Most Popular Books by Sports Illustrated

When it comes to sports--the facts, the stars, the stats, the pictures, the stories--nobody can beat "Sports Illustrated". Which is why the "Sports Illustrated Sports Almanac" is the best sports annual of its kind. Crammed with facts, figures, and articles by "Sports Illustrated''s" peerless roster of writers, this reference is poised and ready for its best season ever. in color.

Everything You Need to Become a Hardball Know-It-All The next book in the Fanbook series from Sports Illustrated Kids, The Baseball Fanbook has all the nerdy-cool insider knowledge that fans ready for next-level, in-depth stats need to know to impress their friends, family, coaches, and any season ticket holders they may meet. Tailor-made for baseball fanatics ages 8 and up who know the basics of the sport they love, may play it, and are looking to become super fans, this new fanbook is filled with fun trivia, unique lingo, and illustrated behind-the-skills how-to''s. Chapters include Team Tidbits (salient baseball facts about every MLB team), Think Like a Manager (essential strategies to understand), He Reminds Me Of (compares current players to legendary greats of America’s favorite pastime), and much more!

DESCRIPTION: Sports Illustrated Kids Pro Files Baseball is a must - have book for every young baseball fan and player. This 96 - page book profiles 15 of the big leagues '' hottest stars and features SI Kids'' signature content :great writing, fun trivia, amazing statistics, and dynamic photography. But Pro Files Baseball also delves deeper, providing insider tips from major league coaches on how to hit, pitch and field just like the stars in the book. Experts help break down each baseball skill so that young players can learn to play like the pros. In Pro Files Baseball, fans will not only read all about Albert Pujols and his accomplishments, but they ''ll also learn how to smack home runs like the St. Louis Cardinals slugger.

Presents articles and statistics on the 2005 sports year, covering football, baseball, hockey, tennis, golf, and other sports, and includes sections on sports markets and awards, obituaries, and a calendar of 2006 events.

Providing a complete review of the year in sports, this authoritative reference provides statistical reports, photographs, histories, previews, and special features on the world''s major sports.

My First Book of Baseball, the second Rookie Book from Sports Illustrated Kids, coaches young kids through the game of baseball with a visual retelling of an actual MLB game--from the first pitch to the game winning hit! Strikes, outs, steals, foul balls, home runs and more are all explained using a fun mix of Sports Illustrated action photography, simple text with engaging graphics, and a full glossary of essential baseball terms and phrases. An illustrated rookie player character also appears on every page, providing fun facts to help the next generation of fans better understand the game. Perfect for beginning readers, My First Book of Baseball is meant to be a shared reading experience between parents and their young minor league rookies before, during, and after the ball game.

America''s No. 1 sports almanac since its introduction 14 years ago, the Sports Illustrated Almanac has got 2004 covered, from football to fencing, hockey to handball, and everything in between. Spanning 896 pages, the Sports IllustratedAlmanac features essays by top Sports Illustrated writers, all-time stats and records, and ticketing and venue information for pro baseball, basketball, football and hockey. Now during Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary, the Sports Illustrated Almanac will release this special edition. The Sports Illustrated Almanac 2005 is the ultimate guide to the year in sports.

Baseball: Then to WOW! shows readers how baseball has evolved from the early days of the 1920s to the game it is today. Using MLB action photographs, illustrations, stories, and trivia, the book is a journey through time both for baseball fans and those new to the game. Kids will learn how basic equipment has changed from fingerless gloves to specially tailored leather-bound mitts and how the evolution of game strategy has transformed the sport, players, and equipment. Players throughout history are stacked up against each other in every position so fans can dream up the perfect fantasy team with Babe Ruth playing alongside Hank Aaron and Reggie Jackson. A fun-filled section of the book explores everything fan culture-from the perfect ballpark frank to the importance of baseball cards and video games in popularizing the sport.

America''s favorite sports almanac, now in its 19th year, is as fact-filled and fun as ever. Packed with stats, standings, and historical data from SPORTS ILLUSTRATED''s award-winning staff, this is the essential reference book for every fan. Includes the 2009 baseball playoffs and World Series. 88-page pro football section incudes year-by-year NFL standings back to 1920 as well as game recaps for Super Bowls I to XLIII. Year-in-review calendar revisits the highlights and low points of 2009. Annual results from many professional and amateur sports, including Little League baseball, lacrosse, volleyball, and many more. Year-by-year and 2009 results from NASCAR, IRL, and Formula One. AND MUCH MORE

THE GREATEST ATHLETES BY NUMBER Every number tells a story. 3, 7, 16, 23, 42. Our iconic athletes have become synonymous with the numbers they have worn-and this connection can run deep. Think about the players who have switched teams and traded Rolexes or cold hard cash to claim the same digits from a new teammate. In Any Given Number, Sports Illustrated raises the bar to a new level. Simply, who''s the greatest athlete across all sports who wore a number best? While Wayne Gretzky may have 99 locked up, who''s the ultimate No. 24? Willie Mays, Jeff Gordon or Kobe Bryant? At 33, would you pick Larry Bird or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Is it Mr. Hockey or Teddy Ballgame at 9? Who wins at 12, Tom Brady, Terry Bradshaw or Joe Namath? How about Brett Favre or Bobby Orr at 4? Any Given Number delivers SI''s authoritative take on who is the best of the best, from No. 00 to No. 99, breaking down the contenders to name an ultimate winner at each number. It also reveals little-known facts about a digit''s history and colorful anecdotes about why an athlete chose it, alongside the stellar photography that is the hallmark of Sports Illustrated. Let the debate begin!

