Ten Top Sports Books

The sport reading journey has been going unofficially for some years and these are the best of the back list. Presented in chronological order of reading.

Fever Pitch – Nick Hornby

An account of growing up as an Arsenal fan in the 1970s and 80s. Perceptive, funny and bitter sweet with coming of age episodes recalled through inevitable links to his obsessive (at this time) support of his favourite club.

French Revolutions – Tim Moore

One bike enthusiast’s hilarious account of his attempt to ride the Tour de France course.

3 Nights in August – Buzz Bissenger

This uses the St Louis Cardinals v Chicago Cubs three game series in August 2003 as a backdrop to delve into major league baseball. The back stories of the players and staff alternate with the tension, tactics and action on the field.

Moneyball – Michael Lewis

The account of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane’s iconoclastic attempt to apply statistical analysis, more at home in business and finance, to bring success to a major league baseball franchise; buying players undervalued by traditional ‘experts’, proving their worth, and selling them on at a profit.

The Damned Utd – David Peace

Told as if by Brian Clough, expletives not deleted, this gives an explosive account of his 44 days in charge of Leeds United in the autumn of 1974. Alongside we have his reflection on his career up to then, particularly his success at Derby County and his fruitful if fraught partnership with assistant Peter Taylor.

Friday Night Lights – HG (Buzz) Bissenger

In 1988 the author spent a year immersed in the Texas town of Odessa following the fortunes of the high school (American) football team, Permian Panthers. He discovers a passion for the game that both exacerbates and transcends differences in race and class, and puts tremendous pressures on the young men who carry the hopes of the town as well as their own college sporting ambitions.

All Played Out – Pete Davies

An extraordinary account of the 1990 ‘Italia’ world cup finals. Having blagged press accreditation and associated access, the author gives a fan’s insight to the competition and the England set up under the now legendary manager Bobby Robson.

The Bodyline Controversy – Laurence de Quesne

An in-depth exposition of the preliminaries, the events and the echoing repercussions of the notorious 1932-33 Ashes test series in Australia when England came with a new tactic to subdue the previously irrepressible batting of Don Bradman. With a 50 year perspective and a scholarly approach, this is an authoritative account covering the personalities, the politics and the sport with an even handed detachment.

A Very British Coop – Mark Collings

An outsider’s look from the inside at the arcane world of pigeon racing, from the back streets of Oldham to the glamour of South Africa’s Sun City. Strangely fascinating mix of working class culture, obsessive behaviour and the lure of high stakes.

The Blind Side – Michael Lewis

An examination of the system of discovering, developing and grooming talented high school athletes to become NFL superstars. Written around the story of Michael Oher, a black kid with no home to speak of but with an abundance of physical attributes and natural ability. He is spotted and taken in by a rich white family to enable him to join their local high school team and progress through college to the NFL. Inspiring or disturbing by turns, but always fascinating.