"From track and field to swimming and diving, and of course basketball and soccer, Indiana University Olympians celebrates over a century of Indiana University Olympic competitors. Beginning in 1904, at the 3rd summer games in St. Louis, IU's first Olympic medal went to pole vaulter LeRoy Samse who earned a silver medal. In 2016, swimmer Lilly King rocketed onto the world stage with two gold medals in the 31st Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. Featuring profiles of 49 athletes who attended IU, Indiana University Olympians includes the stories of well-known figures like Milt Campbell, the first African American to win decathlon gold and who went on to play pro football, and Mark Spitz, winner of seven swimming gold medals. The book also highlights fascinating anecdotes and the accomplishments of their less well-known colleagues, including one athlete's humble beginnings in a chicken house and another who earned a Silver Star for heroism in the Vietnam War. Despite their different lives, they share one key similarity-these remarkable athletes all called Indiana University home"--

From track and field to swimming and diving, and of course basketball and soccer, Indiana University Olympians celebrates over a century of Indiana University Olympic competitors. Beginning in 1904, at the 3rd summer games in St. Louis, IU's first Olympic medal went to pole vaulter LeRoy Samse who earned a silver medal. In 2016, swimmer Lilly King rocketed onto the world stage with two gold medals in the 31st Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. Featuring profiles of 49 athletes who attended IU, Indiana University Olympians includes the stories of well-known figures like Milt Campbell, the first African American to win decathlon gold and who went on to play pro football, and Mark Spitz, winner of seven swimming gold medals. The book also highlights fascinating anecdotes and the accomplishments of their less well-known colleagues, including one athlete's humble beginnings in a chicken house and another who earned a Silver Star for heroism in the Vietnam War. Despite their different lives, they share one key similarity—these remarkable athletes all called Indiana University home.

For over 125 years, Hoosier athletes and coaches have grabbed headlines with their accomplishments and accolades. Legendary performers and larger-than-life figures have called Bloomington home, and their stories have been passed down through generations. But for every classic tale about a Hoosier athlete, coach, or program, there's another that's been forgotten. Until now. After gaining unprecedented access to IU archives and longtime employees, authors John Decker, Pete DiPrimio, and Doug Wilson reveal events and images that were lost for decades. Filled with new and entertaining stories of the people who have made IU Athletics legendary, Unknown, Untold, and Unbelievable Stories of IU Sports is a must-have for any fan. Discover behind-the-scenes stories of the Olympic Trials featuring Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, and Steve Alford; the infamous 1997 black football jerseys; Ernie Pyle's outlandish automobile polo match to raise funds for the IU marching band; A. J. Moye's notorious block against Duke; the time Sam Bell won the bid for an NCAA track meet—without a facility or even bleachers; and many more incredible stories from the renowned IU Athletics program.

Mark Spitz is arguably the most famous and successful Olympic athlete of all time because of his legendary performances at the 1972 Olympics, where he won seven gold medals while breaking seven world records. His amazing life story is told for the first time in the authorized biography Mark Spitz: The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion. This exclusive account follows Spitz’s roller-coaster career: age-group prodigy, four-medal "flop" at the 1968 Olympics, outstanding collegiate career at Indiana University, gold-medal haul in 1972, lucrative endorsements, and a brief and unsuccessful stint in entertainment. And the meatier stories—the role his father played in his career, his often stormy relationship with coaches and teammates, his experiences as a Jewish athlete with anti-Semitism and the Munich massacre, his impact on the commercialization of swimming, his relationship with Michael Phelps, and others—have been largely unknown, ignored, barely touched upon, or distorted. Mark Spitz: The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion provides insights into Spitz’s career, behind-the-scenes anecdotes about him and his competitors, and untold stories that shed light on his complicated personality and relationship with his father. Old and new fans alike will appreciate the depth and details of this swimming icon’s story.

A handsome coffee-table book, Glory of Old IU is the most comprehensive book ever written about Indiana University athletics. Never-before-published details about the 100 years of IU's membership in the Big Ten Conference are captured in this one-of-a-kind book. Glory of Old IU includes vignettes about all of IU's greatest moments, including its five NCAA basketball championships. There are stories about Bob Knight, Mark Spitz, Isiah Thomas, Harry Gonso, and many others. Thousands of other names are included in the all-time letter-winners list. Glory of Old IU is must reading for anyone who is loyal to the Hoosiers.

As the first African American player to be drafted by the NFL and the first African American to play quarterback, George Taliaferro was a trailblazer whose athletic prowess earned him accolades throughout his football career. Instrumental in leading Indiana University to an undefeated season and undisputed Big Ten championship in 1945, Taliaferro was a star when many major universities had no black players on their rosters and others were stacking black players behind white starters. George Taliaferro would later rack up impressive statistics while playing professionally for the New York Yanks, Dallas Texans, Baltimore Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles. His athletic prowess did little to prevent him from facing segregation and discrimination on a daily basis, but his popularity as an athlete also gave him a platform. Playing professionally gave Taliaferro more opportunity to use football to fight oppression and to interact with other important trailblazers, like Joe Louis, Nat King Cole, Muhammad Ali, and Congressman John Lewis. Race and Football in America tells Taliaferro's story and profiles the experiences of other athletes of color who were recognized for their athleticism yet oppressed for their skin color, as they fought (and continue to fight) for equal rights and opportunities. Together these stories provide an insightful portrait of race in America.