Chris Meggs
Children
It's the night before the basketball season starts for the Kansas Jayhawks at the famed Allen Fieldhouse. Like a child who tosses and turns while dreaming of the next day's excitement, the Fieldhouse can't remain silent or still. With a flutter of the championship banners hanging on the rafters, readers and the Jawhawk mascot watch legendary players and coaches come to life. Music and cheers fill the building as the memories of past triumphs return to be remembered again.
'Twas The Night Before Tipoff - The University of Kansas Jayhawks celebrates the accomplishments of mighty Jayhawk teams and the University of Kansas' legendary men and women players. The whole family will love reading the toe-tapping verses and seeing the bright, action-packed illustrations. 'Twas The Night Before Tipoff - The University of Kansas Jayhawks is the perfect gift for Jayhawk fans of all ages. The story provides an opportunity for parents and children to bond over KU basketball and start a conversation about KU sports that can last a lifetime.
Dan Schlossberg
Sports
Since the beginning of Major League Baseball in 1876, only two dozen pitchers have won 300 games. And because of new philosophies about pitch counts, the role of relief pitchers, shrinking strike zones, and fi ve-man rotations, there’s a good chance that the 300 Club has admitted its last member.
In a fascinating new book – The 300 Club - Have We Seen the Last of Baseball’s 300-Game Winners? – author Dan Schlossberg chronicles the most exclusive fraternity in baseball. Beginning with Cy Young and Walter Johnson, the only two players to win more than 400 games, the book reviews the careers of all 24 pitchers in the club. Exclusive interviews with 10 living 300-game winners, including Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, and Greg Maddux, form the heart of the book. Johnson was the last pitcher to join the club, winning his 300th during the 2009 baseball season.
The book also investigates the very real possibility that no pitcher will win 300 games again. Changes in relief pitching, salaries, starting rotations, and injuries are conspiring to keep the 300 Club “closed.”
Sprinkled with rare photos from the archives of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, this book explains how this unusual collection of 24 men managed to win so many games, and why other standouts, such as Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale, and Sandy Koufax, fell short of the magic number.
The 300 Club is about “the last of a breed,” but the book is the first of its kind – a fast-paced and thorough exploration of the best pitchers the game has ever seen.
THE 300 CLUB :: IT'S YOUR CALL WITH LYNN DOYLE
Steve Physioc
Rex Hudler
Children|Sports
“Hey, are you a Baseball Guy?” Being a “Baseball Guy” is more than just learning a game. Baseball Guys come in all sizes and shapes and ages – and it’s not just for guys! It is learning that kindness, hard work, respect, positivity, and teamwork are qualities of players and winners – and these traits are important not only on the baseball diamond but wherever you are. In “Are You a Baseball Guy?” broadcasters Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler invite readers to join them on their drive to Kansas City Royals Kauffman Stadium meeting Baseball Guys along the way and at the Stadium. Hudler’s trademark “Hud-isms” will delight fans of the game as he and Phiz show young readers what it means to be a Baseball Guy. Rob Peters’ illustrations adds life and color to Phiz and Hud’s story from the road trip to The “K” to the shout of “Let’s play ball!”
Art Stewart
Sam Mellinger
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
The heart and soul of Kansas City’s major league baseball franchise is a 5-foot-6 and impeccably dressed man you probably haven’t heard of. You don’t know the Royals history and successes until you know him.
His name is Art Stewart and he helped bring Bo Jackson to the Royals on a hunch. He once signed a player after sneaking into the home and listening in on a rival’s offer.
He has the kind of charm that’s overmatched highway patrolmen — Art has paid two speeding tickets in his life, and guesses that baseball stories have gotten him out of a dozen more.
Once, his rental car running on fumes in Florida’s Alligator Alley, Art told a few baseball stories and a man siphoned gas for him.
He fell in love with baseball when he snuck into his attic and found his late father’s baseball gloves, and his seven decades on the wild ride of major league baseball make him a living, breathing, storytelling personification of America’s pastime.
Art was born on Babe Ruth’s 32nd birthday, and has been inside baseball through Ted Williams’ triple crown, Willie Mays’ catch, Hank Aaron’s home runs, George Brett’s chase of .400, all the way through the high-definition, instant-replay times of today.
Art helped build the Yankees’ dynasty of the 1950s and 1960s, before becoming an integral part of making the Royals the most successful expansion franchise in baseball history.
His aggressive ways are part of why baseball’s owners voted overwhelmingly to institute a draft in 1963. Art signed one 20-game winner who shook the sport with an explosive book, and another 20-game winner who shook the sport by swapping wives with a teammate.
From George Brett to Frank White, Bret Saberhagen to Bo Jackson, Carlos Beltran to Eric Hosmer, the Royals’ history is Art’s history. Art just tells it better than anyone else.
Ted Owens
Jim Krause
Jesse Tuel
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Memoir|Self Help|Sports
This is the inspirational story of Ted Owens — still the coach with the most wins in the history of Allen Fieldhouse — from growing up as a boy on a cotton farm in Southwestern Oklahoma during the Great Depression to coaching at the highest levels of the college basketball world.
“At the end of each day on the farm, we would figure the total weight of the cotton we had pulled. We called it the “hang-up,” says Owens. One day, in a competition to see who could pull the most cotton, Owens was leading his father, who then gave him the greatest life lesson: “It’s not what you have now that is important, it’s what you have at the hang-up.” He always reminded Ted that regardless of your station in life, whether encountering difficulties or enjoying success, you should never lose sight of your ultimate goals.
At the age of 5, Owens made his first basketball goal, lifting the basketball from between his legs in an underhand scooping motion. It was at that moment that basketball became his first love, a feeling he still embraces today. He went on to play at the University of Oklahoma for Naismith Hall of Fame Coach Bruce Drake, and he witnessed the rise of national championship programs led by football coach Bud Wilkinson, wrestling coach Port Robertson and baseball coach Jack Baer. This book is a story of the survival of a family built upon love, sacrifice, and the importance of family strength.
The book also shares the ups and downs of building a coaching career and the tale of coaching basketball at the University of Kansas for 19 seasons. Owens’ teams won 206 games in Allen Fieldhouse, a number that still leads Roy Williams (201), Bill Self and Larry Brown. He coached some of the era’s greatest players while leading the Jayhawks against Hall of Fame coaches Adolph Rupp, Joe Lapchick, Henry Iba, Dean Smith, Eddie Sutton, Bob Knight and John Wooden. The book covers little-known — and even unknown — insights into the personalities of these basketball giants.
Playing now in the fourth quarter of his life, Owens shares what he has learned, passing on his lessons for life and wonderful, never-before-told stories of his time as the Kansas Jayhawks head basketball coach, as high-pressure a job as there is in American sports, one that only eight men have ever held.
Jacob Hood
Children|Sports
Baby Jay’s Jayhawk Journey is a fun, easy-to-read story that is told entirely through rhyme about what it means to be a Jayhawk, for Jayhawks of all generations. For younger fans, the book is the perfect introduction to the University and what being a Jayhawk is all about, told through the perspective of Baby Jay. For students and alumni, it’s a love letter to KU; a celebration of the unique identity of the Kansas Jayhawk and the University of Kansas.
The book also recognizes the 50th birthday of Baby Jay becoming an official KU mascot. Baby Jay’s Jayhawk Journey will engage younger and older fans alike with these beloved characters and remain a timeless KU story for Kansas Jayhawk fans. Officially licensed by The University of Kansas.
Bobby Brett
Children|Sports|Tiny Tutor Series
Baby Loves Baseball is a grand slam for young families and baby! It touches all the bases in introducing baby to the national pastime. This is a great lead-off for baby’s first book. Baby and friends leave the stands to step onto the mound and take the field. They want to experience every part of the game. They even step up to the plate to swing for the fences and steal a base or two. Baby’s teammates invite you to join their team for fun and friendship on the diamond.
Baby Loves Baseball is written by Bobby Brett, the owner of the Spokane Indians, an affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. His fast-paced writing captures Baby’s attention while instilling the important values of fair play, playing hard, never giving up and the importance of teamwork. Illustrator Rob Peters’ artwork brings the action in this interactive story to life. Baby Loves Baseball is as enjoyable as a summer’s day at the ballpark. It’s a great baby shower gift for the new parent and sports fan in your lineup.
The age range for Baby Loves Baseball is Baby - 3 years.
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Dr. Lee C. Stuart
Children|Sports|Tiny Tutor Series
Dribble, shoot, pass, and run – basketball is a game of fun!
In this bouncy book, Baby (and friends) learn to play one of the world’s most popular games - basketball. Babies pass, shoot, jump, score…and lots, lots more!
This is a story that young children will enjoy again and again. The colorful illustrations by Illustrator Rob Peters and fast-paced writing will excite little ones and introduce them to important values: trying your best, learning to share, and understanding that it’s fun to be part of a team. It’s never too early to learn the skills needed to excel on the court AND the importance of keeping our bodies healthy and strong!
Baby Loves Basketball is a BIG SCORE and makes a great baby shower gift for the new parent/sports fan in your life.
The age range for Baby Loves Basketball is Baby - 3 years.
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Dr. Lee C. Stuart
Children|Sports|Tiny Tutor Series
Baby Loves Football is a rollicking book that’s perfect for together reading time! Baby (and friends) just love everything about the game of football and want to be part of every piece of the game. Run, Pass, Catch, Tackle, Score, Cheer, and maybe even a little tailgating. Join the entire “Babys Team” as they play football for fun and friendship! They pass, they catch, they kick, they run…all in the spirit of fun-fun-fun!
This is an interactive story that young children will enjoy again and again. The colorful illustrations by Illustrator Rob Peters and bouncy, fast-paced writing will excite little ones and introduce them to important values: trying your best, learning to share, and understanding that it’s fun to be part of a team. Baby Loves Football is a BIG SCORE and makes a great baby shower gift.
The age range for Baby Loves Football is Baby - 3 years.
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Bobby Brett
Children|Sports|Tiny Tutor Series
GOAL! Baby Loves Hockey is a winner that introduces young rookies and their parents to skating, shooting, passing and scoring. Baby’s never been to a hockey game before, and there’s so much to see! Who knows? Baby’s first word might be Zamboni! This interactive book with colorful illustrations teaches young children about this fast-paced sport known for fostering community. Baby will learn there’s more to the game than a “W” for the home team. Shaking hands at the end is part of the early sportsmanship lesson. This read-aloud book is the perfect shower gift for sports parents. Baby Loves Hockey is the first children’s book written by Bobby Brett, the distinguished owner of the Spokane Chiefs and brother to MLB Hall-of-Famer George Brett.
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Brian Hanni
Action/Adventure|Sports
Banner Year is the only KU-officially licensed chronicle of the Kansas Jayhawks‘ historic run to the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship. It covers the entire 2021-22 season in unique ways no non-licensed book can. This limited-edition KU collector’s item includes a foreword from Hall of Fame Coach Bill Self and an afterword by Jayhawk star forward David McCormack. Each copy of this numbered, coffee-table book is printed on 100# archival paper, packed with exclusive, dynamic, never-before-published photos by Kansas Athletics’ own photography staff and features a rhythmic script by the radio “Voice of The Jayhawks,” Brian Hanni.
Banner Year includes new, exclusive reflections from every member of KU’s national title team describing what winning the championship meant to them and expressing their pride in representing the Crimson & Blue. The cover of “Banner Year” has an embossed, replica image of the 2022 Championship Banner that will hang at Allen Fieldhouse.
Paul Keels
Children|Sports
The Best in the Land by “Voice of the Buckeyes” Paul Keels, tells the story of Brutus Buckeye, from nut to beloved mascot. Young Brutus dreams of one day playing football for his favorite team, The Ohio State Buckeyes. He works hard, but when his chance arrives, it’s not as a player. As Brutus finds new ways of helping his friends to victory week after week, he learns there’s more than one way to be part of a team. From running the scoreboard to helping coaches craft plays, to giving the players an extra boost of confidence, Brutus is determined to do his part. But will he ever get to take the field with the team? Will he be able to find his place at Ohio State? Throughout this wonderfully illustrated, rhyming story, Brutus shows his true worth to the fans, players, and coaches. What honor can they bestow to show him how grateful they are? This story of team spirit and perseverance will appeal both to young readers and lifelong fans. The Best in the Land is officially licensed by The Ohio State University and is sure to become a favorite for Buckeyes of all ages!
Marv Levy
Action/Adventure|Sports
When does the End Zone Justify the Means?
The Los Angeles Leopards and the Portland Pioneers are on a collision course toward the Super Bowl Championship. One team is led by a take-no-prisoners head coach; the other by a cerebral, slow-and-steady coach who has been thrust into the spotlight because of a tragedy. A tense showdown is about to unfold before the world’s football fans.
But along the way to the championship game, something bad happens: the very integrity of the game comes within a yard of ruin!
In his thrilling new work of fiction, Between the Lies, Hall of Fame Coach and New York Times best-selling author Marv Levy takes us on a journey through the NFL like we’ve never seen before. Through the eyes of a memorable cast of characters, many of whom are based on real football players, coaches, general managers, and owners, we get to see professional football from the inside.
And we get to see the game’s underbelly, where rules are bent or broken, lies are used as promises, and the integrity of the game hangs in the balance.
Between the Lies is filled with the kind of intimate knowledge that only a Hall of Fame coach could possess.
It is a must-read for fans of the NFL and for all of us who ever wondered what goes on inside the sanctity of the locker room.
This book, of Sports Fiction, follows Coach Levy’s New York Times Best-Selling autobiography—Where Else Would You Rather Be?
Marv’s infectious personality shines through every page. You will laugh out loud, curse out loud, and cheer out loud.
Bill Self
John Rohde
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
The 2007-2008 Kansas Jayhawks capped off one of the program’s most storied seasons by winning its fifth national championship, and first in 20 years. The Jayhawks’ success in 2007-2008 has been credited to total team effort and the inspiring leadership of head coach Bill Self. During his relatively short head coaching career, Self has established himself as one of college basketball’s best by leading Oral Roberts to new frontiers, guiding Tulsa to its best season in school history, turning Illinois into a Big Ten powerhouse and now taking Kansas from a perennially great program to the best in the nation.
