George Plimpton On Sports

by George Plimpton

• ISBN13: 9781592286430
• ISBN10: 1592286437
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2005-05-01
• Publisher: The Lyons Press

Summary

George Plimpton on Sports collects the best writing--the most observant, the most acerbic, the most humane, and the most fun--from George Plimpton's long career as the consummate and prototypical participatory sports journalist. Here are selections that range from golf and bowling to his experiences trying out for quarterback with the Detroit Lions and pitching to the Major League All-Stars.

Author Biography

George Plimpton, the originator of "participatory journalism," was the founder and editor of the renowned literary magazine The Paris Review. His books included Paper Lion, The Bogey Man, Open Net, Shadow Box, As Told at the Explorers Club, and Mad Ducks and Bears.

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction	p. xiii
Baseball: Chateau Baseball (fromOut of My League)	p. 3
Right Field (fromCigar Aficianado)	p. 7
Canyon of Heroes (fromThe New York Times)	p. 13
A Love of Fungo (fromBirth of a Fan)	p. 17
Marianne Moore in Yankee Stadium (fromHarper's Magazine)	p. 23
The Curious Case of Sidd Finch (fromSports Illustrated)	p. 41
Basketball: The Boston Celtics (from Boston Celtics 50)	p. 61
Bicycling: Two-Wheeling (fromAvenue)	p. 77
Boxing: Muhammad Ali, the Mongoose, and Me (fromEsquire)	p. 83
Fishing: Hookin Bull with My Father-in-Law (fromEsquire Sportsman)	p. 93
Football: Vince Lombardi: A Portrait (fromOne More July)	p. 101
Medora Goes to the Game (fromSports Illustrated)	p. 119
Golf: Fear and Trembling at the Masters (fromGolf Digest)	p. 137
The Small Ball Theory (fromUS Air)	p. 155
It's Not in the Hole (fromGolf Journal)	p. 161
Golf Lessons (fromCallaway Journal)
Grape-Catching: Paul Tavilla (fromSmart)	p. 185
Hockey: Eddie Shore: A Portrait (fromOpen Net)	p. 193
Rowing: Yanks at Cambridge (fromEsquire)	p. 205
Sport fs20: Gods (fromSaints, Saviors & Sinners, ESPN)	p. 213
Squash: Squash (introduction toSquash)	p. 237
Stickball: Did Willie Hit It for Five Sewers? (fromDaily News)	p. 243
Swimming: Come On In--The Water's Fine (Once You're In) (introduction toSplash)	p. 257
Tennis: On the Firing Line (fromSports Illustrated)	p. 265
John McEnroe Keeps the Peace (fromEsquire)	p. 283
Ten Ways to Shake an Opponent's Hand at the Net After Being Defeated 6--0, 6--2 (fromTennis Week)	p. 289
Wimbledon (fromTennis Week)	p. 293
Track: Sidd Finch for Sydney? (Mark Hofmann fromSports Illustrated)	p. 305
Wrestling: Managing to Wrestle (fromSmart)	p. 317
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Ali arrived with an hour to go before the fight. Even before he got out of his streetclothes he was moving around the room, snapping out the jabs and staring at himself in the mirrors. "This room's too crowded," he said. "I want room to rest."

The room was cleared except for the entourage he would take to the ring, along with two interns assigned to the fight, and the Reverend Jesse Jackson. I was allowed to stay. I crouched in a corner with a notebook open. Ali stripped quickly. He pulled on a pair of white boxing trunks and turned slowly in front of the mirror. "I am the champ," he said softly. "He must fall." He tried out the Ali shuffle, his white gym shoes snapping against the floor. -- from Shadow Box

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Excerpted from George Plimpton on Sports by George Plimpton
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.