Review of “The Long Run”

 Most of my reading lately has been books about running.This one covered some topics I have read about before, but even so, it’s a well crafted book on the premier marathons for runners. 

Title/Author: “The Long Run: Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, Join Benoit, Greta Waitz and the Decade That Made Running Cool” by Martin Dugard

Rating:  5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Running as a sport has had a long and interesting history. The marathon event is the premier race, testing an athlete’s endurance and mental fitness. This book by Martin Duggar’s, a marathon runner himself, tells the interesting period from the 1970s where the marathon became more popular for both runners and spectators.

The story actually starts in ancient Greece. The legend of Pheidippides running to tell the people of Athens about the victory at the battlefield of Marathon is a great story, but Dugard shows why that myth doesn’t hold up. The story of why the length of a marathon is 26 miles and 385 yards also is questioned as Dugard explains that the legend of the extra 385 yards being added so the finish line is directly in front of Queen Mary’s box doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. These stories along with others make this early part of the book very interesting.

However, it gets even better when Dugard starts writing about the great runners named in the subtitle of the book. Steve Prefontaine was THE MAN for running in the early and mid-70s as his popularity soared before his tragic death in 1975. Frank Shorter’s gold medal for the marathon brought that race home to millions of American viewers. Joan Benoit Samuelson and Greta Waitz were early pioneers in breaking the glass ceiling (wrongly constructed by the AAU and officials of the Boston and New York City Marathons) for women running long distances. Each of these athletes’ stories are fascinating and make for great reading.  It should also be noted that Dugard writes about those two marathons and important milestones for them such as when the New York City Marathon became a run through all five boroughs.

Whether you’re an experienced marathon runner, a runner who settles for shorter distances or even a non-runner, this book is sure to be one that a reader will want to add to their shelves. 

I wish to thank Dutton for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley.  The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/738256 

Review of "The American Game"

It took me longer than expected to finish this book on lacrosse, a sport in which I have become more interest the last few years and one in which it is hard to find books.  Therefore, my first review in October took longer, but I was glad I finished this book - here is my review of "The American Game." 

Title/Author:

“The American Game: History and Hope in the Country of Lacrosse” by S.L. Price

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review:

The title of this book by S.L. Price, a long-time Sports Illustrated writer, is very appropriate for a book on the sport of lacrosse. While it is very well-known that Native Americans played the earliest known versions of the game, not much is known about their struggle to field their own team as a nation. That is just one of the topics Price covers about the sport in the book.

The Haudenosaunee (formerly Iroquois before taking back their original name) tried to enter Isreal for the 2018 world championships using their own passports instead of becoming part of the teams from the United States or Canada.  This caused several issues, but they eventually competed in the tournament.  The difficulties they faced is just one of several issues with the game that Price describes.

Other topics that are highlighted that trouble the sport is the lack of diversity, the lack of women in the sport, at least before Title IX was passed (it should be noted that Price does a really nice writeup of the recent state of women’s college lacrosse, including the fact that it is growing faster than the men’s game) and the “laxbro” attitude of the players who are mostly white, upper to upper middle class, and have a history of substance abuse. While it was very appropriate to include these topics, they were more of the focus of the book instead of the sport itself and for me, that was a disappointment. 

However, when Price did write about the game, whether the growth of the women’s game, the “medicine games” played by the indigenous players in its earliest days and is still done by them today or just recapping how some schools such as Johns Hopkins in Baltimore (men) or Northwestern University near Chicago (women) became powerhouses in the sport. While not at the level that a person who knows nothing about lacrosse would understand, Price’s text on actual game play and the positions are very good as well. 

My thoughts on this book, as one can probably tell, are very mixed. On the one hand, it has great information on the sport at various times in its history, albeit a little uneven as Price switches from one topic to another and back often.  Also as noted, the book did seem to concentrate on the hard issues of the sport instead of the beauty of the game.  Nonetheless, it is worth checking out if one wants to learn more about the sport of lacrosse.  

