Even if you are not a fan of the New England Patriots, and I fall into this category, you will enjoy the “From Darkness to Dynasty,” which chronicles the unlikely path the team traveled from debuting as an original AFL franchise, to turning it around and becoming a NFL dynasty. As Thornton documents, the franchise […]
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“Bluegrass Baseball” takes a survey on the minor league baseball landscape in 2010. As documented in the book, only a small percentage of baseball hopefuls will earn a call up to the Major League. Minor league baseball survives by selling tickets, and providing fans with an affordable family entertainment option. One of the attractions of
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Convicted hitman turned government witness Frank Cullotta sets the record straight about Tony Spilotro, a Chicago mobster that became a big fish in the Las Vegas underworld. Spilotro, a member of “The Outfit” in the Windy City, became a feared enforcer as he climbed up the criminal ranks. Cullotta grew up with Spilotro, and shares
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In “Bushwhackers,” the author explores the impact guerrilla warfare had on Kansas and Missouri during the civil war. Beilein’s assessment is that the Bushwhackers were murderers first, martyrs second. He contends that journalist John Newman Edwards was a propagandist for the south, and portrayed the Bushwackers as reluctant killers, with heroic virtues. Edwards is commonly
We celebrate Jackie Robinson for breaking the color barrier in baseball, however, Marion Motley broke the color barrier in football first, and unfortunately, many fans don’t recognize the talent and accomplishments of this unsung trailblazer. Motley was one of the remaining two way players, playing fullback on offense and linebacker on defense. He was so
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One the America’s old west most darling and notorious gang of bandits, The Dalton Gang, is the subject of Tom Clavin’s latest masterpiece. Clavin does an excellent job of separating fact from fiction, which can be a challenge when examining these often mythologized figures. While the Daltons had many friends that protected them, they were
He may have been a polarizing character, but love him or hate him, you can not deny the legendary career of Howard Cosell. For being the man that told it like it is, Cosell received death threats and at times, required armed guards for protection. He was labeled as transformative and subversive, and undeniably, changed
Charles Ross does a superb job breaking down the color line in professional football in “Mavericks, Money, and Men.” The NFL closed the door to black athletes, and gradually (and reluctantly) changed their policy over time. The last team to include a black player on their roster was the 1962 Washington Redskins. Attorney General of
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Paul Westhead became the poster boy for the fast break system. As Westhead states in “The Speed Game,” he was never afraid to experiment, and push the envelope. The coach was told he had to be crazy to fully embrace the fast break, an exciting system Westhead learned in Puerto Rico. A division II coach
Fred Wolfson reveal secrets from a private eye that can protect your security, and how you might totally disappear from altogether. Wolfson was hired by celebrities for various reasons, such as the time Tom Arnold wanted to know who was selling his lover letters to Roseanna Barr to the National Enquirer. In “Secrets of a
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