In Bill Self’s first authorized book: BILL SELF: At Home in the Phog, Self and those who know him best offer an inside look at his journey into becoming one of the game’s most respected and most sought-after coaches.
Self explains how he is living a dream - not only is he a head coach, but he was selected to be the steward of what James Naismith and Phog Allen created. He describes the excitement of achieving the unimaginable – leading the Jayhawks to a national title. He gives minute-by-minute details of the contest that sent KU to the national title game.
Self has achieved his dream of becoming a head coach. That much is evident. Even though he never dreamed of being the head coach at the University of Kansas, he did aspire to lead a college basketball team to greatness, which is exactly what he is doing.
Self’s journey proves that even though dreams may change, they can come true.
Rich Zvosec
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
When the 65-team field is announced for the NCAA tournament in March, all the schools are lumped into one bracket. But, with the fact that no number-16 seed has ever beaten a number-1 seed serving as evidence, there is a group of schools in the bracket that are worlds apart from the BCS schools.
Some of the schools, labeled the 'mid-majors' make it into the Sweet 16, practically their version of making it to The Final Four. Rarely these days does a team go so far as George Mason University from the Colonial Athletic Conference did in 2006 when the Patriots played their way into The Final Four. Or Davidson, a little liberal arts school from Charlotte, taking Kansas all the way to the final seconds in the 2008 Midwest Regional final.
The mid-majors have a better shot at knocking off the big boys. The low majors—the schools from The Summit Conference, the Ivy League et al—most often have no shot. Yet coaches from the low majors stake their careers and reputations at getting into the NCAA tournament field. Rich Zvosec was one of those coaches.
Zvosec takes you into the world of low majors that's never been revealed before in detail. It's a world that involves less coaching and more demands centered on fund-raising, commuting and handling off-the-court affairs.
It wasn't unusual for Zvosec or any other coach on the low major level to be doing the team laundry, searching for housing on behalf of his players or becoming make-shift mechanics when the commuter vehicles broke down.
Zvosec takes you into the world of coaching that makes you ask, “Why do you do it?” And most often the answer is, “Because they love it.”
Richard Dent
Fred Mitchell
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
Richard Dent, a cornerstone of the Bears’ overwhelming defense during their Super Bowl run, and a 2011 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was an 8th-round draft pick out of tiny Tennessee State in 1983. The tall and skinny rookie would become a 4-time Pro Bowl selection who also played for the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles. Dent wound up his brilliant 15-year career with 137.5 sacks, eight interceptions, 13 fumble recoveries, and two touchdowns.
But Dent’s fascinating story – told for the first time in Blood, Sweat, & Bears – is more about a young man beating the odds than about a football player racking up statistics.
Coming out of a small college with less fanfare than many of his high-profile peers, Dent talks about the inherent disrespect he received, especially early in his career, even though his production rivaled that of most other players at his position. The book, written with veteran The Chicago Tribune sportswriter Fred Mitchell, takes the reader behind the scenes, into the huddle and inside the locker room of one of the fiercest, most dominant defenses in NFL history.
Playing in the NFL during a time before violent helmet-to-helmet tackles were not forbidden, Dent discusses the direction of the current game in this candid book. “Fans want to see hard hits and collisions,” says Dent. “If the NFL wanted to make the game perfectly safe, they would have the players wearing leather helmets and soft shoulder pads. But who would want to spend their money to come out and watch that?”
Dent also discusses Hall of Fame teammates, such as Walter Payton, and his at-times turbulent relationship with Coach Mike Ditka. He also adds his opinions on “the bounty system” and NFL Players struggle with concussion issues.
A quarter of a century after the brash Bears filmed The Super Bowl Shuffle music video before winning the championship game, Dent is ready to tell his personal saga, as well as the rest of the intriguing story behind the 1985 Bears.
Blood, Sweat, & Bears hits hard... just like its Hall of Fame author!
Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove
Children|Tiny Tutor Series
It’s a read-along companion to the first children’s song written by Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove. The rhythm and rhymes encourage a read-along and sing-along with adults, and the repetitive “B” sound is good practice for early readers and helpful with linguistic development for those learning to talk.
Every night after Jimmy goes to sleep, the three toy animals on his nightstand start singing and dancing – in their underwear! When Jimmy tells his parents, they don’t believe him. So, he finds a way to help them understand. After a little mishap, Jimmy’s dad helps put things back together.
Bop Bop Dinosaur is the brilliantly illustrated companion to the first song written for children by acclaimed kid-rocker Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove. Read along and sing along with the whole family!
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Dr. Bob Ward
Mac Engel
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
Today, it is inconceivable for a professional or even small college sports team to go without a coach designated to enhancing conditioning, strength training, and overall performance. But someone had to be first. In 1976, the Dallas Cowboys and Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Tom Landry hired Dr. Bob Ward and told him to go to work. Part of the aura of the Dallas Cowboys was to be ahead of the curve, which made hiring Ward a natural step forward. No one could have predicted that Ward would become the key figure in revolutionizing how athletes prepare and train for generations to come. Ward believed in analytics long before Moneyball made them synonymous with sports. He saw the value in computers and technology in sports before the two became linked. Born on the Fourth of July to a home of modest means, Ward is a self-made American success story who forever changed the game of football as well we know it.
Andy Van Slyke
Rob Rains
Action/Adventure|Sports
Could this finally be the Cubs’ season? The team is in first place and playing well as the All-Star break approaches.
As every die-hard Cubs fan knows however, the team’s success cannot come easily. Never could they imagine the hurdles this club would face in its attempt to reach the World Series for the first time since 1945. No club in baseball history has ever had to overcome the challenges that suddenly are thrust upon these Cubs.
The Curse: Cubs Win! Cubs Win! … Or Do They? by former major league player Andy Van Slyke and veteran baseball author Rob Rains takes readers along for this thrilling fictional journey that involves much more drama and action than just winning and losing games on the field.
Written with the inside baseball knowledge that only someone who has spent a lifetime working in the sport can provide, the book uses a fictional backdrop to revisit many of the Cubs’ failed pennant pursuits of the past – the Curse of the Billy Goat; the late season collapse in 1969; watching the ball squirt through Leon Durham’s legs in the 1984 playoffs, and how Steve Bartman got in the way of the 2003 pennant-clinching moment.
More than just a baseball novel, this is a story about the bond that exists between fathers and sons, the bond that exists between a team and its fans, and the dangers of the lust for power, glory, and money.
John Walters
Children|Sports
Iowa State fans are incredible! Cy is the joyful mascot of the Iowa State Cyclones. Cy’s Perfect Day tells the story of Cy enjoying the company of friends before Cyclone football games. All is well when the Cyclones win. But Cy is concerned, after a loss, about how his friends will react. Will they still come back the following week? Cy finds out that Iowa State fans always come back. Nobody likes to lose a game. But if the team is showing great hustle and effort, they will be rewarded with unconditional loyalty from the fan base. Those shared experiences, in both wins and losses, are what connect the fans to each other and the teams – and what makes the celebration of the victories that much more special. Young Iowa State fans will read this book over and over. And parents and grandparents are sure to share in the fun.
Dick Vitale
with Dick Weiss
Sports
For 30 years, Dick Vitale has been synonymous with the best in college basketball. His enthusiasm, knowledge, unique turn of a phrase and professionalism have set the bar for the best in hoops coverage.
Duke vs. North Carolina – arguably the sport’s best rivalry. Villanova’s perfect game against Georgetown in the 1985 NCAA championship game. Christian Laettner’s dramatic jump shot to sink Kentucky in the 1992 East Regional final. And, of course, North Carolina State’s last-second alley oop to defeat Houston in the 1983 NCAA final and the resulting exuberance demonstrated by Wolfpack head coach Jimmy Valvano. Dick Vitale has seen it all.
For the college basketball fan, these are some of the touchstones of the sport. For years, fans have discussed these and other memorable players and magical moments. Who was better? What had the most impact on the game, the sport? The debate rages on. And, fan that he is, Dick Vitale also likes to talk about the game he loves.
But he is not your average fan. And there are experiences that are personally meaningful to him that he wants to share with his fellow college basketball crazies.
In Dick Vitale’s Fabulous 50 Players and Moments in College Basketball: From the Best Seat in the House During My 30 Years at ESPN, America’s self-confessed number one college basketball junkie will go on the record, ranking his players and moments from 1 to 50.
His personal pantheon might surprise you. The legends are here, of course. And they deserve to be. Consensus is that these are the greatest of the great. But some of his rankings may be unexpected.
Kansas guard Mario Chalmers’ three-point shot to force overtime against Memphis in the 2008 national championship game. Ralph Sampson of Virginia vs. Patrick Ewing of Georgetown in a 1983 reprise of the great showdown between Lew Alcindor and Elvin Hayes in the ‘60s. UCLA guard Tyus Edney’s length-of-the-floor dash to glory against Missouri in the 1995 tournament. Michael Jordan’s game winning shot against Georgetown in 1982 during his freshman year at North Carolina. Kentucky’s 31point comeback against LSU in 1994. Cinderella George Mason upsetting Connecticut to make the Final Four in 2006.
Every basketball fan has his or her favorites: the perfect player, the magical moments. But only Dick Vitale will go on the record, ranking them 1 through 50, and he’ll do it as much as a fan as a commentator.
This is from his heart, naming the top 50 players and moments in the wonderful world of college hoops.
It’s awesome, baby.
Dick Vitale
Children|Sports
Do you know a young superstar who’s old enough to begin learning their alphabet and numbers? A budding basketball fan who’s ready to take on the world of reading and hoops? Well, Dickie V’s ABCs and 1-2-3s, the first little book in the Dick Vitale Children’s Literacy Initiative, is AWESOME, BABY! It’s a children’s alphabet and counting book from the legendary ESPN college basketball analyst, Dick Vitale. Dick is a grandfather of five and a passionate advocate for early childhood development.
In the book, children learn their alphabet through high-energy basketball words that Dick uses in his national broadcasts. For example, “D” is for “dunk” and “J” is for “jump.” In the counting section of the book, Dick leads kids in counting 1 to 10 using colorful basketballs. The book has a special interactive feature the child can press to hear a digital, voice-recorded message from Dick Vitale.
Vitale’s roots are in teaching the game he’s loved since he was a child. This new book launches the Dick Vitale Children’s Literacy Initiative, which has as its mission to advance the literacy skills of children and to advocate literacy as a critical element in the development of a globally competitive society.
The book is richly illustrated with a colorful menagerie of characters and typefaces that attract the interest of young readers (and adult readers, too!).
Endorsed by early childhood development specialists, Dickie V’s ABCs and 1-2-3s is a wonderful gift for a child’s birthday, for baby showers, for Christmas, Hanukkah, or “just because.”
The book, published by Ascend Books, who also published Dick Vitale’s Fabulous 50 Players and Moments in College Basketball, is the first in a series of books from Vitale for young readers. Future titles feature subjects on virtues and values, personal development and accountability, and the importance of education as part of the Dick Vitale Children’s Literacy Initiative.
Marian E. Washington
Vicki L. Friedman
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
In 2022 The Washington Post called her the Jackie Robinson of collegiate women’s basketball coaching. Now Marian E. Washington shares her compelling life story, tracing her humble roots in rural Pennsylvania to the unprecedented legacy she left for the advancement of women’s athletics and African American women.
Washington became the first female African American head coach at a predominantly White institution at the Division I level when the University of Kansas hired her in 1973. A year later she was named KU’s first women’s athletics director. Over 31 years she coached Kansas women’s basketball to 560 wins, 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and two Sweet 16s.
But her legacy is the battle she waged for equity inside the walls of her own institution and nationally, becoming a trailblazer for a host of successful Division I Black female coaches. In 1996 she became the first Black woman to coach on a U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team staff, serving as an assistant coach on the USA’s gold medal-winning team.
Washington was the first female President of the Black Coaches Association. She is enshrined in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and is a finalist on the Ballot for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
FIERCE is her story.
Ascend Books is proud and excited to announce FIERCE: My Fight for Nothing Less by Marian E. Washington has been chosen as 1st place winner for 2024 Sports Book of the Year by The American Writing Awards.
Art Donovan
Kristine Setting Clark
Sports
Back in the glory days of football, before prime time, big money and Astroturf, Baltimore Colt and Hall of Fame guard Art Donovan was one of the all-time gridiron greats. But what most people don’t know is his connection to professional boxing. Not only did Art train to be a boxing champion, but his father and grandfather were also well known in the boxing ring.
All three Donovans are in the Hall of Fame; Mike and Arthur Donovan, Sr. are in the Pro Boxing Hall of Fame, and Art Donovan, Jr. is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
His grandfather, Mike O’Donovan (the O’ was dropped later), was the middleweight champion of the world and sparring partner of Teddy Roosevelt. His father, Art Donovan, Sr., was a high-caliber referee who refereed twenty of Joe Louis’s fights, including both Schmelling fights.
Now, yesterday’s legend and today’s personality speaks his mind in this hilarious, no-holds-barred account that tells you how it was ‘back in the day,’ with outrageous humor, earthy irreverence, and down and dirty insight to the professional sports of boxing and football.
Donovan’s recollection of the ‘good ol’ days’ is as close as most of us will ever get to sitting ringside or on the team bench, opening a few cool ones and listening to the big guys talk about the legendary wars and warriors of boxing and football’s golden years.
So belly up to the bar boys, as Artie is buyin’!
Leigh Ann Walker
Chuck Carlson
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Self Help
Leigh Ann Walker's efforts to learn about her deceased father began in earnest five years ago, but really, the journey started in 1971 when Verlon "Rube" Walker died. He was the third base coach for the Chicago Cubs when he died of leukemia at just 42 years old. Leigh Ann was 3.
It was a loss impacting the Walker family, their friends, the Chicago Cubs family and eventually people that Verlon (or "Rube") never even met. But his death was profound for Leigh Ann because he was "daddy" and she barely knew him before he died. The loss of his good night hugs, his voice, and his very presence in her young life touched every aspect of her life.
