beloved Cubs.

Charge through the turnstiles of this collection of personal stories about baseball's greatest ballpark and the sacred space it occupies in the hearts of Cubs fans and the soul of Wrigleyville. With contributors like Bob Costas, Rick Sutcliffe and Steve Stone, these 100 stories reflect the variety of millions of Cubs fans around the world, from those whose relationship with the Friendly Confines has lasted a lifetime to those who are taking their seats up close to the ivy for the very first time.

While Mohawk Mountain is known as a small, family-friendly ski area, many are unaware of the large impact this mountain had on the sport. Its founder, Walt Schoenknecht, changed the face of modern skiing when he helped create the first snowmaking machine in 1950. That “artificial snow” machine, first tested at Mohawk, received the first U.S. patent for such a device. Today, Mohawk is one of the few surviving family-owned ski areas in the United States, and Schoenknecht's daughter, Carol Lugar, remains its president. Mohawk has had to survive a devastating tornado, challenging weather and economic headwinds to compete with larger corporate-owned ski resorts. Today, the small mountain in Cornwall, Connecticut remains a favorite, with new lifts, expanded snowmaking, more ski school lessons, snowtubing and night skiing. Local author James Shay reveals the unique contributions of Mohawk and Walt Schoenknecht to the sport of skiing.

Ercel Ellis Jr. was born into the Thoroughbred horse business and has worked in it for seventy-five years.

He has been an owner, breeder, trainer, writer and radio broadcaster. His radio show, Horse Tales, has run for twenty years. For all his work, he won the Charles W. Engelhard Award for contributions to the industry. During his life, Ercel has amassed a trove of stories on some of the biggest names in Thoroughbred racing, like Mata Hari, Spy Song and world-famous Man o’ War. He also includes stories of lesser-known horses like Dark Mirage, El Chico, Blue Peter and By Jimminy. Join Ercel as he entertains with fascinating stories from more than seven decades with Thoroughbreds.

Sports in the Steel City has never reached the highs and lows that fans in Pittsburgh experienced in the 1970s. Most remembered may be the multiple championships celebrated in city during the era, including two World Series titles, four Super Bowl victories and a NCAA football championship. Despite those successes, fans still recall major tragedies such as the deaths of Bob Moose, Roberto Clemente and others. Local authors present essays on the triumphs, tragedies and championships that defined the 1970s for the city of Pittsburgh and Steel City sports. 

The state of Iowa is just as well known for prominent wrestlers as it is acres of corn and beans.

That gives Iowa the mighty distinction of feeding the world and defeating it on the mat. Men like Dan Gable, Tom Brands, Harold Nichols, Jim Miller, Nick Mitchell and Chuck Patten led Iowa colleges to forty-four of an astounding sixty-nine national team championships. In 1954, Simon Roberts of Davenport was the first African American to win a state wrestling title and later the first African American NCAA wrestling champion. Wrestler Norman Borlaug received the Nobel Peace Prize and is credited with preventing more than one billion deaths from starvation. Author Dan McCool details the long history of hard work and dedication from the fields to the mat.

In the early 1800s, Saratoga Springs was mostly a tourist destination because of its natural mineral waters and their healing powers.

But that changed in 1863 with the opening of the Saratoga Race Course. From then on, summers in the Spa City came alive with the excitement of the sport of kings. Since the victory of the great horse Kentucky in the introductory Travers Stakes, the racecourse has showcased the sport's greatest champions. Otherwise seemingly uncatchable thoroughbreds--including Man o' War and Secretariat--faced unexpected defeat on its turf, earning Saratoga the nickname the Graveyard of Champions. Author Kimberly Gatto chronicles the story of the oldest thoroughbred racetrack in the country, with tales of the famous people and horses that contributed to its illustrious history.

The Plott bear hound, a dog originally from Germany and developed in the North Carolina mountains, is known as one of the world's best hunting dog breeds.

Recognized now as one of the premier hunting dogs in America, the Plott bear hound is unique among hunting dog breeds because it descends from Germanic stock rather than the traditional English foxhound. The breed's story began when its original breeder, Johannes Plott, and his brother Enoch left Germany in 1750 with their prized hunting dogs. This trip across the Atlantic began the two-hundred-year journey that would culminate in the North Carolina mountains with the development of what is now arguably the world's finest breed of hunting dog. This fascinating story of the Plott family and the Plott hound is a classic American tale of adventurers and underdogs--a story that Bob Plott, the great-great-great-grandson of Johannes Plott, is uniquely qualified to tell.