I wish to thank Atlantic Monthly Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: The American Game: History and Hope in the Country of Lacrosse - Kindle edition by Price, S. L.. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Review of “The Front Runner”

While I cannot say I am a big track and field fan, I do recognize the name Steve Prefontaine and knew that he is considered a legend in the sport. It’s hard to believe he’s been gone 50 years - and was very glad to be able to obtain a copy of this book. Here is my review of “The Front Runner.” 

Title/Author: “The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine” by Brendan O’Meara

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Steve Prefontaine holds an almost godlike status in the sport of track and field. This despite the fact that he did not win a medal of any type in the one Olympics event in which he competed as Olympic medals are usually the standard by which the legend of a runner will be set. This book by Brendan O’Meara, published 50 years after his tragic death at age 24 in a car accident, does a fantastic job of describing WHY “”Pre”, as he was called by his many fans, attained such status and also delves into his short life in great detail. 

Prefontaine’s early life was marked by divorce and abuse but there was a special bond between him and his half sister Neta (he also has a full blooded sister Linda) in which Neta protected the younger Steve. When Neta left home, Steve started running and from that time Steve was a running machine. In junior and senior high school, Steve very rarely lost a race, was maniacal about his training and his goal and was brash enough to announce what records he’ll break and what he will do (strategy) to accomplish this. 

It helped that aside from travel for international meets, Steve’s residence his entire life was in Oregon, a state where track and field is as important a sport as football is in Texas or basketball is in Indiana. His high school career, as well as that at the University of Oregon, is covered in great detail by O’Meara. This is aided by the many fascinating stories that friends, teammates and opponents of Prefontaine shared. 

It should also be noted that Prefontaine was the first star athlete featured by an upstart shoe company making mostly running shoes with a new name: Nike. Long before Michael Jordan, Phil Knight realized the power that a star like Prefontaine would bring to sales and O’Meara gives the reader a good portrayal of that aspect of Prefontaine and the start of the Nike brand with its famous “swoosh.” It’s called that because it’s the sound of a runner passing by others.

The one Olympics event for Steve, the 5000 meters, was and still is considered both a triumph and a defeat. The latter, of course, because he finished fourth and out of medal contention. But given his strong running that briefly gave him the lead and the will to exert himself so much when his body was not cooperating was considered to be greatness seen and upon reflection, he took that view away. This is in line with the training and runs he would do regularly. The description of these is another excellent aspect of the book.

Readers already knowledgeable about Prefontaine, whether old enough to have seen him or through hearing stories about him, might be familiar with much of the material, but not matter one’s knowledge or fandom of “Pre”, this is a book that is well worth the time to read about a runner whose name still represents greatness 50 years after his death. 

I wish to thank Mariner Books for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063348969/?bestFormat=true&k=the%20front%20runner&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k0_1_12&crid=3BSE1L97VG3QD&sprefix=The%20front%20ru  

Review of "Killing the Image"

Admittedly, I did not follow Andre Ward very closely once he turned professional although I did see his bouts in the 2004 Olympics.  So, when this book first came out, I wasn't too interested.  But seeing it available for review more than a year after publication, I figured why not give it a try.  And, man, am I glad I did!  Here is my review of "Killing the Image."

Title/Author: “Killing the Image: A Champion’s Journey of Faith, Fighting and Forgiveness” by Andre Ward with Nick Chiles

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: In some ways, the story of Olympic gold medalist and light heavyweight boxing champion Andre Ward reads like the story of so many other boxers. Ward came from a broken home so his trainer became like a father figure to him. He got caught up in street life by selling drugs for quick cash.  He became a father as a teenager.  It would seem like all these circumstances would break him – or at least prevent him from having a successful athletic career. 

But his story is NOT like so many others.  With a strong conviction of his faith, his hard work in his training, his fulfillment of his duties as a father (and a husband as he married the woman who bore his son when they were both teenagers) and his undying love for both of his parents despite their troubles, he achieved all that he wanted in the boxing ring. His journey to do so is a fascinating tale, one that was very hard to put down.

What really jumped out at me compared to other sports memoirs I have read (and those who follow my writing know that I have read many) is his commitment to not only his family and to his faith, but to his duties.  He would never walk away from any responsibility – at least not completely. 

