From the legendary Ebbets Field in the heart of Brooklyn to the amenity-packed Houston Astrodome to the «retro» Oriole Park at Camden Yards, stadiums have taken many shapes and served different purposes throughout the history of American sports culture. In the early twentieth century, a new generation of stadiums arrived, located in the city center, easily accessible to the public, and offering affordable tickets that drew mixed crowds of men and women from different backgrounds. But in the successive decades, planners and architects turned sharply away from this approach. In Modern Coliseum , Benjamin D. Lisle tracks changes in stadium design and culture since World War II. These engineered marvels channeled postwar national ambitions while replacing aging ballparks typically embedded in dense urban settings. They were stadiums designed for the «affluent society»—brightly colored, technologically expressive, and geared to the car-driving, consumerist suburbanite. The modern stadium thus redefined one of the city's more rambunctious and diverse public spaces. Modern Coliseum offers a cultural history of this iconic but overlooked architectural form. Lisle grounds his analysis in extensive research among the archives of teams, owners, architects, and cities, examining how design, construction, and operational choices were made. Through this approach, we see modernism on the ground, as it was imagined, designed, built, and experienced as both an architectural and a social phenomenon. With Lisle's compelling analysis supplemented by over seventy-five images documenting the transformation of the American stadium over time, Modern Coliseum will be of interest to a variety of readers, from urban and architectural historians to sports fans.
From the front office to the family room, sabermetrics has dramatically changed the way baseball players are assessed and valued by fans and managers alike. Rocketed to popularity by the 2003 bestseller Moneyball and the film of the same name, the use of sabermetrics to analyze player performance has appeared to be a David to the Goliath of systemically advantaged richer teams that could be toppled only by creative statistical analysis. The story has been so compelling that, over the past decade, team after team has integrated statistical analysis into its front office. But how accurately can crunching numbers quantify a player's ability? Do sabermetrics truly level the playing field for financially disadvantaged teams? How much of the baseball analytic trend is fad and how much fact? The Sabermetric Revolution sets the record straight on the role of analytics in baseball. Former Mets sabermetrician Benjamin Baumer and leading sports economist Andrew Zimbalist correct common misinterpretations and develop new methods to assess the effectiveness of sabermetrics on team performance. Tracing the growth of front office dependence on sabermetrics and the breadth of its use today, they explore how Major League Baseball and the field of sports analytics have changed since the 2002 season. Their conclusion is optimistic, but the authors also caution that sabermetric insights will be more difficult to come by in the future. The Sabermetric Revolution offers more than a fascinating case study of the use of statistics by general managers and front office executives: for fans and fantasy leagues, this book will provide an accessible primer on the real math behind moneyball as well as new insight into the changing business of baseball.
Describing the exciting and adventurous world surrounding geocaching–a worldwide hunt in which treasures are located using global positioning system (GPS) devices–this book offers an understanding and application of the principles and best practices of the game. What's different is that the authors wrap this knowledge in a tapestry of human stories that range from hilarious to touching. Paul and Dana Gillin interviewed 40 of the world's 50 most prolific geocachers as well as experts in container design, «extreme» geocaching and other dimensions of the game. They tell how this global activity inspires passion that has helped people heal frayed marriages, establish new friendships–and even save lives.
The Weight Lifted collects Chicago Tribune sportswriter Paul Sullivan’s coverage of the Chicago Cubs’ historic 2016 championship season. The 16-article collection traces the arc of the Cubs’ groundbreaking year, from their spring training in Arizona all the way to their rousing Game Seven victory against the Cleveland Indians. Through interviews with players, fans, team manager Joe Maddon and other key figures, as well as in-depth reporting of the games as they happened, Sullivan details how the Cubs—once deemed “the lovable losers”—overcame the odds to end the longest championship drought in sports history. The Weight Lifted allows Chicago fans to relive the 2016 season from start to incredible finish—a dream that was 108 years in the making.
Bull City Summer: A Season At The Ballpark unites a group of documentarians around the 2013 season of minor league baseball in Durham, North Carolina, evoking an atmosphere described by The New York Times as “lazing out on the porch of a summer’s night and meditating to your favorite ball team.” For a printed version with photographs, please visit 978-0-9889831-6-8.
This guidebook describes 33 walks in the beautiful Algarve in southern Portugal. Boasting good weather, easy access, stunning scenery and some great hiking trails, the region is a perfect destination for a walking holiday. It is best known for its spectacular coastline: the coastal trails presented here afford ample opportunity to admire the plunging sinkholes, striking sea-cliffs and rock-hugged beaches. However, the interior is every bit as beautiful and other walks explore the forested slopes of Monchique and the tranquil countryside between the mountains and coast.
The routes range from 3.5 to 17km and cover the sun-kissed south coast, the rugged Vicentina Coast, the Monchique mountains and traditional villages of the eastern Algarve. Many can be accessed by public transport and details, along with tips on refreshment opportunities on route, are provided in the text. The route description is accompanied by clear mapping and notes on local points of interest.
