Most Popular Books by Peter Golenbock

Biography.

An oral history of the New York Mets, by the New York Times bestselling baseball writer of Bums and The Bronx Zoo. From Tom Seaver to Gary Carter, Ron Swoboda to Al Leiter, from the team''s inception to the current day, the New York Mets'' road to success has been a rutted and furrowed path. Now, with the help of New York Times bestselling author Peter Golenbock, the complete story of one of the most controversial teams in baseball history comes to life. Told from the voices of the men who experienced it firsthand, this compulsively readable account gives baseball fans the inside scoop on one of baseball''s most popular teams. This is the true story of a group of men who won the hearts and shattered the dreams of generations. Utilizing dozens of personal interviews with players, coaches, fans, and sportswriters, Amazin'' takes readers on a journey from the Mets'' bumbling days as a new team in 1962, to their stunning World Championships in 1969 and 1986, right up through to today. In time for the anniversary of the New York Mets, Amazin'' is rich with unforgettable personalities and wondrous stories both funny and poignant.

Jesus saves – but Espo puts in the rebound in this raucous, ribald memoir At a party marking the end of his third season with the Blackhawks, Phil Esposito told coach Billy Reay and GM Tommy Ivan that they had a great team, maybe even a dynasty, but that the two of them would screw it up. It was a classic Espo moment (and may have had something to do with his being traded to the Bruins): the big centre from the Soo who became one of hockey’s all-time leading scorers, has never been reluctant to speak his mind. In this rollicking hockey memoir, he reveals what it was like to play with other Hall of Famers like Howe and Hull and Orr. He recalls his acrimonious encounters with Allan Eagleson, the incredible intensity of the 1972 Canada-Russia series, the fabulous ride with the great Bruins teams of the early 1970s, and the tough years that followed with the New York Rangers. From being a player, Esposito went on to be a commentator, a coach, a general manager, and then founder and part-owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He saw it all: the booze, the drugs, the women, the wheeling and dealing, the good times and the camaraderie, the bad times and the back-stabbing. In telling what it was really like, Esposito takes readers into the boardrooms, back rooms – and even the bedrooms – of the men who make their lives in the NHL.

Describes the racial prejudice experienced by Jackie Robinson when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first Black player in Major League baseball and depicts the acceptance and support he received from his white teammate Pee Wee Reese.

Baseball has a rich history-and a treasure trove of books, magazines, and newspaper accounts celebrating (or lamenting) what went down on the diamond. And some of the most amazing games happened when fall arrived and the boys of summer played for the championship. During those two weeks in October (now November), time stood still. Nothing else mattered. This anthology captures the best of times and the worst of times as teams battled for the glory-and will bring back memories to all who cherish Americas national sport. On these pages, youll find: o Casey Stengels inside-the-park home run 1923-Robert W. Creamer o Babe Ruths Called Shot 1932-Leigh Montville o The Catch: Willie Mays and Vic Wertz 1954-Arnold Hano o Dustys Moment, 1954 World Series-Stephen Jay Gould o Jackie Robinson Steals Home 1955-Carl Erskine o Dodgers Win 1955 (Sandy Amoros catch)-Tom Oliphant o Don Larsens Perfect Game 1956-Don Larsen o Mazeroskis Home Run Yankees vs. Pirates 1960-Lester J. Biederman o 1986 Mets vs. Red Sox-Roger Angell o St. Louis Cardinals 1964-David Halberstam o World Series cancelled 1994-Jack Curry o Cleveland/Atlanta series 1995-Tom Verducci

In this definitive history, bestselling journalist Golenbock focuses on a particularly dominant period of the Yankees'' past, when the Bronx Bombers won nine World Series titles on the strengths of such Hall of Famers as DiMaggio, Mantle, Berra, and Ford. Includes interviews of players and coaches, vintage photos, and a new introduction.