Leigh Ann needed a way to face the loss and the resulting uncertainty of the father she didn't know. Her story chronicles her discoveries and reflections. It is a love story, to be sure, but also a detective story and a journey to the baseball family that called Verlon Walker one of their own. When Leigh Ann talked with her mother, uncles, former baseball players -- including Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins and Billy Williams -- and former batboys and coaches, she learned about her father from the people who knew him best and honored him with the Rube Walker Blood Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Verlon (or "Rube") was kind, smart, self-effacing and devoted to all the loves of his life – baseball, his wife and his daughter. Leigh Ann put the puzzle together of a man who was everything she’d hoped he would be. And while it didn’t make her loss any easier all these years later, her journey toward learning about him answered the questions she needed to ask.
This is a story for anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one and could never find a place for the grief to reside or an answer for the "why?" It offers a way to accept what happened and a realization that, as much as those losses hurt and always will, there is always a way forward.
Bill Althaus
Rich Wolfe
Sports
Your heart is pounding and your palms are sweaty. Your adrenaline is pumping. Kickoff is hours away, but you are going through your game-day preparations with a routine that has stood the test of time season after season. You are a pro at this.
It’s game day!
But you won’t take your place on the line alongside the other big uglies. You aren’t the starting quarterback or even the back-up punter. No. You are a Kansas City Chiefs football fan. Your passion is unbridled. Your love of the game knows no boundaries. You’ve got your face paint and your lucky jersey. Seconds seem like hours. The hated Raiders are coming to town, or maybe the despised Denver Broncos.
Doesn’t really matter. It’s Sunday. And you are ready for some football.
A Super Bowl title. Lamar Hunt. Lenny the Cool. Contact. The X-Factor. Marcus and Joe. DT, Tony G., Mr. Music and Warpaint. All have combined to make up the moments, memories and milestones that endeared this team to thousands of fans throughout its history. For 50 years, the Kansas City Chiefs have taken the field to the roar of the crowd, both in Dallas and Kansas City, as part of the American Football League and later the National Football League.
From the days of playing in battered stadiums with no showers to the gorgeous new digs at Arrowhead Stadium, the Kansas City Chiefs have a legacy like few other teams. They appeared in the first Super Bowl, became the last AFL team to win a game when they upset Minnesota in Super Bowl IV and produced a list of Hall of Fame greats that roll off the tongues of fans of the Red and Gold.
For Chiefs Fans Only! captures the important moments in team history, the legendary players on the field and the personalities off the field in addition to the ever-present, always-vocal Kansas City Chiefs fans – touted across the league as the NFL’s best.
Matt Fulks
Rich Wolfe
Sports
You’re a Kansas Jayhawks fan. So, you know the stories of the triumphs and disappointments in KU’s sports history — the 1952 NCAA Championship, the ’57 triple-overtime loss, the ’69 Orange Bowl, “Danny and the Miracles” of ’88, and, of course, the incredible football and basketball season of 2007-08. You know about the Hall of Famers including Clyde Lovellette, Wilt Chamberlain, Gale Sayers, JoJo White, John Riggins, Lynette Woodard, Don Fambrough, and, of course, Max Falkenstien.
You know about all of it because you’re a Kansas Jayhawks fan. But, as wide as your fandom might be, you’ve never seen a book like For Jayhawks Fans Only! before.
It’s fellow Kansas Jayhawks fans sharing their funniest stories, saddest memories, happiest times, and craziest moments about, well, being KU fans. You’ll go through their close encounters with the KU athletic greats, the lengths fellow fans have gone through to see the Jayhawks play, as well as touching anecdotes of Chamberlain’s return to Kansas and listening to Max on the radio.
The remembrances are all here in For Jayhawks Fans Only! — the joy, the jokes, the pranks, the games — told by a Hall of Fame team of fans. It’s like sitting on the Hill on a Saturday afternoon, listening to your buddies reminisce about their experiences of being fans of the Kansas Jayhawks.
Bill Althaus,
Rich Zvosec
Rich Wolfe
Sports
Do you bleed black and gold? Do your palms sweat when you enter Faurot Field, in anticipation of another Missouri football victory? Are your children named Chase, Norm, Gary or Mike? When you hear the term “Antlers,” do you think of the craziest basketball fans in the country, rather than a deer grazing in a cornfield? Does the chant “Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk” make you head for the medicine cabinet to get some antacid for an upset stomach?
If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, For Tigers Fans Only!, is a must-read and sure fire way to keep you occupied when the Tigers are taking a break. It’s the ultimate fan book, because it’s written by the fans. “The fans at Missouri are so special,” legendary Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel said. “They have always been there for me, and I always wanted to be there for them. They made my time at Missouri something I will never forget.”
From the story of Independence residents Travis and Kristin Scott naming their son after Chase Daniel and having the quarterback hold the baby to the tale of Frank Wrisinger who passed away from Parkinson’s disease and was buried in his favorite black and gold gear- its all here in For Tigers Fans Only!. This is a book you will cherish and who knows, you might even find a story or vignette about your favorite Missouri sports moment in the book.
Kent Pulliam
Rich Wolfe
Sports
“Every man a Wildcat.”
“We Gonna Win!”
“Eat-em–up, Eat-em-up K-S-U!”
“Purple Pride.”
Kansas State fans are ubiquitous, wearing their purple proudly, posting a Powercat decal in the center of their license plates and cheering for the Wildcat athletic teams – for better and worse. And there have been plenty of both in football and basketball.
The Kansas State fans have been instrumental in the success of their sports teams from the Old Barn where they sat so close to the sidelines that they could personally harass opponents with dead chickens or pop guns to the raucous crowd that saw the 30-year losing streak to Nebraska end on a cold November night in 1998 at KSU Stadium. They have been euphoric after finally beating the hated Jayhawks in Bramlage Coliseum in 2008 and winning the Big 12 football championship against Oklahoma in 2003. And distraught when the chance to play for the BCS football championship slipped through their fingers on the field of the Edward R. Jones Dome in the Big 12 title game in 1998.
Read their stories in For Wildcats Fans Only, the first-person accounts of some of those fans who live and die with their school.
Bill Althaus
Sports
For 365 days, the Kansas City Royals have lived with the specter of the 2014 World Series hanging over their heads.
Game Seven. At home. Bottom of the ninth. Madison Bumgarner on the mound and Royals star Alex Gordon 90-feet away on third base, representing the tying run. And as dramatic as that all sounds, it really does no justice to the remarkable, record-setting journey the Royals traveled through the 2014 season, a thrilling victory in the Wild Card game, and the playoffs in order to reach that moment for the first time in three decades no less.
Any fan knows how it ended. With Gordon's feet planted firmly on third base as Salvador Perez, the team's All-Star catcher, faced Bumgarner the seemingly invincible left-hander of the San Francisco Giants and popped out to end the game, the series, and the hopes of the 40,000 fans in attendance.
But 2015 was a new year, and a new opportunity. And these weren't the same Kansas City Royals as before; the underdog catching everyone by surprise with their resilience and tenacity. These Royals expected to win, which they did.
Big time.
Cruising to their first division title in 30 years, the 2015 Royals proved their mettle in the post-season time and time again, setting records for comeback victories and proving the old adage that, indeed, it's never over until it's over.
Now, fans have a new opportunity to share every moment of the 2014 and 2015 seasons through the eyes of the players, coaches, scouts, and front office staff who made them happen.
From the Guys Who Were There: The Kansas City Royals takes you inside the clubhouse and onto the field, as the Royals recount the moments that mean the most to them.
If you are a Royals fan, this is a must-have for your sports library.
As an added bonus, the players who helped the Royals become a powerhouse from 1976 through 1985 discuss the secret to their massive success and share how special it was to follow their younger brethren last year.
Brian Hanni
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Children|Sports
With a young boy’s competitive spirit and enthusiasm for all sports, James Naismith made up games working on his family’s farm in Canada and mastered “Duck on a Rock” a popular schoolyard game. Believing that becoming a physical education teacher would be the way he could make a difference in people’s lives, after graduating from college, James Naismith moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. At his job at the YMCA, he was asked to create an indoor game because the winters were so cold. Naismith drew upon his childhood experiences and education – and basketball was born! Told in an appealing rhyme with a vocabulary for adults and children, Game Maker will delight every reader!
Dick Vitale
Reji Laberje
Mental Health|Sports|Young Adult
It’s tip-off time and time to get that W, a WIN, in the most important game of all... the game of life! Dick Vitale has been in our homes for more than 30 years calling College Basketball on ESPN. Now, invite him in to share the incredible legacies lived and lessons learned that have resulted in a formula for success he’s willing to share with today’s young men and women.
"This is not just an advice book, it’s a playbook for life!" —Dick Vitale. He’ll tell you how pride, passion, and perseverance can work in every person’s life. You’ll see how energy, excitement, and enthusiasm are choices you can make every single day and in every single situation. Dick talks about the drive and determination that have never let him down. He’ll share stories from the lives of his heroes on and off the court.
Dick speaks to readers in a way never more personal than in these pages. He does this beautifully through real-life stories from all walks of life and he discusses real-life issues confronted by today’s students including: criticism, social media pressures, over-scheduling, family dynamics, gossip, self-esteem, bullying, and more. You’ll hear from Dick’s heart, feel his joy, and be moved to make the right choices. What’s more is that you’ll be amazed by how simply you can make his T.E.A.M. your own as you apply the offensive and defensive strategies necessary to navigating life’s difficulties. Hands-on work, tear-out activities, and plenty of goodies from Vitale’s “M” for motivation file will make this a read that is as life-changing as it is enjoyable. It’s gonna be Awesome, Baby... and so will YOU!
Mandi Dow
Children
Young children will love exclaiming Go Cars Go! when this delightful book is read aloud. Whether your little one is into cars or not, this sturdy board book is a fun, family-pleasing story. Author Mandi Dow's story is the typical experience of leaving home in the family car for school or work and ending the day back in the car returning home. Before arriving home, there are necessary errands to run, fun with family and friends, and a pizza dinner to go! Each fun stanza ends in the catchy refrain of "Go Cars Go!" that is sure to please young children who love to join in when someone reads to them.
Cars –- whether a sedan, minivan, SUV, or pickup truck –- are part of many families' daily experiences. Getting where they need to go is important. But what also is important is coming back home at the end of the day to our happy home and neighborhood. Go Cars Go! takes us through the day and back again with a special, fun and memorable trip. Go Cars Go! will get placed into the tote bag or backpack and help entertain young children during a car trip. It's also sure to be brought back home to be read at bedtime. Illustrations by Rob Peters are the perfect match for the story with the bright colors, eye-catching detail, and all-around happy look.
In Go Cars Go! young learners will come along for the ride where there is something for everyone!
Chris Meggs
Children|Sports
It had been 50 years since Chiefs fans had a chance to celebrate a Super Bowl victory. But through the legendary play of Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and the grit and determination of his teammates, that moment finally arrived! Fans along with the players had an unwaivering belief that at times seemed to will the team to victory.
But it wasn't an easy road. There were times when it appeared the season might not turn out the way the Chiefs Kingdom had hoped. But the Chiefs battled to overcome setbacks to triumph in the playoffs over teams that had beaten them. Even in the Super Bowl when it seemed like the game was slipping away the Chiefs dug down deep and found a way to not only comeback but to take control in a way that let everyone know victory was never in doubt.
Go Chiefs Go! allows fans to relive those incredible victories and more as they follow their team on the road to glory and secure their legacy among the great Chiefs teams of the past and shine as the best team in professional football!
“Go Chiefs Go!” is an official publication of the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs!
The book is geared to young readers. The goal is to help them celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl season of 2019 not only now, but through the years. The book will give them something tangible- a touchstone- to the Chiefs great season that they can return to over the years. It will help them relive the thrilling moments that were historic in their young lives and for their team. The book will also ignite dreams and passion, not only for Chiefs football, but for the potential of greatness in readers' lives. Young fans can use the Chiefs incredible season as inspiration to launch their own big dreams and learn from the success and adversity of the Chiefs 2019 season as they work to make their own dreams come true.
Marv Levy
Contributor: George Castle
Children|Sports
“It’s been a bear being a Cubs fan…”
That’s how Grandpa Bruno tells his four cubby-bear grandchildren about waiting, and waiting, and waiting for a World Series for many decades. But Bruno also showed a lot of patience and love. “Never give up!” he kept telling them.
That is the story and the moral of Go Cubs Go! authored by Marv Levy with illustrations by Rob Peters and historical material from George Castle.
The youngest Cubs fans didn’t live through the patient waiting and will always remember a winning Cubs team in the 2016 World Champions. Their parents and grandparents, however, taught them to “Never give up!” and to be loyal to the Cubs. That’s what makes being a Cubs fan so special. The love of the team is passed on from generation to generation.
Yes, the Chicago Cubs are the 2016 World Series Champions.
But what can Grandpa Bruno’s grandchildren (and the children reading along) learn from the Cubs triumphant march in 2016? Follow along in this wonderfully illustrated story as lifelong fan Grandpa Bruno teaches us what the Cubs have already taught him… to “Never give up!” Show your loyalty to the Cubs by passing along this important lesson.
After all, isn’t that what makes a Cubs fan so special?
In Go Cubs Go!, Bruno the Bear takes his grandkids through his own journey as a fan, all the way back to 1929, rooting for great players and teams that fell short of the World Series. The Cubs’ quest for October seemed endless. Bruno never lost his enthusiasm. Someday, he knew the Cubs would win. He and his family enjoyed going to Wrigley Field, where so many good things happened except the Fall Classic through the years. Now they are finally rewarded with a great team that went to the 10th inning of Game 7 to beat the Cleveland Indians on November 3, 2016.
This heartwarming story echoes the life of author Marv Levy. Yes, the famous football coach who started out life as a Cubs fan on Chicago’s South Side. Rob Peters adds color to Levy’s words via his vivid illustrations. And Chicago’s renowned baseball historian and longtime author George Castle educates the reader about the Cubs’ all-time dates, names, achievements and quotes.