Jeremy Davis of the New England Lost Ski Areas Project brings lost locations back to life, chronicling their rich histories and contributions to the ski industry.

Hidden amongst the hills and mountains of southern Vermont are the remnants of sixty former ski areas, their slopes returning to forest and their lifts decaying. Today, only fourteen remain open and active in southern Vermont. Though they offer some incredible skiing, most lack the intimate, local feel of these lost ski trails. Jeremy Davis, creator of the New England Lost Ski Areas Project, looks into the over-investment, local competition, weather variation, changing skier habits, insurance costs and just plain bad luck that caused these ski areas to succumb and melt back into the landscape. From the family-operated Hogback in Windham County to Clinton Gilbert's farm in Woodstock, where the very first rope tow began operation in the winter of 1934, these once popular ski areas left an indelible trace on the hearts of their ski communities and the history of southern Vermont.

Champion Race Horses of the Empire State

From Saratoga to Belmont Park, New York hosts some of horse racing's most important races, but many of the most successful thoroughbreds of the past five decades also have called the state home. Say Florida Say seemed to only improve with age, winning thirty-three times throughout a seven-year career that made him a regional favorite in the 1990s. The first ever New York horse to win the Kentucky derby, Funny Cide, rose to national prominence in 2003, winning both the Derby and the Preakness in incredible fashion. The thoroughbred Audible shared owners with triple-crown winner Justify, and though embroiled in some controversy as a result, was also an elite race horse during a brief career.

Author Allan Carter highlights the stories behind the greatest New York thoroughbreds of the past half-century.

Amid a series of three destructive floods that pounded little Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in less than a century, Cambria County residents somehow maintained their lofty expectations and big-picture foresight to begin what would become the oldest Christmas high school basketball tournament in the nation, as they would boast. Learn the amazing history behind an historic hardwood tournament.

Every history of the Appalachian Trail tells the story from the top down, focusing on who proposed the trail, who built it, who maintain it, and on a few of the most famous hikers. A Hiker’s History of Appalachian Trail tells the trail’s history from the ground up, or more accurately, from the boots up.

Several million hikers each year set foot on the trail for a few hours, a few days, or perhaps a few weeks. The trail was created for them, yet their role in its history is largely ignored. Working with trail shelter logbooks, hiker accounts submitted to trail clubs, newspaper and magazine stories about the experiences of casual hikers, Mills Kelly reveals what it was like to hike the trail from the late 1920s until the 2020s.

What did those hikers eat? What kind of gear did they carry? Why did they go hiking in the first place? What was their relationship to the natural world they found along the trail? What was it like to hike as a woman, as a person of color, as someone with a disability? And how did all those things change over the 100 years of the trail’s history?

When the San Jose Earthquakes first started playing soccer in 1974, no one imagined how their efforts would reverberate fifty years later. The Quakes and their fans have overcome a multitude of issues in the last five decades, including leagues collapsing, attempted rebrandings, local apathy, political indifference and even a franchise relocation, yet they never gave up. While players like Johnny Moore, Chris Wondolowski and Landon Donovan have come and gone—along with coaches, general managers and owners—the multigenerational family this San Jose team created over the last half century stands as strong as ever. Join author Gary Singh, a native and lifelong fan, as he celebrates the legendary history of the Quakes.

First run in 1897 as America’s second and the world’s fourth, the Boston Marathon attracts thousands thanks to its long and unique history.

What began as simple start and finish lines has grown to encompass a lavish colorful artistry. An athlete and cultural exchange program with the Ohme-Hochi 30K in Japan started with four-time winner Bill Rodgers in the 1970s. Artist Bobbi Gibb was the first female finisher of the race in 1966, and she was later asked to create her own statute along the route to commemorate the event.

 Author Paul C. Clerici explores the history and iconic traditions of America’s most famous road race. 

Join author and hunter C.L. Marshall as he recounts more than forty years of stories and anecdotes chock-full of dogs, good friends and fast-paced waterfowl action.

