Sport is something rather taken for granted and little studied as part of man's and society's behaviour. This collection of essays, many of which appear in print for the first time, provides an international comparative and developmental orientation to the sociology of sport, thereby clarifying the nature of modern sports and their central structural and functional characteristics. The sports treated include football, soccer, rugby, wrestling, baseball, and bull-fighting, and some historical background is given on the development of sport. In the introduction to each section, the editor explains the questions that the selections are intended to illustrate, and treats briefly such matters as theories of sport and play, the social factors in their development, sport and socialization, class and race in sport, sport as an occupation and an industry, and conflict and social control in sport. This reader will be of interest to those professionally concerned, either as teacher or student, with sociology and physical education, but it should also appeal to athletes, sports-lovers, and sports commentators who like to keep their thinking in good shape too.

Four goal-scoring books in one! ·Mark's Dream Team ·Nice One, Sam! ·There's Only One Danny Ogle ·The Worst Team in the World Kick it, pass it, head it, cross it, live it, dream it - SCORE! If you're mad about football, you'd be mad to miss this book! Four awesome stories about all kinds of players - some great, some rubbish, some fair, some foul - all MAD ABOUT FOOTBALL! Whether you like to play football, watch football, wear your team's shirt, or just love kicking a ball around the garden, there's a story in here for you. Black and white illustrations throughout.

George Plimpton's follow-up to Paper Lion, one of his personal favorites among his classic books -- repackaged and including a foreword from Steve Almond and never-before-seen content from the Plimpton archives. In Mad Ducks and Bears, George Plimpton's engaging companion to Paper Lion, Plimpton focuses on two of the most entertaining and roguish linemen and former teammates -- Alex Karras ("Mad Ducks") and John Gordy ("Bears"), both of whom went on to achieve brilliant post-football success. A more reflective, less madcap book than Plimpton's other work, Mad Ducks and Bears is no less truthful and searching. In this fond exploration of football's values and follies, Plimpton rejoins his two teammates to discuss their careers in this brutal but captivating game. The result is an astute exploration into the fascinating lives and motivations of the players at home, in the locker room, and on the field.

With 4 noisy sounds, join in with the crowd as they clap and cheer at the most exciting match of the season!

From a multiple New York Times best-selling author, the rollicking, outrageous story of the United States Football League, a bona fide professional sports phenomenon full of larger-than-life characters and you-can't-make-this-up stories featuring some of the biggest celebrities and buffoons in the game.

The best chants, the funniest nicknames, the greatest headlines and enough little-known facts to keep the average football supporter entertained - and entertaining - for several seasons. This is the story of the greatest game on earth, from 'abandoned matches' to 'Yeovil Town', via celebrity fans, mascots, punditry and superstitions, written from the fan's point of view and with a separate entry for every club in the English and Scottish leagues. Who cares why, if Torquay United's strikers had been more prolific in the 1950s, England may never have won the World Cup; or where football hooliganism actually began; or who the hell Captain Henry Blythe Thornhill Wakelam is? We do. Because as every true student of the game knows: it's important.

Meet Antoine Griezmann - Ultimate Football Hero Leading the attack for France's golden generation is Antoine Griezmann - the golden boy. Antoine grew up in the heart of France, before his talent was quickly spotted by scouts who brought him to play in Spain. Ever since then, he has blazed a trail through the Spanish top division, La Liga, for Real Sociedad and then Atlético Madrid. This is the story of a speedy striker who chased his dream to the very top, when he fired France to World Cup glory in 2018. Ultimate Football Heroes is a series of biographies telling the life-stories of the biggest and best footballers in the world and their incredible journeys from childhood fan to super-star professional player. Written in fast-paced, action-packed style these books are perfect for all the family to collect and share.