Many Cubs books often tell the same story. But Go Cubs Go! crafts a tale for fans of all ages and lets them know things about their favorite team they never realized.
So come on along. Meet loyal Cubs fan Bruno the bear and his family. Join them on this exciting journey that Cubs fans have been waiting 108 years to take. What a celebration it will be!
Max Falkenstien
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
Legendary Jayhawk sports broadcaster Max Falkenstien saw it all in his 60 years of broadcasting the University of Kansas sporting events. Max began his career as a high school junior in the early 1940s. Between 1946 and 2006, Max was behind the microphone for more than 1,750 KU basketball games and 600 KU football games. The Name Max Falkenstien has become synonymous with Kansas Athletics. A Good Place to Stop is the sequel to Max and the Jayhawks - a compilation of Max's first 50 years of broadcasting. A Good Place to Stop picks up where that book left off with recollections from Max's final 10 years as a Crimson and Blue broadcaster, including an athletics department shake-up, the exodus of long-time coach Roy Williams and subsequent hiring of Bill Self along with the hiring of two head football coaches. Once named "the best college radio personality in the country" by The Sporting News, the Voice of the Jayhawks now shares a recollection of his memories in this new book. Join Max as he relives 60 years of players, coaches, games, and the relationships that enabled him to describe the feats of so many Jayhawk student-athletes, in the process making them larger than life to the legions of fans who tuned in for every game to hear Max.
Kevin Briggs
Sam Mellinger
Memoir|Mental Health|Self Help
The wind was gusting around the Golden Gate Bridge on a March afternoon in 2005 when a 22-year-old man climbed the railing, convinced he and this world would be better without each other. He put himself on a thin beam 220 feet above the Pacific Ocean.
The man had just lost his job and felt overwhelmed as a new father.
Kevin Berthia wanted to die, and he had come to the world s most effective suicide destination to make that happen. That's when he met a highway patrolman, a former Army soldier and San Quentin State Prison guard named Kevin Briggs.
"I know you must be in tremendous pain," Briggs said over the railing. "If you want to talk, I'm here to listen."
The next 90 minutes saved Berthia s life.
"I opened up about stuff I d never dealt with before," he recalls. Kevin gave me a reason to try again.
Berthia is one of hundreds of Americans to come within inches of ending their lives with a jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, only to meet Briggs and decide to give life another chance. Out of those hundreds who have talked with Briggs on the bridge, only two have jumped. As he told the San Francisco Chronicle, "I've talked to people from ten minutes to seven hours. I very much despise losing. I do whatever I can to get that person back over the rail. I play to win."
Before his days at the Golden Gate, Briggs spent three years in the Army before being discharged after a cancer diagnosis. He beat cancer and then entered law enforcement as a correctional officer. He was Charles Manson's prison guard, among others, at San Quentin. His own personal story includes heart issues and dealing with divorce and depression in his family.
The bulk of Briggs career was with the California State Highway Patrol, including more than two decades with the Marin County office. There, he worked predominately on the Golden Gate Bridge, which every month produces four to six suicidal subjects, multiple traffic collisions and dozens of other law enforcement calls. After 9-11, security was heightened even more.
Briggs had no training with suicide prevention or mental illness before taking the job but has since become such a respected expert that he s helped train the FBI and several major corporations.
He's been called a true American hero by Robert Gebbia, director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and is among the country's most active speakers in promoting crisis management, leadership skills, and suicide intervention and prevention worldwide. His TED Talk has been viewed well over a million times.
More Americans die of suicide than homicide every year. Nine percent of Americans are dealing with depression at any particular time, many of them with major depression that can last a lifetime. Depression is the leading cause of disability for Americans age 15 to 44. These are under-appreciated problems in our country, at least in part, because they're usually hidden and often come with a stigma of shame.
In Guardian of the Golden Gate, Briggs shares his experiences with the help of people who credit their lives to him. His inspiring story will help shine a light on a killer that lurks in the darkness and show people signs to look for and the value of hope. You will gain insight into this steadfast hero that will allow you to see why he's known as the Golden Gate's guardian.
Kevin Briggs aims to promote mental illness awareness and ultimately break the stigmas associated with it. By reading this book, you join him in that pursuit.
Suicide is preventable. There is hope. There is help.
Dr. Jim Krause
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
Phog "Allen", John Wooden, John Thompson, Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski. Legends in college basketball. Men whose stories help chart the fascinating tale of what's become a huge industry. An official publication of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Guardians of the Game: A Legacy of Leadership traces the development of college basketball using the words and deeds of those who have lived the experience - the coaches, players, sportswriters and executives - while offering an inside look at such stories as the UCLA dynasty, the trailblazers such as John McLendon and the always interesting Bob Knight. A necessity for every basketball coach and sports fan, Guardians of the Game brings to life the heros and the villains of the developmental process and the coaches who have helped create such an intriguing history.
Bob Leffler
Business|Sports
Bob Leffler details his journey from teacher to sales director for the Baltimore Colts and the ultimate founding of his flourishing ad agency. He shares his front-row seat for events affecting pro and college sports, including the Colts’ ill-fated decision to draft John Elway and their “Midnight Ride” to Indianapolis.
Leffler’s career put him “on the wall” for many major stadium developments, team moves, and sales campaigns—and made him a witness to the successes and missteps of team owners and politicians. The Guy on the Wall provides a frank chronicle of those events that shaped sports history.
Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove
Action/Adventure|Children
Harold is an angel who thinks he can’t sing very well, but with a little help and encouragement, he finds his voice in time to proclaim to the world the news of Jesus’s birth.
It’s an unconventional aspect of the Christmas story and a read-along companion to the song by Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove. This book tells the overlooked story of one of history’s most infamous angels. Hark! It’s Harold the Angel encourages readers to discover their own talents and reminds them that a little practice can boost their confidence to do great things. The rhythm and rhymes encourage a read along and sing along with adults.
Gene Bicknell
Action/Adventure
From Author and Community Advocate O. Gene Bicknell comes this story of triumph over isolation. HERMIT is the fictional tale of Sgt. Jackson Eagle, U.S. Special Forces Ranger and his struggle dealing with the punishing aspects of his isolation, and victory over it. He discovers heartbreak, adventure and the value of self-reliance. He also learns that we all need relationships with each other for encouragement, refreshment, and growth. He realizes that there is strength in numbers, and we should show compassion to anyone who falls and has no one to help them get back up.
Denny Matthews
Matt Fulks
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
"Hi, everybody, and welcome …." Those signature sign-on words from Hall of Fame broadcaster Denny Matthews have signaled the start of summer for Kansas City Royals baseball fans for five decades. Since the first day of the club’s inception in 1969, Matthews has been there – on the call for Royals history. For anyone who has grown up with the Royals, Matthews has been the one constant, painting vivid portraits of the game he loves with the sights and sounds of the ballpark as his canvas.
Matthews offers an inside look at what he has witnessed and learned during his more than five decades in broadcasting – from the Royals’ pennant-winning teams of the 1970s and 80s through the team’s World Series title in 1985 up to the challenges of surviving as a small market team. With the help of former Royals players, managers, coaches, executives and broadcasters, Matthews shares stories on and off the field about everything from the humorous games and moments as a broadcaster to an insider’s look at the business of baseball to the current state of the game.
Hi, Anybody! is not about stats. It’s not about sliders, steals, safe signs or strikeouts. It’s about ideas, opinions, philosophies and perspectives on the bigger issues of baseball. From high fastballs on the topic of performance-enhancing drugs to curves and change-ups on hilarious happenings through the years, Hi, Anybody! is a fascinating look into major league baseball from Denny’s unique vantage point.
Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove
Children
The happy Hiccup Pickup loves the way he sounds—he doesn’t honk or beep like the other cars and trucks. Instead, when he gets excited, he makes a uniquely joyful sound: “Hiccup! Hiccup! Hiccup!” And when his friends hear him coming with his furry sidekick, Pup, they know they’re in for fun.
Truck and Pup travel everywhere together – visiting exciting places and meeting new friends while spreading messages about sharing, accepting differences, and trying new experiences.
In this first book in the series of “Hiccup Pickup Adventures,” the two best friends visit the town of Pumpkin Hollow for the annual Trunk-or-Treat Festival. Truck brings treats for all of his friends, and Pup learns that Halloween isn’t scary after all. “It’s silly, sweet, and full of fun!”
The age range for The Hiccup Pickup's Happy Halloween is 3-8 years.
Jack McCallum,
Blair Kerkhoff
Mel Greenberg
Sports
A little bit of hoops heaven…right here on Earth. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2009 and Hoops Heaven is the official commemorative book for the milestone event.
The 50th anniversary book will be a compilation of the game’s greatest players, coaches, contributors, referees and teams and their representation in the 80,000-square foot complex in Springfield. The Hall traces the game’s roots from its invention by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 through the present-day popularity of college basketball, the NBA and youth basketball at all levels.
Special features will include treasured artifacts and memorabilia from the Hall, photos and stories about fans and rivalries and breakthrough individuals and events that changed the landscape of the game at the collegiate, professional and international levels.
Dr. J’s influence on the NBA. Rules changes brought on by Wilt Chamberlain’s complete domination at the college level. The Texas Western/Kentucky national championship game that broke the game’s color barrier in 1966. The growing influence of international players on the professional game. The increasing popularity of college basketball. And the tremendous strides made in the women’s game. They are all explored in a showcase book, packed with photographs, memories and fun.
The Hall of Fame’s 50th anniversary celebration will begin with the induction ceremonies September 10-11 in Springfield, Massachusetts. This year’s class includes Michael Jordan, David Robinson, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer.
Willie Wilson
Kent Pulliam
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Memoir|Sports
Willie Wilson played baseball with the mentality of a football player — a grimace, on his face. Totally unprepared for the spotlight of being in the major leagues, Wilson experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, sometimes unable to tell them apart. He helped lead the Kansas City Royals to their first World Series in only his second full season in the Major Leagues.
His 1983 arrest on a cocaine charge could have been the defining moment of his life and sent him spiraling downward. Instead, he responded by helping the Royals to the World Series championship in 1985, playing a key role in the Series by batting .367 and scoring two runs and three RBIs in the Royals' win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
On his way to winning the 1982 batting title, Wilson was the first switch hitter since Mickey Mantle to get 100 hits from each side of the plate, and his 13 inside-the-park home runs are the most of any modern day player in history.
Willie tells his story of growing up a son of the south, displaced to New Jersey at age 7 when he met his mother for the first time. He was a shy child, seeking acceptance in athletics where he was a three-sport star at Summit (NJ.) High School. Drafted by the Royals in the first round of the 1974 amateur draft, Wilson turned down a football scholarship offer from Maryland to sign with the Royals. He quickly made his way through KC's minor league system, making his first appearance with the major league team just two years later.
But Wilson's story transcends baseball. His life was rocked by the unexpected results of stardom and its demands and pitfalls. He tells a cautionary tale of how a shy young man who never even dated until the 11th grade can survive a post-career bankruptcy and turn his life around to help others with his inspirational tale.
He now leads the Willie Wilson Baseball Foundation, hoping to share his experiences with inner-city youth so they can avoid the same missteps he made along the way.
People are talking about this:
Art Davie
Sean Wheelock
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
On November 12, 1993, an entirely new sport was unleashed on an unsuspecting viewing public—one that was unlike any other, and one that would come to redefine combat and action sports for a new generation.
The sport was mixed martial arts (MMA)—although it hadn’t been named that yet—and the event was the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The creation of ad man and serial entrepreneur Art Davie, the UFC entered nearly 90,000 US households through pay per view television with an explosion … an explosion of blood—as Dutch karate champion Gerard Gordeau kicked fallen Sumo wrestler Teila Tuli right in the face during the first minute of the opening fight.
This shocking scene was only a prelude of what was to come that autumn night in Denver, and worldwide over the next 20 years. Now, for the first time, the true story of how the UFC and the sport of MMA came into existence will be told by the man who started it all.
Art Davie is the Dr. James Naismith and Abner Doubleday (with a touch of PT Barnum) of MMA, yet his name is largely unknown. That is, until now.
In this vivid and fast-moving, first-person account, Davie tells the story of his creation, which has flourished into the billion-dollar behemoth Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Davie’s is a tale of perseverance and against-all-odds determination, as he worked tirelessly for four years to see his idea come to brutal fruition, meeting resistance at every single turn.
It’s also a mash-up of martial arts, celebrity and business culture, involving a highly improbable cast of characters, ranging from Academy Award nominee John Milius, NFL Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, action star Chuck Norris, Brazilian Jiu-Jitusu godfather Rorion Gracie and pay per view pioneer Bob Meyrowitz.
Davie’s story of how he created the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and thus invented the new sport mixed martial arts, is one for not just fight fans, but for fans of mavericks in business and life, who stop at nothing to fulfill their dreams.
Whether you’re a hardcore supporter of MMA, or have never watched a bout in your life, you’ll be enthralled by Davie’s story of ultimate triumph tempered by constant near-disaster.
Davie created the sport of the 21st Century, which arrived two decades early and with virtually no fanfare or warning. He started a revolution, and his revolution was televised.
Gary Lezak
Action/Adventure|Children
For almost 30 years, before his retirement, meteorologist Gary Lezak was the most trusted and popular weather guru in the region. He also used his celebrity status to promote non-profit animal rescue organizations Wayside Waifs and the Humane Society.
It’s A Sunny Life is the story of Gary’s own pet, Sunny the Weather Dog, as she becomes separated from Gary, only to use the very same information he uses on-air to avoid hazardous weather and make her way safely back to him.
Also included with this bedtime tale is a special section, “Sunny’s Weather Academy,” which provides fun answers to all sorts of weather-related questions. What are the different types of clouds? Why does the weather change so quickly sometimes? And, of special interest to parents, in the event of severe weather, what should you and your family do to stay safe?
Dick Vitale
Dick Weiss
Joan Williamson
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
It’s hard to believe, but Dick Vitale, ESPN’s perennially youthful basketball analyst, is 75.