When he was dealing drugs, he would mention how in the back of his mind that he was feeling guilty for skipping out on training and how it made Virgil, his trainer and mentor, feel.  He always was thinking of others, even in the ring and when negotiating contracts. He mentions that he (and many other boxers) will wish their opponents well.  Yes, they want to win, but they don’t want harm to their opponents either.  When he was negotiating contract or switching agents, he would be concerned with their welfare as well.  From the tone of the entire book, no matter the subject, it was clear that this was genuine concern, not just something to include because it sounds good.

Currently, Ward is a licensed minister, which is the perfect occupation for his post-boxing life.  Throughout the book, he not only refers to Scripture that guided him, but he also conferred with his minister throughout his boxing career. It helped that his minister was also a professional athlete as an offensive lineman in the NFL. It is clear that Ward believes his faith played as much of a role in his success as well as his family, trainers and ability.

The boxing and training sections of the book are also very good.  I especially enjoyed his recaps of his Olympic experiences in 2004 and his two fights against the Russian light heavyweight Sergey Kovalev.  The drama around those two fights outside the ring was just as compelling as the fighting and Ward describes them both in excellent detail.

While this was a fairly short book at 224 pages, it was also one that was very hard to put down and as a result I finished it quickly – and didn’t want it to end.  Ward was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame and is just as grateful for that as he was for any other accomplishment.  His story is one that readers will enjoy, especially if they are boxing fans.

I wish to thank Harper Horizon for providing an advance review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.  

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Image-Champions-Fighting-Forgiveness/dp/0785298304/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=

 

Review of "The Promise of Women's Boxing"

With the Olympics now in full swing, I always watch some of the boxing matches, both men and since 2012, the women as well.  This is a book that gives some much-deserved recognition to female boxer.  Here is my review of Malissa Smith's recent book on the sport.  

Title/Author:

“The Promise of Women’s Boxing: A Momentous New Era for the Sweet Science” by Malissa Smith

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: While the sport of boxing has recently seen a downturn in popularity, mainly due to the rise of other combat sports such as mixed martial arts, it should be noted that women’s boxing has defied that pattern and has actually gained in popularity and participation.  The history of female boxing is captured in this well-researched book by Marlissa Smith.

Smith is known as one of the most knowledgeable journalists for women’s boxing and both her writing and her passion shows quite prominently in the book.  She covers the history of the sport, from the early days when women couldn’t get approval from state licensing boards to the current popularity and Olympic participation it currently enjoys.  I mention the Olympics because Smith uses that acceptance as the most crucial time for the acceptance of women’s boxing – when it became an Olympic sport for the 2012 London Summer Games.

One of the medal winners from those Games, Clarissa Shields (the current heavyweight champion), wrote the forward for the book and is one of the many boxers Smith prominently features in the book.  Of course, there is Layla Ali, whose famous father helped her with name recognition and therefore piqued the interest of fans when she would fight.  Then there are some more well known champions from the sport such as Christy Martin, Katie Taylor and Cecelia Braekhus who are all prominently mentioned in the book.  

While it is great that Smith tells the stories of many of these boxers who trained and fought hard for little pay and recognition, that she did this for so many boxers, especially in the early part of the book, it was hard to keep track of them or to get a good sense of what was happening during that era of the sport.  While it is perfectly understandable that Smith wanted to ensure these athletes got the recognition for their contributions to the sport, I personally found it hard to keep track of them all.

Once the aforementioned 2012 Olympics were discussed in the book, it was both easier to read and follow and for me, more enjoyable.  I thought Smith did a fantastic job of writing about championship fights and chronicling the progress of women’s boxing.  This included when the sport finally was recognized with inductees into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2021 – a year after a special, separate Hall was started. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book on women’s boxing by a renowned expert on the sport and it is only right that these hard-working women get the recognition and publicity they deserve.

I wish to thank the publisher for providing a review copy of the book.  The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: The Promise of Women's Boxing: A Momentous New Era for the Sweet Science: Smith, Malissa, Shields, Claressa: 9781538177716: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Just Add Water"

Just in time for the Paris Olympics, swimming champion Katie Ledecky has published her memoir.  For someone who is only 27, it contained a lot of memorable material.  Here is my review of "Just Add Water."