It takes stubborn dedication and passionate optimism to brave the frosty, wet conditions for the chance to shoot ducks and geese. And yet the tradition continues every year as more than one million waterfowl occupy the waters of the Chesapeake. Whether you are setting decoys or watching the sun rise from a blind, hunting the bay is as challenging as it is rewarding. No one understands that better than the generations who have experienced it, from the goose pits of Rock Hall and Chestertown to the frothing whitewater of the Tangier Sound.

Explore forgotten pieces of Pinehurst's past.

Pinehurst is called the “cradle of American golf,” yet its origin story has nothing to do with tees, greens, or driving irons. Read about founder James Walker Tufts, who intended to use his fortune to build a health resort for people of modest means. Meet the famous caddies, respected for their knowledge of the tough Pinehurst courses and discover the movers and shakers of the Sandhills Women’s Exchange. Learn about Annie Oakley, who taught thousands of women to shoot at the Pinehurst Gun Club. Enjoy profiles of women golfers like Babe Didrikson Zaharias and Peggy Kirk Bell, and step back into the bygone era of rogue tournaments and zany gymkhanas.

Author Julia Hans recounts lesser-known stories of Pinehurst’s multifaceted past. 

Give the ball to Leroy,” the “Carmel Connection,” “Holy Toledo!” & More

Over its century in existence, Ross-Ade Stadium hosted thousands of memorable moments. Here are the 100 greatest games from the stadium’s first 100 years. Go inside Ross-Ade as Purdue clinches the 1929 Big Ten Championship and Bob Griese plays a perfect game against top-ranked Notre Dame in 1965. Relive Drew Brees leading the Boilermakers on a dream-come-true Rose Bowl season in 2000 and a former walk-on quarterback sinking #3 Michigan State with an epic passing performance.

From Jack Mollenkopf to Jim Young, Tiller Time to the Brohm Squad, Rod Woodson’s epic Old Oaken Bucket battle to the Tyler Trent game, author and Purdue alum gathers the moments in Ross-Ade when legends were made.

Go inside the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry that is Auburn-Georgia.

The rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Georgia began in 1892 and has largely been a competition more brotherly than bitter. According to one legend, Auburn's War Eagle battle cry originated at the first game between the two schools. The first overtime game in SEC history occurred in 1996, when Georgia topped the heavily favored Tigers, 56-49, in four extra periods. Renowned UGA coach Vince Dooley graduated from Auburn, while Auburn coach Pat Dye was an All-American at UGA. Join award-winning journalist and Athens, Georgia, native Doug Stutsman, who was raised by Auburn graduates, as he recounts the unforgettable games, moments and personalities on the 125th anniversary of the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.

Join author Lewis Bowling as he recounts the history of the Duke University Men's Basketball program through the lens of over 200 vintage images.

The Duke University men's basketball program is certainly one such tradition, and Lewis Bowling has assembled more than two hundred brilliant photographs spanning the entire history of the program to show it. Enjoy a front-row view as this distinctive collection recounts Blue Devil glory, from the first teams of Trinity College through Eddie Cameron's masterful guidance and, of course, the unrivaled success under the watch of Coach K. Featuring forewords from the legendary Voice of the Blue Devils Bob Harris and former head coach Bucky Waters, Cameron Crazies far and wide will hail this celebration of Duke's greatest moments and some of basketball's most legendary coaches and players.

It’s not everyone who can look at the violent white caps of river rapids and think, “I want to master that.” Whitewater rafters are not just anyone.

A certain confidence and devil-may-care attitude must be required to set off on West Virginia’s New or Gauley Rivers, nothing to protect the riders from the rough waters aside from a helmet and life vest, but to successfully accomplish their mission would be to master some of the most popular and treacherous rapids in the country. Jay Young, a raft guide turned writer, leads readers through the local lore and history of the rivers, where the ordinary almost never occurs.

Discover the ghosts of former ski areas that made the White Mountains the destination it is today.

The White Mountains of New Hampshire are world-renowned for the array of skiing opportunities offered to every skier, from beginner to gold-medal Olympian. Today over a dozen resorts entice tourists and locals each year with their well-manicured trails, high-speed lifts and slope-side lodging. But scattered throughout this region are long-forgotten ski areas that can still be found. In the White Mountains alone, 60 ski areas have closed since the 1930s. Author Jeremy Davis has compiled rare photographs, maps and personal memories to ensure these beloved ski outposts that have been cherished by generations of skiers are given recognition for transforming the White Mountains into a premier ski destination.

