Download or read book College Basketball Underdog Stories written by Heather Rule and published by ABDO. This book was released on 2018-12-15 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title introduces fans to the best underdog stories in college basketball history, covering the highlights and characters involved in their greatest moments. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Download or read book Miracles on the Hardwood written by John Gasaway and published by Twelve. This book was released on 2021-03-16 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the David vs. Goliath rise of Catholic college basketball, from Villanova to Georgetown to Gonzaga, where small schools perennially shoot past the big power conference programs. In MIRACLES ON THE HARDWOOD, author John Gasaway traces the rise of Catholic college basketball—from its early days (Villanova made an appearance in the Final Four in the first NCAA tournament in 1939) to the dominance of the San Francisco Dons in the 1950s and the ascendance of powerhouses Georgetown, Villanova, and Gonzaga—through their decades-long rivalries and championship games. Featuring interviews with notable coaches, players, alums, and fans—including Loyola Chicago's most famous and dedicated fan, 100-year-old Sister Jean—to get at the heart of how these universities have excelled at this sport. Small in number but devout in the game's spirit, these teams have made the miraculous a matter of ritual, and their greatest works may be yet to come.

Download or read book NBA Underdog Stories written by Marty Gitlin and published by ABDO. This book was released on 2018-12-15 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title introduces fans to the best underdog stories in NBA history, covering the highlights and characters involved in their greatest moments. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Download or read book March 1939 written by Terry Frei and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2014-02-06 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1939, the Oregon Webfoots, coached by the visionary Howard Hobson, stormed through the first NCAA basketball tournament, which was viewed as a risky coast-to-coast undertaking and perhaps only a one-year experiment. Seventy-five years later, following the tournament’s evolution into a national obsession, the first champions are still celebrated as “The Tall Firs.” They indeed had astounding height along the front line, but with a pair of racehorse guards who had grown up across the street from each other in a historic Oregon fishing town, they also played a revolutionarily fast-paced game. Author Terry Frei’s track record as a narrative historian in such books as the acclaimed Horns, Hogs, and Nixon Coming, plus a personal connection as an Oregon native whose father coached football at the University of Oregon for seventeen seasons, makes him uniquely qualified to tell this story of the first tournament and the first champions, in the context of their times. Plus, Frei long has been a fan of Clair Bee, the Long Island University coach who later in life wrote the Chip Hilton Sports Series books, mesmerizing young readers who didn’t know the backstory told here. In 1939, the Bee-coached LIU Blackbirds won the NCAA tournament’s rival, the national invitation tournament in New York—then in only its second year, and still under the conflict-of-interest sponsorship of the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. Frei assesses both tournaments and, given the myths advanced for many years, his conclusions in many cases are surprising. Both events unfolded in a turbulent month when it was becoming increasingly apparent that Hitler's belligerence would draw Europe and perhaps the world into another war . . . soon. Amid heated debates over the extent to which America should become involved in Europe's affairs this time, the men playing in both tournaments wondered if they might be called on to serve and fight. Of course, as some of the Webfoots would demonstrate in especially notable fashion, the answer was yes. It was a March before the Madness.

Download or read book Soccer Underdog Stories written by Sam Moussavi and published by ABDO. This book was released on 2018-12-15 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title introduces fans to the best underdog stories in soccer history, covering the highlights and characters involved in their greatest moments. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Download or read book Dust Bowl Girls written by Lydia Reeder and published by Algonquin Books. This book was released on 2017-01-01 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Published simultaneously in Canada by Thomas Allen & Son Limited."

Download or read book U Must Be Cinderella written by Kevin Cowherd and published by Loyola College/Apprentice House. This book was released on 2021-03 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many call it the biggest upset in sports history. Bigger than the Jets over the Colts in Super Bowl III. Bigger than the U.S. hockey team's "Miracle on Ice" win over the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Bigger than Buster Douglas's stunning KO of Mike Tyson 10 years later. When little-known UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) takes the floor against mighty Virginia in the first round of the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament, the whole world knows the Retrievers will lose. They're 20 1/2-point underdogs. ESPN's Power Basketball Index gives them a 1.5 per cent chance of winning. They're a lowly 16-seed going against the overall no. 1-seed. And a 16 has never beaten a 1. Never, ever. Yet on a magical weekend in Charlotte, N.C., the odds go up in flames. March Madness hits a whole new level. This is the dramatic story of the singular team that made bracket-busting history and thrilled a nation, and the school that headline writers and social media pundits were now calling - devoid of irony - "U MUST BE CINDERELLA!"

Download or read book NFL Underdog Stories written by John Tuvey and published by ABDO. This book was released on 2018-12-15 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title introduces fans to the best underdog stories in NFL history, covering the highlights and characters involved in their greatest moments. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Download or read book The Greatest Moments in Sports written by Len Berman and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2009 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fun and memorable read for parents and children alike, The Greatest Moments in Sports serves as the perfect introduction to the world of sports.

