ESPN SportsCentury - Hardcover

David Halberstam's introduction sets the tone for this sweeping look at the players and moments that have defined athletic competition in the 1900s: "Throughout the century," he observes, "sports ... served as a remarkable reflection of the strengths and weaknesses of the nation--its diversity, its hungers, its excesses, its rank commercialism." Divided into decades, each section begins with a long, smart appreciation--illustrated to the gills--of the period's seminal sports figure. The lineup on both ends of the equation is powerful: Among the pairings are Robert W. Creamer on Babe Ruth, Wilfred Sheed on Joe Louis and Babe Didrikson, Dick Schaap on Johnny Unitas, and Joyce Carol Oates on Ali. Still, there's more. The significant players and memorable moments of each decade are put into focus. For example, while Ruth clearly defines and dominates the '20s, Bill Tilden, Red Grange, Knute Rockne, and Bobby Jones are given shorter profiles, and key events range from the great Dempsey-Firpo fight of 1923 to Johnny Weismuller's domination of Olympic swimming. For off-the-field context, chartlike presentations encapsulate historical to cultural happenings.

Attractive, comprehensive, and neatly designed, ESPN SportsCentury is a classy tribute to the sporting achievements of the last 100 years. --Jeff Silverman

An illustrated showcase of the centurys foremost athletes, achievements, and issues in American sports. With the tasks and skills of a museum curator, MacCambridge (The Franchise: A History of Sports Illustrated Magazine, 1997) has chosen those words and scenes that best capture the drama, glory, and cultural impact of 100 years worth of major pro team sports (plus boxing, college football, and some golf, tennis, track and field, and auto racing). Large photos frame Ebbets Field in the World Series, Lew Alcindor reaching for a tip-off, the winning play in college footballs ``Game of the Century,'' and a tripped, airborne Bobby Orr celebrating his Stanley Cupwinning goal. Each of the ten decades features every sports champion, stars, stats, and highlights such as media coverage, rule changes, franchise, and stadium moves, and even uniform innovations. Sure, somebody will argue why Aaron, Starr, Gretsky, Petty, Sampras, or Woods only got as much coverage as Cosellbut historical effect rules. Thats why Chris Berman writes that Jackie Robinson ``was a decade ahead of Rosa Parks.'' If Marino only gets half a page, there are details like his ``Lenox Hill derotation bracedesigned for Namath.'' The most significant voices and icons in sports get feature articles. The lineup of writers and decade-dominating superstars: Gerald Early on Jack Johnson; Nicholas Lemann on Jim Thorpe; Robert Creamer on Babe Ruth; Wilfrid Sheed on Joe Louis and Babe Didrikson; Roy Blount Jr. on Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams; Dick Schaap on Johnny Unitas; Tony Kornheiser on Bill Russell; Joyce Carol Oates on Muhammad Ali; Thomas Boswell on Pete Rose; and Nelson George on Michael Jordan. Numbers are important, so we get Wilt Chamberlains 20,000 sexual conquests, the 50 seconds left in the Heidi game, and a final page of 1100 in sports associations. With hundreds of color photos enlivening the writing and graphics, this is the sports fans coffee table gift of the century. (TV and radio satellite tour) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.