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail shows off the most spectacular, historic and quirky elements of the North Carolina landscape.

Stretching one thousand miles from Clingmans Dome in the Smokies to Jockey's Ridge State Park in the Outer Banks, the route takes in Fraser fir trees and pelicans, old grist and textile mills, working cotton and tobacco farms, Revolutionary War sites and two British cemeteries complete with Union Jacks. The trail is half on footpaths and half on back roads, offering experiences not only in nature but also in small towns, at historic monuments, in family cemeteries and in local shops. Author Danny Bernstein has taken it all in and shares her knowledge for those who might follow in her footsteps.

Relive the days of Currituck, North Carolina when farming and hunting was what brought the world together.

In this insider account, Currituck native Travis Morris takes readers into the blind and regales them with stories of powerful men and their guns in a bygone era when duck hunting clubs flourished and featured prominently in local politics, neighbors feuded over duck hunters' rights and interloping men of industry swept in to build lodges. Senators, governors and presidents came, and these are the untold stories of their hunts. From the duck hunting vacation that John F. Kennedy planned but never took to Kerr Scott's apple-flavored tobacco, Morris and friends expose the guileless and the guilty alike in this lighthearted collection.

Author and sports historian David Finoli's inside look at the 50 greatest male and female athletes in Pittsburgh history.

Greatness in sport is both undefinable and immediately recognizable. Though it is rare, Western Pennsylvania has been graced with a long history of athletes who embody the essence of greatness. They have proudly represented the region in sports such as boxing, golf and track; carried their collegiate teams to victory; and worn the black and gold of the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins. Pittsburghers still recall how Mario Lemieux glided effortlessly through an opposing defense before befuddling the goalie or Arnold Palmer’s unique swing that made the everyday duffer feel like he was one of them. Fans debate whether Terry Bradshaw or Ben Roethlisberger is the better quarterback and what the legacy of Barry Bonds is, while keeping Roberto Clemente among their most cherished icons. Take a deep dive into all of that and more and re-discover the best of the best in Pittsburgh sports history.

Twin Cities sports fans are well-versed in disappointment, but the last 120 years of Minneapolis and St. Paul sports have also produced forgotten milestones.

Most know of the Vikings’ Super Bowl woes and the Twins’ record-setting postseason losing streak. Few know that the first full-time college basketball coach originated here and that a Babe Ruth home run record supplanted a local player’s achievement. Fewer still know about near misses like John Wooden almost becoming the University of Minnesota basketball coach in 1948 and Billie Jean King turning down an offer to join the Twin Cities’ World Team Tennis franchise.

Longtime Twin Cities journalist Joel Rippel documents these subjects and other forgotten or unheralded stories.

A chronicle of Minnesota’s hockey excellence in the world’s top hockey league—the NHL

The years 1960 to 1982 were a watershed moment for Minnesota hockey, and the Land of 10,000 Lakes has enjoyed hockey success ever since. In that time, pioneering homegrown players like Bill Nyrop, Dave Langevin, Reed Larson, Mike Ramsey, Dave Christian, Neal Broten, Paul Holmgren, and Phil Housley established themselves as bona fide stars at the games’ highest and most competitive level. More recently, another remarkable group of native sons—including Zach Parise, Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglein, and T. J. Oshie—left their mark on the league.

Profiling more than seventy players and compiling Minnesota NHL records gathered nowhere else, Jeff Olson celebrates the brilliant achievements of Minnesotans in the National Hockey League.

The sports landscape changed in the spring of 1994 when the Cleveland Indiansmoved into their new stadium at the corner of Carnegieand Ontario.

No longer the joke of the league, The Jakemade the Cleveland Indiansthe jewel of baseball and helped revitalize a city and a fan base. For the first time ever, these interviews and stories from the players, managers and front office personnel give the inside scoop on what happened on the field, in the dugout and behind the scenes of this exciting time in Cleveland sports history.