From his blue-collar roots in New Jersey, his first college coaching job at Rutgers, his ultimate dream job with the Pistons (where he got the Ziggy!), to his 35 years at ESPN as a “Prime-time Performahhh.” This is Vitale as you’ve never seen him—an inside look at America’s favorite basketball fan.
Learn the secret of his longevity in the fast-changing world of TV. More than the personal memories, “Dickie V” provides the die-hard hoops fan with his outspoken opinions on a range of topics including: the most intriguing coaches, players and owners in the sport like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Ollie and Donald Sterling; the growth of “one-and-dones” leaving for the NBA draft; the increase in player transfers; out-of-control fan behavior; recruiting top-notch players; and the changing landscape of college sports following conference realignment.
All in his infectious, inimitable“Vitalese.”
From 1939 to 2014, you’ll get to know 75 years worth of history, facts, and opinions, as well as his thoughts on family, the game of basketball, and his passionate fight against childhood cancer.
This book will give you new insights into Dick Vitale—both the sportscaster and the humanitarian.
Dr. Andrew Jacobs
Jeff Montgomery
Peter D. Malone with Matt Fulks
Self Help|Sports|Young Adult
The stories seem more prevalent today than ever: coaches and parents pushing kids to the point of “burnout” before high school, parents fighting with referees and umpires, coaches berating kids in front of teammates and parents, and even kids using performance-enhancing drugs.
Renowned sport psychologist Dr. Andrew Jacobs, longtime Major League pitcher Jeff Montgomery, and Hall of Fame swimming coach Peter Malone have seen first-hand the issues that are making youth sports increasingly difficult for parents, coaches, officials, and especially kids to navigate. Jacobs’ clients, who range from elementary school to professional athletes, regularly talk to him about “burnout” – even before high school. Montgomery, who almost walked away from baseball after four years in the minor leagues, stuck with it and went on to become a three-time American League All-Star and the 1993 A.L. Reliever of the Year during a 13-year major-league career. He learned about today’s “win-at-all-costs” mentality while coaching youth baseball for almost a decade. Peter D. Malone coached more than 10,000 swimmers during his 44-year career. During his last 35 years of coaching, he was the general manager and head coach of the Kansas City Blazers, a program featuring swimmers from recreational to Olympic levels. He coached four Olympic gold medalists.
In July 2013, Time magazine published an article titled “Final Four for the 4-foot set.” The article describes a national AAU basketball tournament – for second graders. In the article, one of the coaches says, “I tell my kids, ‘I’m going to treat you like a full-grown 14-year-old. This isn’t baby ball.’” Indeed. It is, in fact, basketball for eight-year-olds.
Bucking this trend, Dr. Jacobs, Montgomery, and Malone continue to teach lessons youth sports have taught for generations – working with others for the team’s sake; hard work and commitment; setting and achieving goals; learning how to win; learning how to lose or to fail; respecting coaches and officials; coaches and officials serving as strong role models for young athletes; and, most importantly, having fun.
In Just Let 'Em Play: Guiding Parents, Coaches, and Athletes through Youth Sports, Dr. Jacobs, Montgomery, and Malone utilize decades of experience and training with amateur and professional athletes to explain the importance of winning and losing, success and failure; why it’s okay that not every athlete receive a trophy; and the role of parents, coaches, officials, and athletes.
Children
Do you know a future Kansas City Chiefs fan who's old enough to begin learning their alphabet and numbers?
Kansas City Chiefs ABCs and 1-2-3s is an alphabet and counting book that teaches kids ages 2-7 all about the Chiefs!
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KC Wolf, mascot for the Kansas City Chiefs, guides the child reader through the book, teaching letters, colors, and numbers while also sharing interesting facts and terms related to the Chiefs, Kansas City, and football in general. For example: "A" is for Arrowhead, the legendary home of the Chiefs; "B" is for Barbecue, a favorite food among Kansas Citians and something for which the city is known; "Q" is for Quarterback, a key position on any football team.
Endorsed by early childhood development specialists, Kansas City Chiefs ABCs and 1-2-3s is a wonderful addition to any child's library. Kansas City Chiefs ABCs and 1-2-3s is an officially licensed book of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Children
Do you know a future Jayhawk who’s old enough to begin learning their alphabet and numbers?
Kansas Jayhawks ABCs and 1-2-3s is an alphabet and counting book that teaches kids ages 2-7 all about KU!
The university’s well-known mascot, the Jayhawk, guides the child reader through the book, teaching numbers, letters, colors, and points of interest about KU. For example, “A” is for Allen Fieldhouse, KU’s legendary basketball arena. “B” is for Blue, one of the school colors, and “L” is for Lawrence, the Jayhawks’ hometown.
In addition to colorful characters and interesting facts, the book features an interactive push button that plays short audio clips of the KU Fight Song, the famous Rock-Chalk chant, and other well-known themes associated with the University of Kansas.
Kansas Jayhawks ABCs and 1-2-3s follows in the tradition of KU books from Ascend Books of Overland Park, Kansas., including “At Home in the Phog,” by Coach Bill Self; “A Good Place to Stop,” by broadcaster Max Falkenstien; “Rising to New Heights,” by former KU quarterback Todd Reesing; and “Reed All About It,” by Tyrel Reed, KU Basketball’s winningest player.
The book is richly designed by Kansas artist Rob Peters.
Endorsed by early childhood development specialists, Kansas Jayhawks ABCs and 1-2-3s is a wonderful addition to any child’s library, as a birthday gift, for baby showers, for Christmas, Hanukkah, or “just because.” Kansas Jayhawks ABCs and 1-2-3s is an officially licensed book of The University of Kansas.
Scott Pitoniak
Action/Adventure|Children|Sports
In Let's Go Yankees!, Poppy the Dog takes the subway with his grand-pups, Cammie and Oscar, to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. It’s the first baseball game for the grand-pups and they discover just how much fun it can be cheering for baseball's most famous team. Poppy has loved the Yankees since his first baseball game when he was just a puppy. He shows Monument Park to his grand-pups and teaches them about the great players who have worn the team's familiar pinstriped uniforms.
But little Cammie and Oscar also learn that other Yankee fans — elephants and cats and bears and giraffes and rabbits and robins and camels and even other dogs – are kind and friendly and love the Yankees just like they and Poppy do. All the animals join in clapping hands and chanting "Let's Go, Yankees!" while watching a memorable game (Derek Jeter's 3000th hit!) and on the subway ride to and from Yankee Stadium.
This is a heartwarming tale of sharing a love of baseball with the next generation of fans and how a trip to the ballpark can unite those from diverse backgrounds. Scott Pitoniak, best-selling author and nationally honored sports columnist, fell in love with the Yankees as a six-year-old during the summer of 1961 watching Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris chase Babe Ruth's famous home run record. He passed on his love of the Yankees to his son and daughter. Now with, Let's Go Yankees!, Pitoniak shares his love of the legendary team with the next generation and offers lessons about life through the game of baseball.
Rob Peter's illustrations capture the spirit and life of Pitoniak's words. Readers can see the happiness in characters' faces and the love of baseball is evident with Poppy and all the baseball fans. Pitoniak includes in the book a timeline and a glossary of the Yankees memorable dates and games, names and nicknames, achievements and quotes. Baseball fans of all ages love to learn the team's history!
There have been hundreds of books about the Yankees, but none of them crafts a tale for fans of all generations quite like this one. It also teaches fun facts and history of their favorite team, the New York Yankees.
Sports
This is the book that football lovers will carry with them each and every day. This will be where they will keep their to-do-lists, jot down words of inspiration, keep their notes, record life changing events, inner most secrets, and personal thoughts. This too is where they will keep the names of their favorite players, and fondest memories as players, coaches, or fans. A great gift for the fan, coach, or player on your list.
Self Help|Sports
This is the book that baseball lovers will carry with them each and every day. This will be where they will keep their to-do-lists, jot down words of inspiration, keep their notes, record life changing events, preserve memories and record their most personal thoughts and dreams. This too is where they will keep the names of their favorite players, Dream Line-up Card, and fondest memories as players, coaches, and fans. A great gift for the Baseball Lover on your list.
Larry McElwain
Chris Meggs
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Mental Health|Self Help
The term “village undertaker” sounds antiquated and tends to conjure images of colonial or frontier America. Yet in these modern times, there is a man who claimed this title with pride and carried out the duties of honoring the dead and helping grieving families in a time-honored tradition.
Larry McElwain knew from an early age this would be his life’s work, but the life of a funeral director is not always cloaked in the black robe of death. Larry looks back on the interesting requests and situations he found himself in. He shares unexpected stories, both serious and humorous. He also remembers the unique personalities that found their way into his life.
Whether you are struggling with grief, helping someone during their time of loss, or finding your way in dark times, Larry’s experiences can help.
Bob Brenner
Reji Laberje
Self Help
Growing up in small-town Wisconsin, Bob Brenner fed his addictions to food and football, becoming the biggest guy in his family of six siblings and on the defensive lines of winning team after winning team. Bob's size was an asset that he wanted to continue growing.
Football carried Bob to the status of hometown hero on a college football team that he eventually coached. However, his education was all about pursuing his lifelong dream of being a police officer. Going into the dark underground of drug trafficking, Bob's size was an asset once again. He used it to thwart gun and knife-wielding murderers and fool some of the scariest criminals into thinking he was just another sloppy, drunken drug dealer while he took them down. But the life was taking Bob down, too. His addictions to alcohol and food were out of control, leaving Bob in a morbidly obese 448 lb. body that couldn't even fit into his bulletproof vest. His marriage was falling victim to the double life. His finances were a wreck as Bob kept up an image worthy of a narcotics heavy hitter. His faith was nonexistent and his body wouldn't be around long enough to clean up any of it. Life on the edge pushed Bob's weight and his well-being over it. The adrenaline-infused tales of Bob's youth and his portentous career as a narcotics officer ultimately gave way to the spiritual journey and commitment to changing his physical appearance and lifestyle that transformed Bob into a man on the edge of Commitment, Love, Integrity, and Faith . . . life at the edge of the C.L.I.F. Bob Brenner’s weight loss journey aired nationally during Season 3 of ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss on September 3, 2013 and was picked up for a second viewing later in 2013. He was the most-viewed, most-talked-about cast member of any year and he lost a record 56% of his weight, inspiring a never-before-seen social media outpouring of support and desire for more of the "Unstoppable Bob Brenner." Brenner's reveal was attended by a roaring crowd of hundreds at Carroll University in Wisconsin, even before his publicized premiere, and he has since been invited to speak to countless more at multiple health and life transformation events. His life coaching business and motivational speaking endeavors are full of momentum. Local news outlets have been in non-stop coverage. As a local hero in service to the police force, a servant to his community, a staunch proponent of the worthy Wounded Warrior Project and a football coach throughout the state of Wisconsin, Brenner has a built-in audience of supporters asking for his story. Bob’s story is highly relevant to markets focusing on the trending topics of fitness and the American obesity epidemic. In addition to a passionate success story, warmth from Bob’s life relationships and candid discussions about his struggles make for a relatable, biographical tale. Brenner’s challenging and moving journey is one of redemption and rebuilding that will play well to audiences of every background... and size.
Herb Adderley
Dave Robinson
Royce Boyles
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses or the problems of modern society. — Vince Lombardi
Winning was not the only thing. Something more important than winning football games occurred during the Lombardi Dynasty. Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers ushered the National Football League to the forefront of American sports popularity during a racially explosive time, proving that teamwork transcended the color barrier.
Along the way to greatness, Lombardi’s team demonstrated to the NFL, to America, what football looked like in the modern era: blacks and whites working together to win. And win they did. The Green Bay Packers can tell one of the greatest sports stories our nation has ever seen: five World Championships, including three in a row. No team has been able to win three straight World titles since the great Packers squads.
With 40 years of reflection, how Lombardi’s Dynasty occurred is much more important than we knew back then. They won championships because of the character of the players. The task was daunting and the results historical. With a collection of competent people, Lombardi pushed, pulled, tugged and led Green Bay — and the NFL — into the modern era.
Very little has been written about the defensive side of the ball and because of the attrition of the Packer defensive players from the era, there is very little chance much will be published. Lombardi’s Left Side is the first — and likely the last — book about the great Green Bay Packers defenses of the Lombardi Era as told by two of Lombardi’s greatest defensive players: Herb Adderley and Dave Robinson.
These two players were critical elements in winning championships and moving our country forward in a racially explosive time. The two men who were athletic, bright, courageous, disciplined, hungry, confident, proud, spiritual, decent and black, blazed a trail. They played on the left side of Green Bay’s great defenses of the Lombardi Era.
For the first time, Adderley and Robinson share what it was like to be a professional football player in the 1960s through personal stories of Lombardi and his management of the entire Green Bay Packer organization. Articulate and intelligent, Adderley and Robinson cover it all: on the field and off. These two great athletes shut down the left side of the football field and opened up the right side of our minds.
Collector's Autographed Limited Edition
Lombardi's Left Side is also available in an autographed, leather bound, collector's edition. This edition is numbered and guaranteed not exceed 500 copies. Each copy is personally autographed by Green Bay Packers Hall of Famers Herb Adderley and Dave Robinson as well as co-author Royce Boyles, on a specially designed vellum page one, which is exclusive to this special edition. Each copy comes complete with a Publisher's Certificate of Authenticity and a special walnut display easel. Each copy is truly one-of-a-kind and will be a treasured display piece in your library or memorabilia collection. Only Available for a limited time and on a first-come-first-served basis.
The collector's edition of this book is close to being sold out. Please email mgore@ascendbooks.com to see if a book might be available.
Tom Bloch
Introduction by Henry Bloch
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Business
Does the very thought of preparing your own taxes give you a headache? Get to know the man who is responsible for helping more than 20 million taxpayers with this dreaded annual burden.
Henry Bloch is America's tax man. He and his brother Richard pioneered the commercial tax preparation industry, and the two tycoons built the world-leading firm that has prepared over 500 million returns, H&R Block. But Henry's life deserves to be studied for another reason: His remarkable entrepreneurial philosophy and extraordinary humanitarianism will have a lasting impact on generations.