 

Title/Author:

“Just Add Water: My Swimming Life” written and narrated by Katie Ledecky

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

It isn’t often that I want to get a book immediately on the date of publication as I usually prefer to wait at least a couple weeks and see what the initial reviews look like.  But when it came time to get this memoir by Olympic and world swimming champion Katie Ledecky, something told me that I needed to read or listen to this ASAP.  And I am glad I did as it was a very enjoyable listen.

Something to note is that this memoir follows the tried-and-true format of talking about the author’s youth, their family and those who inspire them and their rise to the top of their sport or profession.  Ledecky talks in great detail about her family, especially in the early chapters.  Her brother Michael and she were both attracted to swimming early and while Michael hit the proverbial “wall” in his teens, Katie kept on swimming.  There are also chapters about her parents and grandparents.  The story of her grandfather who was from the Czech Republic was especially inspiring.

What made this memoir so good was the positivity expressed by Ledecky throughout the book.  This was quite refreshing when she talked about her experiences during the worst of the COVID pandemic in 2020 that led to the postponement of that year’s Olympic games in Tokyo.  Any disruption like that will lead to issues for Olympic athletes but between good fortune, good luck and a positive attitude, Ledecky was able to continue her training.  No matter the subject, even when it is a very hard training session, she keeps an upbeat vibe to the book.  One part of this attitude that I really enjoyed is when she was questioning why so many reporters were asking her about “disappointed” she was when winning a sliver medal in Tokyo instead of gold.  She asks how can one be disappointed when you realize you are the second-best athlete in this race in the world? 

I am glad that I listened to the audio version of this book instead of reading the physical copy or the e-book.  Hearing Ledecky’s story in her own voice was powerful, energizing and meant a great deal more than simply reading the text.  One will even learn more about the sport of swimming – great material for those who only follow the sport during Olympic years.

Link: Just Add Water by Katie Ledecky - Audiobook - Audible.com

Review of "The Tigerbelles"

While I have read other great books on Olympic athletes, on Black athletes during the era of blatant racial discrimination and other books on running and track, this is probably the best one that combines all three of these topics into one great read.  Here is my review of "The Tigerbelles".  

Title/Author:

“The Tigerbelles: Olympic Legends from Tennessee State” by Aime Alley Card

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  

While there have been many books released on the struggles of Black athletes from previous eras the last few years, there hasn’t been one that has focused on an exclusive set of fabulous Black female athletes from those times until now.  “The Tigerbelles” gets its title from the name given to the women’s track and field team for Tennessee State University.  This excellent book on the Tigerbelles by Aime Alley Card is a fantastic account of their success at both their competition against other amateur athletes and their medal-winning trips to the 1956 and 1960 Olympics.

 Any discussion of the Tigerbelles has to start with their dedicated coach, Ed Temple. Temple not only provided guidance to the women on their performance on the track, but he also was a mentor on showing them how to conduct themselves outside of the school.  This was not only about their behavior, but their attitudes, their dress and their temperament.  There were some who would rebel against this, and they would be met with consequences but overall, Ed Temple was the driving force behind their success.  The book describes what he did and his life extremely well.

 As for the athletes themselves, Card writes about them with equal detail and knowledge.  While the most famous member of the Tigerbelles would have to be Wilma Rudolph, her story is not the only one that makes for great reading.  Others who enjoyed success with the team such as Barbara Jones and Lucinda Williams also have stories that should be shared and they are in this book.  The women’s experiences, both good and bad, are shared here as well.  While it is well-known about the racial discrimination faced by all Black people at that time, it is always painful to read about them.  However, there are also many uplifting stories, including the experience of those who qualified for the 1960 Olympics in Rome. It was good to read about these as well as the hardships the athletes faced.

 Speaking of hardships, the team faced those at their school as well.  Despite their success and popularity, Temple faced many difficulties in securing funding from the school for the team and for upgrading their facilities.  It didn’t help that the press did not take female athletes seriously (even more so than today) and did not give them the same respect and publicity. That didn’t detract their fellow students as Temple would annually hold a Blue and White competition with teammates running and competing against each other and it would attract many spectators on campus.

