Kirjahaku

Those who avidly followed the on-court acrobatics and off-court celebrity of the “Dream Team” in Barcelona in 1992 would hardly recognize what passed as basketball fifty-six years earlier, when the United States first played the game in the 1936 Olympics. In those early days of men’s Olympic basketball, many teams lacked basic skills, games were played in the pouring rain, only seven players could suit up, and the rules allowed only two substitutions and no time-outs. How this slow, low-scoring sport became the breakneck game that enraptures millions worldwide is the story of American Hoops.In this fascinating history of Olympic basketball on the world stage and behind the scenes, Carson Cunningham presents a kaleidoscopic picture of the evolution into the twenty-first century of one of America’s most popular sports. From clashes between celebrated egos and thrilling action on the court to the intense rivalries of the Cold War and technological advances in everything from television to sports equipment off the court, American Hoops follows the fortunes of Olympic basketball, in the United States and internationally, as it developed and emerged as one of the most challenging and entertaining sports in the world.Cunningham traces how the modifications made by the International Olympic Committee and the International Basketball Federation have transformed the game of basketball over the years, from the Berlin to the Beijing Olympics. His book offers a remarkable view of the changing world through the prism of Olympic sport.

Those who avidly followed the on-court acrobatics and off-court celebrity of the "Dream Team" in Barcelona in 1992 would hardly recognize what passed as Olympic basketball fifty-six years earlier, when the United States first played the game in the 1936 Olympics. In those early days of men's Olympic basketball, many teams lacked basic skills, games were played in the pouring rain, only seven players could suit up, and the rules allowed only two substitutions and no time-outs. How this slow, low-scoring sport became the breakneck game that enraptures millions worldwide is the story of American Hoops.In this fascinating history of Olympic basketball on the world stage and behind the scenes, Carson Cunningham presents a kaleidoscopic picture of the evolution into the twenty-first century of one of America's most popular sports. From clashes between celebrated egos and thrilling action on the court to the intense rivalries of the cold war and technological advances in everything from television to off-court sports equipment, American Hoops follows the fortunes of Olympic basketball in the United States and internationally as it developed and emerged as one of the most challenging and entertaining sports in the world.Cunningham traces how the modifications made by the International Olympic Committee and the International Basketball Federation have transformed the game of basketball over the years, from the Berlin to the Beijing Olympics. His book offers a remarkable view of the changing world through the prism of Olympic sport.

Having slipped from the grip of the shady scientist Dr. Knotts and his henchmen, Huck finds his way to St. Petersburg. There, deep in the forest, he takes up residence in his Pap's old hunting shack. Going by Mark, Huck aims to lay low. But then he meets Lucy Thoreau, who captivates him like none before. To win Lucy's hand, Huck signs up for the Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher contest, a signature event for the town featuring a series of competitions which culminates in the naming of a Tom and a Becky at the Tom Sawyer Days festival. The contest hurtles Huck smack dab into modern times. He develops friendships, like one with local boy Randy, who helps Huck navigate life in St. Petersburg, and another with Orion Halley, an eccentric, elderly scientist. But in going for Tom, Huck also quickly learns that he has rivals, parents and contestants alike.Meantime, Dr. Knotts closes in on his goal of outing Huck's true identity and turning his incredible story into a moneymaking machine. Can Huck maintain his freedom, get named Tom, and win Lucy's heart?

Huckleberry Finn is back in a big way in this modern take on an old favorite. After falling into an Artic ice hole and becoming frozen solid for well over a century-and-a-half, Huck is discovered, thawed out, and brought back to life, unleashing his unique personality upon the 21st century.On the run from the group of shady scientists that brought him back to life, Huck seeks refuge in a small Indiana town, making friends with the Musketeers-a group of boys led by Johnny MacShea, whose family treats Huck like one of its own. As Huck adapts to the modern age, he turns the Musketeers' local ragtag football team into a juggernaut. But he also begins to realize that a mystery facing the MacShea family could mean grave danger.Huck's new life is jeopardized when parents of players on an opposing football team question his eligibility, leading to unwanted attention from the Department of Child Services. Meanwhile, Huck tries to resolve the peculiar mystery facing the MacSheas. Can Huck win the football championship, solve the mystery, and maintain his freedom?

In the spring of 2002, motivated by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, National Football League stalwart Patrick Daniel Tillman turned down a multimillion-dollar contract to join the US Army. Two years later, he died while serving his country in the mountains of Afghanistan. In the process, he became an American icon.Inspired by Pat Tillman’s story, Fallen Stars captures the lives and times of Tillman (1976–2004) and four other war-hero American athletes: Hamilton “Ham” Fish (1873–98), Hobart “Hobey” Baker (1892–1918), Nile Kinnick (1918–43), and Robert Kalsu (1945–70), all of whom died while serving in the US military.Why a focus on fallen war-hero athletes, and why these five? Because here we have a century’s worth of men who faced the fears and uncertainties that come with life and made the ultimate sacrifice. Their stories give us a kaleidoscopic picture of America over the course of more than one hundred years, and through them we can explore the wars America has participated in, the values that Americans have celebrated, and what it has meant, over time, to be an American hero.