Many Happy Returns tells the compelling story of this unlikely American hero through Henry's son Tom, who worked alongside his father for nearly twenty years and interviewed him extensively for this book. As a budding entrepreneur, Bloch could barely eke out a living. Discover how he started his company from the bottom up, and get a rare look at the inner dynamics of one of the most well-known brands in America. Along the way, you'll also meet some of the people who shaped his philosophy on business and life, and receive invaluable tips on entrepreneurship from the man whose hard work, vision, and pioneering spirit set the standard for those seeking true success.
As much a personal story as a business story, Many Happy Returns offers intimate details about Henry Bloch's belief in the importance of mentoring and giving back. Woven within this rich history of H&R Block are examples of philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. In a time filled with greed and corruption, Henry Bloch inspires us to work hard, be honest, and follow our dreams. His ingenuity, determination and core values propelled him to the pinnacle of business success and have allowed him to help others through countless charitable efforts. This book is a fascinating portrait of one of America's greatest entrepreneurs, and it shows you what it takes to succeed — in both your professional and personal life.
Once you’ve read this story of struggle and success, you’ll never feel the same about April 15th!
Mario Chalmers
Almarie Chalmers
Children
Dreaming big, thinking big, and playing big has always been a part of Mario Chalmers' life. But there was no way of knowing at the time that a high-school English assignment would someday lead to a published book, but that's exactly what happened for Mario and his mother, Almarie.
During his junior year at Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Alaska, Mario and other members of instructor Dorena Montgomery's English class were studying children's literature. Hoping to foster a better understanding of the genre, Montgomery asked her students to write their own children's books.
Little did Mario know, but his mother had a similar project she always wanted to work on, but, as a busy mother of two children, never had the time. With an idea and title already in mind, she encouraged Mario to develop the concept, and he took it from there. What developed was Mario Chalmers' ABC's of Basketball which focused on basketball basics, with each letter represented by a basketball term and its meaning.
The result was not just a good grade, but motivation from his teacher to do something more with the book. The two tried to get their story published, but it never seemed to be the right time. Despite a few setbacks, and even shelving the project for a time, the pieces eventually began falling into the place. And nearly 14 years later, the two are releasing, Mario Chalmers' ABCs of Basketball combining that early high school term paper assignment, Mario's passion for the game, and Almarie's loves of writing and teaching.
Mario Chalmers' ABCs of Basketball is a fun and lively story about Little Rio and his friends. Intended to inform and spark the interests of younger children, the book is also a great resource for older readers, and even parents, wanting to learn more about the game. It's also the perfect book for parents and children to read together. The story teaches children the ABCs of basketball in a colorful, entertaining way. Written by NBA star Mario Chalmers and his mother, Almarie, Mario Chalmers' ABCs of Basketball features lively characters and illustrations by Emmanuel Everett. It will be the book you will want to read time and time again!
Aja James
Audrey Masoner
Sly James
Children
What would you do if you could travel back in time in your favorite city?
Kansas City is a gem in the Heart of America! And to understand why it’s such a great city, one should learn about the events and people behind its rich and remarkable history. So, what about a time travel adventure to explore Kansas City’s history as it happened? And who better to be our guide on this fascinating journey than Kansas City’s Mayor Sly James. Presenting the wonderfully illustrated adventure, Mayor Sly and the Magic Bow Tie for your bookshelves!
When it comes to all things Kansas City, there is no one better to take you on this adventure than Kansas City’s Mayor Sly James. Since he grew up in Kansas City and is now its mayor, Sly knows the city better than anyone. Mayor Sly will take the reader on an adventure back in time, through the magic of his trademark bow tie. You will visit some of his favorite locations and landmarks, with a first person preview of key events in Kansas City’s exciting history. At each time-travel stop, you’ll learn about Kansas City’s past and meet some of the influential leaders who made a lasting impact on the city and the region.
Angie Pickman
Children
Moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas treasure the sweet times of sitting and reading with their beloved toddler or preschooler. The stack of favorite books lies close at hand. “Read it again, please!” is often heard.
Merry Menagerie Animal Antics from A to Z will make it to that favorite pile of books to be read again and again. Artist Angie Pickman has written a delightful alphabet book with animals from armadillo to zebra frolicking and playing across the pages. Illustrating the silly capers of the animals are visually stunning graphics. The original artwork is cut from paper with charming detail engaging and delighting young readers and adults alike. Renowned for using the centuries-old art of paper cutting, Angie introduces early learners to the alphabet. Merry Menagerie is a collection of whimsical illustrations designed to teach the alphabet. The bold graphics and simple format are perfect for toddlers to discover and learn basic alphabetical concepts, while the stylish visuals are attractive and interesting for audiences of all ages. Its timeless style will make this book enjoyable for generations to come. Merry Menagerie is a way for admirers of Angie’s art to acquire a whole collection of her work in one beautifully printed book.
Robbie Haden
Children|Sports
Do you know a future Mizzou Tiger who’s old enough to begin learning their alphabet and numbers? Mizzou Tigers ABCs and 1-2-3s is tailored to kids ages 2-7 and teaches them about the University of Missouri and the city of Columbia. It highlights the tail-spinning Truman the Tiger, how the tradition of Homecoming was started at Mizzou, and the six iconic columns that overlook campus. This book is written by Robbie Haden, a Missouri Journalism School graduate and fourth-generation alumnus of the university. The book is richly designed by artist Rob Peters. Endorsed by early childhood development specialists, Mizzou Tigers ABCs and 1-2-3s is a wonderful addition to any child’s library as a birthday gift, for baby showers, holiday gift, or “just because.”
Officially licensed by The University of Missouri.
Rhiannon Ally
Children
When news breaks, you turn to people you trust to tell you what's happening. Rhiannon Ally has anchored the news in major cities across the country for more than 13 years. Millions have trusted her to give them accurate news and help them process the tragedies and celebrate the triumphs. But for Rhiannon, her most important –- and favorite -– job is being a mom.
Like so many working moms, Rhiannon struggles with "mommy guilt." Am I working too much? Do I spend enough time with my kids? How is this affecting them as they grow? In the U.S., 75 percent of mothers with children under 18 work full time. When Rhiannon's four-year-old son begged her, "Mommy, please don’t go to work!" she knew she had to write a children's book showing the struggle for working moms and explaining to kids why mom goes to work.
Mommy, Please Don’t Go to Work! is a story for young children feeling sad when mom leaves for work. Leo and his sister, Luci, try to find a way to get Mommy to stay home from work. But when a mishap at their school threatens to cancel a bake sale, Leo and Luci's Mommy jumps into action. Mommy is a TV reporter and she can rally the community to help. We meet other working moms who are a doctor, principal, baker, and more who help make the bake sale happen. Leo and Luci learn that even though moms work, they don't forget that family always comes first.
Howard Burman
Action/Adventure|Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
There is a time when all the important choices in our lives are before us. It is a time pregnant with the excitement of adolescence and the promise of adulthood. This story is about that time. Baseball fans, even the casual ones, know something of Mickey Mantle – the tape measure home runs, the blazing speed, the nagging injuries. His story of becoming The Mick is part of American lore – the ultimate baseball father creating a legendary performer. Mickey became a great baseball player, one of the best ever, and certainly the finest switch-hitting slugger of all time.
Mutt’s Dream presents the psychological and sociological threads that wove the tapestry of Mickey Mantle’s life. His father’s dream shaped who Mickey became--from humble roots in rural Oklahoma to a baseball legend. Elvin “Mutt” Mantle saw only a few options in life for himself. If his circumstances had been different, he might have become a Major League player himself, but he felt family obligations had forced him to give up his chance. He wanted to give Mickey his dream, so he did exactly that. Some have said that the obsessive and unrelenting pressure he put on Mickey caused psychological damage to his son. Mutt knew only that he was giving Mickey the best chance to have a far better life than his, and the hope of giving his dream to Mickey was what kept Mutt going.
There are many books detailing Mantle’s professional career and life after baseball. Mutt’s Dream, Making The Mick is unique. Thoroughly researched and enhanced with the dialogue of a playwright, it is an account of the background story of Mickey’s life until the day he signed his first professional contract. Most fans already know the rest of the story. They know about his accomplishments on the baseball field, and about his later problems--his alcoholism, his womanizing, and his controversial final days. But how did he get that way?
Frank White
Bill Althaus
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Memoir|Sports
When the Kansas City Royals appeared in the 1985 World Series, manager Dick Howser had to make a difficult, and controversial, call. Because the series started in the National League city of St. Louis, there would be no designated hitter, which meant that Hal McRae would be relegated to the role of a reserve player coming off the bench.
Before the start of the I-70 Series, which featured Howser’s Kansas City Royals and Whitey Herzog’s St. Louis Cardinals, the veteran manager called Frank White into his office. He asked White to do something that stunned the baseball world. White, a perennial Gold Glove second baseman, was asked to hit cleanup for the Royals.
For more than a decade, White was considered the premier fielding second baseman of his generation, but now, he was being asked to become only the second, second baseman in baseball history to hit cleanup in a World Series. The first was Jackie Robinson, the Hall of Famer who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947.
White responded by hitting a home run in the Royals first World Series victory, led the team in RBIs and played a key role as Kansas City rebounded from a 3 games to 1 deficit to claim the lone championship in the history of the proud American League franchise.
White was the hometown kid who made good. He dreamed of playing in a World Series, and he made the most of his opportunity to give the hometown fans a memory they would cherish forever.
For 18 years, White was the gold standard by which every Major League Baseball second baseman was judged. His fielding range was uncanny and his ability to make a pinpoint throw to first base defied description. Yet, near the end of his career, he left the Royals with a bad taste in his mouth. He served as a coach for the Boston Red Sox for a brief stint, but returned to Kansas City with renewed optimism, hoping that one day his dream of becoming a Major League manager would become a reality.
He worked as a coach, a Double A manager in Wichita, Kansas, and served as a team vice president. Yet, when it came time to name a new field manager, he was always overlooked. He never made his disappointment public, but he would confide to close friends that he was heartbroken by the Royals decisions concerning his future.
Most recently he enjoyed a successful stint as a TV commentator for the Royals, but was kicked out of the booth because of his honesty and insight into a team that had not enjoyed the type of success that was always associated with the Royals during White’s golden era.
In One Man’s Dream, White gives fans an inside look at his baseball legacy, from the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s to the disappointing way the team turned its back on its greatest representative — both on, and off the field.
White proves that gold cannot be tarnished, in this must-read journey that will captivate even the most casual baseball fan.
One Man's Dream My Town, My Team, My Time by Frank White with Bill Althaus is also available in an autographed, leather bound, collector's edition. This edition is numbered and guaranteed not exceed 500 copies. Each copy is personally autographed by Hall of Fame second baseman and eight time Gold Glove recipient Frank White, on a specially designed vellum page one, which is exclusive to this special edition. Each copy comes complete with a Publisher's Certificate of Authenticity and a special walnut display easel. Each copy is truly one-of-a-kind and will be a treasured display piece in your library or collection.
The collector's edition of this book is close to being sold out. Please email mgore@ascendbooks.com to see if a book might be available.
Howard Schnellenberger
Ron Smith
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
One of the most colorful and successful football coaches of the last half-century is ready to tell his story for the first time. Howard Schnellenberger learned his trade from two of the all-time greats, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Don Shula, winning championships with each mentor. Schnellenberger then took the football torch that was passed to him and became a transformative head coach at three universities. All three have now nominated him for the College Football Hall of Fame.
For all his personal triumphs, there have also been instances of crashing and burning. He was fired as head coach of the Baltimore Colts after a sideline showdown with the owner of the team. He walked away from the University of Miami to try to make his fortune in the ill-fated USFL. A move to the University of Oklahoma ended in humiliation. The coach talks about the wise decisions and the poor decisions he has made, and he shares the lessons he learned along the way.
Schnellenberger’s career has brought him into combat alongside or across the field from many of the greats. His high school teammate was the future Heisman Trophy winner and Green Bay Packer star Paul Hornung. Schnellenberger was an All-American player at Kentucky in 1955 at a time when players played both offense and defense. He later recruited or coached a stunning array of quarterbacks, including Joe Namath, Kenny Stabler, Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Bert Jones, Roman Gabriel, Bob Griese and Earl Morrall.
Schnellenberger served as offensive coordinator while helping Alabama and Bryant claim national championships in 1961, 1964 and 1965.
His early career also included serving as offensive coordinator for Don Shula and the Miami Dolphins in 1972 during the only perfect season in NFL history.
Schnellenberger took over a University of Miami program that was contemplating dropping the sport in 1979 and instead led them to 46 wins in five years and a national championship in 1983. He established a swagger at the U and set the school on a path to five national championships in two decades.
He dabbled with Donald Trump and the upstart United States Football League that sued the NFL for antitrust violations. In 1985 he returned to his hometown and took over another struggling program at the University of Louisville. After three losing seasons, he built them into a football power. His time there was capped by a 10-1-1 record in 1990 that included a Fiesta Bowl victory over Alabama.
He retired from coaching in 1995, having been part of four college national championships. Coach Schnellenberger managed an encore performance, though, that is a crowning achievement. He came out of retirement in 1998 at age 64 to start a football program at Florida Atlantic University. His team became the youngest program ever to receive a bowl invitation. He won that game and was awarded the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year award. The next year his Owls won another bowl game, making the coach 6-0 and the winningest undefeated coach in bowl history.
Coach Schnellenberger retired again after the 2011 season, but not before building a 30,000 seat on-campus football stadium at Florida Atlantic University. A statue of the coach stands guard at the FAU stadium. In Louisville, a 55,000 seat stadium is part of the Howard L. Schnellenberger Football Complex that he fought to have built in that city.
Schnellenberger saved football at two proud universities. He launched football at a third. He has sent more than 100 college stars on to professional football careers. His stories about those players and the secrets to his remarkable success are the subject of this memoir.