Download or read book Underdogs to Wonderdogs written by Paul Loeffler and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Capturing the rollercoaster ride of Fresno State's unlikely victory in the 2008 NCAA College World Series, this account tells their story through more than 200 color photographs, radio play-by-play excerpts, and comments from the players themselves. The Bulldogs, originally ranked 89th in the country, triumphed over elimination through six weeks of unprecedented upsets to become the lowest seed ever to win the NCAA baseball championship. Told in the unique style of the team's radio announcer, this is an exhilarating and inspirational tale of the metamorphosis from adversity into achievement.

Download or read book The City Game written by Matthew Goodman and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2021-03-02 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The powerful story of a college basketball team who carried an era’s brightest hopes—racial harmony, social mobility, and the triumph of the underdog—but whose success was soon followed by a shocking downfall “A masterpiece of American storytelling.”—Gilbert King, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Devil in the Grove NAMED ONE OF THE BEST SPORTS BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW The unlikeliest of champions, the 1949–50 City College Beavers were extraordinary by every measure. New York’s City College was a tuition-free, merit-based college in Harlem known far more for its intellectual achievements and political radicalism than its athletic prowess. Only two years after Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier—and at a time when the National Basketball Association was still segregated—every single member of the Beavers was either Jewish or African American. But during that remarkable season, under the guidance of the legendary former player Nat Holman, this unheralded group of city kids would stun the basketball world by becoming the only team in history to win the NIT and NCAA tournaments in the same year. This team, though, proved to be extraordinary in another way: During the following season, all of the team’s starting five were arrested by New York City detectives, charged with conspiring with gamblers to shave points. Almost overnight these beloved heroes turned into fallen idols. The story centers on two teammates and close friends, Eddie Roman and Floyd Layne, one white, one black, each caught up in the scandal, each searching for a path to personal redemption. Though banned from the NBA, Layne continued to devote himself to basketball, teaching the game to young people in his Bronx neighborhood and, ultimately, with Roman’s help, finding another kind of triumph—one that no one could have anticipated. Drawing on interviews with the surviving members of that championship team, Matthew Goodman has created an indelible portrait of an era of smoke-filled arenas and Borscht Belt hotels, when college basketball was far more popular than the professional game. It was a time when gangsters controlled illegal sports betting, the police were on their payroll, and everyone, it seemed, was getting rich—except for the young men who actually played the games. Tautly paced and rich with period detail, The City Game tells a story both dramatic and poignant: of political corruption, duplicity in big-time college sports, and the deeper meaning of athletic success.

Download or read book The Big East written by Dana O'Neil and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2023-02-28 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The definitive, compulsively readable story of the greatest era of the most iconic league in college basketball history—the Big East “This book, full of long-standing rivalries, unmatched moments in the lives of coaches and players, and juicy insider gossip, is, like the game of basketball, a ton of fun.”—Philadelphia magazine The names need no introduction: Thompson and Patrick, Boeheim and the Pearl, and of course Gavitt. And the moments are part of college basketball lore: the Sweater Game, Villanova Beats Georgetown, and Six Overtimes. But this is the story of the Big East Conference that you haven’t heard before—of how the Northeast, once an afterthought, became the epicenter of college basketball. Before the league’s founding, East Coast basketball had crowned just three national champions in forty years, and none since 1954. But in the Big East’s first ten years, five of its teams played for a national championship. The league didn’t merely inherit good teams; it created them. But how did this unlikely group of schools come to dominate college basketball so quickly and completely? Including interviews with more than sixty of the key figures in the conference’s history, The Big East charts the league’s daring beginnings and its incredible rise. It transports fans inside packed arenas to epic wars fought between transcendent players, and behind locker-room doors where combustible coaches battled even more fiercely for a leg up. Started on a handshake and a prayer, the Big East carved an improbable arc in sports history, an ensemble of Catholic schools banding together to not only improve their own stations but rewrite the geographic boundaries of basketball. As former UConn coach Jim Calhoun eloquently put it, “It was Camelot. Camelot with bad language.”

Download or read book Long Shots written by Dana O'Neil and published by Triumph Books. This book was released on 2017-04-01 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 31 years after the Perfect Game &– Villanova's shocking national championship upset over Georgetown &– Nova struck again with the Perfect Shot, taking down North Carolina in one of the most thrilling finishes in sports history. The shot and second national title in school history were the culmination of 15 years of Coach Jay Wright painstakingly building the unheralded program, through ups and downs, heartbreak and triumph. In Long Shots: Jay Wright, Villanova, and College Basketball's Most Unlikely Champion, ESPN senior writer Dana O'Neil uses exclusive access to Coach Wright and Nova basketball to delve into the inner-workings of a championship program. In the spirit of A Season on the Brink, O'Neil not only explores behind-the-scenes of the historic 2015-2016 NCAA championship season but also the improbable path that the Nova program took to college basketball immortality. In overcoming a disappointing NCAA Tournament track record, the breakup of the Big East conference as we knew it, and Nova's underdog status among traditional college hoops powerhouses, Jay Wright and his team provided the blueprint for how a “have-not” can prevail over the blue bloods the right way &– the Villanova Basketball Way.