It isn’t often that a high quality book is written about a little-known athlete or team and while Wilma Rudolph may be known to some, the Tigerbelles have a story that many may not know but now will have stories that should be known by more people.

I wish to thank Lyons Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Link: Amazon.com: The Tigerbelles: Olympic Legends from Tennessee State eBook : Card, Aime Alley: Kindle Store

Review of "My Greatest Save"

While most will associate the 1999 Women's World Cup with the famous picture of Brandi Chastain, when I saw this book was offered for review, I picked it up right away as I remembered that Briana Scurry played just as big a role in that historic victory over China as Chastain did.  This is a very good sports memoir that many would enjoy reading.  Here is my review of "My Greatest Save."

Title/Author: “My Greatest Save: The Brave, Barrier-Breaking Journey of a World Champion Goaltender” by Briana Scurry with Wayne Coffey

Rating:  4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: When the United States National Women’s Soccer Team (USNWST) won the 1999 World Cup, most remember the famous reaction by Brandi Chastain who, after she scored the winning goal in a penalty kick shootout, she ripped off her jersey in the celebration.  What is not remembered as much is how the goalkeeper for the team, Briana Scurry, made an incredible save on one of the kicks from China that made Chastain’s winning moment possible.  Scurry’s career was very successful, and she discusses that along with her personal life in this easy-to-read memoir written with Wayne Coffey.

I use the term “easy-to-read” because aside from possibly a few soccer terms, this is written in simple, conversational language. There is plenty of humor in snippets that may sound like “dad jokes.” No matter the topic, even during her darkest time when she had thoughts of suicide, Scurry writes with a relaxed and mostly even keeled mindset.  It seemed amazing that she could discuss thoughts about jumping off a bridge into rushing water with the same process as she did about saves made during crucial international matches.

She also writes about social issues that one might expect, given that she is a high-profile Black lesbian athlete, but she does not step into any activism or strongly worded statements.  If she has very strong beliefs, they were not present in the book.  The best example is when she realized that she was gay with this statement: “…I was awakening to the reality that I was a lesbian and was totally at peace with it.  There was no reason for me to issue some sort of declaration and have it notarized and counter signed.”  She also has similar thoughts on racism as being Black, she experienced it and expressed her displeasure but stopped short of calling for strong measures.

The best parts of the book, as one might expect, is her memories of some of the better moments of her soccer career, such as the aforementioned 1999 World Cup along with two gold medals in the 1996 and 2004 Olympics.  Goalkeepers have their own sets of training, conditioning, drills and camaraderie – and Scurry brings all of those to the reader with great recollections of game action, of interactions with teammates and opponents and the joys and sorrows of important wins and losses. 

While the title might make a reader expect a book with very dramatic passages, this book really doesn’t have those – instead, a reader will go on a journey into the world of a goalkeeper who left her mark in international and American soccer and wants to share it all with the readers.

I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Link:  Amazon.com: My Greatest Save: The Brave, Barrier-Breaking Journey of a World Champion Goalkeeper: 9781419757679: Scurry, Briana, Coffey, Wayne, Roberts, Robin: Books

 

 

Review of "Glory Days"

This book was one of those "perfect" sports history books - far enough back to be truly a book on history, but recent enough that readers of a certain age will remember many of the events.  That was the case for me and as a result, I thoroughly enjoyed "Glory Days"

Title/Author:

"Glory Days: The Summer of 1984 and the 90 Days That Changed Sports and Culture Forever" by L. Jon Wertheim

Tags:

Basketball, baseball, ice hockey, Summer Olympics, tennis, professional, Bulls, Cubs, history

Publish date:

June 15, 2021

Length:

336 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

1984 was a year that was not only popularized by George Orwell's novel written 35 years earlier, but also was a year that was a watershed one in several sports, most notably professional basketball, tennis and the Summer Olympics.  Those moments and what they meant in the history of not only sports but also for social and political movements are captured in this excellent book by long-time Sports Illustrated (SI) writer L. Jon Wertheim.