Sylvester "Sly" James
Sean Wheelock
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Memoir|Politics and Social Sciences
In this candid autobiography that seamlessly incorporates political philosophy, the life story of Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Sylvester "Sly" James is told in a fast-paced, entertaining, informative, and authentic style.
Elected to the mayor’s office in 2011 as a political outsider, James immediately made his mark with his unflinching candor. That tone carries over to this book, as James holds nothing back when detailing the life experiences that shape his core values and beliefs.
James strongly believes the only government that runs efficiently is local government, and he details how politics on the civic level should be implemented on the state and federal stages. Although he was elected in a nonpartisan process, James reveals his strong and reasoned political leanings.
A fierce advocate for children, James has targeted reading proficiency for third graders as a benchmark for success in later life. Consistent with this, Education is the first of the "4 E Agenda" he created as mayor, along with Employment, Efficiency, and Enforcement.
The product of all-black neighborhoods, James always felt comfortable interacting with people different from himself—whether it be in forms of race, religion, ethnicity, or beliefs. In an era when segregation was still the norm, James attended a predominantly-white Catholic high school, was the sole black member in a rock band, and later entered into a mixed-race marriage. When he became the first black lawyer for a prestigious Kansas City law firm, James immediately thrived by showcasing his intelligence and work ethic.
Along with his service during the Vietnam War, these experiences laid the foundation for James to become mayor of a city that still bears the signs of an unofficially-segregated past.
When he won re-election to the office in 2015 with an amazing 87 percent of the vote, it was a crystal clear indication that James is first and foremost a unifier of the people.
A Passion For Purpose serves not just as the title of this revealing and perceptive book, but also as the mantra by which Sly James based his tenure as mayor--and his life.
John A. Martucci
Children
Peanut the pelican and Jelly the jellyfish are a sea-friends duo that explores the ocean. When a turtle hatchling is missing, they must put their skills together to find the little one. You’ll explore the sea with them in a wonderfully fascinating adventure! Their quest just might lead to the creation of one of the greatest trios of all time. Emphasizing the value of friendship, differences, and community, Peanut and Jelly: The Search for Butter is the light-hearted, short story using rhymes that every child can enjoy. This PB&J story will serve to introduce, highlight, and emphasize values for young children while also supporting the conservation of ocean life. This colorfully illustrated story also serves to educate children about values and the importance of conservation. This story subtly hints at turtle conservation, while also emphasizing friendship, community, and acceptance in a world of differences.
This title has a dynamic promotional campaign partnership with the nation’s finest aquariums and conservancies, including Georgia Aquarium.
In a partnership with Georgia Aquarium
Peanut and Jelly: The Search for Butter is supported by the website pbjfriends.com which promotes ocean conservation and environmental protection.
Rabbi Michael Zedek
Children
People Are Like … redwood trees? Dogs? Porcupines, even? Rabbi Michael Zedak shares how in a refreshing, humorous style that connects with young readers and their families. The Brooklyn-born master storyteller has been a featured speaker globally, including TEDx. His natural wit and generational wisdom will engage children and adults in this slim volume full of memorable life lessons. The whimsical illustrations add magical notes to complement the content. People Are Like … will inspire meaningful conversation to remind us that we still have room and time to grow no matter our age. Michael's collection of tales plants seeds for character-building and self-discovery that teach us to reflect on what we can learn from the mundane moments too often overlooked.
Julie Snodgrass
Children|Tiny Tutor Series
Kids are invited to come along and join in the fun in this educational children’s book. We’ll travel the country and meet some cute puppy friends along the way. You’ll find puppies of all kinds while learning interesting facts about each state. What a great way to learn about our amazing country! There is so much to learn about all of your American neighbors. Along the way a friendly dog introduces rhyming facts for each state.
Toby Rowland
Children|Sports
Boomer and Sooner are back! The highly anticipated sequel to Unhitch the Wagon, The Story of Boomer and Sooner has arrived. In Put the Ponies in the Barn, Boomer and Sooner Pull Their Schooner to the SEC, the famed ponies have a new mission, to gather all their new friends in their new conference and bring them back to The Palace on the Prairie. Sooner fans of all ages will delight in following the ponies adventure throughout the South and the East meeting soon-to-be rivals along the way.
Author Toby Rowland, Voice of the Sooners, has done it again with this exciting and colorful tale of Boomer and Sooner conquering their new quest and entering a new era. Just like with Unhitch the Wagon, The Story of Boomer and Sooner, the rhyming verse and delightful illustrations of Put the Ponies in the Barn, Boomer and Sooner Pull Their Schooner to the SEC, will have children asking to read it again and again. It is a must have in any Sooner collection and on every kid’s room bookshelf as this new era begins at the University of Oklahoma.
Tyrel Reed
Tully Corcoran
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
Of all the wonderful players who have worn the crimson and blue for the University of Kansas basketball program through the years, only one can claim to be the “winningest” Jayhawk of all – Tyrel Reed.
Reed, who concluded his playing career in March 2011, has written a new book that chronicles his time with the Jayhawks – Reed All About It: Driven to Be a Jayhawk. The book published by Ascend Books of Overland Park, Kansas, is co-written by long-time Topeka Capital Journal Sports Columnist Tully Corcoran.
Reed was a champion on the court – as part of the Jayhawks’ National Championship in 2008 – and in the classroom, as a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team member. He was part of more wins than any other player in the storied history of the Kansas program.
The son of a coach from Burlington, Kansas, Reed developed into an important leader and “glue guy” for the Jayhawks. He was an excellent outside shooter, sinking 170 three-point field goals in his career, and a clutch free throw shooter, with an .810 success rate.
In his book, Reed describes what it was like to play for Coach Bill Self, how the game has changed with “one-and-done” freshmen players, and how he was able to excel academically despite the demands of basketball practice and road trips.
Told with heart and good humor, Reed All About It: Driven to Be a Jayhawk, is a must-read for any fan of college basketball.
Travis Releford
Matt Fulks
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
In his new book, Relentless, Releford candidly describes the hard work it took on the court and in the classroom to become “the Rock of the Jayhawks.” Growing up in the inner-city — sometimes without food on the table, he became one of the most highly recruited basketball players in Kansas City history. He went from attending a predominantly white, private high school, to becoming a father while in college, to helping the Jayhawks reach the national championship game in 2012. The book is a must-read for any fan wanting an inside look at major college basketball. A great gift for any fan of the Kansas Jayhawks.
Todd Reesing
Kent Pulliam
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity
For years, football at the University of Kansas was nothing more than a time-filler while students and alumni awaited the start of basketball season.
That changed dramatically in one magical season in the fall of 2007 when an undersized quarterback led the Jayhawks through 11 straight wins and made Memorial Stadium the “in” place on a Saturday afternoon in Lawrence.
Todd Reesing’s football career at Kansas is a fairy-tale story that began improbably and ended the same way. But he and his teammates took Jayhawks fans on a ride they had never experienced before – the heady heights of playing for the No. 1 ranking in college football and their first-ever win in a major bowl game when they defeated Virginia Tech 27-24 in the Orange Bowl following the 2007 season.
A year later, Reesing was even more prolific, and the Jayhawks played in consecutive bowl games for the first time in school history. That season was punctuated by Reesing’s scrambling touchdown strike to Kerry Meier that beat the the Missouri Tigers and lifted the Jayhawks into the Insight.com Bowl where they thumped Minnesota.
His senior season was a disappointment, marred by confrontation between members of the football and basketball teams, a university investigation into the conduct of the head football coach, and a seven-game losing streak to end the season.
In Rising to New Heights: Inside the Jayhawks Huddle Reesing talks about it all, the highs and lows of making Kansas football relevant again and his journey through college football with all the skills of a big-time quarterback but none of the size.
Julie Snodgrass
Anne Martucci
Children
The Search for Your Best Furever Friend, An Animal Alphabet Adventure is a story that young children will enjoy again and again. The colorful illustrations and delightful text will capture the attention and imagination of young learners. Although the "animal" narrator is making a case for being a best friend, this book will show the variety of animals that could possibly fill that role. The book provides a good lesson for young children - it's possible to have many "best" friends.
"This clever book uses animals to explore the alphabet with young children and help them discover that it is possible to have fun adventures with many different friends."
--Patricia T. Ward, Med,
Educator for 38 years and Former Principal
Christ the King School, Atlanta, GA
Ryan Lefebvre
Jeffrey Flanagan
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Mental Health
“I am alone, trembling on the floor in my closet. It is dark. There is no sound. I picture the cars driving away. They are leaving…that image. I begin to sob, breaking the silence. They are leaving. I am alone.”
Kansas City Royals’ broadcaster Ryan Lefebvre seems to have it all – a dream sports job of announcing Major League Baseball, a huge house on a lake, plenty of expensive toys, good looks, and the admiration of friends and fans. But depression is seldom deterred by such superficial trappings. And depression’s grip on Ryan was so strong and so unyielding that he nearly ended his life.
In one moment, he’s a glib play-by-play announcer…the next, he’s a tormented soul on the floor of his closet. And that’s just the beginning of The Shame of Me, the spell-binding story of Ryan’s descent into the darkness of depression, his courageous struggle to recover, and his new perspectives on living a balanced and healthy life.
Told with intimacy and immediacy, Ryan’s story is a must-read for anyone who has ever struggled with inner doubts. It is especially powerful for men who may be feeling lost, but are too embarrassed to confront their problems. Ryan, the son of former Major League player and manager Jim Lefebvre, and co-author Jefferey Flanagan take us through living hell before Ryan’s recovery and redemption give us hope for anyone who suffers from the debilitating disease Major Depressive Disorder.
The Shame of Me represents Ryan’s sincere wish to help others by sharing his shocking story
Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove
Children|Tiny Tutor Series
Sally woke up feeling blah, so she swallowed her smile, but her best friend Josie was there to help Sally through the day and help turn that frown upside down. The story reminds readers that nobody is expected to feel happy all the time. It provides an opportunity for adults and children to talk about feelings and the meaning of true friendship.
Sullen Sally is a celebration of friendship and uses a mix of lyrical rhymes and colorful illustrations, folds, flaps, wheels to turn, and amazing play value. The book is based on the award-winning song by kid-rocker Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove.
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Miles Schnaer
Mark Fitzpatrick
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Business|Self Help
A self-made man whose life has been defined by his tenacity and vision, Miles Schnaer built upon his modest upbringing to become one of the most recognized and honored entrepreneurs in the “Heart of America.” In Take the Crown, Schnaer weaves stories of his experiences and achievements through the 18 core principles and values that have defined his career. The result is a frank and open narrative that provides a road map for how to navigate the proper balance among work, family, and civic interests. These 18 tenets, formed over many years and anchored in his faith, have allowed him to overcome personal and professional challenges and attain success in multiple business ventures in the process. His journey offers savvy readers sage advice that is applicable across many professions, industries, and stages of life.
The Editors of Ascend Books
Children|Tiny Tutor Series
We all know kittens are purr-fect friends, and now these furry little kittens want to jumpstart your little one’s educational journey.
Ten Little Kittens is a counting and shapes book that helps young readers identify and learn common shapes and counting from one to ten. And it's all with the help of some incredibly cute and furry friends.
Ten Little Kittens, My Counting and Shapes Book is from the Tiny Tutors children’s book series from Ascend Books.
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The Editors of Ascend Books
Children|Tiny Tutor Series
Dogs are man's (and kids!) best friend, and these little best friends want to jumpstart your little one's educational journey. Ten Little Puppies is a counting and colors book to help young readers identify common colors and counting from one to ten. And it's all with the help of some incredibly cute and furry friends!
Do you have a favorite puppy?
A portion of the proceeds will go to helping homeless animals find forever homes.
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Mac Engel
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
Built in 1971 for $35 million, Texas Stadium was an engineering marvel that generated curiosity because of its hole in the roof. It is now recognized as much a part of America’s Team as the blue star on the Cowboys’ silver helmets. With its use of luxury suites, the hole in the roof and the focus on cheerleaders, Texas Stadium was ahead of its time, and it was made complete by housing one of the most successful NFL franchises. The 2008 season, however, will be the last for Texas Stadium as the Cowboys prepare to move into a new facility.
The facility has seen some of the most memorable moments in the illustrious franchise’s 48-year history, from countless Thanksgiving Day games to NFC championships, to Emmitt Smith’s record breaking run. It has housed some of Texas high school football’s most bizarre games, as well as serving as the home field for SMU’s glory day teams of the 1980s and an NFL Pro Bowl game. It was also the backdrop for Hollywood films such as “Any Given Sunday.” But “The Hole in the Roof” will be ultimately remembered as the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Texas Stadium: America’s Home Field, Reliving the Legends and the Legendary Moments is a fun history lesson for Cowboys fans, as well as a bath of nostalgia for all lovers of America’s Team.
Joni Wickham
Teresa Bruns Sosinski
Business|Politics and Social Sciences|Self Help
Author Joni Wickham shares her experience navigating gender biases while working in politics, business and government. She also offers guidance to women of all backgrounds and professions to widen the thin line between “cupcake” and “bitch” and achieve results in the process. This guidance can empower women – and insightful men – to recognize and overcome gender biases.
The Thin Line Between Cupcake and Bitch reaches out to empower women and insightful men to recognize and overcome gender biases. It’s for the recent graduate from college or the school of experience. It is a book for any one who is working toward leadership or is already there. The book offers practical advice and steps to take action, drive the change that is desired and obtain results.
Mark Godich
Sports
Missouri and Kansas went from unranked at the start of the 2007 college football season to playing for No. 1 in the country on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so no wonder Brent Musburger chose his words carefully as he addressed a national television audience moments before kickoff of the rivals’ historic meeting.
“Let this sink in,” Musburger, the long-time broadcaster, said. “If either Kansas or Missouri wins their next two games, they will play for the national championship.”
Kansas and Missouri? Really?