Download or read book Rising Above written by Gregory Zuckerman and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2016-05-03 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover inspirational real-life stories of superstar athletes in this collection of sports biographies featuring LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Tim Howard, and more! Team USA goalkeeper Tim Howard was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome in 6th grade. He went on to become a national treasure after single-handedly keeping America competitive in the 2014 World Cup. Stephen Curry was told he was too small, too weak, and too slow to even receive a scholarship to play college basketball. He outworked everyone and went on to become MVP of the National Basketball Association. Jim Abbott was born without his right hand, yet he refused to be defined by what he lacked. He went on to pitch a no-hitter in the Major Leagues. Athlete after athlete in this book found discipline, hope, and inspiration on the playing field, rising above their circumstances. Filled with first-hand accounts from stars who exemplify the idea of enduring at all costs, this collection of sports biographies will serve as a must-read source of inspiration for kids and sports fans of all ages. Praise for Rising Above A Scholastic Teacher magazine Summer Reading List selection A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Summer Reading List selection "An easy pitch for middle school sports lovers."--School Library Journal “This collection of mini-bios about athletes who overcame major obstacles packs a powerful message—perseverance and passion pay off. Even non-sports fans will cheer for superstars like LeBron James and Stephen Curry.”--Scholastic Teacher "So many of the obstacles that these athletes share are retold using personal interviews and primary source material that young readers will find very relatable. [T]heir stories have morals that are easily transferred to life off the court or the field. The highly relevant message is that no situation is too dire or insurmountable with the right attitude and that young people shouldn't allow setbacks to define them."--Booklist "[O]ften inspiring . . . The underdog stories reveal that dedication and perseverance pay off, as well as that sports can serve as needed outlets and refuges."--Publishers Weekly "I would rate this a 9 1/2 . . . it touch[es] your heart very often with the ways these athletes turn[ed] their lives around."--Colorado Kids

Download or read book David and Goliath written by Malcolm Gladwell and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2013-10-03 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do underdogs succeed so much more than we expect? How do the weak outsmart the strong? In David and Goliath Malcolm Gladwell, no.1 bestselling author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers and What the Dog Saw, takes us on a scintillating and surprising journey through the hidden dynamics that shape the balance of power between the small and the mighty. From the conflicts in Northern Ireland, through the tactics of civil rights leaders and the problem of privilege, Gladwell demonstrates how we misunderstand the true meaning of advantage and disadvantage. When does a traumatic childhood work in someone's favour? How can a disability leave someone better off? And do you really want your child to go to the best school he or she can get into? David and Goliath draws on the stories of remarkable underdogs, history, science, psychology and on Malcolm Gladwell's unparalleled ability to make the connections others miss. It's a brilliant, illuminating book that overturns conventional thinking about power and advantage. 'A global phenomenon... there is, it seems, no subject over which he cannot scatter some magic dust' Observer

Download or read book Glory Road written by Don Haskins and published by Hyperion. This book was released on 2006 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A basketball coach describes how, in 1966, as coach of Texas Western College, he used a starting lineup of five black players to beat the top-ranked University of Kentucky team, paving the way for desegregation of all Southern college teams.

Download or read book Madness written by Mark Mehler and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-02-13 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The annual NCAA Basketball Tournament, which has become known as “March Madness” has emerged as a major sports event, matched only by the Super Bowl and the Olympics. In Madness, Mark Mehler and Charles Paikert tell the stories behind the ten most compelling and memorable championship games in tournament history, from North Carolina’s triple-overtime victory over Wilt Chamberlain’s Kansas Wildcats in 1957 to Duke’s heart stopping victory over underdog Butler in 2010. As a bonus, five more games that just missed the cut are also examined. Madness goes beyond the games to tell the the backstories of these classics, each entirely unique unto itself. For example, Jim Valvano taking his impossible dream of a national title and making it come true for the 1983 North Carolina State Wolfpack; Rollie Massimino turning spaghetti and clam sauce into inspiration for his underachieving 1985 Villanova team; and Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, breaking down in tears while taking a Broadway curtain call in front of a wildly-applauding audience who two hours earlier didn't know who these two guys were decades after their head-to-head matchup in 1979. Some of these stories also resonate far beyond the basketball court, including the 1966 triumph by the Texas Western Miners, which helped chisel away the college basketball color line and stamped their victory as "Glory Road." Over sixty years of college basketball history is brought to life in this must-have for all basketball fans.