Through 100 evocative, often stunning photographs, as well as the stories that accompany them, Sports Illustrated visits the great arc of football, America''s most popular spectator sport. From the dawn of the professional era, through the days of Vince Lombardi and Johnny Unitas, the westward expansion and the thrilling Super Bowls of today, football''s rich and remarkable history is here. Unforgettable events such as the Greatest Game Ever Played, Joe Namath''s guarantee before Super Bowl III and Nick Foles''s Philly Special live in a continuum with stirring photos of the game''s most beloved and largest personalities such as Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Bill Parcells, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and many more. Sports Illustrated''s unmatched storytelling is in high form in a book that renders exquisite anecdotes, and explores football''s heritage and uniquely American character, all in unforgettable style.

Who''s the greatest slugger of all time, Babe Ruth or Ted Williams? Where do Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken Jr. rank on the list of the best shortstops? At third base, would you rather have Mike Schmidt or Brooks Robinson? Is Fenway or Wrigley the better ballpark? This book will end many arguments-and start some new ones. Sports Illustrated''s has polled its Major League Baseball experts to determine the ultimate Top 10 in more than 20 categories. The rankings appear alongside stunning photography and classic stories from SI''s archives. This is the best of the best in the major leagues, or, more simply, Baseball''s Greatest.

From its earliest days on frozen ponds, hockey has been a sport of speed and elegance, but also one demanding courage and physical will. The Hockey Book goes deep into the heart of the game, celebrating with astounding photographs and insightful words the great players and the inspiring teams, as well as an ethos-robust and selfless-that defines the sport as much in its dynamic present as it did in hockey''s hardscrabble (and helmetless) past.

Consider for a moment that Harry Truman was President when Joe Paterno came to Penn State. More than six decades later, the bespectacled, gravelly-throated football icon had won more games than any major college coach while guiding teams to five undefeated seasons and two national titles. Although that tenure came to a sad end in November 2011, followed by Paterno''s death from complications of lung cancer two months later, his achievements and the way he went about realizing them will endure. He was the rare coach who championed values and demanded academic excellence from his players, remaining as straightforward and constant through the years as the Lions'' blue-and-white uniforms. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED''s retrospective of Joe Paterno is the definitive account of a remarkable career, collecting the best stories and photographs from the pages of SI to chronicle the story of this rare coach and the program he built. The man known simply as JoePa assumed a unique place in our collective sporting culture. This 208-page collection is a lasting remembrance of the history that he made at Penn State.

How often do golfers make a hole in one? What are the chances you''ll catch a foul ball at a baseball game? How often do Number 1 draft picks become Super Bowl winners? This book is the perfect combination of little-known stats, amazing plays, and fun facts. Not only will we address all the burning questions that curious sports fans want to know, this book will highlight some incredible moments and underscore exactly how special those highlight-reel plays are.

An anthology of acclaimed articles, essays, and other writings from the pages of Sports Illustrated explores various facets of the popular collegiate and professional sport, in works by John O''Hara, Jack Kerouac, Dan Jenkins, George Plimpton, Don DeLillo, Frank Deford, Rick Reilly, John Ed Bradley, Paul Zimmerman, and other noted authors.

A New York Times Bestseller Through 100 Evocative, often stunning photographs, as well as the stories that accompany them, Sports Illustrated visits the great arc of baseball, America’s past time. From the dawn of the professional era, through the days of Babe Ruth, the westward expansion and the thrilling championships of today, baseball’s rich and remarkable history is here. Inspiring events such as Jackie Robinson’s breaking the color barrier, Lou Gehrig’s Luckiest Man speech and one-handed pitcher Jim Abbott’s 1993 no-hitter live in a continuum with stirring photos of the game’s most beloved and largest personalities such as Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Cal Ripken Jr., Bryce Harper and many more. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s unmatched storytelling is in high form in a book that renders exquisite anecdotes, and explores baseball’s cultural heritage and uniquely American character, all in unforgettable style.

A must-have book for inquisitive young sports fans, this collection of sports trivia entertains as it informs, presenting insider knowledge from the world of sports in the distinct Sports Illustrated Kids style. More than simply a list of questions and answers, this full-color, interactive book details the answers to sports'' curious questions -- Why is the NHL''s trophy called the Stanley Cup? Who was baseball''s first designated hitter? When were the first Olympics held? Why is San Francisco''s football team called the 49ers? -- complete with photos and illustrations that entertain as they inform.Featuring hundreds of questions, young fans will be stumping the adult sports fans in their lives with their expert insider knowledge.

A guide for young football fans collects facts, statistics, records, game lingo, and strategies.

Celebrate the championship glory, Hall of Fame personalities, and passionate fans that make the Boston Red Sox one of the most historic franchises in baseball Once an intrepid expansion club, the Boston Red Sox have now thrilled their loyal fans for well over a century. Sports Illustrated(tm) celebrates the franchise with The Boston Red Sox, an extraordinary collection of classic stories and photographs from the pages of SI. This commemorative book recalls the most memorable pennant races and World Series victories while spotlighting legendary stars like Ted Williams, David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, Carl Yastrzemski, and Carlton Fisk. Red Sox fans will unearth countless gems from their team''s past on each page of this celebration.

Crammed with enough facts and figures to please even the most serious sports fans.

Providing a complete review of the year in sports, this authoritative reference provides statistical reports, photographs, histories, previews, and special features on the world''s major sports.

Are you MVP material? This championship collection features all your favorite puzzles -- crosswords, jumbles, spirals, and more -- and all your favorite athletes! Can you prove if you are really on the ball? Plus take an extra challenge and try What''s The Call? -- puzzlers that put you in the hot seat. You''re the umpire or You judge the action and then make the call! -- Is the player out or safe? -- Is the goal good? -- Does the basket count? The game is in your hands! So grab your pencil, and touch to solve these tricky sports teasers!