Really. The 2007 college football season was unlike any other. Yet in a year filled with unfathomable twists and turns, Missouri and Kansas kept winning, setting up the biggest game ever played in the oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi. Tigers versus Jayhawks: From the Civil War to the Battle for No. 1 dissects the monumental meeting, but it does much more than that. This book traces the bad blood between fans of the schools to the Civil War and before. It examines how Coaches Gary Pinkel of Missouri and Mark Mangino of Kansas built Big 12 doormats into national-title contenders. It deconstructs the deal that was struck to move the 2007 game to Kansas City, Mo., denying the Jayhawks the opportunity to host the biggest game in program history on their campus. It explores the Orange Bowl’s head-scratching decision to invite Kansas over Missouri. Most important, this book takes the reader inside Arrowhead, inside the locker rooms, inside the huddles, inside the headsets, inside the heads of the players and coaches and administrators.
The unquestioned leader of the Tigers was defensive tackle Lorenzo Williams. He describes in chilling detail the shocking death of teammate Aaron O’Neal, who collapsed in front of him after a voluntary workout in July 2005. Williams talks about the circuitous route he took to Columbia as well as the direct path he took to sack Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing for a safety on the game’s signature play. Tight end Martin Rucker, who signed with his home-state school because he wanted to be the guy who put the Tigers back on the football map, recalls the special satisfaction he got when he scored on a fake field goal against Nebraska. Chase Daniel reveals why he honored his commitment to Mizzou even after his beloved Texas Longhorns made an 11th-hour offer. And the follow-the-book Pinkel explains why he broke one of the tenets of Coaching 101 with the message he delivered to his captains two days after an October loss to Oklahoma.
Mangino reflects on the fall afternoon in 2004 that was a turning point for his program, when after a bitter loss he showed his players he had their backs. Reesing shares how a star quarterback from Austin ended up in Lawrence and how he played with a chip on his shoulder after one Texas school told him he was on its B-list of recruits. And Carl Peterson discusses how he worked tirelessly for 15 years to bring the game to Arrowhead, finally fulfilling a dream of Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt. It would arguably be the city’s biggest sporting event ever. The atmosphere was electric. “You could feel the hostility in the air,” Mizzou backup quarterback Chase Patton says.
These are just a few of the storylines surrounding the biggest game two bitter, border rivals will ever play, a game a former President called the best he has ever seen. As the 2007 season played out, Missouri and Kansas became the talk of the college football world. And for one frigid November night, all eyes were on Arrowhead Stadium. Missouri-Kansas? Really!
The Orange Bowl Committee Publications Staff
Sports
All-American players, legendary coaches and historic victories. They’ve all been part of the magnificent 75-year history of one of college football’s most revered bowl games – the Orange Bowl.
It all started in 1935. The Orange Bowl Committee was charged with bringing tourism to South Florida and Miami’s sunny beaches through the hosting of an annual football game and activities surrounding what was then called the Palm Festival. To say the Orange Bowl has come a long way since then would be an understatement.
From Joe Namath’s MVP performance in 1965 to the dominant Nebraska teams of the 1990s, the Orange Bowl and its native city have hosted national champions, Hall of Fame coaches, all-Americans, an unparalleled halftime extravaganza and the magnificent King Orange Parade.
This one-of-a-kind official commemorative book of the Orange Bowl and the Orange Bowl Committee details the rich history and traditions of the Orange Bowl game itself, the venerable stadium it called home for much of 75 years, conference relationships, its eventual move into the prestigious Bowl Championship Series and the community events surrounding the New Year’s tradition.
Meadowlark Lemon
Lee Stuart
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Memoir|Sports
He overcame the racial prejudice of the American South, a broken home, and the heartache of failed relationships to travel the world and play for kings, presidents, and popes.
With an incandescent smile, a repertoire of hilarious tricks, and elite basketball skills, Meadowlark Lemon, the Clown Prince of Basketball, overcame challenges – and utilized gifts – to become the iconic star of the Harlem Globetrotters.
And through his journey from childhood dreams to worldwide fame, he kept one goal in his heart: to give joy.
In his compelling new book, Trust Your Next SHOT, Meadowlark delivers loving reminiscences of his youth, hilarious stories about his days with the Globetrotters, and wise instructions for living a joy-filled life.
Beginning with his upbringing in Wilmington, North Carolina in the 1940s and continuing to his vibrant ministry of today, Meadowlark tells us to “trust our next shot.” He uses the word “SHOT” to give us a guide for life. Spirit, Heart, Opportunity, and Teamwork combine to fuel our passions, satisfy our heart’s desires, create opportunities for doing good, and help others realize their dreams.
Meadowlark instructs us never to commit “intentional fouls” in life by deliberately or knowingly hurting others. And he talks about finishing strong, helping others and giving joy.
It’s a touching and powerful book about life, love, and laughter from one of the world’s most popular and beloved entertainers.
Meadowlark Lemon
Cynthia Lemon
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Memoir|Self Help|Sports
With an incandescent smile, a repertoire of hilarious tricks, and elite basketball skills, Meadowlark Lemon, overcame challenges - and utilized gifts - to become the iconic star of the Harlem Globetrotters. And through his journey from childhood dreams to worldwide fame, he kept one goal in his heart: to give joy. In his compelling book, Trust Your Next SHOT, (Originally published in 2010) Meadowlark delivered loving reminiscences of his youth, hilarious stories about his days with the Globetrotters, and wise instructions for living a joy-filled life. We lost Meadowlark in December of 2015. What was missing from that first book was the legendary dramatic photos from his life, the never-before seen photos of his childhood and early playing days, and the stories of his unwavering mission for helping others.
The Meadowlark Lemon Legacy lives on. His message of JOY continues through the efforts of The Meadowlark Lemon Legacy Foundation. This new book contains much of Meadowlark’s original and inspirational writing. It also has been expanded with additional insight, dramatic never-seen photos, stories of basketball, and growing up black in America. This revised and expanded “coffee-table” edition version of Trust Your Next Shot will lend even more insight into the life of the man known across the world as “The Clown Prince of Basketball.”
Toby Rowland
Children|Sports
Unhitch the Wagon, The Story of Boomer and Sooner is the rhyming tale of Bennie and Bud, two ponies who have a big dream to one day become Boomer and Sooner, the greatest ponies in all of Oklahoma. When training they must conquer Sooner archrivals in longhorns, cowboys, bears, and more on their brave quest to reach the “Palace on the Prairie” and pull the glorious Sooner Schooner. Young Oklahoma Sooner fans will delight in the ponies quest and connect to the traditions of the University of Oklahoma. Established OU catch phrases, and Sooner landmarks help tell the story. The moral of the story is to dare to dream of greatness. History rewards the daring and those who work hard and persevere.
Author Toby Rowland, Voice of the Sooners, takes young Sooner fans on this adventure of triumph. No Sooner fan collection is complete, and no OU fan should be without Unhitch the Wagon, The Story of Boomer and Sooner. An Officially Licensed book of The University of Oklahoma
Jimmy Nielsen
Paolo Bandini
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Sports
Major League Soccer's Goalkeeper of the Year for 2012, Jimmy Nielsen, has established himself as one of the best players in the league and a fan favorite in Kansas City, playing for Sporting Kansas City. Yet while supporters are familiar with his achievements on the field and larger-than-life personality off it, few are aware of the remarkable story that led him to the US Midwest.
Compared from a young age to Denmark's greatest ever goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, Nielsen was scouted by Manchester United and a host of other leading European clubs, but at the point when he should have been building a great career he was instead developing a ferocious gambling habit. In 1999, he was dropped from Denmark's Under-21 team after missing curfew because of a lost night at the roulette table.
Nicknamed Casino Jimmy by rival supporters, Nielsen continued to gamble the stakes getting so high that he was able to win $500,000 on a single night at one casino and then throw more than half of that away at the same venue a day later. His losses finally caught up to him in 2004, when his inability to pay off a gambling debt helped put a major bookie out of business.
Avoiding bankruptcy only with financial assistance from his soccer club and with the support of a family he feared would desert him, Nielsen gradually pieced his life back together. But in his footballing career he remained unfulfilled. He had spent almost his entire career with Aalborg, the team he supported as a boy, starting a record 398 games and winning the Danish championship in 1999, but he dreamed of a fresh challenge.
Were it not for a phone call, from Kansas City in January 2010, that might have been the end of the story. Despite still performing at a high level, Nielsen was contemplating retirement when he was offered a contract by an American club he didn't even know existed. He said yes.
Nielsen could not even have pointed out Kansas City on a map at that stage, but two years on, he is the happiest he has ever been. Moving to America has not been without its challenges from his daughter's demand that their pet gerbil come with them, to having his face cut open by a bobblehead doll that was thrown at him by a fan during a game.
But the warmth of the US Midwest, the unique passion of Sporting Kansas City's fans, and the standard of US soccer easily as high, in Nielsen's opinion, as that in Denmark have given him a new lease of life. Now Nielsen wants to share his story with the fans who have taken him to their hearts and who have made him feel that he is, at last, at home in blue.
Children
Jack’s birthday is just a few days away, and he so excited! He can’t wait to have a big birthday party. He’s inviting his friends, including his lovable pal, Rex, who’s so much fun and a great buddy, but he’s also a giant dinosaur. That doesn’t always make things easy. Join these two pals as they try to find the perfect place to have Jack’s birthday party. Go on this special adventure to learn just how special a true friendship can be. The story reminds children and parents alike that the biggest parties and the best presents aren’t as important as the friendships we make. It also gives adults and children the chance to talk about the true meaning of friendship.
This fast-paced story keeps readers engaged with colorful illustrations and dozens of fun, reusable stickers that they can peel and stick, again and again. Why Would You Invite A Dinosaur To Your Birthday Party? will keep children occupied for hours as they create a new story each time they open the book.
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Satch Sullinger
John Dauphin
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Self Help|Sports|Young Adult
Sports is filled with successful coaches, but Satch Sullinger’s story offers championship-level inspiration to players, parents and coaches who care about values and winning the right way, on and off the court. In an ego-soaked era where highlights and sound bites speak to a “me first” societal mentality, Sullinger’s message cuts through the din, to the core of what matters most: mastering the fundamentals of selflessness that allow us to raise our game, lift our teammates and rise to collective glory.
Satch Sullinger is the 2010 Naismith National High School Basketball Coach of the Year, a teacher, and the father of Jared Sullinger, a rookie with the NBA’s Boston Celtics and former All-American at Ohio State University, where he led the Buckeyes to the 2012 Final Four. Jared Sullinger won the Naismith National High School Player of the Year award, also in 2010. The Sullingers are the only father and son to be named Naismith National Coach and Player of the Year, respectively.
Winning with Purpose: Raising Our Game and Lifting Our Teammates, on and off the Court is a motivational must-read, an absorbing exploration of the power that exists in all of us to eliminate excuses, overcome adversity and achieve success in the name of greater team good. In Winning with Purpose, Satch Sullinger serves notice that character-check crunch time is upon us, that lasting victory in life can happen only when we slam-dunk selfishness and commit ourselves to our teammates.
Winning with Purpose features a foreword by Clark Kellogg, and is endorsed by ESPN basketball analyst Dick Vitale. The book is also endorsed by St. Anthony (N.J.) coach Bob Hurley Sr., one of only three high school coaches ever to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Satch Sullinger’s story is the essence of what it means to make the most of a second chance. As a young man, his bad choices led to a dirty world of drugs and crime. One night, police smashed through the door of his apartment, and he stood face-to-face with the brutal prospect of life in prison. That harrowing experience proved a turning point for Sullinger, who climbed from the depths to carve for himself a new life rooted in education and a commitment to helping kids avoid similar pitfalls.
At twenty-six, Sullinger enrolled in college at Oberlin, became captain of the basketball team, graduated with a degree in education and later returned to his alma mater as coach. He was named the first fulltime black administrator of U.S.A. Basketball in the early 1980s, contributing to the growth of what has become the most successful international men’s basketball organization of all time. Sullinger carried his life lessons to the court as a coach and to the classroom as a teacher, where he continues his mission to aid youngsters in understanding and applying life fundamentals en-route to realizing their potential and making their teammates better.
Sullinger’s emphasis to kids on accountability, especially where education and respect for the game is concerned, received national attention a few years ago, when, as coach at Northland High, he became concerned that Jared wasn’t taking his schoolwork seriously and benched his son for a crucial playoff game. Without its star player, heavily-favored Northland lost the game, and with it an expected state championship. Sullinger establishes in Winning with Purpose a foundation for personal and team improvement buttressed by principles like effort and attitude, preparation and perspective, trust and teamwork, and accountability and integrity. He probes the game-changing payoff commitment to these principles provides within a framework of unique philosophies.
Winning with Purpose helps coaches learn to identify, erase and replace ego-based agendas with selfless leadership, and shows them how to build in kids the emotional strength critical to success far beyond the next big game. Winning with Purpose is a crucial wakeup call to players and parents; as well.
Sullinger utilizes a wealth of leadership experience, sprinkled with awareness gained from his own poignant life lessons, in offering practical, powerful solutions to these and other ego-influenced impediments to victory. Ultimately, Sullinger’s message in Winning with Purpose is simple: Get your heart and mind right, and your game will follow. Then, you’ll be in prime position to rise to your potential and enjoy uncommon team success.
Hear Satch Sullinger speak about his book and the importance of attitude.
Michael Mackie
Autobiography/Biography/Celebrity|Mental Health
Michael Mackie will tell you living in the middle of the map is good for business if you’re an entertainment reporter. Famous people often pass through Kansas City, and he’s been blessed to have interviewed most all of them. While he still isn’t quite sure how he’s been lucky enough to chat with celebs like Jennifer Lopez, Samuel L. Jackson, Cameron Diaz, and John Travolta, he’s pretty sure it’s what he was put on this earth to do. He’ll tell you why The Bionic Woman’s Lindsay Wagner was one of his favorite interviews, and why Andrew Dice Clay was the worst interview ever.
You Have Four Minutes explores the art of interviewing, dishes a bit of gossip about the stars, and dives deep into Mackie’s navigation through his life’s biggest challenges: suffering a major stroke at age 40, the beast that is alcoholism, and (this is a big one, friends), a year denied of all refined sugar.
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