The best passages are those about basketball and tennis, two sports he covered regularly for SI.  The passages on Michael Jordan, especially near the end of the book, are very compelling.  This is true whether they are about his basketball or his marketing appeal, especially for a relatively unknown shoe company at the time called Nike.  The reader will learn much about the 1984 Jordan, especially his connection with Nike.  Of course, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are included as well, including a great chapter on the NBA Finals that year with Bird's Celtics winning a thrilling 7 game series over Johnson's Lakers.

As for the tennis, the main personalities of his focus are the two players who were nearly unbeaten that entire year, John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova. While the stories on McEnroe are good, Navratilova's story is even better, especially as she was one of the first athletes to speak out on social issues.  For her, there were plenty – an immigrant who became an American by defection, her coming out as a lesbian, her hiring of a transgender coach, Dr. Renee Richards and even her training regiment.  For the latter, she developed a muscular tone, considered to be taboo for female athletes at the time.  I found this connection to many of the female athletes today who are activists like Megan Rapinoe and Serena Williams quite fascinating.

There are other important athletes and teams of from that year, most notably the Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles.  Instead of focusing solely on the boycott by the Soviet Union and other communist nations, the text focuses on the athletes and the organizer of the games.  Portrayals of Mary Decker and Mary Lou Retton are notable, but the best writing on the Games was about the director, Peter Ueberroth and his determination to make the Games not only memorable but also profitable. His success with them led to him being named the new commissioner of baseball that year.  Throw in some writing about Wayne Gretzky, Ryne Sandberg and the Chicago Cubs and even Mike Tyson trying out for the Olympic boxing team and you have a great book that captures the sports pulse for that summer.

I wish to thank Houghton Mifflin for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (PDF)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Glory-Days-Changed-Culture-Forever-ebook/dp/B08B3LB95H/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

 

Review of "The Irish Whales"

This was certainly the first book that I have read about these particular events in the Olympics, especially about the now-discontinued 56-pound weight throw.  No, despite the name, this is not about whaling, but instead about some terrific athletes who represented the United States in the early 20th century.  Here is my review of "The Irish Whales."

Title/Author:

“The Irish Whales: Olympians of Old New York" by Kevin Martin

Tags:

Summer Olympics, track, hammer throw, discus, history

Publish date:

September 1, 2020

Length:

238 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Some of the most successful American athletes in some of the early modern Olympic games were immigrants from Ireland, either first or second generation.  These men all competed in track and field events such as the hammer throw, the discus throw and the now-discontinued 56-pound weight throw. The stories of these men and their histories are told in this well researched and informative book by Kevin Martin.

To give a complete background of the athletes, the book starts by describing the conditions that Irish immigrants faced in the latter part of the 19^th century in the United States. Having just left their homeland due to a famine, these immigrants often lived in abject poverty, taking menial jobs and enduring discrimination.  It is against this backdrop that these athletes rose above these conditions to excel at their sport. The Irish Whales, as they were called, got the moniker from their large size which was certainly a factor in the success they enjoyed.

While the first of the Irish Whales, Jim Mitchell, did not win medals at any Olympics as his legacy of success took place before the advent of the modern Olympics, he is credited as probably being the best of the Whales, with complete dominance of his events from 1891-1896.  Following him, there was John Flanagan, who today remains the only athlete to win a gold medal in three consecutive Olympic games for the same event as he took the gold in the hammer throw in 1904, 1908, and 1912.  These three Olympic games is where he and the other Irish Whales enjoyed their greatest success.

It should also be noted that there is good material in the book about the trials and tribulations of these early Games, especially the poor organization of those who ran the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis.  This is very interesting information and while it reads a bit slow at times (as does the history of the Irish immigration wave), it is an important part of the overall story of these athletic heroes to both America and Ireland.  Thiers is a story that needs to be told in order to prevent it from being forgotten.  

I wish to thank Rowman and Littlefield Publishers for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Irish-Whales-Olympians-Old-York/dp/1538142309/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1607962604&sr=1-1