Showcasing the region's varied landscapes, highlights include Cabo de São Vicente, Europe's most southwesterly point; the Algarve's highest peak, Fóia (902m); historical sites; dramatic cliffs, arches and sea-stacks; and idyllic beaches. With information on the Algarve's history, plants and wildlife and advice on travel and potential bases, the guide is an ideal companion to exploring this captivating region.
This guidebook explores the Camiño dos Faros (the Way of the Lighthouses), a 200km hike around the remote northwest corner of Spain. Starting in the old whaling town of Malpica and ending in Fisterra (Spain's Land's End), the eight day hike along the Costa da Morte follows a path that sticks limpet-like to the Atlantic coast. It's a spectacular walk along dramatic cliffs and around deep, verdant river estuaries, exploring the rich Galician culture and history. With stages between 18 and 29km per day, this is a hike suitable for walkers willing to undertake reasonably long days and the occasional scramble up and down beach paths.
The guide provides in-depth descriptions of the route alongside clear mapping to aid navigation. It includes practical information for both before and during your trip, and details about wildlife and historic sites along the walk. In the back of the guide are a series of appendices listing accommodation, main Galician festivals, and useful contacts.
The Camiño dos Faros follows the wild coast of the Costa da Morte, which is battered by storms racing in from the Atlantic. For shipping it is one of the world's most dangerous coastlines and its ominous name meaning 'the coast of death' is well deserved. 'Dos Faros' refers to a series of beautifully located lighthouses that attempt to warn sailors of the perils that await them. The sea has shaped the landscape and the Galician culture, and the locally caught seafood including razor clams and percebes should not be missed.
This conveniently sized guide is an invaluable point of reference for all walkers. Written by an author with a wealth of experience teaching navigation skills, it provides a clear and comprehensive guide to the key techniques – giving you the confidence to navigate successfully with map and compass and to plan and execute your own routes.
All topics are clearly referenced and easy to find. Chapters cover scales and grids, map symbols and contours, compasses, bearings, navigation on the hill, route planning and night and bad weather navigation. This new edition also incorporates new content on walking with a GPS device, with notes on how technology can complement map and compass. The text is illustrated with explanatory photos and diagrams as well as extracts from real maps and map keys, and – since the best way to learn is through experience – throughout the guide, practical exercises are suggested to help you practise and develop your skills.
Perfect both for novices seeking an introduction to navigation and also those wishing to brush up on old skills, this book is an indispensable companion to mastering the essential techniques. These valuable skills will enhance not only your safety but also your enjoyment of the outdoors.
Sweden's most famous long-distance trail, the Kungsleden (King's Trail) traverses the land of the Sámi people and the midnight sun, stretching 460km between Abisko and Hemavan. Around half the route lies within the Arctic Circle showcasing an ever-changing landscape of snowy mountains, deep glacial valleys, open fell, expansive lakes and verdant forest. The fully waymarked trail is comprised of five continuous and distinct sections: these can be walked individually or a thru-hike will take around a month. The guide also includes the popular Abisko to Nikkaluokta circuit, which can be completed in a week, and an ascent of Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest peak at 2098m.
In addition to clear route description and mapping, you'll find a wealth of practical advice covering accommodation and facilities, equipment and resupply and detailed notes on how to get to and from the section start and finish-points. A Swedish and Fell Sámi glossary can be found in the appendix. Although there are plentiful opportunities for wild camping, three of the five trail sections are equipped with huts (many including a shop and a sauna) making them easily accessible to all. The remaining two sections have a more remote feel that will appeal to those intent on finding some solitude. To add further colour, there are seven mandatory lake crossings on the trail with the option of rowing or using the motorised service: full details are provided in the text.
The Kungsleden passes through five national parks, including Sarek. Other highlights include the striking Tjäktjavagge glacial valley and the famous hay meadows of Aktse, perfectly framed by the azure Lájtávrre delta and the sheer chiselled face of Skierrffe. The Kungsleden invites you to step into a new world, and it may well prove to be the start of a long and rich association involving many repeated visits.
This guide covers 34 day walks and one long-distance route in the wild and remote hills of Galloway. Although there are some shorter and easier routes, many of these hill walks are long and on rugged terrain, so are more suitable for experienced walkers. The walks cover the evocative areas of The Merrick, The Awful Hand, The Rhinns of Kells, the Minnigaff hills and Cairnsmore of Fleet, among others. The guide uses OS 1:50,000 maps with detailed route descriptions and inspirational photos accompanying each route. Key information such as distance, time, and ascent are given. A 'harshness' grade gives an indication of how rough the ground is expected to be, and suggestions of variants, shortcuts and ways to extend each walk are also given. Plenty of background information is given on the region's fascinating and important history. If you like your wild landscape really wild? If you like your lakes to have whooper swans in the middle and no ice-cream vans around the edge? If you like to have one foot on bare rock and the other one deep in a peat bog? If you like your granite with goats on? Then Galloway is the place to go.