The biography of one of the most controversial figures in sports: New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner For 34 years, he berated his players and tormented Yankees managers and employees. He played fast and loose with the rules, and twice could have gone to jail. He was banned from baseball for life—but was allowed back in the game. Yet George Steinbrenner also built the New York Yankees from a mediocre team into the greatest sports franchise in America. The Yankees won ten pennants and six World Series during his tenure. Now acclaimed sportswriter and New York Times bestselling author Peter Golenbock tells the fascinating story of "The Boss," from his Midwestern childhood through his decades-long ownership of the Yankees–the longest in the team''s history. Draws on more than a hundred interviews with those who have known George Steinbrenner throughout his life to tell the complete story of "The Boss" and his long tenure as owner of the New York Yankees Gets inside Steinbrenner’s countless manager hirings and firings, from Billy Martin to Joe Torre; the legendary feuds and hard feelings involving famous figures such as Yogi Berra and Dave Winfield; and the ever-spiraling players'' salaries Covers the astute business deals that transformed the Yankees from a $10 million franchise into a powerhouse worth over $1 billion today Written by Peter Golenbock, one of the nation''s best-known sports authors and the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including Number 1 with Billy Martin and The Bronx Zoo with Sparky Lyle Packed with drama, insight, and fascinating front-office details, George is essential reading for baseball fans and anyone who loves a terrific story well told.

Go Gators! takes the reader through every milestone of this legendary team, from their humble origins through their gradual rise to perennial New Years Day bowl-game contestants. Widely considered to be one of the dean of sportswriters, Peter Golenbock has authored six New York Times bestsellers including The Bronx Zoo, Personal Fouls, and Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes. 30 black-and-white photos and first-time interviews with over 60 Gators who played between 1946 and 2001 are offered.

A biography of the Hall of Fame baseball player who broke Babe Ruth''s career home run record.

No metropolis in America has more pure baseball spirit than St. Louis, Missouri. It''s a love affair that began in 1874, when a band of local boosters raised $20,000 to start a professional ball club, and the honeymoon still isn''t over. Now Peter Golenbock, the bestselling author and master of baseball oral history, has written another remarkable saga enriched by extensive and incomparable remembrances from the scores of players, managers, and executives who lived it. These pages capture the voices of Branch Rickey on George Sisler. Rogers Hornsby and his creation of the farm system. Hornsby on Grover Cleveland Alexander -- and Alexander on Hornsby. Dizzy Dean on -- who else? -- Dizzy Dean. And so many others including "The Man" himself, Stan Musial; Eldon Auker, Ellis Clary, Denny Galehouse, and Don Gutteridge on the 1940s Browns; Brooks Lawrence, the second man to cross the Cardinals'' color line; Jim Bronsnan, the first man to break the players'' "code of silence"; Tommy Herr, Darrell Porter, and Joe McGrane on Whitey Herzog''s Cardinals; and Cardinal owner Bill DeWitt, Jr., on the team today.

It''s been over 50 years since they moved to Los Angeles, but the Brooklyn Dodgers remain ingrained in the fabric of our national pastime. Golenbock''s oral history of these "lovable losers" tells the team''s tale through the words of Pee Wee Reese, Leo Durocher, Duke Snider, and other Brooklyn greats.

In 1949, when Humpy Wheeler was 11, he attended the very first NASCAR race. For the next ten years, he spent as much time in the pits as he could, and came to know many of the sport’s pioneers. Eventually, Wheeler began promoting races at Carolina tracks such as Concord Speedway, Robinwood Speedway, and Starlight Speedway. Racing was so rough back then he kept a gun by his side when he paid the purse, and often used his fists to keep order. By the time Wheeler retired in 2008, he had helped NASCAR become the six-billion-dollar-a-year industry it is today. Filled with photographs from Wheeler''s personal archives, Growing up NASCAR presents the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at NASCAR from the consumate insider.

"Anyone who has love for the game of baseball will enjoy this remarkable book." Library Journal, Starred Review. Like the classic The Glory of Their Times, this book is based on 100s of hours of interviews with the likes of Roy Campanella, Ted Williams, Phil Rizzuto, Jim Bouton, Stan Musial, and more baseball greats from the 1940s, ''50s, and ''60s.

On t.p.: The bittersweet world of major league baseball as seen through the eyes of the men who played one more time.

Golenbock, the author and renowned sportswriter, returns to the territory he brought to life in "Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers" to offer a rich and revealing portrait of a vibrant place and the people who make it great. Bw photos throughout.

Head coach of North Carolina State''s renowned basketball team, Jim Valvano isfamous, admired, and rich. But beneath this successful image lies the realityof a multi-million dollar business--a story as funny as it is scary.