Sam is the best swimmer on his team, and he is happy to help the new student, Julien, practice his laps and technique--but when it comes to an actual race, only one swimmer can win.

Bestselling author Queenan explores the world of sports fans in an attempt to understand the inexplicable: What does anyone get out of it? For Yankee, Cowboy, and Laker fans the answer is fairly clear: the return on investment is relatively high. But why do people root so passionately for tragically inept teams like the Boston Red Sox, the Chicago Cubs, and the Philadelphia Phillies? Why do people organize their emotional lives around lackluster...

"There was a time when running the mile in four minutes was believed to be beyond the limits of human foot speed. In 1952, after suffering defeat at the Helsinki Olympics, three world-class runners each set out to break this barrier: Roger Bannister was ayoung English medical student who epitomized the ideal of the amateur; John Landy the privileged son of a genteel Australian family; and Wes Santee the swaggering American, a Kansas farm boy and natural...

An overview of the most popular sport in the wizarding world details required equipment and rules of play, examining the evolution of quidditch as well as the finer points of modern play.

Nick hates running, but his high school gym teacher thinks he is just the right person to fill in for the two hundred meter relay race, and will not give him a passing grade unless he tries--will Nick learn to run or let the team down?

"Discover the true story of how in 1944, Coach John McLendon orchestrated a secret game between the best players from a white college and his team from the North Carolina College of Negroes. At a time of widespread segregation and rampant racism, this illegal gathering changed the sport of basketball forever"--Dust jacket flap.

When the coach's son, Shawn O'Brien, is chosen to play quarterback, eleven-year-old Ben McBain is not surprised--but when he tries to be a good teammate and help the inconsistent Shawn, he is startled to learn that his new friend does not really want theposition.

Bo wants to be the star of his basketball team. But his friend plays better than him during practice. Follow Bo as he learns about being a team player and having fun playing the sport. Bo’s life is always buzzing. And not just because he lives upstairs from The Buzz, a barbershop.

"Jason Goodyear is the star outfielder for the Los Angeles Lions, stationed with the rest of his team in the punishingly hot Arizona desert for their annual spring training. Handsome, famous, and talented, Goodyear is nonetheless coming apart at the seams. And the coaches, writers, wives, girlfriends, petty criminals, and diehard fans following his every move are eager to find out why-as they hide secrets of their own. Humming with the energy of a...

Traces the story of an American rowing team from the University of Washington that defeated elite rivals at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics, sharing the experiences of their enigmatic coach, a visionary boat builder, and a homeless teen rower.