A week or so ago, I gave you some great gift ideas for the sports fans in your life and they included a few good reads. Well, I’m back with more suggestions of sports booksthat would make great gifts or stocking stuffers. I couldn’t believe how many great sports books there are out there right now!
Here’s to a great holiday, a nice cup of hot chocolate (I mean a good beer) and a good book — like these:
Kings of Queens: Life Beyond Baseball with the ’86 Mets: I’m a Mets fan and had to put this on the list. I remember that season well and this book tells you the stories of what happened to the players after that amazing year. Author Erik Sherman knows how to tell a story and the former players definitely open up to him. If you want to hear an interview with Sherman about the book, check out this one on Sports Palooza Radio (click here).
Gunslinger: The remarkable, improbable, iconic life of Brett Favre: Author Jeff Pearlman tells the story of the quarterback’s life, drawing on more than 500 interviews, including many from the people closest to Favre, from his rough rural childhood and lackluster high school football career to landing the last scholarship at Southern Mississippi to a car accident that nearly took his life. Whether your sports fan is a fan of the Green Bay Packers or just a football fan, this is a great read.
99: The Great One: If your sports fan knows who the ‘Great One’ is, then don’t hesitate and make sure he or she has this autobiography of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. This is a man who has set and broken so many NHL records. Learn how determination, turned Gretzky from a kid in Ontario into a phenomenon.
Showboat: The Life of Kobe Bryant: The NBA universe said goodbye to Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant as he played his final game against the Utah Jazz. Now you can read about his life in this book by Roland Lazenby.
Forward: Looking forward to life after her soccer career, Abby Wambach has now published her autobiography. Abby Wambach is an American retired soccer player, coach, two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA Women’s World Cup champion. A six-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award, Wambach was a regular on the U.S. women’s national soccer team from 2003 to 2015, earning her first cap in 2001.
When Nobody Was Watching: Carli Lloyd also published her autobiography this year. She was is a co-captain of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team and the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year after leading the team to victory in the 2015 World Cup. The midfielder also scored the gold-medal winning goals in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, before leading the team to the 2016 Games in Rio.
The WWE Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment: If a loved one is a fan of the WWE, this book is for them (hint: I do see a lot of fans carrying books like these to events for autographs). It includes 400 full-color pages and over 1,200 Superstar and event profiles. It includes a directory of superstars including Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, The New Day, Sasha Banks and so many more. Authors Steve Pantaleo , Kevin Sullivan, and Keith Elliot Greenberg did a great job.
Rowdy: The Roddy Piper Story: Speaking of professional wrestling, this wrestling legend was in the middle of researching his autobiography when he passed away at age 61. His son and daughter, Ariel and Colt, finished his autobiography and did their father proud. It’s a story of the man behind the name, behind the kilt, behind the mic. It’s about the son, the father, the hard working man and, of course, the legend. You’ll learn how Roddy got started in professional wrestling and how his life started in a completely different path. You’ll learn about his relationships with others in professional wrestling and how he helped his son Colt get a start in MMA/wrestling. His loss rocked the wrestling industry, but this sports book is a true dedication to the life and legend of the man who started ‘Piper’s Pit.”
What are your favorite sports books that you would recommend as a gift for someone else?
