ESPN: The Mighty Book of Sports KnowledgeSteve Wulf In The ESPN Mighty Book of Sports Knowledge, Steve Wulf, acclaimed author and founding editor of ESPN The Magazine, delivers an arena’s worth of sporting wisdom, trivia, best-of lists, curiosities, legendary feats, and sacred objects–from the magic of Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech to the lore of hockey’s Stanley Cup to the art of the perfectly thrown Wiffle Ball pitch. Written to remind us all why we love the games, this indispensable reference features contributions from the finest minds at ESPN, as well as guidance from actual professionals. Inside you’ll discover • twenty-five of the greatest sporting nicknames • the keys to being a mascot • what happens during a pit stop • the five best (worst?) on-field temper tantrums • a tour of Donovan McNabb’s locker • how Wayne Gretzky tapes his sticks • the unbeatable secret of rock-paper-scissors • how to tape an ankle, fold a paper football, hit a hole in one, whistle with your fingers, throw a knuckleball, jump rope like a champ, and oil a baseball glove • advice from star athletes–learn to run routes like Jerry Rice, take a penalty kick like Landon Donovan, fake opponents out like Chris Paul, and put on your socks the John Wooden way The ESPN Mighty Book of Sports Knowledge is the perfect antidote to our video-game culture and an essential gift for any fan who ever dreamed of throwing a tight spiral in a Super Bowl, closing out a World Series game, or lining up a putt to win a major. In other words, it’s a book for the young and the young at heart. |
Contents
4 | |
How to Whistle Like a Major Leaguer | 10 |
The Five Best Sports Leads | 16 |
Cal Ripken and Wade Boggs Play 33 Innings | 22 |
A Breakdown of Michael Phelpss Morning Meal | 28 |
Dont Stop to Smell the Hockey Bags | 78 |
Whats a Blutarsky? A Quiz on Sports Lingo | 85 |
The Day Bob Beamon Did the Impossible | 92 |
vi | 94 |
What the Quarterback Rating Really Means | 98 |
The Five Greatest College Fight Songs | 104 |
Missing the Triple Crown by a Nose | 112 |
The Family Secrets of the Wiffle Ball | 118 |
A Long Snapper on Why Its Not a Snap | 124 |
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | 207 |
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ankle athletes Babe Ruth ball base baseball card basketball batting Bill Bob Beamon Bobby Casey championship changeup Chris Chris Paul Club coach Cy Young Dan Quisenberry Dodgers double steal Ederle fans fastball feet fingers five Frazier free kicks Gertrude Ederle Getty Images Giants Gipp glove goalie golf golfer Gregory Proch Gretzky grip guys Hall of Fame hand hockey home run Howie Schwab illustration by Gregory Jones jump Lacrosse Library of Congress locker long snapper look Lou Gehrig major league mascot Michael Phelps Mike Olympics Pete pitch pitcher play players quarterback Real Quiet rope says score soccer spin sports movies Stadium Stagg Steve Super Bowl tape tennis there's thing throw touchdown trophies University victory Wade Boggs Wheaties Wilt Chamberlain winner World Series Wrigley Field Yankees York