Vince McKee is the author of Heroand Cleveland's Finest. Cleveland sports icon Joe Tait called Cleveland's Finest one of the best Cleveland sports books ever written. Get the best seat in the house for the most recent addition to the Tribe'scelebrated legacy.

Learn about the Potomac River and its significant role in American history.

The great Potomac River begins in the Alleghenies and flows 383 miles through some of America's most historic lands before emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. The course of the river drove the development of the region and the path of a young republic.  Maryland's first Catholic settlers came to its banks in 1634 and George Washington helped settle the new capitol on its shores. During the Civil War the river divided North and South, and it witnessed John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry and the bloody Battle of Antietam. Author Garrett Peck leads readers on a journey down the Potomac, from its first fount at Fairfax Stone in West Virginia to its mouth at Point Lookout in Maryland. Combining history with recreation, Peck has written an indispensable guide to the nation's river.

The mountain that saved a dying town.

Long before Mount Bachelor became one of the country's largest ski areas, the booming timber mills drew workers to Oregon’s forested hills. In the early 1920s, Scandinavian immigrants started a community ski club, and their passion for the mountains created a vibrant outdoor culture centered on skiing and winter recreation. As the timber industry collapsed in the 1950s, Bend businessman Bill Healy opened a small ski hill on the slopes of Bachelor Butte. That resort, set in the heart of the Deschutes National Forest, helped turn a fading logging town into a hub for tourism and outdoor recreation.

Join author Glenn Voelz as he explores how Mount Bachelor became a vital part of the region's culture, history and economy.

Join author and longtime Cannon skier Meghan McCarthy McPhaul to learn about the history of this historic mountain that is steeped in legends and lore.

Rising at the western edge of New Hampshire's magnificently beautiful Franconia Notch State Park, the granite-domed mountain has been the playground of skiers since the 1930s. Here, the country's first down-mountain ski trail was cleared in 1933, the first aerial tramway was built on the mountain and the first professional ski patrol was established. More than a dozen members of the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame--whose contributions to the sport include historic racing feats, the development of ski techniques and designing countless ski areas across the country and around the world--have called Cannon their home hill.

How the gladiatorial games of ancient Rome appeared on the Texas frontier.  From 1895 to 1913, promoters on the Texas-Mexico border imported a variety of large mammals from around the world to pit them against one another in interspecies combat. Lions fought bears, an elephant took on a bull, and one promoter released a tiger, a bull, and a bear into the same cage at the same time. Human combatants occasionally entered the fray, from a rodeo pioneer who squared off against an elk to a bullfighter who took on a buffalo. Vaudeville showmen supplied livestock, sensationalistic newspapers drove ticket sales, and Progressive Era animal rights groups lobbied to shut down the spectacle. Bradley Folsom gives an account of the epic border battles, both in and out of the cage, which tell the story of a time when Texas was a rising economic power and Mexico verged on revolution.

A thrilling tale fit for sailing experts and history buffs alike,  historian Mark J. Gabrielson delivers the exciting tale of the Deer Isle Crew: a sailing story that offers an uncommon glimpse into American life at the turn of the twentieth century.

In 1895, emissaries from the New York Yacht Club traveled to Deer Isle, Maine, to recruit the nation's best sailors, an All American crew. This remote island in Penobscot Bay sent nearly thirty of its fishing men to sail Defender, and under skipper Hank Haff, they beat their opponents in a difficult and controversial series. To the delight of the American public, the charismatic Sir Thomas Lipton sent a surprise challenge in 1899. The New York Yacht Club knew where to turn and again recruited Deer Isle's fisherman sailors. Undefeated in two defense campaigns, they are still considered one of the best American sail-racing teams ever assembled. Read their fascinating story and relive their adventure.

Ducks across the Big Sky

To hunt ducks in Montana—where the land breathes history—is to experience extremes in geography, weather and wildlife. The breadth of mountains and prairie is unlike anywhere else in the Lower 48. Both the Central and Pacific flyways span the state’s iconic wetlands, rivers and lakes. Hunting opportunities abound thanks to the state’s wildlife conservation legacy on public and private lands. Hunters walk in the footsteps of plains Indians, Lewis and Clark and mountain men while looking for a spot to pitch decoys. Embark on an epic and distinct Big Sky journey with author and hunter Matt Wemple, where a moose or grizzly bear could stroll through the decoys at any time.